Should i buy a gotek and a TV connection first ?

[Dedale]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering about the rules here that require a quick feedback. If i buy here an Amiga 500 i guess i would have to test it before leaving a happy feedback. If i do not have at least an Amiga diskette to shove in the eager drive and something to join the beast to my old CRT TV i can hardly check if the baby is safe and sound, boots games, all keys functional. These kind of things i care about.

So, should i buy a gotek and a TV connection in one of these well established stores ? Before i get ahold of the object of my desires ? Of course, if i buy defective gear without having the Amiga i cannot test and return it. That a bit of a chicken and egg question.

Also, my venerable CRT TV has two entries. A classical antenna one via a coaxial cable. I think it is the most classical way to connect a C64/Amiga to these elderly TV. And a couple of entries that make an "AV port", which gives a better image. I recall my coaxial cable with my C64 ended up giving me trouble little by little. Also, with an AV cable, i just push a button and put my TV in "AV mode" while with a coaxial cable i must start a channel search which is not precisely rocket science but that frightens me a little bit since i haven't done it for dozens of years. When we still had Hertzian transmission.

My apologies for probably misusing the term "AV cable" i am not much of a TV technician.

I do not have a SCART/péritel entry.

So what is the advise of the finer and wiser ones here ? Buy accessories first ? Don't worry as feedback here is more flexible than i imagine ?

 

[ajk]

If what you describe as AV port includes composite video, you can use a simple RCA/phono cable to connect your A500 to the TV. The output of the A500 from this port is in black and white, but it's quite unlikely that there would be anything wrong with the colours if everything else is working okay.

As for testing other things, perhaps you can ask the seller to include any kind of bootable floppy with the system (e.g. a game demo or something like that).

So you need a cable like this (yellow for video, red and white for audio):



The A500 outputs video from the port labeled "MONO".

 

[Dedale]

You are being helpful.

I just checked, my C64 is connected via the "video" port to my TV. The TV end has two ports, and no room for more. A red and a yellow end. I suspect it is called S-Video.

So that suggests my TV can be connected either via S-Video or a classical TV antenna which carries both video and sound trough one cable.

 

[Sardine]

Also its obvious if an amiga is booting from the fdd in some degree of success even without a tv.

No disk in the fdd will click every second or so.

When you insert a disk you will clearly hear it booting the disk. A workbench boot disc is a good test as it loads plenty of small files. Its not 100% but you’ll get a good idea if it reads discs or not.

You can also connect audio cables from the rear phone sockets and listen if a game boots music or sounds.

You’ll need a TV to test the graphics and colour and if all the keys work ok but booting a disc successfully without a tv tests mostly everything else.

It’s very rare a basic a500 has electrical faults it’s usually the A500+,a600,a1200 or ram expansions due to batteries or capacitors.

 

[Dedale]

I am checking things to try to figure it out.

I looked at AMIGAstore.eu and it seems all cables which connect directly an AMIGA to a TV are SCART and my TV has no SCART port. So i guess it is what i believe to be S-Video (which the Amiga doesn't have) or the coaxial antenna port (which - i think- requires an adapter that was plugged in the back of the Amiga, right ?). So anyway i must buy one.

My clumsy googling suggest it is called "RCA".

Can you tell me more so i don't buy something useless ?

 

[ajk]

A C64 can output s-video, but if you are getting sound out of it, then it's most likely outputting composite video over the yellow cable and mono audio over the red one. I haven't seen a TV that would use two phono connectors for s-video, and s-video in general is somewhat uncommon in Europe (it's usually either composite or SCART).

Some Commodore monitors did have such a configuration, but not TVs, in my experience:



In any case, you will be able to get some manner of video output from an A500 with that TV, for testing purposes. Eventually you'll probably want to look into an RGB display for much improved image quality.

 

[ajk]

Yes, RCA is the correct name for these yellow/red/white cables. They are also often called "phono" connectors or cables since it is the same type as is used to connect a record player (phonograph) to an amplifier.

 

[Dedale]

Ok, so i guess i was wrong with the "RCA". Because my TV has a coaxial antenna cable Which has only one connector on both ends. S-Video or that coaxial thing where i could put my finger to be some sort of mediocre Hertzian TV antenna.

My guess is there wil only be one cable at the TV end.

Edit. So my guess it is "composite" then. (My apologies for my obvious ignorance)

Re-Edit: that clarifies: I think i need colour composite via an A520 extension or a modern equivalent of it, right ?

Ah, and also i have no soldering skills. So, modern adapters that require that are out of the question.

 

[btp]

The yellow RCA/phono connector is for composite video. On the A500 this is monochrome output.

The input for an antenna coaxial cable is commonly referred to as the RF input. To use this input for connecting an A500 you need an additional device called a TV Modulator. Commodore built the A520 TV Modulator for the A500 that connects to the 23-pin RGB port and provides an output suitable for connecting to an RF input. Note, that the A520 offers also a composite color video output.

 

[ajk]

Yes, the A500 will need an adapter to output composite video in colour. Perhaps this is an option:

https://www.amibay.com/threads/amiga-excalibur-professional-video-cable-converter-from-rgb-to-s-video-cvbs-pal-ntsc/

 

[Dedale]

All right !

Makes sense. Thank you very much all of you. I will read further after dinner. Carefully. Some people had told me "So what, you go on ebay and you buy an Amiga <Snip> ! What's the big deal ?". Well that's not that simple. I was right to ask and you are being very helpful.

