Help [Amiga CD32] [Archive] - Retrogaming Roundtable

digitalpress

09-02-2007, 08:12 PM

I have been looking to start collecting for a new system and i think I want to find out what the Amiga 32 CDX is all about but I cant seem to find a way to find games for the system - Is there an online community that supports this stuff which I am just unable to find or is this stuff just really hard to find. Any advice would be appreciated!

You can find games for the system on eBay easily enough, that's where I got most of mine. Here's a complete list of titles:
http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/listing.cmf?system=1054

From personal experience I would equate the system quality somewhere between a Sega CD and a 3DO. There's plenty of good stuff in there, but lots and lots of trash. Do your homework!

bangtango

09-02-2007, 08:23 PM

I have been looking to start collecting for a new system and i think I want to find out what the Amiga 32 CDX is all about but I cant seem to find a way to find games for the system - Is there an online community that supports this stuff which I am just unable to find or is this stuff just really hard to find. Any advice would be appreciated!

2-3 weeks ago, a guy on the Buy/Sell forums was selling a North American Amiga CD32. Don't know if it sold or not, went to Ebay or whatever but if you post a want ad in Buy/Sell, maybe someone will PM ya.

icbrkr

09-02-2007, 10:24 PM

There was a warehouse find of NTSC CD32s in China last year - they're still going on Ebay for $80ish and 50 shipping. My opinion? It's a steal. Grab one while you still can. NTSC CD32s are rare, a new one is just sex in a box. I bought one new to go with my normal everyday machine and the transaction went smooth.

I'm not sure I agree with the 'lots of trash' Joe, but I'll agree with 'lots of lazy ports'. If you were a hardcore Amiga user at the turn of the 90s (I was) you wanted to see something more on the CD32. Converting an 880K floppy disk onto a CD that can hold 650MB+ was pretty weak. But then again, I don't believe many companies knew what to do with that much space (look at the Sega CD... FMV goodness!).

Good games to find are Pirates! Gold, Speedball, Super Stardust for a start. There are some games that are PAL-only though many games can be played on a NTSC CD32 (Super Stardust being one of them). If you come across a PAL only game, you can hook your CD32 to a 1084 monitor to have it display properly.

There are a bunch of other good games that I can post later. I believe Ze_Ro and I are aiming for complete collections (though he's winning by 20 right now ;)).

bangtango

09-02-2007, 10:33 PM

Unless you are a collector or simply starving for software to play, then don't pick up Battletoads on the Amiga CD32. Looks similar to the NES version, plus "attack" and "jump" are both mapped into one button, as if Battletoads isn't hard enough on its own. I've also read 2-3 reviews saying that Brutal Sports Football on Amiga CD32 runs even slower than the Atari Jaguar version, which is so choppy you can't even see the ball most of the time. As bad as that game ran on Jaguar, I can't imagine what it plays like on Amiga CD32 if it really is slower than the Jaguar version.

A couple you may want to skip unless you are planning on collecting for the system.

Ze_ro

09-03-2007, 03:07 AM

Personally, I love the CD32. The Amiga computers had a ton of great games, but thanks to hardware incompatibilities, the general prices of Amiga hardware, and the lifespan of 3.5" disks, the CD32 is a great way to get to play some of these games. There are a lot of great games that, for whatever reason, never made it to any other console systems... so the CD32 is the only place you'll get games like Alien Breed, Beneath a Steel Sky, Simon the Sorcerer, Superfrog, Last Ninja 3, Pinball Illusions, Super Skidmarks, Frontier: Elite II, Disposable Hero, Super Stardust, and others. There are also plenty of really obscure, fun games on the CD32 that no one really knows about, like Vital Light, Pierre Le Chef is Out to Lunch, and Liberation: Captive II.

Before you get involved in this system though, you absolutely have to be sure you have some way of displaying a PAL signal. The CD32 was just barely released in North America, so 99% of the stuff you find will be from Europe. Many PAL games will work in NTSC without serious problems, but the problems that DO happen are difficult to predict and include games crashing partway through. I'd recommend getting an NTSC system and an Amiga mouse (PC mice won't work) so that you can switch into PAL mode when necessary. Note that buying a PAL system is probably a bad idea, because then you also need a TV/monitor that can handle a PAL color signal, which is even harder to deal with.

