Hi, I'm new...

[aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk]

 --- Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote: 

>> snip <<

> 
> > I know how the CPU works and runs everything
> > , in theory, but I can't program in machine
> > language yet.
> > As for how the CPU and everything else works
> > physically, I don't really know anything, but
> 
> There are, unfortunaely, very few books that
> actually explain how the CPU 
> works. Most introductory hardware books explain
> things like the AND and 
> OR gats and flip-flops (don't worry if these terms
> mean nothing to you, 
> they're just the basic building blocks of computer
> circuits), and then 
> tell you the CPU exists. It's almost as if the CPU
> runs on some kind of 
> magic.
> 

Hehe... abracadrabra.

> I can assure you that it doesn't, and that many
> older, simpler CPUs are 
> understandable at the gate level (or even the
> transistor level).
> 
> I know how _I_ learnt this stuff. I had already
> understood how to use 
> gates, flip-flops, etc. I mamaged to get the servi
ce
> manuals for an old 
> minicomputer, and I sat down for a couple of
> _months_ until I understood 
> it all. Of course back then there was no classiccm
p
> list, I didn't have 
> anyone to ask. I was very much on my own.
> 

Perhaps there are service manuals for the
Amiga??

I know I wanted to get my hands on the Amiga
RKRM's (Rom Kernel Reference Manuals), but
they will be hard to find in paper form.


> 
> [Mains voltages etc]
> 
> > > voltage is lethal. It's also likely to appear 
on
> > > metal heatsinks, etc, in 
> > > such supplies. Don't work on one of those unle
ss
> y
> > ou
> > > really know what you 
> > > are doing.
> > > 
> > 
> > Ok... no heat sinks in my A600 :)
> 
> It's only heatsinks in high voltage circuits (like
> the mains side of 
> SMPSUs, or the horizontal scan section of monitors
> and TVs) that might be 
> at a dangerous voltage. Heatsinks, say, on top of 
a
> CPU chip, or a 
> regulator IC on a  motherboard, are very likely to
> be at ground 
> potential. But if in doubt, ask.
> 

Ok.

> > 
> > 
> > > Monitors are often claimed to contain lethal
> > > voltages. Well, there's 
> > > mains (and most colour monitors use an SMPSU>
> circ
> > uit, so the hazard I've 
> > > just mentioned is there). But the even higher
> > > voltages to the CRT are 
> > > generally only able to supply low currents, an
d
> ar
> > e
> > > unlikely to be fatal. 
> > > Don't take risks, though, 25000V is darn
> unpleasan
> > t.
> > > 
> > 
> > No problems there either, as I don't use a
> > monitor. I plug my A600 into my TV via the
> > RF cable. The picture quality is good enough
> > for me.
> 
> Well, a TV is essentially a monitor with an extra
> bit -- the radio 
> receiver circuit -- added. It also contians high
> voltages to operate the 
> CRT. And most, if not all, modern TVs use a SMPSU
> circuit.
> 
> Doesn't your TV have a SCART socket? Can't you
> connect the RGB outputs of 
> the A600 there?
> 
> -tony
> 

No RGB cable for the Amiga and the SCART
socket is already used:

I have a 3 way SCART box which is plugged
into the TV's SCART, with SCART's from the
VCR, DVD player and my Dreamcast plugged
into that.

I have used the old Sega Megadrive (aka 
Genesis) RF switch box (the one that lets you 
switch between "Game" and "Aerial") and 
plugged that into the aerial socket on the TV.
Into the switch box I have the aerial (for
terrestrial TV) and my Amiga RF cable.

The A/V sockets at the front are used by
my Nintendo 64 (which is sat ontop of the TV),
or Gamecube (sat next to Dreamcast under TV,
but ontop of VCR and DVD player) depending
on which Nintendo console I want to play.


It's a nice setup.... but loads of cables :(


Besides, it's not like I'm gonna try and do
Hi-Def stuff on the Amiga! (NB: I know that
ain't possible, unless you count the 2 colour
super-hires screen mode - and before anyone
asks I know nothing about Hi-Def screens and/
or widescreen TV's, but thats ok coz I don't
want them).


Regards,
Andrew B
aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk