Getting Started With The Commodore Amiga 500 - The Best Choice for Your First Amiga!

In this video I take a look at the basic hardware of the Amiga 500 by Commodore; in my opinion the best choice for someone looking to get into the Amiga.

[@timpeachey9394]

Getting started - get rid of the complex terminology. Understand who is watching this video. I dont want to have to look up words you do not explain.

[@300BaudStudios]

@@timpeachey9394 Point well taken. I have been into Amiga computers for so long that I forget that not everyone has experiance with them. I will add that the Amiga is a hobby and not something that will replace a modern computer.

[@ms-ex8em]

because a workbench 1.2 or 1.3 disk boots anyway but does a 3.1 boot too and if not then why?? thanks................

[@300BaudStudios]

This system has the 3.1 rom installed giving it compatability with older versions of kickstart. Kickstar 1.3 works just fine with older games but I prefer 3.1 when running from hard drive (or compact flash)

[@ms-ex8em]

i have a question for u guys ??!!??? if u try to load a workbench 3.1 floppy disk into an amiga 500 1.2 or 1.3 rom will it load / boot / start ?? thanks..............

[@300BaudStudios]

No, you will need to upgrade the ROM chip. I typically boot int9 kickstart 1.3 on floppy so I don't remember the error code or if it just loops back to the disk prompt.

[@mark12358]

Yup! I have the SAME ram expansion with NiCd battery, still kicking no leaking! Japan made cell, great!

[@havunome7265]

I believe it is a REV 6 or better board. Look under the A500N sticker, you'll see the REV number.

[@300BaudStudios]

I will definitely take a look the next time I get the A500 out.

[@mark12358]

It's definitely the Rev6a. I guessed the time he switched video from NTSC to PAL. Only the 8372(x) Fat Agnus can do it. And, when he opened the case, I spotted the 4 ram chips. That's a Rev6a for sure.

[@HansCampbell]

That keyboard was made by Mitsumi. The Amiga 500 can only use one mouse at a time. That is a revision 6 motherboard. You really should do your homework before making a video like this.

[@300BaudStudios]

I am just an enthusiast, not an expert ;-)

[@jinxterx]

What does the little switch on the RAM expansion card do?

[@300BaudStudios]

A handful of early Amiga software titles are not compatible with additional 'Fast' RAM. All it does is turn off the RAM. Probably not necessary as Workbench 1.3 has a 'No Fast Ram' app that does the same thing.

[@mark12358]

@@300BaudStudios Yep, but games that started from Kickstart screen needed that switch.

[@HansCampbell]

Most Amiga software was programmed to run the best on the 68000 processor, the OCS, and Kickstart / Workbench 1.2 / 1.3. I do not recommend installing a 68030 board and newer Kickstart ROMs into an Amiga 500 computer. Doing this is just pure stupid ego. If you buy an RGB to SCART cable, and a SCART to HDMI Converter, then you can hook up your Amiga 500 to a 1080p HDTV. It looks awesome. I posted a video on my channel which shows my Amiga 500 hooked up to a 32 inch Samsung HDTV. Notice what Workbench is on the screen. I practice what I teach. 😃

[@300BaudStudios]

Yup, 1 mb of RAM and a second disk drive is pleanty for most games. Anything more just introduces incompatibility. But a hard drive is a beutifull thing!

[@JimmyHandtrixx]

So not worth to upgrade to 2mb in trapdoor?

[@JimmyHandtrixx]

@@300BaudStudios what HDD is best? I prefer to have floppy not gotek

[@300BaudStudios]

@@JimmyHandtrixx My preferance is real hardware but it is getting harder and harder to keep these things going. I have a gotec for my A1200 build but have yet done anything with it; too busy making videos ;-)

[@300BaudStudios]

@@JimmyHandtrixx The trapdoor is typically used to expand chip RAM aka slow RAM. The amount of chip RAM you can add depends on which Agnus chip you have. My system has the 1 mb Fat Agnus with 512 mb buily on the board, so it will only accept an additional 512k in the trap door if configured as chip RAM. The A500+ had the fatter Agnus and could accept up too 2 mb chip RAM. Hope this helps.