When it comes to games, one of the better resources around is Hall of Light (http://hol.abime.net/), a general Amiga game site. Their CD32 list (http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?N_ref_hardware=6) is probably more complete than what Digital Press has. Also, I've found many of the rarities listed in Digital Press to be somewhat inaccurate, so take them with a grain of salt. Most of the games are reasonably easy to find on eBay if you wait a while, though there are a few really rare ones that I've had a hard time finding.

Since you mention collecting, I should probably point out that CD32 game packaging is not very standardized at all, which can be very frustrating for completists. Most games were released in regular jewel cases, but some companies did their own thing; Mindscape released all their games in jewel-case-sized cardboard cases, Microprose games came in double-height cardboard cases, and companies like Psygnosis packaged their games "PC Style" in a big box with the disc in a paper sleeve. Some games came in jewel cases, but had no rear insert. I've been trying to put together a listing of what actually exists for each game, but it takes time.

Overall, the CD32 is kind of a difficult system for those of us in North America. I enjoy it, but it's definitely not for everyone. If you already have an Amiga computer, then a CD32 probably isn't worth bothering with, but if you've never dealt with Amiga before, then the CD32 can show you a lot of stuff that other consoles don't have.

--Zero

j_factor

09-03-2007, 03:42 AM

Any opinions on the ProModule and the SX-32? A good option, or not worth bothering with?

Relatedly, is it possible to use a kickstart switcher in conjunction with a CD32 and its add-ons?

tom

09-03-2007, 05:23 AM

Anyone actually ever created a video with Video Creator?

Ze_ro

09-03-2007, 01:10 PM

Any opinions on the ProModule and the SX-32? A good option, or not worth bothering with?
They're both too expensive to make them worthwhile. They usually go for around $200 on eBay. If you want an Amiga computer, I think you're better off getting one of the actual computers rather than trying to turn the CD32 into one.

--Zero

Bojay1997

09-03-2007, 01:44 PM

Since you mention collecting, I should probably point out that CD32 game packaging is not very standardized at all, which can be very frustrating for completists. Most games were released in regular jewel cases, but some companies did their own thing; Mindscape released all their games in jewel-case-sized cardboard cases, Microprose games came in double-height cardboard cases, and companies like Psygnosis packaged their games "PC Style" in a big box with the disc in a paper sleeve. Some games came in jewel cases, but had no rear insert. I've been trying to put together a listing of what actually exists for each game, but it takes time.

Actually, almost all of the CD32 games were sold in big boxes initially. I have a near complete CD32 collection and roughly 80% of the games come with some sort of box. Same goes for CDTV games. In speaking to a number of Amiga dealers over the years, it seems many of them either got games from distributors who were liquidating without boxes or simply asked the distributors to destroy the boxes before shipping them to save on shipping. CD32 games are getting harder to find new in box and CDTV games are nearly impossible to find in their CD style long boxes. Other than a pack-in game or two that may have shipped without a rear insert, every other CD32 game in a jewel case has an insert. There are of course some big box games that didn't have rear inserts, but those were mostly the later German developer releases.

tom

09-03-2007, 02:33 PM

1997, I've just gotten my boxed CD32 from a work collegue for GBP 50.00 with a bunch of games, and I knew that one of my local second hand compu/game shops still stocked a bunch of games, around 60, at a good guess.
When I managed to go to the shop later in the week, I wondered where the CD32 stuff had gone, and the shop manager said, 'we just trashed it in the middle of the week, sorry'. Of course, the trash cans were emptied by then too.
I was mad.

To make matters worse, 2000, I moved to a different county, and in a little village I've noticed a second hand gaming shop and they had CD32 games on display (Shop was closed, but I could see the games through the door window). Cool, I thought, once I've settled in a few days time or so, I check it out to see what I get buy from this shop. When I got back to the village a few days later, the shop had closed down. It was just an empty place. Just my luck.

j_factor

09-04-2007, 12:21 AM

They're both too expensive to make them worthwhile. They usually go for around $200 on eBay. If you want an Amiga computer, I think you're better off getting one of the actual computers rather than trying to turn the CD32 into one.

Ouch. That's too rich for my blood. But, I hate having too many systems. I don't have room for all of 'em as it is. It'd be nice to kill two birds with one stone. Also, the ability to play CD32, OCS, EGA, and AGA games all in one would just be freakin' sweet.

So, I guess I'll file those under the 'someday' pile, and look for a cheap A500...

I just splurged and bought one of those new CD32's off eBay. I've been thinking about this system for years, and figured this was a good opportunity. So, yay.