Much thanks to all.

 

[Dedale]

Whoa whoa whoa ! In fact, i was very mistaken about Goteks. To use a Gotek, you have to massacre your Amiga 500 by opening it and replace your beloved disk drive with it. Which is out of question. And an Amiga 500 doesn't boot on DF1.

So what solution i would have to boot from ADF without opening my Amiga, if any ?

 

[AmigaPete]

You can hook up a Gotek through the external DB23 disk drive port on the rear of the A500 using an adapter. Some people sell them on here or you can order one through PCBWay - search through RetroNinja's projects. Yes, the external Gotek will be DF1 but there are ways to boot from that device - just search on YouTube. IIRC you still have to open up the computer to change a jumper.

 

[Timtheloon]

Here is an option I use which lets you switch between the gotek and original floppy drive as DF0:

Thread 'GoFloppy V2: Gotek Alternative'

Nov 5, 2024

Hello Retro Users

I decided to treat my A500+ to a nice Gotek upgrade, The Gofloppy V2 from Retro Supplies

Now it's a bit more expensive than your normal Gotek but I liked the fact it allows me to keep my original internal floppy drive in play in the Amiga

The GoFloppy V2 has a switch on it which allows the user to switch it so that DF0: is the GoFloppy and the internal drive is off or the internal floppy drive is on as DF0: and the GoFloppy becomes DF1:.

In my video and screenshot, I have the GoFloppy setup as DF1:.

It is a shame that the three way switch doesn't have a third option...

• Timtheloon
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Photo Booth

• 

 

[Timtheloon]

This is another option which I used in my A600 but there is an A1200 version which is A500 compatible

GoDRIvE 1200 (Also compatible with the 500/500+) – DigitalRetroBay.co.uk

 

[Dedale]

Thank you very much for your efforts. But as i explained in the EAB forums, from Belgium, i cannot buy anything that comes out of the EU. Save big established stores who filed specific paperwork and include the import duties in the price. It is a Belgium specific problem, not a EU one. I know quite a lot of people who have refused deliveries because they were asked random taxes and "processing fees".

Before 2020, buying from the UK was still possible and it is how i got my SD2IEC for my C64 in 2018. I would not even try now.

 

[Dedale]

Sorry for triple-posting.

I would like to thank all of you again for your suggestions. While i have not now the various skills needed to apply anything you proposed drive emulation-wise, you taught me that things were much less easy than what i was imagining. (I was thinking a Gotek was a plug and play device you attached to the rear of your Amiga 500 go figure. Was i naïve !)

So at the very least i know the things not to do and above all not to do rash things out of juvenile enthusiasm.

So i will need to learn -slowly- a few skills by reading and watching alone since i don't have an Amiga 500 to test on. I need to learn how to open and Amiga 500 without breaking it. It will mean learning how to use tort T10 screws. Either with or without the specialized screwdriver. Then other stuff like plugging/unplugging the right flat cables, remove a chip (that doesn't need soldering skills if i understand well). Putting a bridge, eventually moving a jumper.

Doesn't sound like rocket science but i need to familiarize myself. With the help of people able to warn me against beginners mistakes.

I realize i may sound disappointing at times. I don't want to elicit pity but in my current state of health i tend to panic a bit when faced with an unexpected difficulty. Then i move on, muster some more energy and get back to work.

So 'ill need more work and time than what i expected. Thank you, i assure you you were useful to me.

 

[Watson]

I was thinking a Gotek was a plug and play device you attached to the rear of your Amiga 500 go figure

You can buy gotek floppy emulators that plug directly into the disk drive port on the back of the Amiga. All that's required of you would be to plug in the device, and prepare a formatd FAT32 usb drive, then add adf images.

The only issue I see running an external gotek as opposed to an internal drive is that a lot of commercial game software are hardcoded to boot directly from the DF0 (internal drive), and not DF1 (external drive). And to get around that issues you would need to buy a floppy drive boot selector switch which then allows you to boot games from an external drive

We're a freindly bunch here willing to guide and help you. No matter how big or small, just ask for help

 

[Dedale]

This is what i thought i had understood. You have to put a bridge between the mobo and a chip (the CIA one ?) and it doesn't seem unsurmountable. I watched a few videos on how to open an A500 and i was making a mountain out of a molehill. Thank you for confirming this.

 

[Dedale]

Ok, i hope i am not annoying you but i need some confirmations:

I have seen this page from a store i already bought stuff from.

USB Floppy Emulator - Gotek - AMIGAstore.eu

Disk drive emulator that use USB memory sticks

amigastore.eu

If i understand well the different options, all i have to buy on this page is:

- A gotek (OLED, rotary button, buzzer is preferable) It will come with firmware already flashed with flashfloppy.

- External Floppy Drive Adapter (M1 adapter +cables +DF0 selector)

- I do NOt need the options "floppy cable" and "data cable" as those are for internal use, right ?

And if i have myself set a FAT32 USB drive with FF.CFG in the root, all i have to do is either dump adf files in it or make subdirectories to be a bit less messy and i am all set. If i understand well, i don't even have to set interface= amiga or even shugart as shugart vs IBM PC is set via a jumper. I have the FF.CFG file from the archive found on github.

And i am all set ! I mount the DF0 selector in the Amiga, i bore a tiny hole in the plastic to allow the cable of the selector to go outside and i can boot either on the Gotek or the internal floppy drive.

(There are also other options here on amibay but right now it seem what i described works out)