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Good morning, guys, and welcome back to the ValorosoIT channel. If you like retrocomputers and vintage electronics, you're in the right place! I invite you to subscribe to the channel and activate the notification bell.
If you remember, I showed you the #shorts video with the unboxing of this Commodore Amiga 1200. Finally, after a long time, I decided to buy one, and today we're trying it.
We are therefore in the laboratory and, using some tools that I will now show you, we test this Amiga 1200.
But first, a little history! I had wanted a Commodore Amiga 1200 for a while. I had come across one, but it wasn't working and the repair would have been a real mess.
So I put a search on eBay and saved it. So, every now and then, I would get notifications about these Amiga 1200s. I finally found this one, which had a pretty interesting price. I made an offer and it was accepted by the seller. It's not perfect: it has some yellowing on the keys, then, in short, as you also saw last time, when I did the unboxing, the power supply isn't exactly right. It has a wooden board underneath that closes it and the mouse looks like it was eaten by a dog! But despite this, at least the Amiga1200 seems pretty good, assuming it works at all! Well, the seller, however, says it is tested and fully functional. The only flaw is that it has very strong colors and we are now going to see this with AmigaTestKit. Let's see if I also encounter this problem.
To use AmigaTestKit let's download it from the GitHub site.
Let's take this, which is the latest version: Amiga Test Kit version 1.20. When you download it, you will find a ZIP file in your downloads folder, which is the one you downloaded. Inside you will find an ADF file, which is what we are going to copy to the USB pen drive. Because I have a Gotek (a Gotek is an external floppy for the Amiga 1200 600 500, in short, any Amiga, and allows you to load files, not from a floppy disk, but rather from a USB pen drive). So, we're going to copy it from the compressed folder we downloaded and paste it into the pen drive that I use for the Gotek. Then, later, we will see how to select this file on the Gotek and start it.
To test the Commodore A1200 we need a few tools. Well, first of all the mouse. I use my own mouse, not the one the seller sold me, because the one he sold me has some marks, like it was bitten by a dog. So, then, it's not that I want to think that the computer doesn't work, but then it's the mouse. I use my own mouse, which is definitely working, because I had it serviced and cleaned. The joystick to test the joystick port. An external floppy disk drive emulated by a Gotek, with the USB pen drive into which we copied the AmigaTestKit version 1.20, which we downloaded before. The two serial and parallel connectors (DB25), because this is how we also test the ports. With AmigaTestKit you can also test the communication ports. Audio output (RCA), RGB video output and, behind the television, this is connected on the SCART. I also test the RF output, so later, I'll swap the TV to TV input, channel 36.
As for the power supply, I use my own power supply, which I had already serviced, with the delivery done, rather than the power supply that the seller sold me, which has a wooden bottom and doesn't inspire much confidence in me. In short, we will try this another time, but not today, here.
Before powering up a computer, remember to watch the video I made some time ago, on how to turn a computer back on after many years of inactivity. Here, in this case, as I said, I used my own power supply with the correct voltages, but, if you have a computer with its own power supply, I definitely recommend you check the power supply voltages, that they are correct, and also do all the other things that I explained in the video.
Well, let's try with the WorkBench diskette (1.3.2), which the seller gave me, if the computer starts! Fingers crossed… power supply!
Yes, he's leaving! Here: we set the external Gotek to 0, so we start the FlashFloppy, which is then used to select the AmigaTestKit.
Well, just the fact that the computer started is a good thing!
Let's see the mouse... yes, the mouse port works too. Well the mouse sure worked because mine!
Okay. Erm… Okay, but I don't see external floppy disk. How come?
So, I restarted the computer because, evidently, first, by selecting 0 (which is the position of the FlashFloppy Selector, the utility used to select which of the disk images to use), I did it while the computer was starting up and, evidently, I didn't like this.
Restarted the computer, now it saw the external floppy, so we can already say that, for sure, the internal floppy works because we loaded WorkBench and the external floppy also works because it sees it here.
Let's load the utility (FlashFloppy Selector)…
Ok, this is the utility used to select which image to use.
So: AmigaTestKit 1.20. Inside the pen drive, I already had some games, utilities and also other versions of the Amiga Test Kit. Let's try this one here, which is the latest one just released, and put it in position 1. Let's see if he did it... yes he put it here. So, when I go to select 1 later, it means that AmigaTestKit 1.20 will be there. I save with F7 and he starts again. I select 1.