Is there a list somewhere of which CDTV games are and aren't compatible?

Ze_ro

09-04-2007, 08:13 AM

Also, the ability to play CD32, OCS, EGA, and AGA games all in one would just be freakin' sweet.

So, I guess I'll file those under the 'someday' pile, and look for a cheap A500...
Instead of an A500, you'd probably be better off looking for an Amiga 1200... it's the computer equivalent of the CD32, with AGA graphics and all that. If you were to set one up with an accelerator, more RAM, and a big hard drive, you could use WHDLoad (http://www.whdload.de/) to play just about anything on it. If you add a CD-ROM drive into the mix, you'd even be able to play most CD32 games on it.

Is there a list somewhere of which CDTV games are and aren't compatible?
I haven't seen any lists, nor have I even heard of any specific games not working. There's really only a handful of CDTV titles even worth owning it seems, as almost all of them are multimedia discs with stuff like gardening information or educational stuff. I know Xenon 2 and Lemmings work.

--Zero

j_factor

09-04-2007, 01:50 PM

Instead of an A500, you'd probably be better off looking for an Amiga 1200... it's the computer equivalent of the CD32, with AGA graphics and all that. If you were to set one up with an accelerator, more RAM, and a big hard drive, you could use WHDLoad (http://www.whdload.de/) to play just about anything on it. If you add a CD-ROM drive into the mix, you'd even be able to play most CD32 games on it.

Hmm, that's interesting. I'd really rather not use anything like WHDLoad, but I suppose a 1200 (or a 3000) with a kickstart switcher would work. The only problem is, this is America. :p The only Amiga that I'm likely to find with any ease is a 500, and more importantly, stuff like accelerators and fast RAM are pretty rare. And, most games were made for the 500 anyway. If I have both a 500 and a CD32, I don't think I'll be missing much. Feel free to prove me wrong with a list of some sort.

I haven't seen any lists, nor have I even heard of any specific games not working.

Hmm. Wikipedia says that some of the 'earlier' CDTV titles don't work. I guess they could be wrong, or there could be like 2 multimedia crapfests that are incompatible.

There's really only a handful of CDTV titles even worth owning it seems, as almost all of them are multimedia discs with stuff like gardening information or educational stuff.

Yeah, the system is a product of the multimedia revolution that never materialised. See also CDi. I'm really glad that kind of stuff never took off.

idrougge

09-04-2007, 08:13 PM

I'd really rather not use anything like WHDLoad
Why not? Do you enjoy swapping disks?

Ze_ro

09-04-2007, 09:46 PM

Hmm, that's interesting. I'd really rather not use anything like WHDLoad, but I suppose a 1200 (or a 3000) with a kickstart switcher would work.
Why wouldn't you want to use WHDLoad? It makes everything FAR easier! Not only does it let you perform HD installs of games that don't otherwise support such an option, but the authors of the slaves often fix bugs in the originals, many of which would otherwise prevent you from running the game. WHDLoad is probably the best thing to ever happen to the Amiga scene. It also completely eliminates the need for hardware kickstart switchers, as it does it all in software.

I have an Amiga 3000 set up with WHDLoad, and I can run basically any game that doesn't require AGA (That's where the CD32 comes in handy).

The only Amiga that I'm likely to find with any ease is a 500, and more importantly, stuff like accelerators and fast RAM are pretty rare. And, most games were made for the 500 anyway.
Yeah, finding a system can be tough. I have three Amiga's, though I'm quite lucky to have them. The Amiga 1200 is a good option here because the accelerators for that model are actually relatively easy to find on eBay... usually for around $120 or so (Believe me, if it was that cheap and easy to install an accelerator in my Amiga 3000, I'd jump at the chance!). Just about every 1200 accelerator also has regular SIMM slots on it for memory, which is very helpful since that damn ZIP RAM is next to impossible to find.

With a 1200, a lower-end accelerator (say, a 68030), a modest hard drive and some extra RAM, you'll have a pretty powerful Amiga capable of running just about every Amiga game via WHDLoad... getting an Amiga 500 to that point would take a much larger amount of work and money.

If I have both a 500 and a CD32, I don't think I'll be missing much. Feel free to prove me wrong with a list of some sort.
Well, with a 500 and a CD32, you've probably got about 99% of the worthwhile games available to you, so I'd agree with that. I know there are a handful of games that won't work on anything other than an original Amiga 1000, and there are some really high-end games like Descent: Freespace that all of 5 people can run anyways.

