£2.50

PageStream 4 from screen to page

Issue 6, Autumn 2000 Gary Peake Interview Accelerators Feature ADSL Monitors and Scandoublers Heretic II Virtual GrandPrix Top Tips What’s new in OS 3.5? Hard Drivin’ Part 2 And much more... CONTENTS

By Contents Editor Robert Williams News Welcome to the biggest issue of thank you to all the Clubbed ever! The extra three pages of contributors who SEAL Update ...... 4 editorial in this issue have been made helped me with News Items ...... 5 possible by two well known Amiga com- this issue, and to Amiga Update...... 9 panies, Eyetech and Analogic, agreeing Sharon who Gary Peake Interview ...... 10 to advertise with us. I would like to reas- checked an MorphOS ...... 12 sure readers that this additional adver- avalanche of articles in record time. tising will not bias us in any way, nor Despite the lack of time we’ve got some does it mean Clubbed is turning into a interesting articles in this issue. Mick Features profit making publication. All revenue has been playing Hyperion’s first received from advertising will be used to Acceleration!...... 14 product, a port of the magical romp improve and enlarge the mag over the ADSL ...... 18 Heretic II that will push your PPC and base size paid for by subscriptions. BVision to the limit! I’ve reviewed Reviews Unfortunately you may find this maga- PageStream 4, as used to produce zine isn’t quite a polished as previous Clubbed, and Gary Storm has been PageStream 4...... 20 issues. I had to work long days and speaking to Gary Peake, head of devel- Fiasco ...... 27 most weekends during July and the oper support at Amiga. New in this issue Monitor and Scandoubler round-up early part of August meaning I didn’t is the Top Tips section, the idea behind ...... 30 have the time or inclination to do much it is to have space for useful ideas and Virtual GrandPrix ...... 33 to the magazine at the time when I hints that don’t really merit a complete Immortal Music CD ...... 33 usually do the bulk of the work. As this article in themselves. If you have any Ateo A4000 Tower ...... 34 issue had to be ready for SEAL-O- tips you think other readers might find Heretic II ...... 36 RAMA I couldn’t spend as much time on useful please send them in for inclusion PD Paradise...... 38 it as I wanted to. I’tag">d like to say a special in “Top Tips”.

Support By Mick Sutton Top Tips ...... 40 Chairman Back to Basics: OS 3.5...... 42 This quarter I would like to talk about Amiga Users than Hard Drivin’ Part 2 ...... 44 Amiga shows, with the success of the no show at all, and third Kickstart show and still no firm in fact due to the Back Issues ...... 46 news on the WoA (World of Amiga), it low table costs Next Issue...... 46 got me thinking (along with many other involved, com- Gallery ...... 48 SEAL members) that maybe the small panies attending shows are the way to go at the moment are likely to make with low user base and fewer companies considerably better profits . Also the end currently in the Amiga marketplace. user benefits with low entry fee (£1), but still with all the hardware and software Do The Now don’t get me wrong, I love WoA available that might have been at a and all the atmosphere that comes with larger show. a large show, nevertheless, these shows take an enormous amount of planning, Also, I have been surprised at the organising and a lot of finance to response that we have had in setting up Thing materialise, and without major input from this show, with companies such as Write user groups and the like, last years Amiga Inc letting us have a couple of show just wouldn’t have even happened! magic packs and various freebies to We’d like to make Clubbed more “in- So if we can help organise such a major give away as door prizes, Analogic (put teractive” so we need your input! event then we should be able to run a deal details here), Blittersoft hopefully Got a question you’d like answered smaller show of our own. exhibiting the Boxer Amijoe and hope- or an opinion you’d like to share? fully Fusion PPC, Eyetech, Software With the combination of low user base Write to us and we’ll include it in a sales from the likes of Forematt Home and lack of news with this years WoA letters page. Computing and Epic, and of course and the apparent success of K3 Crystal Interactive Software hoping to Got a tip for other readers or even an (Kickstart show 3), we (SEAL) decided release Dark Millennia at the show, I just article up your sleeve? Send it in and that yes, the time was right to do a show can’t wait for the show to start! you could very well see your name in of our own, and if our show is nearly as print. successful as K3 we will be happy So I welcome you to SEAL-O-RAMA Got a suggestion or comment on the bunnies indeed. 2000 on Sunday September 10th at our local venue in Basildon, I hope you can magazine? Let us know and we’ll try In these frugal times it would be better to all attend and enjoy yourselves. and make Clubbed better for you. have a couple of small shows run by

Autumn 2000 3 NEWS NEWS

Clubbed.info Photogenics Clubbed is published quarterly by South Essex Amiga Link. For subscription details Elbox Brings Version 5 see the back page. Editor: Robert Williams Design: Robert Williams in Beta Contributors: Elliott Bird Update Paul Nolan has released the first beta of Roy Burton Photogenics 5. When this version David Kennedy PCI to the comes out of beta it will be the first to be Jeff Martin released for both Amiga and Linux. The Gary Storm Mick Sutton most important new features in the cur- rent 5 beta are: Proof Reading: Sharon Sutton Printing: Jeff Martin • Batch file conversion. Cover Art: Robert Williams Amiga • A new file format for saving Contact Us Polish hardware maker Elbox have Photogenics projects. • Many new loaders and savers, includ- If you have any queries suggestions or announced the first fully functional PCI want to contact us for any reason please bus board for the Amiga, the Mediator. ing PCD, EPS, Pict, Postscript, RAS, use one of the following: PCI (Peripheral Component SGI, TIFF, XBM, XPM, and XWD. EMail: [email protected] Interconnect) cards are the standard in • Alpha transparency support when WWW: http://www.seal-amiga.co.uk/ the PC world and thus a wide variety of saving PNG files. Post: Clubbed, 26 Wincoat Drive, cards are available at very low prices • A Vignette feature for smoothly blend- BENFLEET, Essex, SS7 5AH, compared to Amiga specific hardware. ing special effects and images ENGLAND. Typical PCI cards include SCSI con- together. Telephone: +44 (0) 1268 569937 trollers, parallel and serial ports, • A much improved New Image reques- (19:00 - 22:00 GMT only please). Ethernet, sound cards and of course ter, with masses of presets, and sup- Only Amiga Made it Possible graphics cards. One slight problem is port for real life measurement units. Clubbed is designed and laid out using: that many PC graphics cards now use • New paint modes such as Remove RedEye, Sepia, Roll Blur, Rub Tiled, Hardware: the dedicated AGP (Advanced Graphics are available so a Mediator/Virge com- Amiga 3000 Port) slot but PCI versions are still avail- bination could well undercut other Amiga Cross Blur, Star Blur, and Plus Blur. • One more feature will also be making CyberStorm PPC/060 Wipeout 2097 from Digital Images, can able in most cases. graphics card options. The 3DFX CyberVision PPC SEAL-O-RAMA it into the final release that isn’t you get the fastest time? Finally there Voodoo 3 while not at the top of the 64Mb RAM, about 8Gb HDD space. Initially two versions of the Mediator will Over the last few months SEAL have heap for PC graphics cards should offer present here. will be the classic Sensible Soccer be available both for towered A1200s. Software: been working hard preparing for our first 3D performance well in excess of any- The Photogenics project file format is PageStream 4 by Softlogik tournament with the chance to win a One version connects to Apollo’s Z4 public Amiga show which we are holding thing currently available on the Amiga particularly interesting as it will allow you ImageFX 4 by Nova Design brand new A1200 courtesy of Amiga Inc. board which will allow PCI and Zorro on Sunday September the 10th at our including the Permedia II based to save a work-in-progress image with Photogenics 4 by Paul Nolan slots in one machine. Also available will Final Writer by Softwood regular meeting venue in Basildon, So far it’s shaping up to be a great C/BVision PPC cards. its layers intact, an extremely useful fea- show, we hope to see you there and if be a stand-alone busboard for those ture. There are also some essential utilities we Essex. The show has been christened you can’t make it we will be posting a who don’t need Zorro. In the future ver- It is unknown whether drivers for other couldn’t live without: Directory Opus SEAL-O-RAMA 2000. In an unrelated move Amiga have selection of photos on the SEAL website sions for big-box Amigas may also be types of card will ship with the Mediator, Magellan II, MCP, Turbo Print 7, MakeCD. announced that Paul Nolan is joining the Our thanks to the creators of this and all We have been very pleased with the (http://www.seal-amiga.co.uk/) after the produced. the Power Computing website does hint response from companies to the show that drivers for MPEG-2, Ethernet, Amiga team working on the new Amiga the other great Amiga software out there. show and a report in the next issue of Vision Factory Developments have and several of the big names are ISDN, sound and USB cards may be environment. Paul notes on his website Clubbed is entirely created on the Amiga, Clubbed. announced that they will be supporting attending: Analogic, Blittersoft and forthcoming (although they may just be that his work for Amiga should not effect no other machines are used at any stage of graphics cards on the Mediator with their the design or layout process. Eyetech. We also have Gasteiner com- listing what is possible). the speed of Photogenics’ development. Projector CyberGraphX software. The free version ing along to sell generic hardware (hard In an amazing stroke of luck SEAL has 3 will ship with the bus board and drivers According to Elbox Mediator boards http://www.paulnolan.com/ Legalese drives, RAM etc.). Crystal Interactive been given a video projector to improve will also be available for the commercial should be available around the time you The views expressed in this magazine are those software hope to release their new presentations given at club meetings. version 4. In a later announcement receive this magazine. The expected of the author of each piece, they do not game Bubble Heroes at the show and necessarily reflect the views of the editor, other The projector allows us to display output Vision Factory said that they already selling price is around £130. will be previewing their forthcoming titles contributors or SEAL. from a variety of sources including have a S3 Virge based PCI graphics Gilbert Goodmate and Dark Millennia. Elbox has a simple website at Please Note: Clubbed is produced by SEAL Amigas with and without graphics cards board working with CyberGraphX and members in their spare time, while we will always Amiga Active will be there to sell maga- http://www.elbox.com/ and video sources on to a screen or wall the Mediator and that drivers for 3DFX’s strive to produce the magazine on time and zines and subscriptions and to cover the include all the advertised contents this is not for much easier viewing by a group of Voodoo 3 cards are currently in develop- Information on CyberGraphX can be show. The final exhibitor is Ideas 2 always possible due to other commitments. The people. We previously experienced this ment. For those who don’t keep up with found at: http://www.vgr.com/ price you pay for Clubbed covers our costs and Reality sell PC systems based on alter- when Chris Green of Kickstart gave us a PC hardware the S3 Virge is quite an nothing more, we don’t make a profit from it. native operating systems, they hope to Elbox products are distributed in the UK demo of OS 3.5 on his projector, it made old graphics chip, it was used on the If you wish to contact a contributor please send have a QNX system at the show which by Power Computing: your message to one of the addresses above and an enormous difference over even a Phase 5 CyberVision 64/3D. However should be interesting. http://www.powerc.com/ we will pass it on. large monitor as everyone could com- very cheap PCI cards based on this chip +44 (0) 1234 851500 Amiga is a registered trademark and the Amiga Three games competitions will be taking logo, AmigaDOS, Amiga Kickstart, Amiga fortably see what the he was doing on Workbench, Autoconfig, Bridgeboard, and place in the Games Arena. You’ll be able screen. The projector was used for the Powered by Amiga are trademarks of AMIGA Inc. to go head-to-head in Hyperion’s brand first time at the SEAL meeting on Friday All other trademarks mentioned are the property new magical romp Heretic II. The the 9th of June... demonstrations and of their respective owners. second game is the futuristic 3D racer tutorials will never be the same again! The new batch file conversion window. 4 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 5 NEWS NEWS

Soldier of Fortune Amiga SoundFX X-Surf Prolific games developer Hyperion Software (who have just released their Writer 2 first title Heretic II, reviewed on page 36) 4.00 have added Raven Software’s Soldier of and Fortune to their list of forthcoming ports This modular audio sample editor is now IDE of popular PC games. SoF is a first up to version 4. It boasts over 50 effects ArtEffect 4 each of which has many parameters and Individual Computers have released person perspective story-based action game that pits you, as the soldier of the can have complex modulations applied. drivers for the IDE ports on their X-Surf Haage and Partner have released new look of scalable fonts. This makes the title, against a fanatical terrorist group. Some of the effects available: Zorro II expansion card (which features versions of two major Amiga ap- display much more readable especially There are 10 covert missions which Ethernet, IDE and Clockport connec- plications, Amiga Writer and ArtEffect. at small font sizes. • Sound Synthesis (AM, FM, ...) tions. The drivers are a free download cover 31 levels set all over the world. In • 3D-Cube-Parametermodulation (Mix, from the Individual Computer’s website, addition to the single player game there Amiga Writer 2 ArtEffect 4 Equalize) this was made possible by the are also a wide variety of multi-player • Effects e.g. Hall, Echo, Delay, generosity of the retailers who distribute options. Soldier of Fortune is expected This word processor is a fairly new addi- The new version of ArtEffect includes Chorus/Phaser, Morph, PitchShift ... the X-Surf worldwide, including Eyetech to be ready early next year. tion to Haage and Partner’s range, it in- many enhancements to the layers • Operations e.g. Resample, ZeroPass cludes particularly powerful features for system making it even more powerful in the UK. Hyperion are at: (FadeIn/FadeOut), Middle, Amplify, technical document creation (such as and flexible. The program is supplied on Mix, DeCrackle, ConvertChannels ... http://www.jschoenfeld.com/ http://www.hyperion-software.com/ chapter management and proper foot- CD-ROM along with a selection of fonts, • 2D/3D-Spectrumanalysis X-Surf cards are available from Eyetech notes). clipart and tutorials. Some of the key • Very good filters and boosters with features in this upgrade are: in the UK at £79.95: • Index generator resonance!!! http://www.eyetech.co.uk/ Perfect Paint 2 • Postscript font engine • Heavily improved layers +44 (0) 1642 713185 • Spell checking • Indexed colours Perfect Paint started out as palette • More Arexx commands. Nearly every parameter can be • Printed manual (according to a recent • Improved colour ranges based paint program a bit like a more • Add brush effects with real time pre- modulated in the following ways : Amiga Active review this is currently in • New filters modern version of Deluxe Paint. view. German) • Many optimisations • Curve : fades smoothly from one value However the author, Georges • Improve zoom with real window. TurboPrint • MS Word, FinalWriter and Wordworth to a second with variable curvature Halvadjian, soon added 24bit support • Convert pictures, animations and Import • Cycle : oscillates between two value and with version 2 this is turning into a brushes to CMAP or RGB. Further information and demo versions • TrueType Support with AntiAliasing with different waveforms, frequency very useful little program, especially if • Added several tools to edit your mask: of both packages are available from 7.12 • Brochure Print and phase are adjustable Another update to the popular printing you want something to work with both magic wand, lasso, polygon, elliptical Haage and Partner’s website: • Vector : envelope editor. package is now available, this time with palette based (1 to 8bit) and true colour marquee etc. http://www.haage-partner.com/ • User : a sample buffer modulates the (24bit) images. Here are some of the • TurboPrint support. Amiga Writer is the first application I improved quality drivers for HP DeskJet Blittersoft distribute H&P products in the value, contains several mappings, can new features in version 2: • Colour and Gamma correction. know of on the Amiga to support font 930, 950, 970 (1200 / 2400dpi) and UK: even grab the modulator volume or antialiasing. This process uses shaded higher speed drivers for the Canon BJC • Sorry for AGA users, but this version http://www.blittersoft.com/ pitch-envelope. Best of all PerfectPaint is freeware and pixels (for example greys for black text 1000, 2000, 6xxx, 7xxx and new Epson works only with graphics card and +44 (0) 1908 225454 printers. To use 7.12 you must have the can be downloaded from: on a white background to smooth the CyberGraphX or Picasso 96. Multiple samples can be loaded and you paid 7.10 upgrade. • Improved GUI. http://gothic.fr.free.fr/amiga/ can work with them in memory or on 7.12 can be downloaded from the disk. A wide variety of file formats are IsreeSoft website at: Kickstart Shareware supported for loading a saving. Samples http://www.irseesoft.com/ can be played through Paula in 8bit, 14bit and 14bit calibrated qualities and Registration Service AHI is supported for sound card owners. Kickstart, the well known Amiga user fully lead to an increase in registrations SoundFX costs £20 and can be regis- group based in surrey is now offering for the shareware authors. Kickstart are tered on-line via RegNet. Much more Amihoo UK based registration facilities for a actively seeking shareware authors who information and a demo version is avail- Michael Carrillo, long time friend of number of shareware products. So far would like their products to be available able on the SoundFX home page at: SEAL has opened a new Amiga resour- they have signed up the following titles: via this service. ces website called Amihoo. It features a http://www.imn.htwk- • MooVid Kickstart’s website also hosts the sup- number of sections such as Amiga leipzig.de/~kost/soundfx.html • RiVA port information for Digita’s popular word shops, hardware and software • Frogger processor Wordworth, this includes an developers and usergroups and unlike • SoftCinema FAQ. An upgrade from Wordworth 7 to standard web links pages Amihoo has 7.01 is available for download. all types of contact information including Kickstart hope their service will benefit addresses and phone numbers. Other Kickstart are at: UK Amiga users because it should be features include an on-line magazine http://www.kickstart-amiga.co.uk/ easier, quicker and cheaper than send- with several correspondents in different ing money abroad. This in turn will hope- parts of the world and a monthly poll. Amihoo can be found at http://www.amihoo.com/

6 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 7 NEWS NEWS Amiga & Palm By Version 2 of Ralph Torchia’s Spitfire Palm Desktop for the Amiga is available. Gary Storm Spitfire replicates the 3com Palm (or Amiga Inc. compatible) hand held computer’s Date Book, Address Book, To Do List, and Memo Pad applications on the Amiga using a MUI interface. Spitfire allows the data in the Palm and on the Amiga to be synchronised via a HotSync, the Palm’s cradle is connected to the Amiga via the News serial port. Spitfire can also be used to Amiga One upload data file and install third party d’Amiga Developer applications onto the Palm device. The In a surprise announcement Amiga have Workstations major new feature of version two is the committed to producing (or at least com- Amiga have signed up HotSync Manager utility which runs in missioning the production of) a new A.K.A. The Starship Amiga. dealers in various ter- the background allowing a HotSync to desktop Amiga machine to be called the ou look across the facility as These machines can be made based on and white checks. ritories to build and sell be performed by simply pressing the AmigaOne. No details have been made she is being lovingly as- specs defined by Amiga. These developer workstations We may have all had a healthy scep- button on the Palm’s cradle. available at the moment although Bill sembled. Her radiant curves machines will not be limited to those based on the new SDK. Y ticism of these aspirations, which is McEwen did mention in a recent execu- caressing your senses, with a promise specs. They can be computerised Spitfire is shareware and costs 25USD These systems go under understandable considering all the other tive update that it would feature proces- of pleasures to come. It’s been a hard chameleons, adaptable to practically (about £16), on-line registration is avail- the name d’Amiga and vapor that came and went before the sor options from 600MHz to 1GHz! As struggle to reach this point, with many any environment. able. sport the same basic Millennium dawned, but Amiga have Amiga have recently signed a deal with suitors promising the universe and specification as the How? Basically the Amiga OS environ- been making dreams reality, as you’ll http://www.windsor.igs.net/~torchia/ graphics card maker Matrox is seems a delivering only dust. This time is the last developer box ment is based upon Tao Group’s Virtual see with the Gary Peake interview on spitfire2.html strong possibility that the new machine time that she will hear lies. If this dream announced a few Processor, which is able to run on practi- page 10. will also feature one of their chips. fails her shadows will live on in some months ago: AMD K6 II 500Mhz proces- cally any hardware you can think of, form, to eventually fade and live on only Amiga have the technology, are working sor and Matrox G400 dual head what this means is that you have a Amiga SDK Released in the hearts of those who had the vision on fine-tuning it and throwing in a great graphics card. The systems are supplied ‘Walrus’ computer, your friend has a to- to see beyond what could be seen. This measure of what we love about the The new Amiga company, formed by pre-installed with RedHat Linux 6.1 tally differently configured ‘Polar Bear’ time is the last time. And as fortune, fate ‘classic’ Amiga OS that you use today, Fleecy Moss and Bill McEwen at which is recommended for the SDK. computer, and some dude on the other or whatever you believe in has decreed, as well as any of the good stuff that Christmas has released its first product, The d’Amiga workstation is bundled with side of the planet has a state of the art this time is the best time, the best Windows and MacOS have (without the the Amiga Software Development Kit a priority developer support contract ‘SEAL’ web-tv. All these computers are chance, as the best people with truth in bloat and patronisation). (SDK). The SDK runs on top of Linux worth 1000USD that guarantees an running the Amiga OS, either natively their hearts forge their own technological (Redhat’s 6.1 distribution is recom- response to issues, questions and (on it’s own), or hosted (on top of Amiga have the partners. Publicly they Samurai Sword, tempered with love and mended) and a version that runs over requests within 24hours and offers Windows, Linux, etc). have Sun, Corel, Red Hat Linux, Matrox, reality to be cutting edge and a bringer Windows is expected in the next month various other benefits and discounts. Rebol, and more. Who knows who they of freedom. A developer produces a game or appli- or so. The final version of the Amiga have privately (I can guess, but I won’t), d’Amiga systems are available in the UK cation in whatever language they Environment will be able to run hosted Amiga (Bill McEwen, Fleecy Moss, Gary but I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. from Eyetech: choose, for whatever computer they’re on another OS, as the SDK does today, Peake and the gang, and you) have aiming at. They then convert it for use And if you think that the excitement is or stand-alone. The initial release of the http://www.eyetech.co.uk/ managed in eight months what didn’t with the Amiga OS and it’s VP. That only growing within the Amiga commu- SDK contains little Amiga specific con- +44 (0) 1642 713185 happen in 6 years with any of the others. FFNews Now game or app is now instantly accessible nity, then think again. Amiga’s revolu- tent and is mostly to let developers get They have released the first real tang- by anyone running the Amiga OS, with- tionary (yes, it’s that word again) vision started with Tao’s Elate OS, the basis of Amiga World Issue 3 ible Amiga products (the SDK and out much more work than a bit of is making people sit up and take notice Freeware the new Amiga environment. Future DevBox), as well as laying sound plans Amiga hare released issue three of specific hardware code tweaking (if they all over the tech world. Anyone on the In simultaneously good and bad news, SDK releases should slowly gain more for an Amiga release and rebirth for Amiga World, their magazine designed wanted to). Everyone running Amiga net just has to look at the last couple of Thorsten Stocksmeier has released his Amiga specific features as the debut of early 2001. previously commercial Usenet news the first new Amiga systems ap- to give Amiga users information “from enabled software will be able to buy ex- months on Czech Amiga News alone to reader FFNews as freeware. The sad proaches. the horse’s mouth”. The new issue in- Yes, in less than six months you will actly the same copy from the store, and see links to all the coverage from such news is that he has ceased develop- cludes a summary of the recent have the opportunity to buy a brand new run it on whatever computer you have, sites as ZDnet, ZDTV, Slashdot, IBM, ment in part due to piracy. The freeware AmiWest show in held in Sacremento, a Amiga desktop computer, a PDA as long as you have the Amiga OS CNN, TechRepublic, Desktopia, version is not supported but fortunately look at Haage and Partner’s plans for (Personal Digital Assistant - like the somewhere on it. Amazing, eh? ArsTechnica, and many more. Expect it the new Amiga and an interview with Psion range), or portable computer. to get hotter the closer to release time FFNews seems to be quite a mature It’s like chucking any unleaded, leaded, Dean Brown (the man behind DKB who Amiga get. product. It offers most of the features These machines will be made by third diesel or gas fuel into your car, and it’ll made many Amiga expansions) who you would want from a newsreader in- party manufacturers, just as PCs are work as long as the car has the Boing- Amiga have recently taken on as their So what next? cluding on and off-line reading, EMail made now. Ball attachment, and the fuel has red Director of Hardware. As usual Amiga support and plenty of configuration Over the next few of months Amiga and World is available on-line or as a PDF options. It also boasts an attractive MUI For up-to-the-minute News... the developers will continue tweaking interface complete with extensive file for printing. ...visit these fine news sites: the OS, and writing apps and games for context-sensitive on-line help. The Amiga website is at The official Amiga website: http://www.amiga.com/ it. We’ll get to hear more about their http://www.amiga.com/ The freeware version of FFNews can be Czech Amiga News: http://www.realdreams.cz/amiga/ partners, and see more news reports. downloaded from: Amiga.org: http://www.amiga.org/ It’s looking very exciting as the Starship http://www.flavour-technologies.de/ The Amiga SDK. Amigafresh: http://www.amigafresh.co.uk/ Amiga prepares for launch. 8 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 9 NEWS NEWS

