Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sun-barr!rutgers!dptg!att!cbnewsm!mjw
From: mjw@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (Michael Weber)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: A500 power supply (how good is it?)
Summary: Mine has been fine
Keywords: A500 power supply
Message-ID: <3124@cbnewsm.ATT.COM>
Date: 22 Aug 89 16:16:05 GMT
References: <138@bmers58.UUCP>
Reply-To: mjw@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (Michael Weber)
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Cedar Crest
Lines: 60

Alan McKay writes:

> I just want to know how long I can leave my A500 on?

Mine has been running constantly since April 1988 with the following
configuration:

	Amiga 500
	1080 Monitor (I never shut it off; DMouse -s900...)
	Phoenix Electronics external floppy drive (has worked flawlessly)
	Golden Hawk MIDI interface (does draw a small amount of power)
	Serial cable to a modem (again, a small amount of power drain)
	Parallel cable to a printer (again, a small amount of power drain)
	Pacific Peripherals SubSystem 500
	    CLtd SCSI 2000 in slot 1 (connected to homebrew Adaptec 4000
	       and Seagate ST251-1 hard drive system)
	    A2058 memory board in slot 2 (populated to 4MB)

The SubSystem was added in February 1989 along with the CLtd SCSI 2000.
The A2058 memory board was added in April 1989.

The above configuration evolved with a great deal of pain.  If I didn't
like the features of the Amiga so well, I'd have more than likely punted
and joined the *BM compatible world.

The SubSystem was ordered through Abel Supply in July 1988 and was delivered
in late December 1988.  Abel claimed that Pacific Peripherals was responsible
for the delays.  Pacific Peripherals wouldn't confirm or deny anything.  Abel
never sent the "your order is delayed" postcards as required by the mail order
regulations.  In all instances I had to initiate the contact in determining my
order status with Abel.

Originally, I purchased an OverDrive SCSI controller for the SubSystem (a
controller and expansion box from the same company should work together...
right?).  I could never get Pacific Peripherals to write a driver for the
Adaptec 4000 (is this still the case?).

I also purchased an ASDG 8MI to use in the SubSystem.  This would not work at
all.  Tried it in a friends A2000 and it worked great.  ASDG's response: send
us your SubSystem 500 and 8MI.  We'll only charge you a $XX hourly rate plus
return postage to solve *YOUR* problem.  Pacific Peripheral's response: we've
never really tried an 8MI in the SubSystem but the Commodore boards work well
and the Micron boards also work fine... ASDG must be doing something strange.

CLtd's customer support leaves something to be desired but I've been
able to obtain periodic upgrades to their SCSIDOS software through their
BBS for nothing more than the cost of the telephone call.  The SCSI 2000
has never failed (I've formatted the ST251-1 twice, once for OFS and once
again when AmigaDOS 1.3/FFS arrived).  The A2058 has also worked well
(no apparent memory faults, i.e. no frequent gurus).

If anyone wants them the following are for sale:

	ASDG 8MI (0K), manuals, and software		$200 or best offer
	Pacific Peripherals OverDrive and software	$ 75 or best offer

	I'll pay shipping (UPS ground) to anywhere in the contiguous 48
	states.
--
Michael Weber, AT&T Bell Laboratories, ...!att!alux4!mjw, (215) 770-2732