The main problem you're likely to have with a 500+CD32 is AGA games that were only released on disk, or ones that require hard drive installation.

Yeah, the system is a product of the multimedia revolution that never materialised. See also CDi. I'm really glad that kind of stuff never took off.
Heh, I actually kind of like the CD-i. I find it strangely curious. It's weird to think of how much money companies like Philips and Sony were putting into the whole "multimedia" thing, when it doesn't really seem like they knew where to go with it all.

--Zero

j_factor

09-05-2007, 12:30 AM

Why wouldn't you want to use WHDLoad?

I don't know. It seems... inauthentic? I guess I don't have a logical reason, I just don't wanna. :p

Yeah, finding a system can be tough. I have three Amiga's, though I'm quite lucky to have them. The Amiga 1200 is a good option here because the accelerators for that model are actually relatively easy to find on eBay... usually for around $120 or so (Believe me, if it was that cheap and easy to install an accelerator in my Amiga 3000, I'd jump at the chance!). Just about every 1200 accelerator also has regular SIMM slots on it for memory, which is very helpful since that damn ZIP RAM is next to impossible to find.

With a 1200, a lower-end accelerator (say, a 68030), a modest hard drive and some extra RAM, you'll have a pretty powerful Amiga capable of running just about every Amiga game via WHDLoad... getting an Amiga 500 to that point would take a much larger amount of work and money.

Hmm, that's interesting. Aren't there accelerators for the A500 that have the AGA chipset on-board?

The other thing is, I've never even heard of there being a 1200-compatible CD-ROM drive. I know that one that Commodore released (which, IIRC, is also CDTV compatible) was only compatible with the A500, and maybe the 2000, but not the 1200.

Well, with a 500 and a CD32, you've probably got about 99% of the worthwhile games available to you, so I'd agree with that. I know there are a handful of games that won't work on anything other than an original Amiga 1000, and there are some really high-end games like Descent: Freespace that all of 5 people can run anyways.

The main problem you're likely to have with a 500+CD32 is AGA games that were only released on disk, or ones that require hard drive installation.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking would be the only major gap... but how many such games are there? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm not as well-versed in the libraries as I'm sure you are.

icbrkr

09-05-2007, 07:30 AM

Hmm, that's interesting. Aren't there accelerators for the A500 that have the AGA chipset on-board?

No sir, there isn't any such beast.

The other thing is, I've never even heard of there being a 1200-compatible CD-ROM drive. I know that one that Commodore released (which, IIRC, is also CDTV compatible) was only compatible with the A500, and maybe the 2000, but not the 1200.

Not neccesarily a Commodore released one for the 1200, but you could hook up just about any SCSI drive to a SurfSquirrel and it would work with any game that didn't use the Akira (trying to remember the name here) chip that is found in the CD32 - this isn't available on the A1200/4000.

OldSchoolGamer

09-05-2007, 02:20 PM

Akira (trying to remember the name here) chip that is found in the CD32 - this isn't available on the A1200/4000.

I believe that's Akiko :-D

idrougge

09-05-2007, 03:13 PM

I don't know. It seems... inauthentic? I guess I don't have a logical reason, I just don't wanna. :p

I think you want to. It makes it much easier. And it's not as though it prevents you from using floppies if you really want to.

Aren't there accelerators for the A500 that have the AGA chipset on-board?

No, that's not even a remote possibility.

The other thing is, I've never even heard of there being a 1200-compatible CD-ROM drive. I know that one that Commodore released (which, IIRC, is also CDTV compatible) was only compatible with the A500, and maybe the 2000, but not the 1200.

You can use any SCSI or IDE CD-ROM. The A1200 has a built-in IDE interface, so with some violence, you can even fit an internal laptop CD there, or add an external one.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking would be the only major gap... but how many AGA games are there? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm not as well-versed in the libraries as I'm sure you are.

Lots of AGA games, actually. Some are even worth playing, and some just look better than their OCS counterparts. Just look at the Hall of Light library.