they are the leaders at the moment (http://reality.sgi.com/mchaput_aw/) product can be shipped? :) with their GEforce 2 chipset. Why did for the AmigaOne. I take it that your ESP is back working you change to having Matrox (with Gary Peake Interview I have not personally spoken to Matt again? the much older G400 card) as your though I would welcome a chance to do development partner? Not well enough or I wouldn’t have to so. I am not sure if anyone else has Gary Storm talks to Amiga’s head of developer support. ask you the question in the first place No, we were looking at NVidia. We from Amiga. :) decided to go with Matrox because they Bill has stressed again that Amiga Firstly Gary, congrats on working at What happened? and alot of are looking at the same 3D, games, and You are in control of developer sup- Amiga. You`ve been an Amiga stal- interest in the are to build hardware reference plat- I had had two bad flights (delayed in professional video targets we are. I do port. What about the user groups, is wart forever, and I know from how VP/OS. forms for a desktop, a handheld Houston for engine problems after two not agree that Matrox is a second best anyone interested in helping them to straight forward and honest you`ve (PDA), and a notebook (portable). Are attempted takeoffs, and delayed in This is not from us going out choice. Quite help Amiga? been on the Team AMIGA mailing list Amiga also going to build any Phoenix for a gauge malfunction on take and seeking coverage. News agents are over the years that you wouldn`t work frankly, one gets much better screen systems to sell direct to the public I am in charge of all support for Amiga off. I was running very late getting into coming to us asking what we are doing. for any company just because they imagery and no heat up and shut down themselves? Inc. actually. We have a user, user group Seattle. Got my rent-a-car, took off just were called Amiga. The SDK has been released for a problems with the G400. I think it is an and developer site almost finished. The as it started drizzling rain. Next thing I Bill has repeatedly said that we are NOT couple of months now. How have the excellent developmental video system dev site got good reactions from I came to work for Bill McEwen because know, about 12 minutes into my drive a hardware company. I have no reason sales been going? At least one and what they have coming will be even developers so my team in now working he is genuinely interested in the Amiga down the freeway, every car is stopping to doubt that. retailer in the UK has only sold a few better. Amigans deserve quality at an behind the scenes to bring in all the and in taking it to a point that it should just as we are going over a rise in the copies. affordable price and we think we can get As the Amiga OS is not hardware options necessary to run dev support now be at had hardware and software road. I wasn’t able to see them stopping there with Matrox’s support and assis- dependant, I assume that whatever under authentication. upgrades been made over the last ten or until I topped the hill and tried to swerve Understandably sales are limited by the tance. Amiga suggest as a reference plat- The user and user group support sites so years. to miss them. I almost made it, but it amount of developers that have the right form is just the best combination you took the entire right side of the Hyundai system set-up. You`ve seen what Matrox have to will be totally open to all without any Bill believes in the Amiga, and what think works best/fastest with the OS, off the car. I broke my glasses and offer for their next generation gfx password protection. They will be open made it special and the people we call Sales are ahead of projection at this and that pc manufacturers can still watch band without even knowing I had. cards, haven`t you? What`s your im- soon. Amigans. I truthfully think this is our last point and we feel that as our Dev Boxes build whatever they want for it? Was dazed for a few days, but that is pression, what kind of memory are best chance to make it happen. and Windows hosted SDK gets out that Do you foresee any difficulties when normal. :) they using (the new Fujitsu We have some ideas of where we want more developers will come on board. the AmigaOne range do get released? You had to move your entire family memory?), and what kind of 2d and to go in the immediate and long term Amiga have been saying for a long from your home in Texas to Amiga It is hard to ask a developer who has a 3d performance? future and our reference platforms are While I try to be a realist, my cup is time that they have many interested HQ in Snoqualmie. Alot of trust and a system set up for development on a par- designed to take us there one step at a always half full. We make life what it is. I parties from large and small com- Sorry, I can not discuss any of Matrox’s pretty hectic trip? What does your ticular platform to change everything time. The initial Dev Box specs were believe people will see it operate and panies. Obviously some have come plans. They speak for themselves. We, family think of their new home and he/she is doing just to develop for us. based entirely on our desire to have an want one. to light as partners such as Sun, all of us, at Amiga Inc. are very excited your new job? The more platforms we cover, the affordable box for developers to get Corel, Matrox, Rebol, Red Hat Linux by the direction they plan to take 3D in Is there anything that the Amiga com- greater the opportunity there is for the started from. In truth, we could have Actually, the trip went fairly well. My wife etc. What level of interest is there the games markets as well as with pro- munity can do to try and help make Amiga platform to gain some really selected many different platforms be- Linda, as well as Jonathan and Jennifer really, and how have you impressed fessional video. the Amiga a success again? broad developmental support across the cause what we are building is platform are still in awe at the beauty of the the ones that are genuine? board. A major ingredient for the success of independent. Offer support. We aren’t doing this be- Washington area the new Amiga will be the availability cause we needed a job. We are doing There are several levels of partnership. In Team AMIGA, a number of in- So when can we expect the next ver- of applications and games. How this because we believe. Watch what we When did you get the call, what ex- Some are business to business and itiatives were pursued to help sion (with Windows hosting ability)? many and what is being ported to or produce and then criticize if it isn’t up to actly are you responsible for and why others are developmental. The partner- Gateway`s future (ha-ha) Amiga written for the VP? Are there many your standards, but don’t criticize what do you think they chose you over ships people are hearing about are, for 30-45 days. products. Of special interest were the big software developers actively in- you haven’t seen. And always check anyone else? the most part, people who sought us out efforts to create a disabled-friendly Just to clear this up once and for all volved in software development, and rumours before spreading them. We will because they have heard what we are interface with computer speech (for Actually, when Bill McEwen left Gateway Gary, what exactly are the royalty and how many would be original or gladly answer any questions about any doing and want to be a part of it. blind people) and feedback, voice I knew he was going to be heading in licensing details for software written enhanced, rather than just ports? rumours floating. the direction of buying Amiga. Neither of As everyone knows, Bill makes all major for the next Amiga? recognition (for blind people) etc., us discussed my employment with Bill if announcements for Amiga Inc. and we Can I suggest Id, Bullfrog, DMA Design and also the piracy protection What is Amiga`s opinion of projects See the amiga.com web site he did buy Amiga from gateway though. like it like that so I won’t go into who and Electronic Arts for the killer games research. Have any of these been like the BoXeR? Is it a possible com- (http://www.amiga.com/corporate/071800 may or may not be interested here. department :) continued and are Amiga interested petitor, or an ally? And what about I got the call and offer quite unex- -mcewen.shtml). I think Bill spells it out in trying to perfect and implement promising developments like the QNX Again, I can’t get into specific ports or pectedly and was proud to be asked. I I assume we can expect to hear of plainly. them? one? never asked why he chose me, only some big name partners soon? games designs except to say that we Below is an extract from the page what it was he expected of me. have some very active games designers Privacy and special needs are always People get confused when they think in Hypothetically, if Sony, IBM or Motorola quoted by Gary on the Amiga.com already working as I type this. important issues. terms of “competition” and it is easy to You have a printing background. were to openly support the Amiga effort, website for those not on the Internet, understand why, but what we are build- Paul Nolan was hired recently. What I`ll take that as a yes then :) What skills did you bring to the job of then that in turn would attract alot of Ed.: ing will run hosted or stand alone on so developer support, and what have other major developers. Unless of exactly is his role at Amiga? Will he Secondly, the End User Licence Yes, these issues are on Fleecy’s mind many hardware and software platforms you had to have a crash course on to course the (hypothetical) big names be doing more than just GUI and in- Agreement that made it into the SDK is and he is developing the technology be- that it really doesn’t matter. aid you? have already been lobbying privately for terface design? Hopefully he`ll do an in error as a result of a legal misin- hind what we are doing. Amiga. enhanced Photogenics for the In what we can do, in what we are Actually, I come from three generations terpretation. There is NO ROYALTY to AmigaOne. All of life is about compromise. What producing, we have no competition. of newspaper people. My personal ex- We have quite a few friends at large be paid for any application either have Amiga had to compromise on in Paul Nolan is working with our internal Finally, when do you roughly esti- perience is in newspapers, auto dealer- companies who are ex-Amigans and are created with the SDK or which will run the development of the AmigaOne? ships (Parts, Service, Marketing, and quietly and sometimes not so quietly on Ami. Amiga will be creating a scheme development team on the new mate, or hope to have a new Amiga even running one or two for a major lobbying their companies to support us. in which third parties can pay a royalty AmigaOE. I can’t speak for Paul. He will Nothing that I am aware of so far. Our based system on sale? have to talk about his future plans. I can developmental process is unlike any manufacturer), and lastly support for a We have developers from almost every to Amiga in exchange for official Amiga I believe Bill said Q1 2001 it WILL be out say that I hope Paul ports Photogenics standard procedure. Everyone con- national US company who did printing major .com company working on open certification, branding and promotion. there. We have no intention of missing over. tributes, everyone works, everyone for major corporations all over the world. source applications right now. They are This provides a revenue stream to that deadline. doing this on their own time, just be- Amiga and a value add for the third believes. It makes it much easier to What was your first mission on ar- What`s the status with Matt Chamut cause they love the Amiga. party. This scheme is entirely voluntary. reach finished product that way. Any rough idea on how much? rival at the HQ? (The Silicon Graphics artist). I`m Yeah, Amiga has had a fair amount of Initially, Nvidia were chosen to be- hoping you`ll still be using a version I know you probably won`t tell me, Our original target is under $900. (That’s Survive a crash on Seattle’s highways:). good coverage over the last two months, come the graphic card partner, and of his brilliant GlowIcons but what is left to be done before a about 600 UK pounds, Ed.) 10 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 11 FEATURES FEATURES

By MorphOS Takes Robert Williams The first public beta version of MorphOS is out, could this be the future of the “Classic” Amiga? or the past few years many Amiga clever part is that the existing 68k with MorphOS and add the suffix .elf. users have been looking for the modules of the OS and applications can MorphOS’s library handler will always Fnext step on from the current seamlessly work with other modules load a library or device with a .elf suffix if Amiga. The new system announced by even if they have been ported to PPC it is available. This mechanism allows Flight Amiga Inc. has given many people a lot and vice versa. This means that one MorphOS only versions of various OS of hope but it is clear it will be quite dif- module (which could be a library or modules to be installed alongside their work on several of the Images. While The majority of PPC ferent from current Amigas as we know device or program) can be ported at a 68k counterparts. pages from this issue based applications and utilities are avail- today, even if it is in the same “spirit”. time and all the programs that use it will True PPC versions of several libraries under MorphOS. I was able for both PowerUP and WarpUP with This very change means that devices benefit. In fact as all programs use ser- and programs are provided with this able to connect to the the remainder being pretty evenly split based on the new Amiga environment vices provided by the OS to some extent beta, the most important of these is Internet via Miami, browse between the two standards games may not provide what everyone wants they will get some speed benefits as CyberGraphX version 5. To use this and with IBrowse and read my developers have come down strongly in from their computer. However, as many more of the OS is ported even if they are hence really to use MorphOS you need EMail with Thor. In fact it was favour of WarpUP and the Warp3D 3D of us are painfully aware the current never ported themselves. to have CgX 4.2 pre-release 7 installed. so good it was almost an anti PPC was hardware drivers. Ralph Schmidt has Amiga hardware is quickly getting fur- The version 5 libraries and drivers can climax, my Amiga went on working only being used stated that he will not develop WarpUP ther and further out of date to a stage Installation them be installed alongside the 68k ver- as normal. for one PPC task. support for MorphOS but that it is when many modern applications are not The beta version is supplied as either a sions as described above although a Secondly many PowerUP programs, probably technically possible, hopefully possible on the Amiga even if the soft- tar archive compressed with bzip2 or an slight change has to be made to the Performance such as the Isis MPEG movie player, a talented coder will get on the case! ware were available. lha archive. Once decompressed the startup-sequence to prevent the PPC also have a component simultaneously On a purely subjective basis I would say Over the last few years the concept of files have to be manually installed onto monitor drivers being loaded when boot- running on the 68k which of course has Conclusion 68k programs running on MorphOS porting the existing AmigaOS to an alter- an existing system partition with ing in 68k mode. to be emulated under MorphOS. reach roughly ‘040/40Mhz speeds on my This initial beta of MorphOS is a fantas- native processor has been suggested on AmigaOS 3.x installed. The only new Other true PPC programs supplied with 233Mhz CyberStormPPC. They are cer- tic achievement, it is remarkably stable numerous occasions. However it has files that need to be installed are in two Limitations this beta include GIF, icon, ILBM, PBM, tainly considerably slower on than the and the 68k emulation shows a good always seemed unlikely that such a drawers called morphos and qstartup. PCX and picture datatypes, 8N1.device, ‘060 I am used to but in general perfor- The major limitation with this first beta turn of speed. At the moment it is very major project could be undertaken un- Morphos contains the core files of the newicon library and lha (although the mance is very usable. This speed release is that it does not support the hard to say how successful it will be In less it was by Amiga themselves (who of OS and qstartup contains a 68k program version in the archive is broken). assessment is backed up by several Blizzard PPC’s SCSI controller (the the future, if MorphOS were ported to course are now committed to the new that restarts the Amiga into MorphOS speed comparisons run by other users. CyberStormPPC controller is supported) modern PPC hardware I can see many Tao based OS). There is also the legal and debugramdump which, as you might Once everything is in place a script is This sort of emulation speed is an im- so those people with their hard drive or Amiga users, myself included, being problem that such a port would probably guess, dumps debug output to a file if provided which runs the startup pro- pressive achievement especially when other important devices connected to very tempted by the thought of a fast, require access to the original source MorphOS fails for any reason. gram, after a few seconds the Amiga you consider that the processors on the their Blizzard are currently out of luck. cheaply upgradeable machine running code, and even after the port was com- reboots and, all being well, comes up in It is quite easily possible to setup a boot PowerUP cards are now several years Most hardware devices should still work the software we love. However at the pleted, software would need to be re- MorphOS. If, as in my case, everything drive which can be used for both off the state of the art and that the dual with their existing 68k drivers running moment there is a distinct lack of such compiled to run on the new processor. works the only difference you will notice MorphOS and your standard Amiga processor design meant several com- under emulation, however this timing machines on the market. With IBM’s is a pulsing of the power light which But now Ralph Schmidt (the guy behind usage, even if that includes WarpUP promises in performance had to be critical area seems to be where most POP (PowerPC Open Platform) boxes in shows the MorphOS Exec is active (this Phase 5’s PowerUP software) and a PPC software which is incompatible with made including the omission of level 2 incompatibilities occur. Several devices an almost BoXeR like state of “just a few can be turned off if you want). small team have produced the first beta MorphOS. Programs run from scripts caches. On faster PPC systems with are listed in the documentation as caus- weeks away” for the last six months version of MorphOS, which runs like the startup-sequence and user- Compatibility cache and further optimisation faster ing problems under MorphOS including Apple is the only company shipping PPC AmigaOS purely using the PPC proces- startup can be disabled when MorphOS than ‘060 speeds would seem possible. the A3000 SCSI controller, A1200 hardware in volume. Unfortunately sor on a PowerUP board. MorphOS is running by enclosing them in the The stated aim of MorphOS is to be PCMCIA hardware and the Fastlane ZIII Apple are known to very cagey over the Reports seem to suggest that most side-steps the legal and software com- following if statement: compatible with all Amiga programs that SCSI board. A patch is provided for the specs of their systems so MorphOS on a PowerUP PPC applications run at about patibility issues by running the existing run reliably on a CyberGraphX system AriadneII.device enabling it to work cor- G4 Mac may not be possible without c:version >NIL: “MorphOS” the same speed under MorphOS as on code, both the OS and third party pro- and in my experience so far they are rectly (which it does). The docs also extensive hacking. The other avenue is if WARN the same system under AmigaOS. At grams, designed for the Amiga’s 680x0 already a long way to fulfilling that aim. state that most DMA hardware is likely the proposed PPC only accelerators for ;68k mode first this seems odd, you might expect series processor under emulation. Parts The docs warn of some hacks and to cause problems. current Amigas but with Amijoe not ex- ;start the hacks them to be faster under MorphOS as so of the OS can then be ported to true patches that should be removed and list pected until early 2001 will a big enough endif much was made of the task switching On the software compatibility front apart PPC code over time while maintaining some applications that currently cause market still exist? overhead with the PPC and 68k proces- from hardware hitting games and older compatibility with existing programs. The Several libraries and datatypes which problems, however in general use I sor combination. However under applications the main problem is lack of To find out more and to download the first beta comes with PPC versions of have several versions, say WarpUP and found my favourite applications ran with- MorphOS all the 68k OS functions have support for WarpUP, which mainly beta visit the MorphOS website at: some key OS modules including Exec 68k, if you want to use the Warp version out a hitch. to be emulated using up PPC CPU time effects the new breed of 3D PPC games and the utility and maths libraries. The when running standard AmigaOS you http://www.morphos.de For example I used PageSteam 4 to where as under PowerUP commonly the from the likes of Hyperion and Digital can also install another version for use 12 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 13 FEATURES FEATURES

of the ways these speed increases were sions of the ‘040 and 060 but as far as I lem with this is that both systems cannot realised was to reduce the number of FPU know these have never been used on coexist, all PowerUP programs must be instructions available, the ‘040 has less Amiga accelerators. stopped to run a WapUP program, after then the 68882 and the ‘060 less than the which the system must be re-started to run Acceleration! ‘040. However this can cause a problem Memory a PowerUP program again. Fortunately with older programs that ceased develop- over the years the PPC boards have been In addition to the faster CPU one of the ment before the ‘040 and/or ‘060 were available the situation has settled down key reasons to add an accelerators is to Robert Williams gets and urge for more POWER! released as they continue to use instruc- and now many programs are available in increase the available memory, allowing tions which are no longer present in the both PowerUP and WarpUP flavours, there t’s hard to find any computer user like washing machines which don’t need ‘060 appeared you to run more complex programs and to FPU. When one of these instructions is is also a PowerUP emulation for WarpUP huge amounts of RAM!) When all the Apple, the main multitask several at once. As you probably who feels their machine is too fast, encountered it has to be emulated using a that allows many (but not all) PowerUP devices which need to talk to the proces- user of high speed know the Amiga’s memory (often referred Iespecially if they have been using it combination of available instructions which programs to run under WarpUP. sor (such as the custom chips and chip 68k processors, to a RAM, Random Access Memory) is for a while. Frighteningly you soon grow forces the CPU into supervisor mode. In RAM) are taken into account this only had moved on the split into two parts, Chip RAM and Fast Overall there is now a worthwhile amount used to a machine that seemed lighten- this mode multitasking is temporarily dis- leaves 8Mb for Fast RAM. Motorola’s RAM. Chip RAM is accessible by the of software available for the PPC cards, ing fast when you first got it, and after a abled which can cause jerky mouse move- PowerPC RISC custom chips (hence the name) and is especially if you are into games and fancy while you’re craving for more speed. ment and also slows the processing down. 68030 processor meaning that there was never a used for the display, sound and a number the likes of Wipeout, Heretic 2 and With no new Amigas available we can’t To remove this problem Phase 5 intro- large customer base for the ‘060, espe- of other functions. The design of the AGA Hyperion’s forth coming releases running buy a new system as many PC users The ‘030 was an evolution of the ‘020, it duced a program called Cyber Patcher, cially the full chips with FPU and MMU chipset limits chip RAM to 2Mb (older on your Amiga. While the PPC cards them- do, so many enterprising companies added a built-in MMU and was able to run this patches programs which use the FPU which are usually not required in Amigas with OCS or ECS have a maxi- selves are expensive they do offer quite a at higher clock speeds. All versions of the as they are loaded replacing the most (and even Commodore themselves) embedded applications. For this reason mum of 512kb, 1Mb or 2Mb depending on lot, including a good SCSI interface (if you 68030 have a 32bit address bus giving used non-implemented instructions with developed accelerator cards which hold the ‘060 has always been an expensive the Agnes chip fitted and their mother- opt for it) and a connector for the them 4Gb of address space. The ‘030 was combinations of new ones to do the same a faster central processor to speed up processor and still is, five or six years after board), all A1200s and most A4000s were B/CVisionPPC graphics cards. very popular with accelerator manufac- job. This eliminates or greatly reduces the existing Amigas. In addition to a faster it introduction. A single ‘060 processor will shipped with the full 2Mb. This means that turers, ‘030 accelerators exist for every jerky mouse pointer and speeds up the processor many accelerators also still set you back about £150 today, and an accelerator can only upgrade Fast Amiga (except perhaps the CDTV). applications. For users without Phase 5 Future PPC provide various additional features. This that’s without an accelerator to put it on! RAM. This type of memory is only access- accelerators a commercial program called The PPC processors used on Phase 5’s feature aims to explain the basics com- Despite the cost the ‘060 is a great proces- ible to the processor, it is faster than Chip 68040 OxyPatcher is also available which does a cards have now been superseded by two ponents of an accelerator to help you sor, it has few additional compatibility RAM because the processor does not This processor marked a major step-up in similar job. new generations of PPC chips, the G3 and decide which combination of features is problems above the ‘040 and yet is very have to compete with the custom chips for performance for the 68k family, it offers G4. The dual processor design not only noticiably faster and is cool enough to run Remember that any program that has a access. All accelerators currently available right for you. about four times the raw performance of adds to the complexity of the boards, it without a fan in most situations, even in version optimised for the ‘040 or ‘060 FPU have some kind of memory expansion on an ‘030 running at the same clock speed also means an expensive 68k processor is A1200 desktops. will not benefit from these patches as it will board, in fact they cannot work efficiently CPU (hence a 25Mhz ‘040 is still about twice as required and several compromises had to not use any missing FPU instructions. with out it as Chip RAM or the RAM on the fast as a 50Mhz ‘030). The full ‘040 has a be made in the design (for example there The key part of any accelerator is the FPU motherboards of the A3000 or A4000 is built-in MMU and FPU, integrating the FPU is now level 2 cache) reducing perfor- Central Processing Unit, this is the micro MMU very slow in comparison. chip that runs your software and controls with the processor also lead to significantly A Floating Point Unit is a processor spe- mance. Therefore Several groups and the rest of the Amiga. From the start increased performance over the external cially designed to execute floating point The Memory Management Unit is part of PPC companies have announced PPC only ac- Amigas have been fitted with Motorola’s 68881/2 FPUs used with the ‘020 and calculations which are relatively slow for the processor which allows the mapping of celerators for the Amiga, which should be 68000 series of processors which has ‘030. The main draw back with the ‘040 is the main processor to deal with. To take blocks of physical memory to virtual ad- With the 68000 series looking increasingly gone through several improvements over its high power consumption and heat out- advantage of an FPU a program has to be dresses. The AmigaOS does not require long in the tooth and no longer developed the years, below are summaries of the put, this means that 68040 based ac- compiled to use one. However, many ap- an MMU and very few programs make use by Motorola many Amigans have been 68k Processors main 68k processors used in Amigas and celerators are best suited to big-box or plications that carry out complex cal- of one. The only significant one I can think looking for the next step in speeding up The following 680x0 series processors their accelerator cards: tower Amigas. Having said that, several culations, particularly 3D programs, benefit of is the VMM utility which tries to give vir- their machines. In 1998 Phase 5 finally ‘040 accelerators have been produced for a great deal from an FPU and thus are tual memory to the Amiga. Some people shipped their long awaited dual CPU have been used in Amiga accelerators. 68000 the A1200 and even the A500 and can be compiled to take advantage of one. You report good success with this, for example CyberStorm and Blizzard PPC cards under There may have been a few others but quite successfully used in the desktop will probably have noticed that many pro- it allows them to render large 3D images the banner PowerUP!. These have both a this should cover the vast majority. A Motorola 68000 CPU running at case, however adequate ventilation must grams ask you if you have and FPU during without investing in loads of extra RAM 68k processor (either an ‘040 or ‘060) and 7.14Mhz was the heart of the Amiga 1000, Processor FPU MMU Mhz Avail. be provided to prevent over heating and their installation, this allows them to install they won’t use for anything else. However a PowerPC RISC processor, Motorola’s A500, A2000/1500, A600 and the CDTV. usually an enhanced power supply will be the appropriate files to use the FPU while with memory prices now quite low most new main stream processor which is also 68000 X X 8 - 28 Several accelerators which replaced the required as the standard unit cannot cope still remaining compatible with systems Amiga users probably won’t find a need for used in Apple’s Power Macs. Because original processor with a faster unit usually 68020 O O 16 - 33 with the power requirements of an ‘040 which don’t have one. The 68000 proces- VMM especially as it can be unreliable. porting the Amiga OS to PPC would take a running at twice the speed, 14Mhz were and other vital peripherals such as a hard sor used in the first generation of Amigas The other main reason for wanting an long time and the intentions of the Amiga’s 68EC020 O O 16 - 33 available. The Supra Turbo 28 for the A500 drive! (the A1000, A500, A600 and A2000) did MMU is to allow your Amiga to run the 68k owners (who were undecided at the time and 2000 had a 68000 running at 28Mhz. 68030 O S 16 - 50 not offer an FPU. With the 68020 Motorola version of Linux which requires one. the PowerUP boards came out) were un- All these accelerators gave a mild speed 68060 introduced the 68881 companion FPU, an Motorola did not produce an MMU for the clear these boards run Amiga OS on the 68EC030 O X 16 - 40 increase as they were still tied to the 7Mhz additional chip. An upgraded version, the original 68000 processor (hence it was not 680x0 as normal and the PPC processor memory on the motherboard. Apart from the 68010 which was a very 68040 S S 25 - 40 slightly optimised 68000 the 68060 is the 68882 was introduced for use with the used by AmigaOS), with the 68020 they can be used by programs specially written 68EC040 X X 25 - 40 68020 only 68k series processor not to be fitted 68030 (although the 68881 also works). introduced an external MMU chip called to take advantage of it. as standard to an Amiga by Commodore, The 68040 and 060 were introduced with a the 68551. With the 68030 the MMU was 68LC040 X S 25 - 40 The ‘020 was the first full 32bit CPU in the Various disputes (which I don’t intend to go the reason being that it didn’t become built-in FPU and later EC (Embedded built into the processor chip itself and this 68k line and was used in few Amiga ac- into here) between Phase 5 and Haage 68060 S S 50 - 60 widely available until after the big C’s Controller) and LC (Lower Cost) versions continued with the ‘040 and ‘060. However celerators as the ‘030 was available by the and Partner (one of the Amiga’s key demise in 1994. The ‘060 offered another of these chips were released without an many Amiga accelerators and the 68EC060 X X 50 - 75 time the market really took off. Later the developers) lead to two mutually exclusive big step in 68k performance, its fast clock FPU to reduce costs. As the FPU is A4000/030 used the EC version of the embedded controller version of the 68020 software systems being developed to run 68LC060 X S 50 - 75 speed (starting at 50Mhz) and improved embedded in the ‘040 and ‘060 an external 68030 from which Motorola omitted the was used in the A1200 and several PPC software on the Phase 5 boards. design make it about 3 to 4 times faster FPU cannot be added later to the LC and MMU to reduce costs. As the MMU is part cheaper accelerators. Unlike the full ‘020 PowerUP, the official Phase 5 solution and Key than a 40Mhz ‘040. The ‘060 uses 3.3V as EC versions. of these processors you cannot add one the EC version only has a 24bit address WarpUP from Haage and partner. opposed to the 5V used by all previous later, so be sure to check the accelerator S = Standard bus limiting it to 16Mb of address space (it The embedded FPUs in the ‘040 and ‘060 Correspondingly some PPC software uses 68k chips which makes it much cooler run- you buy has a full 68k chip with MMU if O = Optional was really designed to drive applicances is much faster than the 68881 and 2, one one and some the other system. The prob- ning than the slower ‘040. By the time the you require one. There are also EC ver- X = Not Available 14 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 15 FEATURES FEATURES both faster and cheaper to make (sounds usable during data transfers. DMA is also 24bit address bus limiting it to 8Mb for above the fast slot. The tray that holds and CD32 however you have to ask your- sockets or even both types and so don’t good heh!). Sadly Phase 5’s G4 offerings a big boon to activities like on-the-fly CD Fast RAM. Worse than this if you fit a both the power supply, hard drive and self whether it is really worth spending suffer from these problems. seem to have sunk without trace after their writing as the processor has plenty of free PCMCIA device such as a Squirrel or RAM floppy drives sits about 25mm above the money on these older machines where bankruptcy, which leaves Escena with their time to prepare the data for writing while card a further 4Mb is occupied, allowing fast slot. Anything projecting from the top further expansion, for example adding a The Do ROM ROM Brainstormer Zorro card, Metabox with the other data is being written. The other op- for only 4Mb of Fast RAM. All 68k proces- of an accelerator such as a heat sink or graphics card, is tricky. As I mentioned in the SCSI section be Amijoe and a possible Gx card for the tion is a PIO (Polled Input/Output) con- sors above the EC020 (including the SIMMs mounted at ninety degrees will foul sure to get the latest ROM version with BoXeR in the running. However now the troller, these use the processor to move EC030 commonly used on A1200 ac- on the drive tray. Even if an accelerator Gotchas your purchase or if you can’t make sure Amijoe, the only one which has been see data from the SCSI chip into memory and celerators) have a 32bit address bus which does fit there is precious little room around There are a few things to watch out for you can get a new ROM, this might involve in the flesh (at the Cologne show in ‘99), hence use much more CPU time during provides 4Gb of address space. Most the processor and SIMMs for air circula- when you’re buying an Amiga accelerator, arranging to get an appropriate ROM has slipped to the first quarter of 2001 it’s data transfers. A1200 accelerators using these more tion. particularly on the second hand market. programmed yourself if the manufacturer hard to know whether any of them will advanced chips are designed so you can no longer exists. actually see the light of day. If they do the Accelerators with SCSI add much more RAM and map it out of the A2000 GVP RAM good news is that running the Amiga on Options PCMCIA slot’s address range. Like some A1200 accelerators, some early Check Compatibility The American company GVP (Great Valley only a PPC processor has been proved Unfortunately there were some cheaper A2000 boards used the 68k’s address Most (ex)Phase 5 accelerators have either Products) made many accelerators, par- It’s unusual but check that your new ac- possible by the amazing MorphOS (see accelerators which, even though they used space of 8Mb, on the 2000 this causes built-in SCSI or a SCSI option, all Phase 5 ticularly for the A2000, while the majority celerator will be compatible with your cur- feature on page 12). an ‘030, still conflict with PCMCIA devices. even more of a problem as the Zorro II controllers are DMA and in general they of these are fine products and were highly rent software and OS version, for example If you need PCMCIA support or think you cards also use that space. For example if are fast and reliable. However make sure praised in their time they do have one sig- some older A2000 accelerators need par- Additional Features might want more than 8Mb of Fast RAM you had a 4Mb graphics card and a 4Mb you get the latest version of the ROM with nificant problem. GVP decided to use ticular ROMs to work with OS 3.1 ROMs these boards should be avoided. accelerator there would be no address your board as older versions can cause custom 64pin SIMMs in their products, at and the CSA 12 gauge ‘030 for the A1200 SCSI Controller space for any additional memory in the problems with CD writing. Many GVP ac- A4000 the time memory was so expensive that doesn’t work with 3.1 at all! Many accelerators come with a built-in machine. Later accelerators map memory celerators also come with a DMA SCSI there was little difference in price between SCSI controller or the option of a SCSI The A4000 was originally designed to be into their own address space allowing for controller built-in or as an option, even a GVP SIMM and a standard 72pin PS/2 Conclusion add-on, this can be a very useful add-on. an ‘030 based computer, but it was much more to be fitted. The A2000 has a more so than with the Phase 5 controllers SIMM (as used by most other ac- SCSI allows you to connect upto 7 devices released as an ‘040 with the Commodore CPU slot designed especially for ac- An accelerator will benefit almost all it is important to get the latest ROM celerators). However now that RAM prices to your Amiga and can drive each one at A3640 accelerator card. The 3640 uses celerators although several companies serious applications on the Amiga and revision to cope with modern devices. For have dropped sharply the unusual GVP the maximum speed of that device or the the memory on the A4000’s motherboard bought out boards which fit in the 68000 many games too. There are many choices, some GVP controllers a new ROM called SIMMs are still very expensive. This SCSI bus, whichever is slower. Attaching a and because this was not designed with CPU socket and could then be used on the and to a large extent how much you pay the GuruROM with software written by makes the accelerators that use them slow device does not slow down faster an ‘040 in mind the memory performance A500 as well. Accelerators ranging from reflects the speed increase you get. It’s Amiga Guru Ralph Babel is available from pretty uneconomic to expand, so unless ones connected to the same bus. is poor, much slower than many ‘030 faster 68000s right up to ‘060 are available well worth considering the long term im- Schatztruhe (the Aminet CD people) which you buy one with all the memory you want Numerous internal and external SCSI based accelerators. The motherboard for the A2000 from a wide range of manu- plications of the accelerator you get, for enhances compatibility and reliability. Be already installed be sure to take the price devices are available including hard memory is also limited to 16Mb. Therefore facturers mainly due to its popularity as a example if you know you will want a SCSI particularly wary of the built-in SCSI and of upgrading in to account when you buy. drives, CD-ROMs and CD writers, various almost all accelerators for the A4000/3000 video machine in the US. controller in the future it may be worth SCSI modules available for the Apollo As an example a standard 16Mb 72pin back up drives (such as ZIP, JAZ and tape fast slot have memory slots on board, be- paying a bit extra for an accelerator with a range of accelerators not only are these EDO SIMM can commonly be found for backups) and scanners. Most SCSI con- cause this memory is connected directly to Other Amigas good SCSI option. If you’re after a PIO but they are also widely reported as about 20 pounds, a 16Mb 64pin GVP trollers connected directly to an ac- the processor it is much faster than the graphics card not having to buy a bus working poorly with SCSI devices other Accelerators are available for almost all SIMM will cost you at least 75 pounds. A celerator card offer better performance motherboard memory and larger amounts board may offset some of the extra cost of than hard drives, for example scanners Amiga models such as the A500, A600 few later GVP products have 72pin SIMM can be added. The fast slot only has a PPC accelerator. than those connected to other interfaces and cartridge drives. Most other Amiga 128Mb of address space allocated to it so (such as Zorro II or the PCMCIA slot) be- accelerators on the market today also this is the maximum amount of memory cause they can be directly connected to have PIO SCSI which is fine for less that can be added to any fast slot ac- the fast processor bus. demanding use but a DMA controller is SysSpeed 2.6 celerator. The performance of a SCSI controller well worth it for applications which rely on depends on two main factors, its maximum fast, reliable data transfer such as CD-R, A3000 By Torsten Bach processor MIPS an memory speeds, gram of your choice. transfer rate and the method of data trans- audio and video work. SysSpeed also has a set of application The A3000 is very similar in motherboard WWW: http://www.aliendesign.net/ Once the tests have been carried out fer from the SCSI controller to the com- based tests which should give a much Graphics Card design to the A4000 and has a similar Aminet: you can save the results as a module puter’s memory. The maximum transfer util/moni/sspeed26.lha more realistic view of a system’s perfor- limitation when an ‘040 or ‘060 accelerator rate is a multiple of 5MB/s, SCSI-I and The only accelerator-specific graphics file, enabling you to reload it later and is used with the motherboard memory mance. These tests include loading files SCSI-II both operate at 5MB/s, this is the cards that have actually been produced, compare the results after you have (which is also limited to 16Mb). The fast into then applying effects with ADPro most common standard for older Amiga as far as I know anyway, are the B and Licence: Freeware bought some new hardware or made slot was introduced with the A3k and thus and Image Studio, various text SCSI controllers and devices like the CVision PPC cards for Phase 5’s PPC ac- some optimisations. most fast slot accelerators can be fitted. hen you’ve installed your operations in Cygnus-Ed and GoldEd Squirrel. SCSI-II Fast has a maximum rate celerators. The Inferno graphics card was The main problem with the A3000 is lack new accelerator,it’s human and crunching and decrunching files The program has an attractive MUI inter- of 10Mb/s and is available on some ac- planned for DKB’s Wildfire A2000 ‘060 of space inside the case, particularly nature to want to find out just with various archivers. The only limita- face which is dominated by the Test celerator’s built-in SCSI controllers includ- card but never actually made it into pro- W how much faster it is than your old one tion with these tests is that you must Results list view. Here your results can ing most of the Phase 5 range. Finally the duction. However the PPC graphics cards fasted available controller available for the are worthy of mention as particularly on (and than your friend’s Amigas!). What have the programs involved to use be shown next to four other modules, Amiga at the moment is that on the Phase the A1200 they offer one of the easiest you need for this is a speed testing pro- them, however there is also the facility selected in preferences. The Compare 5 CyberStorm PPC and MkIII fast slot ac- routes to getting a graphics card. Also their gram, and more importantly a speed to setup tests using any external pro- column gives you the percentage com- celerators, these have a SCSI-III wide con- Permedia 2 3D accelerator, however poor testing program that supports modern parison with one of the loaded modules, troller which supports up to 40Mb/s. its performance may be against today’s 3D hardware. Both AIBB and SysInfo used chosen from a pop-up menu. The statis- chips, has allowed much more advanced, to be (and still are) very popular speed tics window shows the comparison in To DMA or not to DMA 3D accelerated games to be brought to the testing programs but they do not support the form of a bar chart, again compared With a DMA SCSI controller data is trans- Amiga. more recent processors like the ‘060 with up to 4 other modules. A System ferred directly from the SCSI chip to the and therefore can give misleading Info window is also available providing Amiga’s main memory with little interven- Specifics results. SysSpeed on the other hand quite an extensive set of information tion from the processor, this means the supports both ‘060 and PPC and has about your Amiga’s configuration and A1200 processor has much more free time to get The CyberStorm PPC and tests for graphics card speeds as well. the programs currently running. on with other things while data transfers As I mentioned earlier the 68EC020 CyberVision PPC graphics card In addition to raw speed tests such as SysSpeed’s main window. are going on, generally keeping the Amiga processor used in the A1200 only has a are a tight fit in my A3000 desktop. 16 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 17 FEATURES FEATURES