Ok, now it's always starting via the WorkBench, with disk 1 (on the Gotek) which will be Amiga Test Kit version 20.
Here we are: the Work Bench has loaded and we see AmigaTestKit version 1.2 (= 1.20).
So, this should be the first Amiga Test Kit that can be started directly from this window. Let's see if it goes, I'm curious too.
Yes, he left, good, ok! First of all, remember, if you like my videos, you like my channel, you consider the work I do useful in explaining how retro computers and vintage electronics work, I invite you to subscribe to the channel and activate the notification bell. You can share the channel with your friends, so you help me spread this passion for retrocomputers throughout the world. Then, like the video, because it's always a pleasure. In short, if you like my videos, a like doesn't cost you anything, but it really makes me very happy.
While we're at it, since I showed that I also connected the Amiga 1200 with an RF cable, let's try to see if, from the TV, it also works with the antenna input. So let's say: TV, channel 36. Here, you see that it also works perfectly from channel 36.
Well, let's go back to audio/video, then the RGB cable connected to the SCART. This is AmigaTestKit, latest version 1.2, which I downloaded, as you saw before, from the GitHub site.
Great, we have a series of tests we can do. Let's make some. Come on, let's see if this CBM A1200 works. Memory test: it tells me there is 2MB and we test all the memory.
As you can see, it progresses on the various tests, there are different rounds: it fills the memory and checks it. This test goes on and on. At a certain point you have to stop it. I'm content to do, well, a few seconds, just to see if the memory works. However, in fact, it could be useful to test it for several hours, to see if it works thermally, but don't worry, I don't want to bore you so much! We've already reached three rounds: so he's gone down memory lane three times, I'd say that, in short, we're fine for the moment. We press the Esc key. It's already good, because, sometimes, the keyboards of these Amigas don't work well.
Ok, let's test the keyboard: in this case we're going to press all the keys in a row. You know that I like the sounds of vintage keyboard keys! I made the ASMR video the other day, if you remember it, with all the keyboards I have in the office.
We're lucky, all the keys work. This one here instead? Oh, it's ok. I forgot to press it. Yes all the keys are there, so Control + Left Alt to go back to the main menu.
We can try floppy drives. Well, we've already tried them, actually, because, if we loaded the WorkBench from the diskette and the AmigaTestKit from the external port (DB23) to which the Gotek is connected, evidently they both work. However, having now selected DF0, we can do a reading test by pressing F6.
At this point, the computer goes to read all the sectors of the diskette, hoping that they are all OK. Of course, if it reports some errors, before saying that the drive doesn't work, it would probably be better to change the diskette with another one and then see if, in that case, it works perfectly or not.
Here he tried to give a small error, but in reality, it went well. The reading went well. Perfect: we can choose, via F2, DF1 which corresponds to the external floppy disk drive (therefore the Gotek) and do another reading test.
He notices that the drive is ready very quickly, so is it a Gotek or a modified PC drive? Somehow, AmigaTestKit is able to discriminate whether we have used an original drive or a modified drive for Amiga. A modified IBM PC drive or a Gotek is used. Well, it works. So: memory works, keyboard works and the two floppy disk drives work.
Let's see the controllers. In short, the mouse works because we tried it. Let's see the joystick. Ok, the joystick port works too. Then, if you feel like it, you can also swap the mouse with the joystick and see if the mouse on port 2 and the joystick on port 1 works. But in this case, in short, that's fine!
Audio. The test starts immediately with a piece of music. Let's turn it off: let's check channel by channel. We can also change the sound (like using a 500 Hertz sine wave) and try on the various channels. Everything works. So the audio works too.
RGB videos. I'd say it works. Maybe the blue is a bit mixed... this, I don't know, could also be the monitor. However, it is known that on these Amigas, very often, there are capacitors that leak a little acid. So, this thing can also be serious, because by losing the electrolyte, it corrodes the tracks of the printed circuit. However, in the meantime, capacitors also degrade. In this case you could have some audio channels that don't work, or the Amiga that doesn't start, or even some colors that are a little distorted. However, unlike what the seller wrote on his advert, which said that the colors were strange, well, to me, in reality, they seem quite correct. Well, it's better that way, he probably had the TV that didn't work well!
There are also other tests: this one with a microscopic chessboard. In my opinion, you can't see it from the video, but there are a lot of gray dots. And this one here, with the dots moving, which would look like a more uniform grey.