Ze_ro

09-05-2007, 11:47 PM

Hmm, that's interesting. Aren't there accelerators for the A500 that have the AGA chipset on-board?
When it comes to the Amiga, the chipset pretty much IS the machine. The Amiga 500 was designed around the custom chips, so changing them would have to involve replacing the whole motherboard. It's too bad Commodore never managed to seperate this kind of stuff into a replaceable card, as I always thought the incompatibilities between the chipsets was a contributing factor to the Amiga's demise. When they came out with AGA, suddenly there was a wall that older Amiga's just couldn't upgrade past. It would have only gotten worse if they had finished the AAA or Hombre chipsets.

The other thing is, I've never even heard of there being a 1200-compatible CD-ROM drive. I know that one that Commodore released (which, IIRC, is also CDTV compatible) was only compatible with the A500, and maybe the 2000, but not the 1200.
As far as I know, the A570 was the only CD-ROM drive ever actually produced by Commodore (not counting the CDTV and CD32 of course). I think by the time CD-ROM really became popular, there were better options for then-current Amiga computers (SCSI, IDE, etc).

Some Amiga 1200 accelerators have a SCSI controller built in... others have it as an optional add-on to the accelerator card itself. There are also PCMCIA-based CD-ROM controllers out there that will work with the 1200.

it would work with any game that didn't use the Akira (trying to remember the name here) chip that is found in the CD32 - this isn't available on the A1200/4000.
Does anyone know of a list of CD32 games that actually used the Akkiko chip? On Hall of Light, it says that Ultimate Gloom will make use the chip for chunky to planar conversion, but I'm not currently aware of anything else that will take advantage of it. Maybe Alien Breed 3D or Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo?

(Re: floppy-only AGA games) Yeah, that's what I was thinking would be the only major gap... but how many such games are there? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm not as well-versed in the libraries as I'm sure you are.
Well, basically 95% of the CD32 library is just ported from AGA games that originally came on disk for the 1200/4000... and not everyone bothered to port their games when the machine came out. I lost touch with most Amiga games after the 500 became obsolete, so I won't try to hazard a guess at how many AGA games failed to reach the CD32.

You can use any SCSI or IDE CD-ROM. The A1200 has a built-in IDE interface, so with some violence, you can even fit an internal laptop CD there, or add an external one.
Isn't there some problem with the 1200's IDE interface being non-buffered or something? Or would that not be a problem with laptop CD-ROM's? I have an Amiga 1200, but I've been waiting until I find a good accelerator before I really tinker with it, so I'm not 100% clear on the issues with it.

--Zero

icbrkr

09-06-2007, 08:18 AM

Isn't there some problem with the 1200's IDE interface being non-buffered or something? Or would that not be a problem with laptop CD-ROM's? I have an Amiga 1200, but I've been waiting until I find a good accelerator before I really tinker with it, so I'm not 100% clear on the issues with it.

--Zero

This is true, the controller is non-buffered and technically you can fry it by hooking a straight CDROM to it under the right circumstances. However, you can find a 4 in 1 Buffered EIDE controller that fits inside your 1200 for about $50ish very easily. Of course, a lot of accelerators had a built in SCSI port so you could hook drives up that way.

courtesi96

09-06-2007, 09:26 AM

I would be interested to know how X-Com UFO Defense Force on the CD32 compares with the PS1 release. It should be awefully close since they both can be used with mice!

fishsandwich

09-06-2007, 09:43 AM

This is off track of the current computer chat. Sorry!

I have an NTSC CD32 with about 100 or so games... half official, half copies. I'd say about half of them play on my TV.

The CD's I REALY want to play... the HUGE compilation disks FULL of Amiga 500 and 1200 games... WILL NOT PLAY. The screen just rolls and rolls. No way to play it on my TV.

That being said, there are lots of great games for the CD32... the game library is suprisingly large. It's just I've got better systems with more games so the CD32 has been in storage for awhile now.

I guess I may look for an old Commodore monitor.

Keir

09-06-2007, 11:12 AM

Is there a list somewhere of which CDTV games are and aren't compatible?http://ninjaw.ifrance.com/cd32/_docs/definitive%20cdtv%20retrospective.htm

icbrkr

09-06-2007, 01:24 PM

courtesi96

09-06-2007, 03:05 PM

If you guys had to put together a list of the Top 20 CD32 games, what would go in there?

Keir

09-06-2007, 03:35 PM

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48402

Man, there's a thread for everything isn't there? ;)

j_factor

09-08-2007, 08:59 PM

http://ninjaw.ifrance.com/cd32/_docs/definitive%20cdtv%20retrospective.htm

Thank you! That's perfect.

Ze_ro: Much thanks for your expertise.

Now I need to acquire some stuff...

j_factor

09-11-2007, 01:50 AM

The only Amiga that I'm likely to find with any ease is a 500

Proving myself wrong... I just saw an Amiga 2000 in the wild! I passed on it, because I don't really want an A2000 that much, and the place that had it didn't have any suitable monitors. But still. I saw an A2000. In a store. Just the other day. That just blows my mind.

I did buy an official Amiga Basic manual/guidebook from them. Not sure why, it just seemed neat and it was only $3. It appears to be from the original release of Amiga Basic from 1985.

tom

09-11-2007, 04:51 AM

Pick it up if you still can, the A2000 is a nifty little A500 in a PC box, meaning Zorro expansion slots, ISA slots, CPU upgrade possibility, very useful. A monitor for it can be picked up easy for sure.

I got 'My Paint' (CDTV) which works fine on CD32.

Ze_ro

09-11-2007, 11:54 PM

Well, having ISA slots on an Amiga is really quite useless in this day and age, but if it's still there, I'd highly recommend going back and picking up the 2000. You never know what kind of surprise hardware might be inside it... and even in the worst case, you can probably sell it on eBay for a nice profit.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the 2000 has composite video outputs on the back, so even if you can't find an RGB monitor for it, you can still hook it up to a regular TV.

--Zero

idrougge

09-12-2007, 05:50 PM

The ISA slots in Amigas aren't enabled, so they're quite useless for cards requiring more than just electricity, unless you get a PC emulator card or a bridgeboard card.

And the composite video output on the A2000 and A500 is only monochrome. You need an A520 TV modulator to get composite colour.

Ze_ro

09-12-2007, 10:44 PM

The ISA slots in Amigas aren't enabled, so they're quite useless for cards requiring more than just electricity, unless you get a PC emulator card or a bridgeboard card.
Exactly. I think there are some goofy things like time-base converters that only need the power, but PC emulator cards are in the same category as old modems and printers, as they're just not useful.

And the composite video output on the A2000 and A500 is only monochrome. You need an A520 TV modulator to get composite colour.
Really? I've never heard that before... although the only Amiga I ever tried in composite was my 1200 (which worked fine)...

--Zero

idrougge

09-13-2007, 08:24 PM

Really? I've never heard that before... although the only Amiga I ever tried in composite was my 1200 (which worked fine)...

All models with a built-in RF modulator (A600, A1200) will have colour composite, since the composite encoder is part of the RF modulator. For the same reason, you get composite video in colour from the external A520 RF modulator.

(It should be noted that the same is the case with the Atari ST. Only models with RF modulators have composite video.)

j_factor

09-14-2007, 03:53 PM

Well, as it turns out, the A2000 is untested and lacking a power supply, so I don't think I'll be buying it.

However, I did just purchase an SX-1 over the internets. Although I guess it's the lame duck of the three as the other two fit better and have additional features, it's still not bad for $75. I figure it may be a long, long time before I find an SX-32 Pro.

The CD32 arrived the other day. Although the box had been opened, it was indeed new, as it still had the protective film over the CD drive window and etc. Interestingly, I noticed that on the underside of the system, it has FCC compliance information and is lacking the Canadian equivalent. I suppose that means it was actually produced as a US unit. I guess Commodore produced one batch of US CD32 units, warehoused them when they couldn't release them, and they just now turned up.

Unfortunately, it didn't come with Oscar and Diggers. The seller did throw in a CD+VCD pack of some Chinese singer. :p I resorted to ordering a few CD32 games from the UK as I was unable to find anything decent from any North American sources. The UK exchange rate kills me.

idrougge

09-14-2007, 06:49 PM

Vesalia has a small assortment of cheap CD32 games if you want something to start out with.

icbrkr

09-14-2007, 08:30 PM

Vesalia has a small assortment of cheap CD32 games if you want something to start out with.

Yep, and if you buy Syndicate from there, it comes with Alfred Chicken new in the box with it :) Good deal!

j_factor

09-14-2007, 10:01 PM

Thanks for the suggestion -- I'd never heard of that site before. I just ordered Syndicate & Alfred Chicken, Oscar & Diggers, and Workbench 3.0 CD-ROM off them. I've already purchased Heimdall 2, Fire Force, Liberation, Cannon Fodder, and Banshee elsewhere.