Roy Burton, BT Engineer and SEAL And now here comes the Committee member, investigates the technology that could be the future of Science bit... Internet access. OK not too much! There are 32 sub-channels in the out interrupting the flow of data. The line ADSL upstream (channel 16 is reserved as a conditions are measured on at regular (Asymmetric Digital Subscribers Line) ADSL use special modems, one at the pilot). intervals and any adjustments are made Telephone Exchange and one at the DSL technology is now be- I don’t want to get stuck on transmis- the upstream is also mutiplexed and a depending on the resulting changes in Customer (combined with the Splitter) DMT can use the channels to transmit coming widely available in the sion rates because these will vary with technique called echo cancellation line conditions. these are known as ADSL Transmission data and is able to move data so that UK, it enables the service company to company and circuit to cir- keeps them separate. A 4 khz channel is A Unit, Central or remote. the usage of the sub-channels is maxi- The DMT channels are modulated by provider to use existing telephone lines cuit and will depend on many factors assigned for the Plain Old Telephone mised. If a channel cannot be used it Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (twisted pair) as a high speed data path, such as service agreements and mini- Service (POTS). Exchange = ATU-C can be switched off. All sub-channels (QAM) this uses two high frequency thus changing a network that was limited mum data rates that are guaranteed. Customers premises = ATU-R. A splitter is a filter which separates high carriers are multiples of one basic modulation carriers of the same to voice/fax/modem too a impressive Basically if you used a modem before, frequency (ADSL) from low frequency So ADSL leaves 0-4khz bandwidth for frequency. frequency but with a 90 degree phase data transmission media, allowing excel- ADSL will rocket along in comparison. telephone (POTS) signals at exchange the telephone service (POTS) and uses shift (quadrature) and are each lent access to the internet and other new DMT on initialization it determines the ADSL supports speeds as fast as 9 and at the customers home, the cus- the rest of the available bandwidth for amplitude modulated to carry informa- services such as video on demand maximum reliable throughput, this is megabytes per second downstream and tomers computer will be connected by data transmission 20khz - 1.1MHz (pic- tion (data) down a sub-channel. (FMV), bi-directional video conferencing done by measuring the line characteris- 640 Kilobytes per second upstream, this one of two methods, the later being the ture 1). and remote LAN access. tic by sending an equal value tone down The data is sent in frames synchronized is great for the internet which mostly most likely. all sub-channels (picture 2). at 4000 baud DMT symbol rate (ADSL) This sounds wonderful but there are needs bandwidth for down-loading in- 1. A Ethernet card. and a sync symbol is added to each su- restrictions apart from the cost, as this formation. The receiver measures the multi-tone perframe = 68 ADSL data frames that technology is pushing the limits of a 2. A USB port connection with supplied signals thus gathering information about Advanced algorithms and signal pro- are encoded and modulated into DMT twisted pair of wires, between your software. the line, this optimized distribution in- cessing allow as much digital informa- symbols. home and the telephone exchange, the formation is returned to the transmitter tion possible along a cable pair. Multiple A 240v mains supply may be required at viability can depend on the distance and back down the line at a safe low speed. Well that last bit lost me! Transparent synchronous data channels the customers site. type of cable, (telecommunications With this information the transmitter at various data rates divide the useable By the way Ping times for ADSL are cables vary in diameter and conduc- The ADSL technology is still being knows how much data can be put down bandwidth of the pair By use of FDM between 2 and 20 ms, and the term tivity). So basically you need to be within developed so expect improvements and each of the sub-channels and what (frequency Division Multiplexing) for the ADSL was named by Bellcore in1989. 4km of the exchange, and if your over cost reductions in the future. power level is needed for each sub- upstream and downstream channels 6km then there is little chance of it work- Picture 1 carrier. Please note some ADSL systems use The downstream channel is now divided ing. Carrierless Amplitude Modulation Phase by TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) and ADSL uses a lot of processing power at The line adaptation of ADSL means the (CAP) instead of DMT. CAP is Similar to Once installed you are permanently on- the Exchange and equipment to enable number of bits given to each sub- QAM but cannot be optimized and has line, so no more dialling up via a use of complex algorithms which in turn channel can be changed or the transmit not been standardised. Modem. ADSL Network Structure give full use of the available bandwidth power adjusted to aid performance with- and to adjust these algorithms for vary- The ADSL provides three channels: ing line conditions such as noise and 1. A high speed data channel from the interference, this is made possible with Exchange to your home. the use of a Digital Signal Processor (downstream) (DSP). Forward Error Correction is use for optimal performance and is based on 2. A lower speed data channel from your Reed-Soloman coding. home to the Exchange. (upstream) ADSL uses Rate Adaptive Technology to 3. A voice channel for your normal adjust the data rate throughput in its cur- phone calls. (POTS) rent environment this is mainly done by You can use your telephone to make a the use of Discrete Multi Tone (DMT) call while you are surfing the net, at the signalling. same time, that’s magic! DMT can be described as dividing the The word ‘Asymmetric’ is related to the available bandwidth into a number of fact that the downstream speed and sub-channels in fact 256 channels in the upstream speed are not the same the downstream each 4khz wide, channel 64 reasons for this are complicated, but is a pilot and is used as a clock for the simply a signal attenuates over a dis- receiver. The maximum theoretical Internet Links tance in a cable, the higher the data rate throughput is 15bits per sub-channel: / frequency the greater the loss. Also BT http://www.bt.com/adsl/ KEY Number of sub-channels (256) x Picture 2 crosstalk or overhearing occur when Number of bits per channel (15) x Demon http://www.demon.net/adsl/ cables of very different signal levels are SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (high speed Transmission network) channel bandwidth (4khz) = close together. So if we try to transmit at AT M Asynchronous Transfer Mode (a high speed packet transfer technology) Freeserve http://www.freeserve.net/highspeedtrial/adsl.htm ISP Internet Service Provider 15 Mb/s downstream. a high rate upstream it will cause Alcatel Manufacturers of ADSL modems. PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network The number of bits vary per channel and crosstalk in other circuits. http://www.alcatel.com/telecom/adsl/keytech/adsl/modem/mod.htm POTS Plain Old Telephony Service would normally be much less say 5 bits. 18 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 19 REVIEWS REVIEWS

random tip, most of which are actually Something Fishy quite detailed and useful. The File menu Reviews are very subjective, what one also contains these options and a handy reviewer may love, another hates. Such PageStream 4 list of recently loaded files (one of the few Windows features I wish more Amiga pro- is life. So we decided to have a general grams would “borrow”). If you start a new score, which the reader can take into Robert Williams reviews the Amiga’s one and only DTP app. document a requester allows you to select account along with the text. a page size, layout (single or double sided, So we invented the fish... it’s easy to ageStream is one of the Amiga’s PageStream, it provides a different set of facing pages) and margins. You are then work out which we feel is a better oldest (and I would say certainly options depending on the current edit presented with a blank page (except for a product... the more bones that show, the Pthe oldest surviving) applications, mode and the type of the current selection. grid and a few guides) on which to build smellier the fish :). We only award our and largely due to Clubbed, one of my For example if you are in text mode and your document. have the cursor in some text it shows the top Caviar rating to products that are most used programs. Version 4 has Text can be added to the page in two current font and size and allows you to practically perfect. been out for quite a few months now, ways, firstly you can select the text frame change it. If you are in pointer mode and and as we have come to expect from tool then draw a text frame on the page. have an object selected the object’s cur- Softlogik it took a few revisions to iron Then you can import or type text into the rent size and position are shown and can out the worst of the wrinkles with the new frame. The second method is to be edited. Most numeric values in the edit initial release. This in no way reflects select the text tool then just click on the palette have nudge arrows which you can page and start typing. This creates a float- badly on Softlogik, where PageStream is click on to increase or decrease the value Caviar developed almost single handed for ing text box that expands to hold the text in small steps. One slight oddity with the you type. Resizing a floating box stretches three platforms by Deron Kazmaier who edit palette is that you must press Enter The best so far! We can hardly pick the text inside (you can retain the aspect does an amazing job. Now up to release twice for changes made by editing values anything out of it, not even boogers. ratio by holding shift), you have to press 7 version 4 is looking good. As this is (the nudge arrows work immediately) to Rarer than Nessie. Return to get a new line. In a text frame the first time we have looked at take effect. This is due to the way the you can only resize the text by actually A typical screen while I’m working on Clubbed. Notice the customisable toolbar PageStream in Clubbed I have tried to AmigaOS handles text gadgets (the first choosing a new font size in some way. The along the top of the screen. The Page and Document palettes give a graphical cover the program as a whole, not just Enter confirms the text typed, the second text in a frame automatically wraps when it activates an “Apply” button), however it the changes for the new version. reaches the edge of the frame or column, can be useful because you can make if there is too much text to fit in the frame The edit palette at the bottom of the screen is in text column mode. several changes in the edit palette and ports only simple text formatting,overview however of the document. Interface PageStream displays a small overset apply them all in one go saving several this could actually save quite a lot of time marker at the end to warn you. Text frames Styles PageStream’s interface isn’t particularly redraws. when preparing a HTML page based on a in PageStream can have more than one This product is definitely worth buying beautiful, in many places it is not font PageStream document, but don’t expect it Styles help you to add consistency to a The document and page palettes allow you column and a configurable gutter (the but, like most things, still has room for sensitive and uses the dreaded Topaz, to recreate your page layout in HTML! document and allows its whole look to be improvement. however it is functional and doesn’t require to control the arrangement of your docu- space between columns) which makes changed easily. PageStream 4 offers three an add-on GUI engine like MUI or ment. In the document palette you manage multi-column layouts quicker to set-up and At some point during the development of types of style, character, paragraph and ClassAct (which may or may not be a good the chapters and master pages and the edit. One minor limitation is that you PageStream 3.x the spell checker stopped object. A Character style holds all the in- thing depending on your point of view). page palette allows you to move whole cannot set a gap between the border of working, fortunately (especially for me) it formation about how a character looks, for The main document window shows a pages, including all the objects they con- the text frame bounding box and the con- has now been reinstated in version 4. example its font, size, colour, whether it is WYSIWYG view of the current page of tain, around in the document. This is tained column(s) of text, this means if you Unfortunately (for those of us in the UK) bold or underlined etc. A named character your document and there are several float- achieved by simply dragging and dropping apply a border to a text frame the text buts currently there is only an American English style can be applied to any range of text ing palettes which you can choose to have icons. The Page palette can also be used right up against it, an easy work around is dictionary, still it’s better than nothing and from one character to several paragraphs. open to control various aspects of the to group pages together in page spreads to draw an additional box with the border helps spot the worst of the typos in A paragraph style applies to one or more Average, neither too good nor too bad document. The action centres around the and select which master page applies to and fill you want and place the text frame headings and the like which can’t be easily whole paragraphs, this allows it to hold — it works but there are areas which toolbox which controls the current mode of each page in the document. over it with no border or fill applied. checked in another application. settings such as the line spacing, whether need major improvement or are way the program, there are buttons for the edit The options available in the edit palette Like most DTP programs PageStream is the paragraph has a drop capital or is behind competing products. pointer, text mode, and several drawing along with the other palettes mean that really designed to assemble content Fonts bulleted etc. Object styles apply to objects tools. Along the top of the screen (by you very rarely have to open a requester in created in other applications, for example Several types of scalable fonts are sup- rather than text (as the name might sug- default) is a user definable button bar. PageStream which greatly speeds up lay- the main text of articles is probably better ported including the Amiga’s native AGFA gest) and allow you to easily apply com- Initially there are buttons for loading and out creation and editing. Keyboard short- written in an editor or word processor and Compugraphic, PostScript Type 1, the mon settings such as border and fill to saving documents, cut copy and paste, cuts are another strong point. The most then imported into a document. It is possi- custom fonts used by PageStream 2 and objects. The great thing about styles is that SMELLY preferences and other common common object related ones are just a ble to enter text directly into PageStream TrueType fonts as used by Windows. Fonts once some text, paragraphs or objects operations, you can add buttons for almost single key press, for example pressing “l” but it is noticeably slower then say Final can be sourced from any directory on the have been assigned a particular style if Crap, but hopefully getting better in any function in the Preferences window, brings up the Line and Fill requester for Writer when editing long articles. This is system so it’s easy to make PageStream you change that style all the objects however you can only have one button bar assigned to that style also change. For future versions (if there are any). the current object and “a” opens the align- quite understandable as the complexity of share fonts with other programs even if and it is always a horizontal strip. ment requester. One slight oddity is that layout possible is much greater in their font directory is hard coded. A pop-up example if you had assigned all the body text of all the articles in your document to You will probably want to have the edit the short-cuts are different in text mode PageStream, editing long articles is also font selector is available in the edit palette the same style you could change the font palette open all the time you are using are different as typing a single letter will faster in version 4 than in 3. Import but this does not show you how the font just enter that letter. So for example the modules are supplied for most common looks. For this you need the font requester used by all the articles in one step. Product Information line and fill requester for selected text is Amiga text formats including Final Writer which shows a preview of the selected Character and paragraph styles can be brought up using CTRL+l. and Wordworth, they all simply import the font, unfortunately this does not show a easily applied from the Edit palette when in Developer: Softlogik text and some of the styles rather than the snippet of the selected text just AaBbCc text mode or you can use the Styles Distributor: Blittersoft In Use document formatting. A simple HTML etc. One particularly nicely implemented palette. Object styles can be applied from Te l: +44 (0) 1908225454 module has been added for version 4, this feature is the insert character requester a sub-menu of the Object menu, they When you first start PageStream or if no Disgusting, multicolour yawn inducing WWW: www.softlogik.com loads HTML pages keeping simple format- which shows all the characters in a font should also be shown in the Styes palette document is loaded the navigator window abomination that insults the Amiga. www.blittersoft.com ting like , and line breaks but does very clearly so you can pick unusual ones, but I couldn’t get that to work. appears, this has buttons allowing you to Price: Full £169.95 not attempt to keep any formatting or in- it also shows the keyboard short-cut for start a new document, load an existing one If you’re working on a simple document 3.3 - 4.0 u/g £59.95 line images. Similarly the HTML saver ex- that character so you can type it quickly. or Quit. Also shown in this window is a (perhaps a poster) where styles seem 20 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 21 REVIEWS REVIEWS

The edit palette Here it is in object priate controls for the object selected. provides the appro- (left) and character overkill PageStream also offers a useful need to see it on-screen at full quality. (right) modes PageStream offers extensive PostScript CD. Both of these are quite adequate at format dropper on the toolbar. This lets Another advantage of keeping images ex- play with including wrapping text onto a ture printing is for you! PageStream 4 will output options as befits a professional what they do and allow you to prepare you Shift click on a piece of text or object ternal is that if you edit the source image curve and into shapes and a very wide now move the pages around as it prints so package. Firstly, you load a PPD PageStream documents without any addi- to pick up its formatting then simply click and save it over the top of the old file the range of predefined warps. It also allows the right pages come together when the (PostScript Printer Definition) file which tional software. Most users will probably on another piece of text or object to format changes can immediately be seen in you to convert text into an editable drawing sheets are put together and folded. You tells the program the capabilities of your have other software that is more powerful it in the same way. In version 4 there is PageStream. Version 4 has a new collect object, ideal for making logos. Even with- can also use repeat printing to print multi- postscript device. PageStream can then (GoldED, ImageFX and Photogenics being also a new find and change attributes fea- for output feature that allows all the ex- out TextFX you can use the range of fills ple copies of a document on one page, for output full colour PostScript, CMYK colour my main choices) but it is a nice touch ture which allows you to find text formatted ternal images used in a document to be and line styles on text as well as drawn example you could create one label then separations and or separations for any none the less. in a particular way and change it to a dif- collected into a single directory so the objects. set repeat printing to print a whole sheet. spot colours used. If you have Turbo Print ferent format or to a style (from then on it document can be easily moved to another 7 you can send PageStream’s PostScript Both a grid and guides are available to Documentation will change when the style is changed). machine or sent for printing. It is also pos- Output output to the PS: device which is picked up help you neatly align objects (be they As far as I know PageStream 4 is not cur- sible to turn off image display to speed-up by GhostScript, rendered then passed to drawn or text boxes) on the page. The grid You would expect an application whose rently supplied with an up-to-date printed Graphics document editing although you can’t have TurboPrint to be printed at full 24bit quality. is user definable and you can set it to start purpose is to produce printed documents manual, you still get the one from 3.3. This some images displayed and others This works absolutely brilliantly giving fan- Graphics in a wide range of formats can at an offset from the corner of the page. to have extensive output options and is pretty good and covers the most impor- switched off as you can in Final Writer. tastic quality on any TurboPrint supported be imported into a PageStream document, Horizontal and vertical layout guides can PageStream doesn’t disappoint. The print- tant features although some of the new printer. bitmap formats like IFF-ILBM, JPEG, BMP, Once imported images can be sized also be set up. A requester allows you to ing (or more accurately output as it doesn’t ones could certainly use proper explana- PCX and GIF are supported and you can (either keeping or ignoring the original enter an exact position or you can set the only print as we’ll see) system is controlled The PostScript output module can also be tion, for example I had to work out the also use a number of vector formats such aspect ratio) and rotated to fit into the lay- guides visually by dragging from the top from two windows. The print window used to save an EPS file of a page to disk, signature printing by trial and error. Also as IFF-DR2D, ProDraw Clips and EPS. out. There is a crop tool so you can left hand corner of the rulers onto the allows you to set the generic options such this allows a complete page to be included supplied is quite extensive HTML One very useful feature is that graphics remove unwanted borders from an image page. This second method was new in as which pages are printed and in what in another document although in may ap- documentation, complete with Softlogik’s can be “left external”. This means that only without having to load it into an image version 3.4 and makes using guides much order, whether to print in greyscale or plications, including PageStream itself own browser, HHV. The HTML documents a low resolution preview image is shown processor. Images can be masked using quicker. It would be even better if you colour etc. Pages can be scaled to fit on EPS files can only be printed to a are, like the manual, not totally up-to-date on screen while the full image is only any shape that can be created using the could adjust the guides after placing them smaller or larger paper so, for example, PostScript printer. One limitation is that and contain mostly reference material, ex- loaded from disk when required, for ex- drawing tools so you can have non- by dragging in the ruler, currently you have you can test print an A3 document on A4 you cannot output a whole document as plaining what all the menu items and ample when the document is printed. Only rectangular images and make simple com- to open the requester. and you can print thumbnails of the entire several EPS files, one for each page, all in requesters do. the low resolution For Position Only (FPO) positions within PageStream. Unlike many document. one go. You have to “print” each page to image is stored in the document and other packages you cannot set a particular Document Structure an individual EPS file otherwise The Printer Settings window defines output What’s New In Version 4 loaded into memory while the document is colour in an image to be transparent, for PageStream seems to try and put all the Many facilities are available to help you type specific options, the options available During the course of this review I’ve tired being edited reducing the file size and example a white background. This is due pages in one file which is not valid as EPS create long and complex documents. A depend on the output module selected, to point out some of the new features in memory requirements. The default resolu- to a limitation of PostScript which does not files can only contain one “image”, or page document can be split into chapters each modules are supplied to output to Amiga PageStream 4 but there are a few I tion of the FPO can be set in preferences support transparency, there is a function in this case. of which can have a different page OS Printer drivers, PageStream’s own haven’t managed to mention yet. Drag and and adjusted for a particular image in the which tries to automatically create a mask numbering convention. Master pages can printer drivers, PostScript devices and The IFF-ILBM output module saves each drop text editing lets you quickly move Information requester. At any time an ex- thus removing the background, but I have be used to define common elements which IFF-ILBM bitmap files. page as an IFF-ILBM image, you can blocks of text around, even between text ternal image can be fully loaded if you fond this only works successfully on simple appear on every page, for example, page choose the resolution of the output file, the frames, with the mouse. Definable tracking images. I have found it best to create com- Print quality through the Workbench driver numbering, headers, and footers. The number of colours or greyscales to be tables and kerning pairs let you tweak plex compositions as a single image out- suffers from all the usual problems, espe- master page also controls the page size used and if required a dither pattern. specific fonts and pairs of letters to get the Extra Extra! side PageStream (often in ImageFX using cially low colour quality because the pre- and layout guides for the page so you spacing perfect while optical alignment layers) and then import the end result. OS3.5 printing system for which could have a master page with a 3 column Colour Quality improves the look of blocks of text. One of As I have mentioned in several places PageStream is designed only supports Any structured drawing format that can be layout and another with 2. Multiple master my favourite new tools is the lasso selector Softlogik also sell a range of add-on 12bit colour. If you have TurboPrint or I have heard it mentioned by people who displayed in PageStream can be dissolved pages can be used so, for example, you which selects all the objects within a free- modules for PageStream these include: Studio installed things are better due to the know what they’re talking about that into its separate objects and edited within can have different headers and layouts hand shape, this makes complex selec- optimised drivers for modern printers, but PageStream does not output as accurate Borders 1 and 2 PageStream using its drawing tools, this within a document or even some pages of tions on pages with lots of objects much they still only have 12bit colour data to quality colour PostScript as professional (40USD ea. or both for 60USD) can be very handy if you need to make a different size. Pages can be set as easier. work with. publishing solutions on other platforms. Two packs of specially designed rectan- minor changes to clip-art. Adobe Illustrator double sided which allows you to have Apparently this is due to the built in RGB gular borders which can be easily EPS files can be viewed and edited within different right and left master pages and PageStream specific drivers are supplied to CMYK conversion routines and some Conclusion drawn on the page and always have PageStream, other EPSs are displayed as additionally facing pages can be set which for a range of reasonably modern printers example output I have seen bears this out. neat corners. Each pack contains 60 a crossed box and can only be printed to a allows you to edit page spreads on-screen. with HP and Epson models particularly PageStream is an excellent application, I cannot go into this area in any more borders. PostScript printer. In the page palette you can then drag well catered for. The quality produced by I’ve been using it pretty heavily for a long depth because I do not have in depth pages together to form spreads. these is significantly better than using the time (as is evident by this magazine) and Text FX 2 (50USD) knowledge of these issues, however in my Drawing Tools PageStream allows you to pull more than Workbench drivers because they use 24bit generally have had very few problems and Allows floating text boxes to be warped experience if you intend to output from two pages together to create fold-out sec- colour data. However, I find the prints tend can’t think of many things I’d like added. into a variety of interesting shapes or In addition to the text facilities PageStream PageStream to a local printer attached to tions or multi-fold booklets easily. to be a bit dark and heavily dithered com- The current release of version 4 seems wrapped onto a curve. Also permits the also has a powerful set of drawing tools your Amiga using Turbo Print or Studio the pared with the same page printed via the pretty reliable and has an amazing range conversion of text into drawing objects allowing you to add structured graphics to Automatic creation of tables of contents, output is excellent. Output to PostScript Studio output module or Turbo Print and of features. I can’t say how it compares so each letter can be edited. your document. All the common tools are included images and indices is also a boon also works well as is shown by this maga- the GhostScript add-on. with its professional competitors on other Gary’s Effects (25USD) available such as line, box, polygon and if you’re creating a big document. These zine which is produced in that way but may platforms but on the Amiga it is very Additional image processing effects beizer curve. A variety of line and fill styles tables can be easily refreshed at any time If you own the Studio printer driver not be quite up to the level of some ap- worthy of the king of DTP crown. which can be used on images in is available including gradient fills, there is so they always reflect the current layout of package you will be pleased to know that plications on the PC or Mac (which PageStream documents and with BME. also a choice of arrow heads and other the document without tedious checking Wolf Faust, its author, has developed a generally cost much more). line endings. PageStream also has most of and renumbering when you move items PageStream printer module which outputs The TrueType font engine, JPEG I/O the facilities of a full structured drawing around in the layout. direct to Studio supported printers at full Add-ons module and Wordworth document program including the ability to join and 24bit quality. With this module PageStream If you’re producing a magazine, like this A simple text editor called PageLiner and a module which all used to be extras with merge structured objects and to export the will give the same output quality as one, or a booklet that is to be printed simple Image Processor (BitMap Editor or PageStream 3 are now included with drawing in various file formats. The TextFX Studio’s picture printing utility. version 4. double sided and folded the built-in signa- BME) are supplied on the PageStream 4