Let's go to the CIA timers. And ok, all tests are fine.
We have no clock inside the Amiga 1200, so no clock.
Now let's try the serial and parallel port. I had already built this dongle, as they call it, which are those two connectors you saw on the back, with the LEDs on them. It is these two connectors that somehow connect various port pins together, so that AmigaTestKit can test and see if the series and parallel ports work. Sooner or later, I'll make you a video on how to build these two connectors. Anyway, these are the instructions.
So, let's try the serial. Yes, it works well, because they turned green. If they turn red, it means that some pins are not working.
Let's try the parallel: same thing as before... ah, good, all the greens!
Well, come on, I'd say this A1200 works pretty well. I didn't find anything wrong. Well, maybe it looks a little yellowed, a little dirty, but in reality, I'm satisfied, because at least it works. On the program, I will definitely have to replace capacitors, since we already know that they can create problems on this type of computer. Not so much on 8-bit computers, like the Commodore 64 or C16, well, I've never found any capacitors there that were particularly unfortunate. However, on these Amigas, especially the 600 and 1200, this loss of electrolyte from the capacitors happens very often. So, I still suggest replacing them, even if the computer works, it's something that in my opinion should be done.
Well come on, as an extra, now let's restart the computer via the WorkBench and see if we can copy the Amiga Test Kit onto a floppy disk and start it directly from the floppy disk. This can be useful if you want to transfer a file from Gotek to diskette: it's quite an interesting thing. Then, we restart the computer (Control + Amiga + Amiga).
The WorkBench diskette is inserted. At this point, we can remove the WorkBench diskette and insert XCopy Pro, the copying program.
Then if you have a diskette with XCopy Pro, it is very likely that it can start directly. So, insert the diskette, turn on the computer and it starts with XCopy.
Well, he left. As source disk we use DF1, then drive 1 (Gotek) and as destination disk we use drive 0: an empty floppy disk inside the internal drive. (Inside the drive… internal!!!) So, source: drive 1 (external) we had already selected AmigaTestKit before (because we had started it). As destination, we put drive 0 which is the internal disk. Let's make the copy: start!
The XCopy program copies track by track. In the meantime, you also see the number, which continues, of the tracks on the Gotek, on the Gotek monitor.
Here, you can do this operation with all Amigas. If you have the floppy disk with XCopy Pro, insert it, start the Amiga directly with
Well, done! So, at this point, we will have to find AmigaTestKit version 1.20 in here.
Let's try restarting the computer with the AmigaTestKit diskette already inside. Therefore, it will no longer start from WorkBench, but will start directly from AmigaTestKit.
Let's restart: Control + L.Amiga + R.Amiga.
And in fact, you see that AmigaTestKit started directly from the diskette. So we copied from pendrive to diskette, directly via Amiga. I know this is useful, many ask it, and I have finally given you an answer on how to do it.
Here, another thing we can do now is see how to 'throw' (boot). 'throw' is not good, in reality: how to start the computer, from the English boot therefore 'throw' the computer, not throw it away. However, start the computer directly from the USB stick. This can be done with the Amiga 1200, but it cannot be done with the Amiga 500. In fact, on the Amiga 500, very often, the hardware selector is used, therefore a switch (DF0-DF1) which allows you to start the computer either from the internal drive or from the external one. So, let's restart the Amiga: Control + Amiga + Amiga, but hold down both mouse keys at the same time.
The Amiga starts with some options, including startup options. So let's go to DF1, which is the external floppy disk drive, in our case the Gotek. We click Use and then Boot. At this point, let's see if it starts...
Yes, come on, it starts from the external one... exactly! You see that I loaded AmigaTestKit from Gotek, directly. Obviously, after selecting the position on Gotek, it starts directly without going through the WorkBench, as we had done before.
So, come on, in this video we did some experiments. We have certainly tested this Amiga: I'm happy that it works, even if, as we saw before, there is the mouse that was a bit eaten by a dog and the power supply with the wooden bottom. Then we saw how to test this Amiga well, with AmigaTestKit version 1.20 (the new one), how to download AmigaTestKit, how to use it. We made a copy from the USB pendrive to the floppy disk, directly with the Amiga and finally we saw how to start the Amiga 1200, booting directly from the USB PenDrive and then from the external Gotek.
Well, I hope this video was useful to you too. If so, remember to subscribe to the channel, activate the bell to receive notifications, like the video and share it with friends! See you in the next video! HI!