Now, where should I be looking for a hard drive and floppy drive that are compatible with the SX-1?

idrougge

09-15-2007, 04:41 PM

The SX-1 has a normal Amiga floppy port, so just get an external Amiga floppy from Ebay. It also has an internal 2,5" IDE connector, so any laptop hard drive should do.

icbrkr

09-15-2007, 05:27 PM

The SX-1 has a normal Amiga floppy port, so just get an external Amiga floppy from Ebay. It also has an internal 2,5" IDE connector, so any laptop hard drive should do.

If you're going to go the hard drive route, and do not have WB3.9, keep in mind you should format the drive in 1GB partitions. WB3.1 can make 4GB partitions max, but they will be unstable.

Ze_ro

09-16-2007, 03:05 PM

I guess Commodore produced one batch of US CD32 units, warehoused them when they couldn't release them, and they just now turned up.
Nobody is entirely sure what happened, but the rumor going around is that Commodore did release a small amount of CD32's in the United States, but due to outstanding law suits, further shipments were not allowed into the country. Eventually, Commodore went bankrupt, and their stockpiles in Asian factories and warehouses was confiscated by the government. I've never found any hard evidence to back up this story, but I haven't found anything that disproves it either. Apparently, the Canadian release went normally up until Commodore's demise... I suppose that means that Canadian units (If they are even any different) are probably more common in the wild, though units intended for the US are probably more abundant overall (it's just that they're all waiting in Asia for their chance to go on eBay).

For anyone who was still wondering, yes, all these NTSC CD32's from Chinese sellers on eBay are legit. I bought one myself, and I know several other happy owners who got theirs this way. For anyone who doesn't have one yet, this is a great chance to get one!

--Zero

motley6

09-16-2007, 04:42 PM

Well since the SX expansion units are so hard to find, how do you run Amiga Software on a CD-r?

Bojay1997

09-16-2007, 05:46 PM

Nobody is entirely sure what happened, but the rumor going around is that Commodore did release a small amount of CD32's in the United States, but due to outstanding law suits, further shipments were not allowed into the country. Eventually, Commodore went bankrupt, and their stockpiles in Asian factories and warehouses was confiscated by the government. I've never found any hard evidence to back up this story, but I haven't found anything that disproves it either. Apparently, the Canadian release went normally up until Commodore's demise... I suppose that means that Canadian units (If they are even any different) are probably more common in the wild, though units intended for the US are probably more abundant overall (it's just that they're all waiting in Asia for their chance to go on eBay).

From my personal experience having been a hardcore Amiga fan while Commodore was still in business and knowing several local dealers extremely well, I can tell you that the US launch went as "normally" as the Canadian launch. Every Amiga dealer I know of in Southern California got whatever initial allotment they asked for from Commodore. Unfortunately, most of these units didn't sell and so when the bankruptcy happened, these dealers were stuck with inventory they paid around 30% below MSRP that were now worth much less than they paid for them. The story about the units being seized by the Philippine government is corroborated by at least a couple of AP stories that used to be floating on various sites. I know I printed them out at one point, but they are boxed away. How the units got moved from PI to China and who actually sold them is not something I can shed any light on. As another point of clarification, every unit I have ever seen from Canada had an FCC sticker on it as well, so I don't know that there's any way to tell the difference in the units or even if it matters much.

idrougge

09-16-2007, 10:10 PM

If you're going to go the hard drive route, and do not have WB3.9, keep in mind you should format the drive in 1GB partitions. WB3.1 can make 4GB partitions max, but they will be unstable.

I've never noticed anything unstable about partitions up to 4 GB.

j_factor

09-25-2007, 01:54 AM

Okay, the SX-1 arrived today. I can't really do anything with it yet, but I'm glad.

It raises more questions, though:

-- Is there anything special I need to know before attempting to add RAM? I noticed the SX-1 has a regular-looking SIMM slot inside... so I should be able to just add any SIMM RAM made for Amiga, right? What's a good amount to add?

-- Aside from the internal spot for a hard drive, there's also an external port marked "hard drive". Is this kind of external hard drive common, or is it something weird?

-- When I get a hard drive and floppy drive connected to this thing, do I need a better power supply?

-- Is there any way to upgrade or add a CPU/FPU, or is that only possible with the SX-32 Pro?

Thanks in advance. :p

idrougge

09-25-2007, 03:56 PM

The SX-1 supports a maximum of 8 MB. Any standard 72-pin SIMM of that size will work.

The external hard drive connector is not common, since IDE drives were never meant to be connected externally.