2 module gives you many text effects to Results 22 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 23

A Complete Fiasco Or is it? The dictionary says that Fiasco is “a complete failure” Robert Williams thinks different!

omputers are good at remember- mode at any time to adjust the structure ing things, something that this of the database, Fiasco warns you if any Chuman, and I suspect most change you make could corrupt your others to some degree, are not good at! data. The job of a database is to store up in- In Mask mode you can add new fields to This blank formation in a structured way and allow the database by selecting the field type record from us to recall it quickly when needed. from the Field menu or a cycle gadget in the Clubbed Because the Amiga has been primarily a the control window. A cursor, which can database home and creative computer few be moved with the mouse or cursor shows many databases have been created for it over keys, shows where the new field will be of Fiasco’s the years, in the heyday of the late 80s placed, this is achieved by pressing field types. and early 90s there were some powerful Return. A requester with the options for products like Superbase but sadly many the selected field type then appears, of these are now looking their age if they after the options have been set, the field even work on a modern Amiga. Fiasco then appears in the Record window. The is a database designed along the lines fields in the Record window can be of a modern Amiga programs and unlike cation. In a similar vein the Variable Text simply reorganised by dragging them some of its other PD and Shareware field type that allows you to add longer with the mouse, and double clicking on a siblings it offers a good amount of power pieces of text to a record, ideal for notes field opens its options window for edit- too. and descriptions, is implemented as a ing. Fields can be multi-selected by scrollable text box, like a mini editor. The Fiasco has two modes, Mask mode is holding the Shift key and/or with a drag datatypes field type is one of the most used to setup the database, you can box which makes editing the layout interesting, the only data actually held in design the layout of the record window quick and easy. One slight annoyance is the database is a reference to an ex- and define the fields you want, their type that a label is not added to each field as ternal file, which is then shown in a and options. Once the database is it is created so you have to add them scrollable of the record window using designed Record mode allows you to manually using the special “Text” field datatypes. Probably the most common enter data into the database and then type. use for the datatypes field will be to add perform various operations to extract the images to a record, however because data you want. You can drop into Mask Fields datatypes are available for so many file Product Information A wide selection of field types are avail- formats you could also include other able in addition to the standard ones like files like AmigaGuide documents even Developer: Nils Bandener string (a piece of text up to defined sounds. EMail: number of characters) and number. The Similar to the Text field type, the Button [email protected] date and time fields ensure that dates type does not actually add a field to the WWW: and times are always input in a consis- database, it is used to add an action www.amigaworld.com/support/fiasco/ tent format and can be used for date button to the record window. Buttons Address: Uhlenbruch 30, based calculations. The Boolean can be used to run any program that can 33098 Paderborn, (Yes/No) and Cycle fields types are par- be launched from the shell or an AREXX GERMANY. ticularly nicely implemented as a check script. As the actions of an AREXX Price: 30DM (about £10) box and a cycle gadget in the record script are entirely up to the user, it could Paid by: Cash, EuroCheque window which makes the final record make changes to the database using or Bank Transfer. window look like a “proper” Amiga appli- REVIEWS REVIEWS

Relationships allow and place them in any order. If you so and more advanced uses of the you to link databases. desire you can put fields on several lines database so if you only want to create a In this example I to fit them all on a page. When you print simple address book you don’t get linked each product to each record it is printed using the layout bogged down in unnecessary details. you have set-up. There are options to its sup- add headers and footers to the printed Programmability plier, there database but I couldn’t find any way of Despite all the other options If you have more complex requirements for I only adding variables like page number, print Fiasco also works well for simple than can be satisfied by the built-in date etc. Printing is plain text only so have to databases like this address book. functionality Fiasco has an AREXX port you are reliant on the only simple enter with a wide range of commands. AREXX formatting (bold, underline etc.) and the customer number. When a new order is each sup- commands can be used to retrieve data fonts built into your printer. An AREXX raised the customer number would be plier’s from the database, perhaps to pass to script is provided to output to the TeX entered and the customer’s details data once. other programs, and to add new data. Fiasco’s AREXX port or control an ex- formatting system (commonly found on would automatically appear from the The example databases They can also be used to control various ternal program. With buttons, along with Unix systems) but you have to install customer database. If the customer’s supplied give you a good aspects of the user interface. Custom the other field types you can use Fiasco and configure it yourself. For many jobs details ever changed all the records in functions for use in calculated fields can to make a complete database applica- the basic text output is fine and you can the orders database would automatically idea of what can be acheived with Fiasco and a also be written. tion which looks very similar to any always export data from Fiasco then use show the updated information. The pre- style-guide compliant Amiga program. the mail merge function of a word vious example is a many to one relation- little AREXX magic. Conclusion processor for more complex formatting ship, many orders can be from the same Defaults (Wordworth is particularly good as it customer. Fiasco also supports one to There are several actions you can per- used to is that, like some EMail pro- Fiasco is an excellent and flexible allows multiple records per page). many relationships, in our example you form to manage your data and find par- grams, records are not really deleted database for all sorts of home and small All field types allow a default value to be could add a list view field to the cus- ticular records. The sort function can be from disk when you click the Del button. business uses. It has some surprisingly set and Cycle type fields can be used to tomer database showing all the orders used to sort (surprise, surprise) the Physical deletion takes place when you powerful features with printing the only limit the choice to a defined list of Relationships that customer had placed. records into ascending or descending select Reorganize from the Database area that feels underdeveloped, for- options. Fields can also have their value A simple database with one set of data, order based on any field. You can have menu. Another slight oddity is that a tunately this can be worked around. calculated by a formula. If a formula is for example names and addresses or Although Fiasco does not offer as many as many sort criteria as you have fields, Fiasco database is not one file, when Relationships, a comprehensive AREXX added to a field it will be used to set the album details is commonly called a flat options with its relationships as large so in our example orders database you save a filename.fdb file is created port and powerful functions mean it is default value when a new record is file database because it resembles a file scale databases (for example you above you could sort on customer and along with a drawer called simply possible to develop full fledged created, and if it uses values from any with a card for each record. Fiasco is a cannot choose to have an average (or then by date. filename which holds all the other ancil- database applications in Fiasco. For all other fields in the record, will be updated fine and flexible flat file database but it other calculated result) of all the match- lary files, which include saved searches, the powerful features it is also ideal for if those fields change. A formula can do much more than that. ing records in a one to many link) on Find allows you to search for a particular indexes, filters and print layout files. simple address book type projects generated field can also be set as virtual Relationships allow you to link several other platforms they are very useful and record in the database, for example you When moving a database or backing up where you want to be in charge of ex- which means its contents are never sets of data together. First you have to add a lot to the program. could look for records where with a par- you have to make sure you get all the actly what data you keep! Although it stored on disk and always generated on- find a field which is common in both the ticular surname in an address database. files. does take a bit of learning, especially if the-fly. To help you create formulas sets of data, then when the databases Data Entry The first match to a search is shown in you are not familiar with databases, the Fiasco has a very nice formula editor are linked, a record in one database with the Record window and you can use the Aside from Fiasco’s own format a flex- All data is entered through the Record excellent manual is very helpful. With a window where you can pick from lists of be related to all the records in the other Find next and previous menu items to ible export module allows databases (or window, while in Record mode. The Tab registration fee of only about 10UKP it the available operators (+,-,*, <, > etc.), database where the linking field contains step through all the matching records. just marked records) to be saved in a key can be used to move between fields represents great value too! functions (including string handling, the same data. You can search on multiple criteria variety of ASCII formats. The field and keyboard short-cuts can be statistical and date related), fields and (where the sir name is Williams and the separator, string delimiter and record Time for an example I feel. If you were assigned to checkbox and cycle gadgets user defined constants. It even checks first name is Robert for example) and separator characters are all freely con- running a business you might keep a to allow them to be accessed from the your finished formula for errors before you can use logical operators for ex- figurable so it should be possible to ex- Results database of orders received. Instead of keyboard. There are also short-cuts for accepting it! ample where the surname is not port to almost any database or other ap- entering the customer details each time moving between records and adding Williams or where the order value is > plications such as word processors and an existing customer placed an order it new ones so you don’t have to take your Pros Printing (greater than) 10000. spreadsheets. Likewise most databases would be nice to pull them straight out of fingers off the keys when doing a lot of Elegant font sensitive interface on the Amiga and other platforms can Many powerful features Choosing Print from the Project menu a customers database. To do this the data entry. The Filter window is very similar to the output suitable ASCII files for Fiasco’s Comprehensive documentation opens a blank window very similar to the orders database could be linked to the search window because they perform a Very customisable and flexible Record window, you can add the fields importer which is similarly flexible. customers database with a relationship, Indexing, Sorting, similar function. Filtering limits the Excellent value for money from the database that you want to print for example the linking field might be Finding and Filtering database to displaying only the records Documentation which match the criteria you specify Once you have designed your database, which again can use logical operators. Fiasco comes with very comprehensive Cons created any relationships and actually Filters and searches can be saved once Amiga Guide documentation including a Limited printing support without addi- entered some data you may actually they have been defined and can be reference section which covers all the tional programs Necessarily quite a complex program want to retrieve it! Fiasco holds the recalled easily from a pop-up gadget in windows and menus. The right section database on disk and only loads the their respective windows. for the active window or menu item can records you are currently working on be quickly accessed by pressing the There is also a Statistics window into memory. To speed up working with Help key. The documentation starts with accessible from the Database menu large amounts of data Fiasco allows you an introduction to Fiasco and basic which gives general information on the to create indices for the fields you com- database concepts. It then carries on to current database like the number of monly search, query or sort on. An index explain how these concepts are imple- records and the number loaded into The Formula Editor makes adding cal- is a list of values in those fields which mented in Fiasco and how they can be memory. culations to your database easy. I can be held in memory for quick search- used. This part of the documentation is knocked up this simple currency con- ing while the full records reside on disk. One feature of Fiasco you have to get helpfully split into sections for simple verter in a few minutes.. 28 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 29 REVIEWS REVIEWS Double Vision Elliott Bird and Mick Sutton both review their SVGA monitor and Scandoubler combinations.

Sony Multiscan 210ES Approx £240 • http://www.sony-cp.com/ hen my Microvitec 1701 problem, because I didn’t have any needed (must see those sinister dark side and components mounted on the hard James! I found it best to place Amiga multi-sync monitor spare socket outlets available, and my areas in Quake!) all other options are in other, whilst the other part is just a something hard under the motherboard Wdied earlier this year I was last monitor had a lead which was hard the main menu. A wide variety of options PLCC socket mounted on a little bare to support it firmly whilst pushing on absolutely gutted, it was a very nice wired at the monitor end and plugged are available including the usual screen board with just a thin cable connecting these sockets otherwise the mother- monitor indeed and coped with all into the power pass through in the back size and positioning, but there are many the two together (be careful how you board may flex a little and the socket screen modes both graphics card and of my tower, and therefore didn’t require others that you can fiddle to your hearts handle this baby!) Also included is a may not seat fully over the chip. Once AGA output with no troubles whatsoever, a free socket outlet. So a quick trip to content such as pin cushion (screen ribbon cable with IDC connectors both these two parts are in place, you con- and it had cost me £350 at the 1997 Maplins and I got myself a lead with a edge curvature), key balance (to keep ends which attach to the scandoubler at nect the ribbon lead to the component The first thing I did to check the World of Amiga show! kettle style male one end, female the the display square), rotation, zoom one end and the supplied 15 pin HD board and the VGA connector. Scandoubler was to boot the Amiga with other so I could just plug the female into (scales display with aspect ratio fixed) socket (standard VGA connector) the the two mouse buttons held down to get So a replacement had to be found, and If you have a BMON (as I do), it is possi- the tower and the male into the back of and colour (allows adjustment of RGB other.You will need a suitable cutout in to the early start-up screen (not forget- when I spotted the 17" Sony Multiscan ble to connect a ribbon cable from the the monitor. One thing that strikes you values to match printed colours). the back of your tower as a blanking ting to switch the BMON to AGA mode 210 ES in PC World for £249, I thought Scandoubler to the BMON, but not using about this monitor is the screen looks plate is not supplied! of course) to make sure all was well, to myself oh well just gonna have to buy My normal screenmode is set (in CgX the supplied ribbon cable. As I dis- dead square and totally flat vertically, and indeed it was! One of the things I myself a new monitor so here goes. mode) to 1024 x 768 at 75 Hz which I So then lets get this thing working eh! covered, the connections are wrong for with only a slight curve to the screen noticed was no horizontal black lines, as find suits the monitor and gives me a this particular configuration, so I con- THE MONITOR The monitor itself is horizontally (like all Sony Trinitron First thing take your tower cover off to I used to have when I used the stable and clear display. I must confess nected the supplied cables via the 15 approximately the same physical dimen- tubes). expose the motherboard, then press the Microvitec monitor in AGA modes that when I had the Microvitec monitor I pin connectors and tested with a multi- sion as the old Microvitec with a board with the components on it over (yippee! Games are gonna look so much The technical specifications of the moni- thought that the display on that was meter to see what the correct connec- diagonal viewable screen measurement the Lisa chip until you feel a crunch (on better). So now time to carry on booting tor are quite good with a maximum reso- “perfect”, but when I fired this baby up it tions were. I found a simple straight of 405 mm (17" approx) and a depth of mine I had to carefully move a com- and get stuck into my favourite AGA lution of 1280 x 1024 and an aperture felt like I had just been given a new set through cable was all that was required 405 mm (17") from the very back of the ponent to one side) and it is firmly in games (TFX & SlamTilt) and wow what grille pitch of 0.25 mm (the Microvitec of glasses to the “correct” prescription! (the supplied cable had several wires monitor to the very front, so as you can place. Next place the other socket over a difference, clear and sharp at last! was 0.28 dot pitch). Refresh rates (the The detail was much sharper and cross over which is fine for non BMON see plenty of desk space is required! the Alice chip and again push home number of times per second the display possibly I feel the colours are more configurations) By Mick Sutton Like pretty much all monitors it sits on a is redrawn) of up to 120 Hz are available vibrant, couldn’t wait to load up swivel and tilt base enabling you to set well above the 70 Hz minimum recom- Photogenics! This is one monitor I can up the monitor to your viewing mended. definitely recommend, maybe the old £69.95 • (01234) 851500 • http://www.powerc.com/ requirements, it has an on/off switch monitor dying wasn’t the worst thing to ScanMagic External The monitor is controlled by an on- (very handy) and four buttons on the happen after all, just expensive! screen menu system accessible via the here are two options to take, without the irritation of the flickering. front (more on this later). four buttons on the front of the monitor. By Mick Sutton when upgrading to a newer mon- You’ll also be able to do without Round the back it has a kettle style Contrast and brightness can be instantly Titor for your Amiga. You could MagicTV, so you’ll also be able to run socket which gave me my first minor accessed for quick adjustments that are buy one of Microvitec’s or NEC’s your workbench in more than 16 Multisync/multiscan monitors which can colours, as MagicTV2 restricts you to 16 sync down to the Amiga’s native screen- colours. mode output of 15KHz, hence you £59.95 • (01642) 713185 • http://www.eyetech.co.uk/ But you’re not just restricted to the stan- wouldn’t need a scandoubler, but this Internal Scandoubler dard Amiga PAL screen modes, you can tends to be the pricey option to go for, also use “Multiscan:Productivity”, he one major disadvantage of and T-Zero etc) it was necessary to get but I don’t think it’s possible to buy a obvious one being that it’s “See “DBLPAL”, and a few others, as they run SVGA monitors compared to my myself a scandoubler. What does a multisync, that syncs down to 15KHz, Through”, so you can see all the chips at higher frequences, which are display- old Microvitec 1701 is that they scandoubler do? It doubles the scan brand new nowadays. Or you could buy inside, that double the scans. You will T able on an SVGA monitor (providing you cannot display screenmodes below 30 rate of course! Making 15 Khz PAL a nice cheap SVGA monitor and a scan- also notice two lights inside, the green have these modes in Khz such as PAL or NTSC. These screen 30 Khz funnily enough which is doubler with or without a flicker fixer, one tells you that it is doubling the scans your”DEVS:Monitors” drawer, along with screenmodes are often used by games ideal for an SVGA monitor. such as Power Computing’s ScanMagic from 15KHz to about 30KHz. The red the “VGA only” mode), and the and many old applications.Most of these scandoublers. This particular one we are one tells you that the flicker fixer is work- So I decided to get the Eyetech ScanMagic scandoubler will let these applications have now been replaced by reviewing is the external version, with a ing to stop the flickering of a laced A1200/A4000 Bmon compatible internal modes pass through, untouched. But newer versions, but there are many flicker fixer. screen. The lights obviously won’t come scan doubler which costs £59.95. ScanMagic doesn’t seem to like games (even recent titles such as T- on if you are running in a screen mode (ADPT-VGA-INSD2) There are a few advantages to having “Super72" at all, but I don’t think it’s ex- Zero) that demand these modes. of a higher frequency, which is obviously the extra flicker fixer unit, such as the actly a popular screenmode anyway. This scandoubler is basically a two part The internal scandoubler fitted normal. You may notice a switch on the Due to the fact that I still wanted to play fact that you’ll be able to dsplay your device, by that I mean one section is a (The PCMCIA slot is at the bottom There are several features that most back of the scandoubler unit, which my old games (Tornado, TFX, SlamTilt workbench in “PAL:High-res Laced”, circuit board with a PLCC socket on one people will notice about ScanMagic. The adjusts the sync delay, to make it com- of the image) 30 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 31 REVIEWS REVIEWS patible with more monitors. allow about six inches of space at the with desktop Amigas, such as the A500, back of the machine for the scandoubler. A600 and A1200, but it is possible to fit The external ScanMagic scandoubler is Another disadvantage with the external the internal version in desktop Amigas, extremely easy to use, you just plug it ScanMagic is the fact that it gets very but it tends to be more “hacky”, and also Virtual GrandPrix into your video port on your Amiga, plug hot, especially if you are running on a the internal version is priced the same The thing that the Amiga is lacking in, is menu (and an annoying womans voice). your monitor into the VGA type port on screen mode with a higher frequency. as the external one, so really, you are a decent racing game. Although there You have the option of having a race, the scandoubler, and there you go, And you will probably notice some faint getting more for your money with the were lots of them released in the free practise, or a qualifying session. ScanMagic does the rest of the work for verticle lines on your screen, which is external version. There is also the miggy’s heyday, including MicroProse Then you have a choice of track, includ- you, it could’nt be easier. more noticable in some colours than advantage that Power’s ScanMagic F1, they are rather outdated, compared ing Monaco, Silverstone, Melbourne, There a few flaws with ScanMagic. others. scandoublers are £20 cheaper than to todays standards. But we really need Monza, and many more. Once you have to grips with driving an F1 car, but that is Firstly it is quite bulky and takes up quite Eyetech’s EZ- VGA scandoublers. more racing games, preferably for high chosen your track, a screen will pop up, down to car balance, tyres, etc. The I would recommend this external version a bit of space, I would recommend you Internal or external, the choice is yours. end Amiga users, as well as the users showing the track map, and it’s stats. sounds are quite realistic, especially the of the ScanMagic scandoubler to people with low end machines, i.e. a bog stan- You also have some commentary from a engine sound, which I quite liked. As dard A1200, and Virtual GP is just one commentator who sounds just like you can tell, when your driving in the Approx £110 • http://www.viewsonic.com/ of the few games with this advantage. Martin Brundle. From there you go to the actual car, you are seeing things from ViewSonic E655 Although the minimum spec is an Amiga pits, where you have the option of the driver’s view. You can also drive the iewSonic E655 Nowadays there your Storage/Monitors drawer. And with an 030 processor, 4mb ram, CD- adjusting the game preferences, adjust- car from various camera views around are so many different monitors finally, don’t forget to change the screen- ROM and Hard Drive, it also caters for ing the balance of your car, or you can the car, but it can be a little more chal- to choose from on the market, mode on your workbench screen to one the high end user, i.e. graphics card, just get on with the race. lenging, especially for a somewhat V 060 equipped machine. novice driver like myself. If you know VGA, SVGA, and Multiscan, and they of the VGA modes, otherwise your Virtual GP is extremely configurable, so your F1 (as well as a good driver) then are improving and gradually coming SVGA monitor will be useless, because, you can change anything on the car, Marks, set, GO! you’ll get familiar with this game very down in price. That’s why I thought it obviously, it will not display the Amiga’s such as tyres, teams, etc. Also even quickly. was time to upgrade from my existing standard PAL screenmodes, so a scan Virtual Grand prix is based on the 1998 how you control your car, i.e. joystick eight year old Commodore 1O84S doubler is a must, preferably with a F1 season, and has pretty much the (analogue or digital) or mouse, but joys- Final Lap Monitor, which I got with my A5OO plus. flicker fixer. same 22 cars and 16 tracks, as in a tick is preferable. If you are a novice At that time most of my friends had What Next? Ok so you’re about to normal Grand Prix. Starting the game is driver, like myself, then you can have So, in conclusion, Virtual Grand Prix A5OOs and A6OOs, but they were all choose which screenmode you’re going relatively simple, you can run it straight help on the track, i.e. alignment cor- really is a must for all F1 enthusiasts. plugged into the TV so the qu ality was to use. I would reccomend Multiscan from the CD, or you can install a small rected if you should skid or crash off the Even though I’m not particularly an F1 never good, which was why I always Productivity as this gives off a nice soft part of it from your hard drive and start track. enthusiast myself, I did find it enjoyable appreciated the crisp clear display of the resolution with little or no flickering. You from there. When you do start Virtual to play, as it is extremely playable. What monitor. a unique on-screen menu. The specially One thing you may notice on the race may notice that you might not be able to GP, you are greeted with a nice intro, lets it down is it’s documentation. There designed swivel stand also makes it track is the advertising and the drivers’ But times have changed, people are adjust the screen to the full width of the (which only works on CD-ROM drives of is apparently going to be a PPC version easy to move the monitor about (up and names, which have sneakily been buying larger monitors, more people are monitor but this is normal, and seems to 16x and above, but it can be skipped by to look forward to, as well as various down, left and right). The one thing I do changed slightly, due to the fact that the demanding higher resolutions and most be a small problem on most monitors. holding down your left mouse button on updates, which have already been miss is the internal speakers that I had game is not an official FIA licenced people now have graphics cards and the “DBLPAL” seems to be a bit of a prob- the Epic screen). Then you get an intro released on Aminet. on my 1084S, which were handy when game, which is understandable, as it fact that monitors are now more affor- lem with this monitor, if you’re not using screen, where you click and get your my Amiga went on its travels, at home I would’ve been rather expensive, and By Elliott Bird dable. Anyway, I thought it would be a scandoubler that is, the monitor have the amiga’s native sound coming Product Information considering that this game is only £20, worth a visit to a local computer fair one does’nt seem to detect the screenmode out of my hi-fi, which is’nt ideal for which is very good value for a game like weekend to see what they had, and it very well, and when it does, it’s not ex- Developer: Paolo Cattani travels. Though there are monitors out this. was there that I noticed a 17" ViewSonic actly a “Rock steady” resolution, so I Distributor: Epic Marketing there with speakers mounted on the monitor on display. It gave off a very would stick with Multiscan. So now Te l: +44 (0) 1793 514188 sides. There are also power saving Vroom Vroom! soft, non- flicker display. I was quite im- you’re ready to use your SVGA monitor. WWW: modes on this monitor which are quite pressed so I purchased a 15" ViewSonic http://www.epicmarketing.ltd.net/ As far as driving is concerned, practise The Monitor Overall, the monitor gives useful, when the power saving modes E655 monitor. I took it home, bearing in Price: £20 makes perfect. It is quite difficult to get Results off a very clear display and seems to are active, the LED light is yellow and mind I could’nt plug it straight into my work ok with my Picasso II graphics card the monitor is using 5-15 watts, and A12OO, obviously, so I ordered a VGA on my A4000, and displays most of its there is no output from your computer. 18.99USD (about £12) from adaptor the next day from Epic screenmodes. Obviously you are bound There is a utility on the aminet, DPMS http://www.monteiro-music.com Marketing. Immortal CD to have some problems when it comes Manager, which takes advantage of this Getting it to work with your Amiga As I to using a VGA adaptor, though as long feature. But even when the monitor is Memories like the based Dafel: Bloodline and the piano Whether you want to catch a piece of said before, you need a VGA adaptor as you have mode promote selected on fully on, it only uses 80 watts, which is corners of my mi... errr stabbing Project X99 to the jolly and nostalgia of the Amiga in its hey-day, (available from most Amiga dealers at the IControl prefs then you should be ok less than most monitors, and therefore it where was I? Oh yeah. bouncy Superfrog. It really makes you and hopefully there’ll be another one around £15) to get the monitor to work when it comes to loading games and does not get so hot, even when left on The Immortal CD is a collection of some realise what good songs there were in soon, or you want to keep a record of with your Amiga, as is the case with all various applications from your hard for long periods. of the best Amiga games music created the old Amiga games. some of the Amigas game music history. by the likes of Ruben Monterio, Barry Go get it. SVGA monitors, unless you have an drive, that have their own public screen. There’s a few songs I was hearing for I would probably reccomend this monitor Leitch and Alister Brimble. From the at- A3OOO, or are using a graphics card. The monitor itself comes with a free CD- the first time, but they were instantly Jeff Martin to anyone who has a miggy with a mospheric Shadow of the Beast intro, it But I would definately reccomend a ROM which contains various screen- catchy like The Strangers and graphics card, and anyone who still uses begins its musical journey through five Scandoubler because they allow you to savers, the CD- ROM is not Amiga Blockhead II. All in all this is a very good a 1084S or similar monitor and is think- other tracks from the above mentioned display all screenmodes on your SVGA friendly, but it does work with any Mac compilation which comes on a profes- ing of buying a graphics card in the near game. These include Erie Forest, The monitor (reviewed next issue). You then emulator. The monitor is extremely sionally pressed CD in a crystal case future. Cavern Beast Stronghold, Underwater need to have the right screenmodes in stable thanks to its specially designed and printed inlay sheets. I should also and finally Game over. Ah the memories your Devs/Monitors drawer, which in- swivel stand, so the monitor is’nt wob- By Elliott Bird mention the excellent rendered .mpg flood back. Your musical history lesson clude “VGA only”, “DBLPAL”, and bling while you’re fiddling about with the film included on the CD which is used to “Multiscan”, all of which can be found in monitor settings, which is done thanks to continues with the likes of the guitar introduce the composers of the tracks. Results 32 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 33 REVIEWS REVIEWS