I have no idea how much the original CD32 power supply will support. A google search should give the answer. There is a source on the net that sells heavy-duty CD32 supplies.

You can find basic info on http://amigahardware.mariomisic.de/

icbrkr

09-25-2007, 07:16 PM

I've never noticed anything unstable about partitions up to 4 GB.

I know it depends on some of your system's factors (memory, speed, etc). If your FFS-based partition needs to be validated (ie, machine shut down during a write access in progress), it can either take an enormous amount of time or just fail out due to lack of resources.

WB 3.9 solves these issues by allowing larger, more managed partitions than 3.1. Alternatively, you can use other formats besides FFS.

j_factor

09-26-2007, 01:32 AM

The SX-1 supports a maximum of 8 MB. Any standard 72-pin SIMM of that size will work.

Ah, okay. I almost bought a 16 MB; glad I didn't.

I have no idea how much the original CD32 power supply will support. A google search should give the answer. There is a source on the net that sells heavy-duty CD32 supplies.

Well, I have the power supply right here. And it's 17W. I'm not sure how much is "left over" after the basic use of the CD32 system.

Doesn't CD32 use the same connector for the power supply as other Amigas? I've seen Amiga power supplies up to 60W.

You can find basic info on http://amigahardware.mariomisic.de/

Yep, I've been reading that site a lot lately.

idrougge

09-26-2007, 05:02 PM

I know it depends on some of your system's factors (memory, speed, etc). If your FFS-based partition needs to be validated (ie, machine shut down during a write access in progress), it can either take an enormous amount of time or just fail out due to lack of resources.

WB 3.9 solves these issues by allowing larger, more managed partitions than 3.1. Alternatively, you can use other formats besides FFS.

Indeed I have been using SFS ever since upgrading from a 300 MB disk.

idrougge

09-26-2007, 05:07 PM

Well, I have the power supply right here. And it's 17W. I'm not sure how much is "left over" after the basic use of the CD32 system.

Neither do I. What you could do is take an old PC AT power supply (ATX will require some more work) and add a CD32 plug to that. That should give you enough power for almost anything.

Doesn't CD32 use the same connector for the power supply as other Amigas? I've seen Amiga power supplies up to 60W.

No, the computers use a special "square DIN" connector while the CD32 uses a normal round DIN connector.

But as I said, there should be ready-made power supplies available, and the SX-1 should really be content with a standard CD32 supply, I've never heard anything else. But you can ask on Amiga.org if you want.

blue lander

10-03-2007, 08:45 AM

My NTSC CD32 just came in the mail today, but I'm still a little confused about the whole PAL/NTSC thing. When I put Superfrog in, the screen is off center and I can't see about the bottom half of it. But the colors are right and the picture doesn't roll. If I do the second port mouse button thing and change NTSC/PAL modes, what will I see? I'm guessing the colors will still be NTSC and I'll be able to see everything, but the screen will roll because of the 50/60hz issue.

If this is true, then I'm SOL on my current TV because it doesn't have a vertical hold. But if I hooked it up to a composite monitor with a vertical hold, would I be able to play Superfrog without any problems?

Keir

10-03-2007, 03:52 PM

Yeah, I can't make any sense of it either. I do know that I had much better luck using a monitor vs. a TV.

blue lander

10-03-2007, 04:40 PM

I'm beginning to think the best option is to pull an RGB signal out of the expansion port and call it a day. But then I'm stuck playing on my little 16 inch Multisync monitor from my computer desk instead of on a big TV, which sort of defeats the purpose of buying the CD32 in the first place

idrougge

10-22-2007, 04:55 PM

Why do you have so awful TVs in America?

j_factor

10-23-2007, 12:04 AM

I wonder if you could use a flicker fixer/scandoubler to get VGA, and then hook that up to an HDTV.

blue lander

10-23-2007, 09:07 AM

I've found maybe 1 in 10 CD32 games actually work 100% on an NTSC television. Maybe 4 in 10 will run, but the bottom quarter of the screen is missing. 5 in 10 just won't boot at all or will boot but crash before loading the first level. Quite annoying. Now I know what it must feel like for people in PAL regions!

Connecting the system to an RGB will show the entire screen for games that run fine otherwise, but most games still won't work. I'm trying to get an Amiga mouse (or find what I did with my Atari ST one) so I can change the system to PAL mode. Hopefully that'll make the rest work.