CyberStorm MKII and the PPC you’d have Conclusion which seems excellent value. If I were Até o Concepts to remove the bays to fit more memory Ateo I would either use a better quality too. With the PPC accelerator both proces- For what you actually get I think the Ateo tower to base the conversion on, which sors are uncovered so there won’t be a A4000 Tower is rather expensive, espe- should ease fitting problems as well as problem with air-flow for cooling. The cially compared to the A4000 Power Tower making a better end product, or reduce the A4000 Tower CyberVision PPC also fits with no problem which offers a 7 slot Zorro bus board for price to reflect what actually goes into the (the layout obviously hasn’t changed from only about twenty pounds more. At the conversion. Robert Williams gives his A4000 desktop a new home. the original 4000) but I would recommend time however if you didn’t want to pay for using a stronger insulator than Phase 5’s the extra Zorro slots in the Micronik and Results ou can pack an amazing amount difficult to understand. There are a couple the case. thin card one as the card rests on the Eagle alternatives it was the only option. If into an A4000 desktop, 2 hard of diagrams but more detailed step-by-step Fortunately in sharp pins of the riser when mounted in Ateo had used a better quality case I drives, 2 floppies, a CD-ROM, a instructions with photos would have been the base of the the tower. would have been much happier. As it is all Pros Y you get for your 150UKP is a less than 50 PPC accelerator and graphics card all on a big improvement. case opposite Inside the layout is very similar to the Relatively Cheap top of the 4 Zorro cards. Unfortunately the screws is a quid retail PC tower, a custom backplate Loads of expansion space The first step is to take the A4000 apart, original machine, right down to the before you get anywhere near its maxi- ventilation and a few fixings. Compared to A1200 this presents no problems as long as you Expansion opening at the back so you mum capacity the interior gets very con- grill, I clipped away some of the grill bars towers which include keyboard interfaces have a screwdriver and a socket for the shouldn’t have any problem fitting gested with cables, limiting air flow. For so I can get a full size screwdriver onto and usually a custom motherboard carrier Cons port hex bolts. The A4000 has to be com- upgrades, as long as they fitted in a stan- some time I’ve had my SCSI CD-ROM and each screw through the bottom of the and a backplate for less money I’m not too Very brief instructions pletely dismantled to get at the mother- dard A4k. While the 3.5” drive bays sit EZ-Drive in an external case with my scan- case. Because the tower uses the 4 slot impressed. I think also that most of my Fitting requires some ingenuity board, the only part that is left behind is roughly where the 5.25” one did in the ner daisy-chained on the back. When I support from the A4000, there aren’t any fitting problems were down to the quality of Fitting Zorro cards is tricky the power supply which is replaced by a original case (over the fast slot) the area ordered my PPC card I found out that spare slots for connectors mounted on the case as with a bit of brute force it went Uses cheap PC tower case beefier 230W one in the tower. You even where the original power supply was is SCSI III was unlikely to work over such a blanking plates. I would have liked to see together quite well. have to retain the support at the back of free. Fitting devices is easy, they screw in long cable, I was also worried about the some cutouts on the back of the case for the case which holds the Zorro card blank- directly rather than using rails. Unlike the On the plus side the case is huge with heat build-up as the PPC card (with its two additional connectors like these, but it only ing plates (this just unscrews) and the cen- old A4000 case there’s plenty of room to loads of expansion space (it scores here processors), CyberVision PPC graphics comes with exactly the same cutouts as an tral strut that holds the Zorro card riser. route cables although no clips are supplied over the Power Tower which only has three card and hard drive would all share the original A4000. With all the parts out of the case you’re to help you do so. As the 3.5” drives sit 5.25” bays) and once in the A4000 mother- same cramped space in the middle of the ready to re-assemble them into the tower. To hold the Zorro card in place the tower over the accelerator it’s important to route board and standard upgrades fit well. In computer. So it seemed like a good time to uses the A4000’s original bracing bar, in their cables so they don’t impede air-flow use the tower performs as expected. towerise my 4000. The back panel of the tower has cutouts my tower this was a very poor fit. At one over the processors, again there’s plenty for all the standard A4000 ports, in the If I were buying a tower for my A4000 now There are loads of different tower cases end it attaches to the blanking plate sup- of room so it’s no problem. same places as the original case. Before it I would look seriously at the Power Tower available for the A1200, but if you have a port removed from the A4000 and at the is fitted to the case 6 mounting posts with 4000 your choices are much more limited. other to a plastic bracket installed by Ateo. sticky fixing pads are clipped through the Pay by credit card and Send 3x first class Both Micronik and Eagle from Germany In my case the holes mismatched by at get a free CD-ROM. stamps for catalogue mounting holes of the motherboard. The made A4000 towers but their cases in- least 5mm and the bracket was about (call for details) FORE-MATT Home Computing packed with details on original isolating film is left in place. The State Amiga model our vast range of titles clude new 7 Slot Zorro boards which in- 3mm too high. I did finally mange to get it when ordering. (01793) 853802 • Dept. C, PO Box 835, Wootton Bassett, Swindon, SN4 8RX and PD from only 70p. motherboard is then fitted in place by fixing crease the price of the cases considerably, to fit by packing the bracket with washers its connectors to these cutouts with the both of them came in at about 300UKP. As and forcing the case out until the holes original hex bolts. If you fit the hex bolts I have no need for extra Zorro slots, even lined up. Once in the A4000 installation loosely you can then peel the backing less so now I have a CyberVision PPC feels sturdy but it was nowhere near as paper off the sticky pads with the mother graphics card, I didn’t want to spend so easy as the A1200 towers I have helped board in situ. The motherboard is then much. At the time I was deciding which build. Heretic 2 £40 Nightlong £35 Napalm £28 Myst £25 Quake £15 T-Zero £25 pushed back against the side plate of the tower to buy the A4000 Power Tower had tower. The side plate is unmodified from The LEDs on the front of the case are not been announced so the only other op- the original PC application, which is why attached directly to the headers on the tion I found was the Ateo Concepts A4000 adhesive fixings have to be used rather A4000 motherboard, I used the turbo light tower. After taking a look at the Ateo than the more normal mounting posts. on the tower for my internal IDE and the Concepts web site I placed my order. Once the motherboard is in place the hard drive one for my SCSI activity in- Simon Sorcerer 2 £25 Virtual GP + VK2 £20 Whales Voyage 2 £15 Best of Gremlin £20 Foundation Gold £25 Wipeout 2097 £30

Looking at the pictures on the Ateo site I Zorro riser can be fitted. The docs seem to dicator. Power for the motherboard comes CDROM GAMES CDROM GAMES CDROM GAMES UTILITIES UTILITIES UTILITIES A7+...... £10 Giana Sisters Trilogy ...... £10 Sports Mad...... £20 17 Bit Level 6 ...... £10 CybergraphX ...... £25 Ibrowse 2.x...... £35 expected a midi tower with 3 5.25” bays, recommend fitting the riser with your Zorro direct from the new power supply, to which Adventurers Lair ...... £20 Goal! 2000...... £10 Star Fighter ...... £15 1500 WAV Sound FX ...... £10 Cross Dos 7 Gold...... £40 Illusions in 3D ...... £10 when my tower arrived it turned out to be a cards and the back plate pre-installed. We Ateo have fitted the correct connector. Amiga Classix...... £15 Imperator CD...... £15 Steel Sky...... £15 A-Z of Amiga Games ...... £20 Darkage Developer ...... £10 In To The Net (2CD)...... £5 Amiga Classix 2...... £20 Islona Collection...... £20 Street Racer CD ...... £10 AGA Toolkit...... £10 Diavolo 2000 ...... £45 Learning Curve ...... £20 huge full tower with 5 5.25” drive bays. did eventually manage to fit it in this There are several connectors to power Arcade Classix + ...... £10 Joyride ...... £30 Superfrog ...... £10 Amiga Desktop Video2 ...... £10 Digibooster Pro ...... £20 Lightrom 7 or 8 ea...... £30 Arcade Classix Mk 2...... £15 Labyrinth Of Time ...... £10 Super Methane Bros...... £10 Amiga Developer 2.1 ...... £20 Digital Almanac 2 ...... £25 LSD 1 or 2 ea...... £15 The tower comes with a base plate to give manner, but it was very difficult and took hard drives and floppies but nowhere near Assassins Games 4...... £15 Lure of the Temptress ...... £15 Tales From Heaven...... £20 Amiga SDK...... £90 Digital Makeup...... £15 Make CD DAO ...... £50 Big Red Adventure ...... £15 Megaball Deluxe ...... £15 Testament CD ...... £10 Amiga Tools 8...... £15 EASys! System Enhancer...... £25 Moovid Pro...... £10 it extra stability, a kit of fixings and instruc- two of us to get everything lined up and enough for a device in every bay, so if Blade ...... £10 Moonbases...... £10 Theme Park CD ...... £10 Amiga Web Offline ...... £5 Emulators Unlimited...... £15 Multimedia Backdrop ...... £15 Bubba n Stix CD32...... £10 Mutantology...... £10 The Games Room ...... £15 Aminet Set 4 - 9 ea...... £30 Encounters UFO...... £15 Net News Offline v1...... £5 tions in English and French. The instruc- attached. I have since had the tower apart you’ve got lots you’ll need to buy some “Y” CDS Collection ...... £15 Naughty Ones CD32...... £10 The Prophet ...... £15 Aminet Set Subscribe ...... £25 Extreme CD...... £10 Network CD...... £10 Cedric...... £15 Phoenix Fighters ...... £10 The Strangers AGA ...... £10 Aminet Singles ...... £13 Extreme 1 & 2...... £15 Network CD 2...... £15 tions are very brief and the translation is again and fitted all the parts separately adaptors. The fast slot on the motherboard Chuck Rock 1 or 2...... £10 Pinball Illusions CD32...... £10 Trivial Pursuit ...... £15 Aminet Subscription...... £10 Extreme VisualFX2 ...... £10 Octamed Soundstudio ...... £10 with no problems. is partially behind the 3.5” drive bays, how- Civilization AGA/ECS ...... £10 Prey: Alien Encounter ...... £10 Turbo Racer 3D...... £10 Amos PDCD2...... £20 Faces of Mars 2001 ...... £15 OS 3.5 ...... £35 D-1000 doom data...... £10 Red Mars ...... £15 Ultimate Gloom...... £10 Anim Workshop...... £15 Fonts...... £10 Oxyron Patcher...... £15 ever these can be removed for easier fit- Eat The Whistle ...... £10 Retro Gold ...... £10 Ult. Super Skidmarks...... £10 Animations CD ...... £15 FXPaint v1.5...... £60 Photofolio v2 ...... £30 In the Ateo tower the Zorro slots face the European Superleague ...... £10 Roadkill CD32 ...... £10 Uropa 2 ...... £10 Animatic...... £5 Gateway v1 (netBSD) ...... £10 Red Hat Linux ...... £20 ting of an accelerator. With both the Fears CD32...... £10 Samba World Cup ...... £10 Virtual Ball Fighters ...... £15 Art Studio Pro...... £35 Giga Graphics ...... £10 Screen Savers 2 ...... £10 base of the case, there is little room to Fields of Glory ...... £15 Seaside ...... £15 Virtual Karting 2 ...... £10 Asim CDFS v3.x...... £30 Giga PD v3 (3Cdset)...... £5 Sounds Terrific 2 ...... £10 Final Odyssey...... £10 Shadow of 3rd Moon...... £20 Vital Light ...... £10 Beauty of Chaos ...... £5 GlowIcons...... £15 System Booster ...... £10 manoeuvre the cards into and out of their Product Information Fightin Spirit...... £15 Shogo PPC (soon) ...... £40 Wasted Dreams ...... £25 Best of Mecomp v1 ...... £5 GoldEd Studio 6 ...... £35 The Colour Library...... £15 slots, however it is possible even with Flyin High...... £15 Simon the Sorcerer ...... £10 Wembley Int. Soccer ...... £10 Blitz Basic 2.1 (ult.)...... £10 Graphic Sensations...... £10 VHI Studio 5.2...... £30 Developer: Atéo Concepts Foundation Dir. Cut ...... £15 Sixth Sense Investns ...... £15 Whales Voyage...... £10 Candy Factory Pro...... £35 Guinness Records v2...... £10 Wordworth 7...... £40 large cards like my CyberVision 64 Foundation Undiscovered Land.£15 Skeleton Krew CD32...... £10 Word Games ...... £10 CD32 Install Kit ...... £15 Hidden Truth ...... £10 Workbench 3.0 Set ...... £10 Distributor: White Knight Genetic Species ...... £15 Spherical Worlds ...... £10 Zombie Massacre{18} ...... £15 CDPD ...... £15 Horror Sensations (18) ...... £10 Zoom 2 ...... £15 graphics card as long as there isn’t another large card in the slots above the Te l: +44 (0) 870 7405278 one you want to use. Another problem is WWW: that it’s difficult to get to the blanking plate http://www.ateo-concepts.com/ screws unless you have a very short screw http://welcome.to/white-knight/ Next to my 17” monitor you can see Over 1000 Amiga titles available new and second hand on CDROM & floppy disk. driver as they are so close to the bottom of Price: £149 www.forematt.free-online.co.uk [email protected] just how big the tower is. 34 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 35 REVIEWS REVIEWS

Product Information crossing you can use the staff (the weapon Mick Sutton finds out if you start with) as a pole to pole vault your- Hyperion have come up Developer: Hyperion Software self across gaps that you thought not pos- Distributor: Forematt Home Comp. sible to cross! I won’t mention all of the trumps with this eagerly & most games dealers. manoeuvres in detail, but I can tell you awaited port. http://www.hyperion-software.com/ there are many, and so far I have used Heretic 2 Price: £40 them all to get as far as I have got in the game, which probably isn’t very far as I am t last It seems that our game machine all the time you are playing), a tied to a rope hanging from the ceiling (yes not as good at these games as I would like playing prayers are being use mouse option (which I use) and I did say a chicken) for you to try all your to be, and also I don’t get as much prac- Aanswered,The first whole with game,Wipeout including these menus screen type which include Double or attack techniques on (bet he wished he tice time in as I would like (wife and kids 2097 then Quake GL, isand very now polished Heretic IIand professional. Tripple buffered, PIP Display (picasso 4or was a battery hen after all the grief I gave far too demanding) which is a pitty cos from Hyperion, and if you think this is a CV64/3D), Workbench or AGA . There are him!) which is very funny indeed. once you start playing this game you don’t The graphics are simply stunning! one off then think again as they are al- a few more options such as Run addon, want to stop, such is the addictive nature a site to see believe me, and last of all (I ready forging ahead with new titles such CD Directory path and User directory path Let’s Play of the game I have found myself playing it think) is the Lightning shield that activates as Shogo, Sin and Descent Freespace. but as yet have not needed to use them. So on with the game then, after choosing at three in the morning to get the time to small spheres of energy that shock myself after everyone else is in bed. enemies when they get near. This is just the sort of game my Amiga has At this point in time you can either just go Game and selecting one of the hardness been crying out for, ever since I have and hit the start game button or save set- levels from Adventure (Easy), Action The scenery I have encountered within the This game is gonna take ages to get bored upgraded her (whoops sexual reference to tings button, but chances are you would be (Med) and Armageddon (Hard) the game game (and demo) seems to be more with I can tell you, but just in case you do mouse but normal two button mice work my beloved machine there!) to PPC and better off starting the game to make sure loads up and you find yourself immersed in varied than say Quake which tends to be find it tedious casting spells and chopping fine as do joysticks (digital). Bvision graphics card about eighteen everything runs OK before you save your a true 3D world which has danger around dark and grey in many areas in com- the headsoff computer controlled op- months ago. Some further options are also supported, settings! every corner. The graphics are absolutely parison. This game is more comparable to ponents then why not try the multi-player sound cards via AHI (optional) and net- brilliant and on my machine runs fairly Tomb Raider, with giant palaces, caves, mode and do it all to your mates (or not), Heretic II is very similar to the Tomb Raider When the game itself loads you are work and internet play via TCP/IP (in my smooth with some slowdown when there outdoor areas and even has cut scenes as this game has an excellent multi-player series in that it is in third person perspec- treated to a nice intro section before the case Miami) which I must say works very are lots of characters on screen at the between level to explain the evolving story. mode which I must say seems to have tive (where you are looking at the charac- main menu screen appears, at this point well indeed. same time with weapons firing all kinds of Unfortunately once the cut scene starts very little impact on the speed of the game ter, usually from behind and above) with you can set up several options for the magical powers or flames or something at there is no way to skip it. In the many out- (brilliant eh), the multi-player mode con- puzzles to solve (although not too hard) game itself, one of the more important Got That, Let’s Install you all at once. The enemies that I have side scenes giant dinosaur looking birds nects two or more computers via a TCP/IP and lots of enemies to kill. The hero of the being the video settings option where you encountered so far have been quite varied swoop down to attack you (and frighten so you can play over a null modem cable, game Corvus can climb, crouch, roll, jump, The game comes packaged in a box and can select either Software rendering (slow all with different weapons ranging from the crap out of you the first time you ethernet or across the internet. swing on ropes, swim (on surface and un- includes a manual (wow just like the old CPU intensive) or MiniGL/Warp3D render- sticks to high powered beams of light that encounter them), so you see it is a far derwater), walk, run, creep and of course days) written in both German and English, ing (3D graphics card required) which is kill you the instant they touch you (some more 3D environment with things coming Fun? YOU BETCHA! kill opponents in several stylish ways using and is on two Cd’s (just put in CD sleeves) the obvious choice for those with the hard- kinda laser beam I guess), and as with out of the sky (and watch that lens flare a whole multitude of weapons and spells. with your serial number printed on the box. ware. Another settings option is for Sound, I must admit I didn’t think we would see most games of this ilk there are of course baby) and don’t forget the water holds I found that this was rather nice (being in a where you can choose between, Default anything that could top the offerings of Sounds good, lets take a deeper look shall end of level bosses which are a real bas- enemies too! box that is) but for fast access to this (normal Amiga audio), AHI (for those with Quake, but I was wrong, this game is just we? tard to dispose of. wonderful game, I have myself put the two sound cards) and Auto which I presume Luckily for Corvus he has plenty of so good. Heretic has pretty much every- Firstly, we have some pretty heavy hard- Cd’s in a twin jewel case with a scanned in auto detects which configuration best suits As I mentioned earlier, there are many weapons at his disposal to cope with these thing, superb 3D graphics, very realistic ware requirements to run this game, but in cover and the serial number printed on the your machine? There are many other things beside walking and running that darn creatures of evil, from his trusty staff sound effects from footsteps that sound some ways I think that it is good because it back (sorted). options available to you to tailor the game Corvus has to perform to get through the (oh er!) which is very effective for close different when walking on different sur- various levels and some of them such as faces, to the sound of flaming arrows flying just might get some people who were con- The installation uses the new OS3.5 in- controls to your liking, but I won’t go range combat to such other weapons as swimming are just jaw dropping to see as through the air and enemies telling you sidering upgrading their machines to now staller if it is available so you get a nice through them all because it would take me Hellstaff (rapid fire mini fireballs), Storm it looks just so good and the movement they are gonna kill you in a rather creepy just do it! shaded backdrop and a Heretic II logo. If forever! bow (fires arrows that explode above looks so natural, for instance on the voice. The game has immense gameplay, you select the expert install option you can target with some kind of acid rain pouring surface of the water the ripples surround- so much in fact that once you start playing Tell Me What I Need! configure various aspects of the hardware The Right Moves down on them), Pheonix bow which fires ing Corvus move away from him so realis- you don’t want to stop (well for cups of tea So here are what you need to get this 3D renderer, these are not for the feint At this point, it may be a good idea to arrows that ignite when fired and explode tically, he can just paddle (like when and food occasionally), and the challenges baby to run. hearted as some of them could make your choose the Tutorial level which gives you on impact emitting flames and shrapnel, women swim... whoops gonna get in you face to complete the levels are just Amiga unstable but are quite well ex- all the clues on how to control Corvus with Sphere of annihilation and Iron doom, well • BlizzardPPC/CyberstormPPC or better trouble for that one!) or if you hold down about the right balance of difficulty, in other plained in the installer’s help. The mini- all his different abilities, you can practice that’s enough to be getting on with, but AGA or GFXboard the shift key (run mode) where he charges words they are not so hard that you feel mum installation is a whopping 300Mbs everything to your hearts content without that is not all of them. • 64 MB RAM off in to the distance like a champion the need to give up, but at the same time which increases to 450Mb if you install all fear of being attacked as there are no • WarpUp V4 installed (included) swimmer... cool! Then of course he can Then of course Corvus has spells at his they do require you to engage your brain the in-game movies. Strangely the data enemies, just obstacles and at the end of • Warp3D V3 for hardware accelerated swim underwater which again looks very disposal (once he has found them of every now and then. seems to be archived on the CD and is the bit I went through you find a chicken rendering (included) natural and fluid (geddit!) but don’t forget course) and they are very powerful and decompressed as you install. As you can All in all then. I would say this is one of the • Quad-Speed CD-ROM drive (600k/sec. to come up for air every now and then, varied indeed so lets describe some. imagine this amount of data takes quite a best games ever released to run on an sustained transfer rate) otherwise, well you drown naturally! time to copy onto the harddrive, and if you Tome of power increases the power of all Amiga, albeit a very powerful one! If you cock up the installation you have to do it all So on to terra-firma (the dry hard stuff) weapons and spells Corvus has once it is have ever considered that you may one Hard disk drive with at least 290 MB of again! So make sure you have your serial then. When confronted with obstacles too used but is only temporary (shame), Ring day upgrade to PPC/3D Graphics card space available for the program. An addi- number handy, and I found I needed to large to step onto then it’s time to try out of repulsion sends out a shock wave to territory and you like playing games, then tional 100 megs is needed if you wish to update to version 48 of the ixemul.library the climbing techniques and if the obstacle repel enemies (useful when being over- this is the time to do it. install the movie files to your hard drive which was not on the Heretic II CD (avail- is very large such as a building then whelmed), Teleport (for when the shit hits (390 total, max install). And if you want to able from Aminet). Corvus can leap up and grab the ledge the fan) , Meteor storm puts meteors in an get the best from the game I recommend before pulling himself up onto it, for in- orbit around Corvus and then attack the the highest speed CPU (mine is a 240 Load It Up stance walking across a roof. Another enemy with high accuracy (very effective), Mhz) 96Mb RAM or more (I have 128 Mb) manoeuvre that requires practice (cos a lot Morph ovum without doubt the funniest and a Warp3D compatible video card When you load the game a GUI is opened Caviar thing I have ever used as a weapon in any where you are able to set various options Cut scenes like this one add to the of it is required) is leaping from one point (such as the BVision), also for ease of game I have ever played, turns your such as your CD-ROM device and unit to another (from one ledge to another for control I also recommend a three button atmosphere of the game, enemy into a chicken! I kid you not, this is

example) and for the wide gaps that need Results number (required as CD B is in your it’s a pity you can’t skip them. 36 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 37 SUPPORT SUPPORT Magic Menu 2.30

By Martin Korndorfer & Olaf Barthel rather than just running the mouse poin- with artwork by Mario Cattaneo. ter over it. I have to confess to being a PD Paradise fan of the standard Amiga menu be- WWW: http://www.magicmenu.de/ Robert Williams takes a look at two classic Amiga utilities which are useful in haviour, however several SEAL Licence: Giftware members prefer the menus to stay open totally different ways. agic Menu is a very well and it is also easier for beginners not known utility that gives the used to handling a mouse. pull down menus used by M A choice of three different looks is avail- almost all Amiga programs a make over able for menus. You can choose to leave ProNET 3.4 and work out! Although most Amiga them in the standard two colour, usually Magic Menu’s attractive preferences users have probably come across Magic black and white, style of OS 3.x menus. program gives you plenty of control By Michael Krause connection. For example for the serial machines can be rebooted and recon- Menu at one time or another, I thought it module you can specify a serial device, nect to the server once they are up The Old 3D look has a simple bevelled over how menus look and act. Aminet: comm/net/ProNET34.lha would be worth taking a look at it as a unit and baud rate allowing the use of again. 3D style similar to standard Workbench Licence: GNU Public Licence new version, 2.30, has just been menu. In some cases this can make the add-on serial port cards. As you can mix windows and takes its colours from your Unlike ParNet which shows each remote released. menu items hard to read but is good for f you have more than one Amiga, and match you could connect several Workbench palette prefs. The various device as a drawer inside the NET: showing off on a graphics card equipped have friends with Amigas or belong Amigas to one central machine that had The main feature of Magic Menu is pop- symbols in the menus, for example the device each device connected via Amiga! to an Amiga user group it is often a multi-port expansion card. Although it up menus that appear under your mouse Amiga key symbol for keyboard I ProNet is a separate device on the client pointer rather than at the top of the shortcuts and the check mark, are Keyboard control is another useful fea- handy to be able to transfer files without is more complex than using the Installer, machine. This means, for example, that resorting to floppy disks. ProNET each step of the installation is clearly screen when you press the right mouse replaced by small MagicWb style ture, pressing the right Amiga key and if you connect to the CD-ROM on the provides a simple, low cost solution to described in the thorough AmigaGuide button. These are particularly useful if graphics which look very attractive. The the space bar (by default) opens the remote machine an inserted CD’s icon this problem by connecting Amiga via documentation. you have a high resolution graphics card third choice is Multicolour 3D which menus for the current window at the top will appear on the Workbench of the their parallel or serial ports. In many or autoscroll screen as you don’t have to gives the menus a soft bevelled border of the screen. You can then use the In the network one machine is the client client machine. It will have its correct ways it is similar to the well known move the pointer all the way to the top to and separator bars. The colours of cursor keys to choose a menu and menu and the other the server. The server is volume name and acts just like it is con- ParNet and SerNet from the Software find the menus. I also find pop-up Multicolour 3D menus can be set in- item, Return activates the item and Esc the Amiga that has the drives you want nected locally (apart from the network Distillery which have been about since menus useful when editing a document dependently of the Workbench palette. cancels the menu. This is much easier to access from the client. On the server speed) including support for automatic or image as I can keep the mouse poin- than using menus with the Amiga’s built- the 1.x days. However ProNet has You can set Magic Menu to use ex- you run the pronet-server command, disk change detection. This transpar- ter in the area I am working on. Pop-up in keyboard mouse emulation. several advantages over these old stal- clusively pop-up or pull-down menus or and on the client you run the pronet-start ency means you can, for example, run menus do take a little getting used to warts including support for AmigaOS there is an option to use pull-downs I’ve been using MagicMenu for several command for each drive on the server installations from the remote CD without because, like standard Amiga menus, 2.x+ file system features. when the mouse pointer is in the title bar years with no real problems, the only you want to be able to access. You give having to make Assigns. A pronet-stop the menus that appear are those for the and pop-ups at other times. A different program which caused hassle with it For serial connections ProNet uses a the device name on the server of the command is supplied to disconnect a current window not for the window the usage method and look can be specified was Final Writer, but even that problem standard null modem cable which can drive you want and the device name, the remote device connected with pronet- pointer happens to be over at the time. for pop-up and pull-down menus. There has been cured in this new release. If be bought at most computer shops, in- networked drive should have on the start, if all the connected devices are One neat feature of the pop-up menu are various options available to fine tune you do have any problems caused by structions to build your own are also in- client as arguments to the pronet-start stopped then the server can be re- implementation is that it remembers the the look and usage of the menus. clashes with other utilities a couple of cluded in the documentation. Parallel command. There is also a UNIQUE started with on ill effects on the client. last menu you accessed, and places the Multicolour 3D menus can have a drop options have been added which should connections use a ParNet cable which switch that will add the ProNet unit pointer over that menu the next time you Several additional utilities are included shadow which is displayed using real help solve them by regularly checking are Amiga specific and thus somewhat number to the volume name of the net- open the menus, this saves time if you in the ProNet archive to help you get transparency on a 24bit or 16bit Magic Menu’s patches. more difficult to find. Most Amiga worked drive preventing duplicated vol- are choosing several options from the more from your ProNet network. Pronet- graphics card screen. Another really dealers should be able to sell you one ume names which can be confusing. If same menu, for example when format- Magic Menu’s options are controlled by page can be used to flash a message on jazzy feature is menu transparency and again instructions on building your you want to be able to access net- ting a document. an attractive gtlayout based preferences the screen of the other Amiga and which makes pop-up menus translucent, own are supplied. For both serial and worked devices on either of the program and comprehensive pronet-talk allows you to chat to the user In addition the standard Amiga system so you can see the screen behind them, parallel connections the documentation machines in the network you need to run AmigaGuide documentation is supplied. on the other machine. Pronet-run allows of holding down the right mouse button, tinted by the colour you select for the recommends no more than 5 meters of a “crossed” network with pronet-server If you like the program you are you to run a program on the other Amiga then releasing it with the pointer over a cable otherwise reliability could suffer on both machines. If a server machine requested to send a donation of your which could be useful if you are using it menu item to select method Magic Menu and, in the case of the parallel cable, crashes both machines in the network choice to the authors. This is purely purely as a slave with no keyboard and offers three other usage modes for damage could be caused to the con- have to be restarted, however client based on you conscience as there are mouse. There is also a third party utility, menus. Sticky mouse button makes the nected Amiga’s CIA chips. no nag requesters or registered version NetKeys, available on Aminet menus appear when you click the right with more features. ProNet isn’t the easiest program in the (comm/net directory) so you can control mouse button, you can then release it world to install, you must manually copy the remote Amiga with your keyboard and the menus stay open. You can then Magic Menu is a very professionally pro- the pronet.device and a ProNet directory and mouse! move the pointer over a menu item and duced and useful utility, the additional containing the transfer modules into the ProNet used to be shareware, however click the right button again to select it. features in this latest version add to its Devs: directory and the commands since version 3.2 the author has The Smart Select mode tries to offer already excellent stability and compati- which control the network into the C: released the source code under the both options, if you keep the right button bility and give you a few cool new directory of each Amiga on the network. GNU Public License and removed the held down the menus work like standard options. Then a text file called .config has to be need for a key file. Amiga menus, if you press and release created in the Devs:ProNet/ directory, the right button the menus stay up but this can contain one or more lines each ProNet is a very useful and reliable you must use the left button to select specifying a transfer module and any utility, its only down side is a slightly menu items ,and you have to click on a ProNET has extensive documentation Translucent menus may be gimmicky other information required to make a complex setup, but you only need to do submenu title to open the submenu in several formats, including HTML. but look cool! 38 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 39 SUPPORT SUPPORT

DONOTWAIT Installing the Phase 5 060 libs You should specify this tooltype if you want to place a commodity in the The latest Phase 5 libraries are available from the DCE website at WBStartup drawer so it is started each http://www.dcecom.de. Once downloaded they need to be copied into your libs: time you boot your Amiga. If you do not directory. However as the 68040.library has to be replaced by the dummy library the Amiga will wait for the program to that then calls the appropriate library depending on the processor installed. This finish and after a while issue a warning installation is outlined in the 68040dummy.library.notes file in the archive. As the message. description in that file is rather terse here is a table showing how the libraries Top Tips should be installed. If you are upgrading to a newer version of the 680x0 libraries CX_PRIORITY=n (where n is a number) take care you maintain this setup (don’t for example copy over the 68040.library If several commodities are watching out Robert Williams has some handy hints to make your Amiga life easier. from the archive without renaming it 68040new.library). for a particular key press the one with Wordworth on ending in .txt in the documents directory Original Name Source New Name Size* the highest CX_PRIORITY setting will on my Work: partition I would enter: (at source) (in Libs:) intercept the key press. The default is 0. Graphics Cards search Work:documents/ all 68040.library Wb Install disk 68040old.library 44 KB CX_POPUP=YES or NO If you find text does not show up in file #?.txt 68040.library DCE 68040new.library 86 KB If this tooltype is set to YES the program Wordworth documents when the pro- 68040dummy.library DCE 68040.library 750 Bytes To search for file containing a certain will open its window at startup, once you gram is running on a graphics card 68060.library DCE 68060.library 104 KB have a program setup and in your screen,try adding the tool type string: CycleToMenu’s window allows you to *Note that the library sizes are approximate and may well vary slightly depending WBStartup you will probably want to set “PICASSO=TRUE” to the WordWorth search all fine tune your improved cycle gadgets. on the exact version you are installing. this to NO. icon. This tooltype was designed with (Aminet: util/cdity/CycleToMenu_21.lha) As before path specifies where to the original Picasso II graphics card soft- CX_POPKEY= utility which turns each cycle gadget into search and all causes the command to ware in mind , (hence the confusing As an aside old ver- a pop-up menu. Similar functionality is scan all the subdirectories. text is the The key press that will open this com- name) but works equally well on sions of the 680x0 available in multi-commodities like MCP string you want to search for in all the modities window and bring it to the front. graphics cards using either Picasso 96 libraries can cause and MultiCX. files, wild cards DO NOT work in this or CyberGraphX. problems with case and if the string has spaces it Commodities Exchange PowerPC software SYS: Keyboard Mouse should be enclosed in quotes. For ex- Search Command on the Phase 5 Also in the Tools/Commodities drawer ample if I wanted to search for the string Most Amiga users probably know that Anyone who has been using their Amiga PowerUP boards, you will find the Exchange program, this “Amiga 1200” in all the files in my you can move the mouse pointer using for a while will know what it’s like to when you install is a utility for controlling the commodities Projects: partition I would type: the keyboard by holding an Amiga key loose a file that you know is somewhere new versions of the running on your system, it is also a com- and pressing the appropriate directional amongst the thousands on your hard search Projects: all “Amiga PPC libraries (or modity itself. Exchange lists all the com- arrow, holding down shift as well speeds The Workbench Information window FlashROM in the modities running on your Amiga in the disk. In these scenarios a file finding 1200” showing the tool types of a typical commodity. up the movement. Left Amiga with Left utility is pretty essential, there are case of the left hand side of the window and allows NOTE: The quotation marks (“”) must be Alt simulates a left mouse button press several nice ones on Aminet but the the top of the startup-sequence) and BlizzardPPC) it is wise to install the you to show or hide the interface of the used because the string contains a and right Amiga with Right Alt a right AmigaOS also includes one... the supports ‘040 processors. ‘060 proces- latest 680x0 libraries at the same time. selected one. You can also temporarily space. button press. While these short-cuts can search command. Search is command sors were introduced after Commodore deactivate a particular commodity using the cycle gadget. be a life saver if your mouse stops work- line only, you have to run it from a shell, Search is a very useful command, one closed so they could not implement the Commodities ing or is forgotten they can also be very but is quite powerful and easy to use. It additions required to the OS. To get caveat is that search’s string searching Commodities are a special type of pro- One common mistake made with com- useful in normal Amiga use as they can be used to search for both file of a around this problem ‘060 accelerator is pretty slow so it’s well worth looking gram added to the AmigaOS to allow modities is to assume that when you allow pixel perfect placement of the particular name or files containing a par- vendors developed their own support out for a PD alternative like flashfind if programs which intercept user input (key close the window the program has quit pointer. ticular string of characters. libraries but needed a way to launch you use this function a lot. presses and mouse movements) to act like a standard Amiga program. With a these at boot time. To do this they For example if you want to arrange To use the command to search for a par- in a more system friendly way. These commodity closing the window just hides created a dummy 68040.library to some windows first move them roughly ticular file name enter the following: 68060 Problems types of program tend to be small the user interface, the program is still replace the Commodore supplied one into place with the mouse. Then exactly If you have a 68060 based accelerator utilities, some simple ones like Blanker running. To quit a commodity call up its search all file who’s only task is to load the align them by holding down the left which crashes at start-up or is otherwise and ClickToFront are supplied with the window (if it has one) then choose Quit 68060.library to support the new CPU. Amiga and Alt keys while the pointer is Where path is the name of the drive or unreliable the key cause is incorrectly OS in the Tools/Commodities drawer. from the Project menu or select it in the in the title bar then move the window a directory you want to search and installed 680x0.library files. In later releases of Phase 5’s ‘060 soft- Many other programmers have created Exchange list then click the Remove pixel at a time with the cursor keys. A filename is the filename or pattern ware the system became slightly more new and more complex commodities, for button. Most commodities that do not The key to this problem is that the similar technique can be used to ac- (using standard AmigaOS wild cards) complex, the dummy 68040.library now example commonly used utilities like have a window also quit if you try to run Amiga OS and many applications were curately define shapes in paint programs you want to search for. The all switch contains code to detect the type of CPU MagicMenu, Cycle2Menu and MCP are them again by double clicking their icon. not designed with 68040 and 060 in and image processors, I find it par- tells the command to look through all the and load the necessary library, if an ‘060 all commodities. mind and while these processors are ticularly useful for neatly cropping im- sub-directories of the path specified and is detected the 68060.library is loaded mostly backwards compatible with their ages. the file switch tells it to look only at file and if an ‘040 is detected the ToolTypes predecessors some areas, in particular names, not file contents. For example if I 68040new.library is loaded. This allows All commodities the FPU additional support. Cycle Gadgets wanted to search for files with a name one setup to be used on any processor. have several special When Commodore Did you know that holding down Shift If for any reason the correct libraries are tooltypes that can introduced 68040 while clicking on a cycle gadget goes not installed or, as happened when be used to control based accelerators backwards through the selections, upgrading from OS 3.0 to 3.1, one of the their behaviour in they added a addition to any pro- handy when you accidentally click past libraries gets overwritten by an older 68040.library to the gram specific tool- the choice you wanted. Even better is version then an ‘060 based Amiga will OS. This library is the incredibly handy CycleToMenu become unstable. types. Finding that elusive file is easy with search! loaded by SetPatch (at Control your commodities with the Exchange. 40 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 41 SUPPORT SUPPORT

file manipulation options. In the Control presents a list of all menu you can now delete and rename the devices con- files and there’s also the option to create nected to the con- a new directory, very handy. The File troller of your choice List menu lets you specifying how you (you can set this want the list of files to be displayed, you using the DEVICE= AmigaOS 3.5 can sort by name, size or date and tooltype), when you change the sort order. Finally you can click on a device it also choose whether drawers should be then lists all the par- Dave Kennedy discovers that there’s more to the shown first, last or mixed in with files. titions on that device and allows you to OS3.5 update than pretty icons... A freeware utility, ASLPrefs by Stephan individually mount Even HDToolBox gets a make over. Rupprecht, is available on Aminet (in the upgraded my operating system to trouble with the old icons was that they each one. CacheCDFS prefs; allows FULL control util/wb drawer) which lets you set the the latest version of Workbench (Wb did not hold any palette information, they of how your CDs are presented to your default options (sort by, sort order, HD Toolbox been completely reworked 3.5) quite a while ago now, and I just picked up the colours you chose for system. There are lots of features that I drawers option and opening position) for with a new Reaction interface. Menu haven’t looked back since. There’s Workbench. This was fine for simple four enable you to read CDs that were origin- system file, font and screenmode options allow you to save the Rigid Disk something about what they’ve done to colour icons but now users have ally prepared for use only on another requesters. Block of a drive to another disk for this OS that’s quite subversive. In other graphics card and more memory they operating system. security and load it back if disaster computing realms, a new operating want colourful icons. The new format Tools systems tends to mean a whole new holds the palette data in the icon and will New Workbench Menu strikes. The new version supports disks All the other preferences editors have learning curve, looks held above both render each one to look its best using Editpad is a revelation. Its a text editor, greater than 4 Gigabytes in size too. been given the Reaction treatment Options which makes them look much better style and content, and a bribe of the colours available. The new icon pure and simple. And it’s just how a text PlayCD; for playing all your music CDs, You can sort the icons within a drawer in than 3.1 versions which were stuck with bundled-in programs just to keep the system still supports old style icons and editor should be; pure and simple. It has and with all the features of a quality CD various ways by using the Window > the dreaded Topaz. users sweet (and the competition at also NewIcons (the PD ones this time) a toolbar with only three icons - cut, player. random play, shuffle, repeat, Clean up by > menu options; Column, bay). With OS 3.5 things are different. without running the patch. copy and paste. You can drag-and-drop single button track selection. Docs Refreshingly so. Name, Date and Size. And the make the files onto the interface to open them, Using the keyboard with the interface is window fit snugly to its contents with the where the appear auto-wordwraped and Devs Full OS 3.5 documentation in HTML After installing 3.5 and using my Amiga a breeze. For instance, If you have a Window > Resize to fit menu option. And ready to scroll. It can handle very large format. The first update for OS 3.5, The most noticeable additions here are for a while, things started to become window selected, using the arrow keys you can still view the icons as a text list files too (I tried loading the main HTML BoingBag number 1 (available from the GIF and JPEG datatypes - so now - even more intuitive than usual. This is a will scroll the contents around. Hitting if desired (which can be sorted however page from the original documentation, it http://www.amiga.com/3.5/support.shtml all- your favourite graphics programs feeling. It’s impossible to tell you exactly [Tab] will select one of the icons in that you like). Along with the standard option did take about six seconds to load, but and cover CDs) include a useful utility that work with datatypes will be able to which new features or enhancements window - then you can select any icon to show only icons, or all files - most of then this was a very, very, large file). called Nicer which converts the original access these World Wide graphic make this so - its just that the whole by just moving around with the cursor these commands have a sensible key- Editpad has extra functionality in its 3.5 documentation into smaller pages formats. Including Multivew :-). thing is greater than its parts. Articles keys again. To activate or open an icon board equivalent via the numeric key- menus - where you can Insert another for much easier viewing! The documen- like this can’t really do the new OS much (e.g. to run a program) just press [Right board. text file and Print, Find and Replace, Prefs tation consists of manuals for justice. So try and help me out; picture A]+[O]. If no windows are selected, this and jump to a given line number - Installation, Hard Disk, Workbench, each of the elements that I have drawn works the same for the workbench itself The information requester (Icons > Fonts prefs; gives much more choice on Information... [Right A]+[I]) now has a amongst other things. AmigaDOS and AREXX. Only the to your attention as part of a unique - so a broken mouse need never be a which fonts you can use on Workbench - Workbench manual was supplied as text box for typing tooltypes in directly. The icon editor has advanced to deal whole. A co-operative experience not problem again. includes a natty little preview display. standard with the A1200 so the other unlike your current Amiga relationship, And you can easily change an unattrac- with the new icons. Some of the new Several seemingly small additions make The Reaction preferences editor lets you but a bit smoother, a bit more in tune, tive icon graphic by dragging you prefer- features include dithered palette colours the OS 3.5 Workbench much more set the look of programs which use the and even friendlier. red choice onto the information reques- for subtle shading, increase magnifica- pleasant than earlier versions. When ter. tion gadgets for intricate pixel Tweaking, new Reaction GUI system that comes Now lets take a look inside. In a minute you scroll the contents of a drawer they and add glow for that instant new look with OS3.5. All programs that use we will look at each drawer, one by one, move with the scroll bar so you don’t Drawer by Drawer. icon. Reaction are font sensitive (they use but first well look at the new interface have to guess how much to drag. When your choice of display font) and their enhancements as well as the new menu copying and deleting large files System Mounter is a useful little utility for those windows can be re-sized. In addition to with stubborn removable disk drives system options. Workbench now has a progress bar to The format command (also a menu op- letting you change the font Reaction keep you informed on how its going, al- (such as ZIPs etc.) which sometimes fail prefs also gives you a choice of button information will be very handy for many The first thing most people will notice tion; Icons>Format Disk...) has been though it’s not multitreaded so you have to recognise a change of disk. It look and spacing. people. about OS3.5 is the colourful icons that given a smart new Reaction interface. to wait for the operation to complete “glow” at the edges when they are Beneath the skin it has been updated to Workbench prefs; allows you to hide any before doing something else. Moving S (Scripts) Drawer selected. These new icons (not to be support disks larger than 4GB. of your partitions from display and also and copying several files via drag and This drawer includes an ARexx example confused with the PD NewIcons system) contains the settings for the icon drop has also been made easier as you that assesses the new Workbench are not just a pretty face, the Amiga icon Utilities system. don’t have to keep Shift held down any ARexx port; CloseAllDrawers.rexx, format has been redesigned. The The installer has been improved, it can more. There is a gauge at the left hand Although the WbPattern preferences which unsurprisingly closes all the now open on its own screen with a side of the top level window of each editor hasn’t changed much in itself drawer windows open on the gradient backdrop and display partition so you can tell at a glance how (datatype quality settings and some new Workbench. With the new ARexx port, documents, graphics and sounds using full it is. In addition to these gems there drawing tools have been added) OS3.5 and ARexx manual - the more adven- datatypes. are the new Workbench menu options is supplied with a very fine selection of turous users will be able to automate detailed below.Rather Multiview shows off the new system file back drops and tiled backgrounds to almost every aspect of Workbench requester provided by the ASL.library. compliment the new look icons. All of something that is not possible without Many programs now feature a new On the surface it looks the same as the the backdrops are very professional extremely dirty hacking in previous window border gadget for minimizing the old file requester, but when you look at looking and some have a sense of Workbench versions. application to an icon. Rather like the the menus - there’s a whole host of new humour too. The useful new file requester menus. minimize of other systems, but better. Oh, and there’s a browser and email 42 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 43 SUPPORT SUPPORT

Reverting to the old PFS name he pro- SFS Block Size duced a new version, PFS 2 which was followed up by the recently released The Smart File System is developed by One block of data is the minimum unit PFS 3. John Hendrikx, currently freely available for information stored on your hard disk. for public beta testing. Although devel- Any file will take up a whole number of ’ PFS has a number of advantages over Hard Drivin oped independently SFS is very similar blocks, so a tiny file of a few bytes will Getting the best from your hard drive. FFS, the most noticeable is that it is to PFS in many ways, it offers enhanced still take up one block. The default block By Robert Williams considerably faster at almost all file performance over FFS, partitions cannot sized used by HDToolBox is 512bytes, operations, reading, writing and creating be invalidated and it even offers a increasing the block size increases the WARNING! This is provided by a new versions of files show some improvement but the deleted files directory. On the negative performance of the drive but makes the scsi.device (43.x) and main gains are in deleting files (which is side it also shares PFS’s lack of data small files use more disk space. Fiddling with your hard drive settings FastFileSystem (45.x) both supporting practically instant whatever the file size) recovery utilities (a simple one is Increasing the block size to 1024 bytes can seriously damage your data. the NSD (New Style Device) standard. A Word of Warning and directory listings. Several versions supplied). Using a beta file system may will give a performance boost without Make a backup of all your data before of PFS are supplied; a standard replace- worry some people slightly although in giving up too much space. On partitions The SetPatch command, run at the If you use a hard disk greater than 4GB you change any settings or options, ment for FFS, a direct SCSI version for general SFS has a fine reputation with where you store mostly large files (im- beginning of the start-up-sequence, can with either a direct SCSI file system or as it is possible to delete or make in- disks greater than 4.3GB on all con- many users very happy with its perfor- ages, CD image files etc.) you may want now patch existing device drivers to via an NSD device with OS3.5 then you accessible data on your hard drive. trollers, a version for use on floppy disks mance. Some tests indicate that SFS is to push it up further. comply with the NSD standard and thus need to be careful when setting up and and muPFS which has multi-user slightly slower than PFS in some support large disks. This patching is working with your hard disk: IMPORTANT: Changing the block size of Breaking the 4Gb Barrier controlled by the NSDPatch.config file in capabilities like permission flags. PFS is operations. However in general there designed to be more secure than FFS, a partition will destroy all the data on As I mentioned in the last issue, the lar- Devs:. In the future new and updated The boot partition must be located within does not seem to be a significant dif- with FFS if your Amiga crashes or is that partition, ensure you have backed gest hard disk you can use with a stock device drivers should comply with the the first 4GB of the hard disk as it must ference in performance between them. switched off while writing a file to the up your data! OS 3.1 or previous Amiga is 4Gb. NSD standard without requiring the be accessed before any software hard disk that partition becomes in- However, if you want to use a bigger patch. patches are loaded. Optimising FFS validated and the file being written is File Corruption drive there are a number of solutions Disk utilities such as data recovery pro- If you don’t fancy installing a new file NOTE: For several years after the often corrupted. With PFS the worst that If you find files are becoming corrupted including the new AmigaOS 3.5. There grams, disk optimisers and formatters system or want to be able to use the demise of Escom time limited beta ver- could happen is that the file being saved when you move or copy them (for ex- are two factors which limit the size of must specifically support the large disk wide range of recovery tools then you’ll sions of the updated scsi.device, when the crash happened will not be ample a program won’t run when moved disk that can be used with your system, standard you are using. Currently that want to get the best possible perfor- FastFileSystem and NSDPatch were there once the Amiga has rebooted. If to another partition or a previously fine the controller’s driver software (often rules out using older utilities such as mance out of the Amiga’s existing Fast available from Amiga. You can patch the file was overwriting another the old image suddenly contains errors) there known as the device driver) and the file DiskSalv, QuarterBack and ReOrg on File System (FFS). Commodore’s these to get around the time limit and one will still exist. may be a problem in your hard drive system (which manages the data on the partitions above 4GB. HDToolBox and many other partitioning use them with OS3.1. However, I would configuration. Two settings commonly disk). If either of these do not support In addition to speed and security PFS utilities were designed when any hard recommend buying OS3.5 as the best Unless you have OS3.5 you must format cause file corruption problems. large drives any data saved to a partition also offers some useful additional drive was a luxury and anything over way of getting these updates, versions partitions above 4GB using the QUICK partially or entirely above 4Gb could be features. Each partition has a hidden 100Mb was an unattainable dream, of all the OS utilities that work on large option. Max Transfer lost and data on partitions below 4Gb disks and supporting the people who drawer called .deldir, in this drawer the while they work perfectly well on larger The Max Transfer value sets the largest (which will otherwise work normally) developed them. Third Party File Systems last 100 (by default) delete files are disks some of the default settings hark could be corrupted. If data below the available can be brought back from the back to those halcyon days. You can get chunk of data that will be fetched from or 4Gb limit is corrupted in this way it is EIDE ‘99 The Amiga’s Fast File System has some dead simply by copying them to another better performance out of almost any sent to the hard drive in one go. The possible that the Rigid Disk Block (RDB) good points but despite its name speed drawer. PFS lets you define roll over default setting in HDToolBox of Elbox’s EIDE ‘99 software, supplied with drive by altering the following settings at the start of the drive could also be files, these are limited to a certain size, 0xFFFFFFFFE allows up to 4Gb to be their FastATA (Power Flyer) and 4 way is not one of them. A couple of third for your partitions in HDToolBox (or simi- over written. The RDB contains the when that is reached the start of the file transferred, effectively no limit. With buffered IDE interfaces, splits hard disks party file systems are available which lar): details of all the partitions on the drive address this problem and offer addi- will be trimmed. This is useful for log almost all SCSI hard drives and some greater than 4GB into several logical NOTE: These settings apply to Fast File and if it is wiped none of the partitions tional features. Note that installing either files which are constantly added to. ATA drives this is no problem, in fact it drives of 4GB in size plus one logical System partitions only, if you use a can be accessed. So as you can see it PFS and SFS on a partition will destroy allows the drive to make best use of its drive for the remainder. This means that The main criticism levelled against AFS custom file system like PFS or SFS is important to ensure that your system all the data so you will need to make a built-in cache. However some drives, standard file systems and disk utilities and PFS 2 was that no file recovery pro- check the documentation for the correct is correctly configured before you start backup and copy all your data back after and this includes many ATA models cor- can be used over the whole drive, the grams were available for them should settings. using a large disk in anger. installation. Thanks to the Amiga’s RDB rupt data if more than 128KB transferred only real limitation is that you couldn’t disaster strike. With PFS 3 a new utility, system which stores the filesystem(s) in one go. If MaxTransfer is left at the I Don’t need more than 4Gb of space make a partition greater than 4GB. The PFS Doctor has been introduced, this Buffers used on a disk all partitions including the default this leads to files becoming cor- but I can’t buy a drive that small! split mode can be disabled incase you offers several options allowing you to initial boot partition can be formatted For each partition the Amiga allocates rupted when they are copied to and from would rather use a different method of scan partitions for errors and correct This is a common problem, with most with a third party file system. some buffers in RAM, when data is the drive. The cure for this problem is to accessing the large disk. them. I have been using PFS and its Amiga programs and data files being requested from the hard drive the next set the MaxTransfer to slightly less than predecessor AFS for several years, pretty compact many Amiga users do PFS 3 few blocks of data are also read into 128KB, a hex value of 0x1FE00. It is Direct SCSI while I have had the odd problem not need huge hard drives. 10Gb+ these buffers in the hope that they will important to realise that the MaxTransfer The Professional File System first (maybe three or four in that time) all that drives are common in the PC market so Some third party file systems, including be the next thing requested, thus is a SIZE not a RATE, it has very little appeared as a PD file system for floppy happened was that the volume became smaller drives are just not available any PFS and SFS, include a direct SCSI ver- eliminating a relatively slow disk access. effect on the performance of the drive so disks quite a few years ago. It was read only. So I copied my data off, refor- more. Fortunately this doesn’t need to sion, these file systems send commands The number of buffers is the number of all in all it’s good practice to set it to developed into AmiFileSafe (AFS) and matted and copied it back. Since I’ve worry us because you can just partition to the hard disk (which can be either blocks buffered, with the default value of 0x1FE00 for all partitions on ATA drives. sold commercially by Forth Level had PFS 3 I haven’t had any problems a bigger drive up to the 4Gb limit and it SCSI or IDE despite the name) directly 30 and 512 byte blocks this is just 15KB Developments. Although AFS was a and thus no reason to try PFS Doctor, will work fine with no additional software and therefore do not rely on large disk of data. I would suggest increasing this Mask good product (there were a few bugs at however I have read a couple of posts or upgrades. support in the device driver. This is by to 100 or more. Remember that these The mask setting allows you to limit the first) that was not matched by FLD’s ser- on Usenet and mailing lists from people far the easiest way of using large disks buffers will be allocated at all times, so memory a DMA controller uses. This vice giving AFS a bit of a mixed reputa- who had success with it. OS 3.5 on the Amiga, however beware that the you will loose some RAM. You can can be used to solve problems of OS3.1 and earlier scsi.device is limited tion. FLD eventually went out of busi- With AmigaOS 3.5 support for disks Overall I like PFS and have found it to change the number of buffers used by clashes between a controller board and to a maximum of 8Gb even with a direct ness and the developer of AFS, Michael bigger than 4GB is built into the OS. cause less problems than FFS. partition without effecting the data on it. other add-ons, in particular accelerators. SCSI file system. Pelt got the distribution rights back. 44 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Autumn 2000 45 SUPPORT

Hard Drivin’ on the Internet File Systems Discussion Groups ANALOGIC SFS - http://www.xs4all.nl/~hjohn/SFS/ comp.sys.amiga.hardware - Usenet newsgroup dedicated to Amiga hardware including drives and controllers. PFS - http://www.greed.nl/ For Everything Amiga! comp.periphs.scsi - Usenet newsgroup for discussion of Amiga Specific SCSI devices and controllers used on any platform. Amiga Hard Drive User’s Guide - Available on the OS3.5 CD You can view these groups using a web browser using a ser- Amiga Repair Centre in HTML format, covers prepping and formattng hard drives vice like http://www.deja.com/usenet or with a dedicated in detail also covers the new version of HDToolBox. I believe news reader like NewsRog, Thor or Microdot II. The only UK repair centre recommended by Amiga International. the paper version of this manual was only shipped with A4000 systems, I have a copy which SEAL members can Hard Drive Manufacturers We can repair almost any Amiga and stock a wide range of spares. borrow. All hard drive manufacturers have a website where you can AmigaOS 3.5 FAQ - Answers several common questions get specification details and set-up instructions for any of regarding big disk support in OS 3.5: their drives. For all the manufacturers I can think of the web New Amiga Computers address is just their name topped and tailed with http://www. http://www.amiga.com/3.5/support-faq2.shtml and .com/, for example http://www.quantum.com/. A1200s and A1200 Towers in a variety of configurations. Non-Amiga Specific http://www.scsifaq.org/ - loads of information on SCSI, in- cludes setting up and trouble shooting SCSI buses. Tower Cases http://www.ata-atapi.com - Similar to the above but for ATA I found full installation devices (IDE). Maintained by a member of the ATA standards information for an 11 For the A1200 and 4000. committee. year old ProDrive on quantum.com http://www.storagereview.com/ - New SCSI and ATA drives reviewed and rated, also has an extensive reference section. Hardware We stock a wide range of the best Amiga hardware.

Keep Up-to-Date with the clubbed-announce Accessories Mailing List Next Hard drives, CD-ROMs, mice, keyboards, cables and much more! Clubbed now has its own Internet mail- Issue ing list to keep connected readers better Back Issues informed about the magazine. The mail- What’s coming your way in issue 7? Issue 1* Software ing list called clubbed-announce is CyberStorm PPC review. Features hosted by the OneList service. A selection of top quality application software and utilities. Issue 2* We look at the scanners available for Graphics Cards Explained. We will post a minimum of one update the Amiga and review the available Workbench Cookbook. on the list per month but your mail box software. will not be flooded because this list can For details see our advert on page 2 Issue 3 only be posted to by the editor. Reviews Get Netted: Get your Amiga on the ‘net. Internet software review. How To Join We hope to be reviewing ArtEffect 4, Amiga Writer 2 and the latest versions Issue 4* Subscribing to the list is free, just send a of Vaporware’s Internet programs. Visit our new-look website: Photogenics 4 & ImageFX 4 reviews and blank EMail to: layers tutorial. Support [email protected] Issue 5* Startup Problems - we help you get out CD-R Explained and CD mastering soft- Or go to the list page on the OneList of thoses sticky situations when your ware round-up. website, if you subscribe on the website Amiga just won’t boot. www.analogic.co.uk you will need to register (if you haven’t To Order Plus all the latest news and more... already for another list): Please list the back issues you require and send a cheque or postal order for £2.50 www.egroups.com/group/ Clubbed Issue 7 per issue to: Clubbed, 26 Wincoat Drive, clubbed-announce (all one line) is planned for Analogic Computers (UK) Ltd. Benfleet, Essex, SS7 5AH. Phone: We hope the list will keep you better in- December 2000 Unit 8, Ashway Centre 020 8546 9575 * We only have limited stock of this issue formed about Clubbed and encourage NOTE: This is a provisional contents list Elm Crescent please telephone (01268 569937) to con- you to join. Kingston-Upon-Thames firm availability. and is subject to change without notice. Surrey KT2 6HH Fax: 020 8541 4671 46 CLUBBED - Issue 6 Heretic 2 In the Mag

Magic Menu (page 39)

Version 2.30 of Magic Menu sports these cool translucent opo-up menus on hi and true-colour graphics card screens! The effect is of course optional! Photogenics 5 Paul Nolan has recently added some more of his brilliant tutorials to the Photogenics website. This image is the result of the tutorial on the ContourMap effect. Anyway take a look for yourself at: www.paulnolan.com Enjoy the Scenery Heretic 2 has some fabulous and varied locations. Read Mick Sutton’s full review on page 36. Wanted Your work for the Gallery of Clubbed issue 7. If you have something, created with your Amiga that you are proud of and would like to show to other Clubbed readers please send it in to the normal address. We are interested in any visual work, for example it could be a http://www.seal-amiga.co.uk/ website, poster or an image, so go on send something in!