Amiga 3000
Encyclopedia
The Commodore
Amiga
3000, or A3000, was the third major release in the Amiga computer family. Released in June 1990, it features improved processing speed, improved rendering of graphics, and a new revision of the operating system. It is the successor to the Amiga 2000
.
Its predecessors, the Amiga 500, 1000 and 2000, shared the same fundamental system architecture and consequently performed without much variation in processing speed despite considerable variation in purchase price. The A3000 however, was entirely reworked and rethought as a high-end workstation. The new Motorola 32-bit 68030 CPU, 68882 math co-processor, and 32-bit system memory increase the "integer" processing speed
by a factor of 5 to 18, and the "floating point" processing speed by a factor of 7 to 200 times. The new 32-bit Zorro III
expansion slots provide for faster and more powerful expansion capabilities.
In common with earlier Amigas it runs a 32-bit operating system called AmigaOS
. Version 2.0 is generally considered to have a more ergonomic and attractive interface than previous versions. Access for application developers was simplified.
The A3000UX
was an A3000 variant bundled with the UNIX System V operating system. Commodore had a licensing agreement with AT&T to include a port of Unix System V (release 4). Commodore also sold a towerized variant called the A3000T
.
An enhanced version, the Amiga 3000+, with the AGA
chipset and an AT&T DSP3210 signal processing
chip was produced to prototype stage in 1991. Although this system was never released, Commodore's negotiations with AT&T over the proper way to bundle their VCOS/VCAS operating system software in a personal computer environment helped Apple Computer
deliver their AV-series Macintosh systems, two years later.
In its stead Commodore replaced the A3000 in the fall of 1992, six months behind schedule, with the comparatively less advanced, PC Clone influenced A4000
.
The Amiga 3000 shipped with a Motorola 68030
at either 16 or 25 MHz and 2 MB of RAM. It includes the Enhanced Chip Set and a "display enhancer" for use with a VGA monitor and a DMA
SCSI-II
controller and hard disk drive.
"Fast RAM" can be increased by fitting ZIP
DRAM chips available in two varieties, Page Mode or Static Column.
The A3000, unlike most Amiga models, supports both ROM-based Kickstarts
and disk-based Kickstarts (the early "SuperKickstart" model), although not simultaneously. Kickstart V1.4 is actually a beta version of Kickstart which is loaded from disk. 68040 microprocessors require at least 2.0 ROMs.
The A3000 has a number of Amiga compatible connectors including two DE-9 ports for joystick
s, mice
, and light pen
s, a standard 25-pin RS-232
serial port
and a 25-pin Centronics
parallel port
. As a result, at launch the A3000 was compatible with many existing Amiga peripherals, such as, MIDI interfaces, serial modem
s and sound samplers
.
The A3000 has four internal 32-bit Zorro III expansion slots. This expansion bus allows the use of devices which comply with the AutoConfig
standard, such as, graphic cards, audio cards, network cards and later even USB
controllers.
The two ISA
slots can be activated by use of a "bridgeboard", which connects the Zorro and ISA buses. Such bridgeboards typically feature on-board IBM PC Compatible
hardware, including Intel 80286
, 80386 or 80486 microprocessors allowing emulation of an entire IBM-PC system in hardware. Compatible ISA cards may then be installed in the remaining ISA slot.
Commodore International
Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited...
Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
3000, or A3000, was the third major release in the Amiga computer family. Released in June 1990, it features improved processing speed, improved rendering of graphics, and a new revision of the operating system. It is the successor to the Amiga 2000
Amiga 2000
The Amiga 2000, or A2000, is a personal computer released by Commodore in 1986. It is the successor to the Amiga 1000.-Features:Aimed at the high-end market, the original Europe-only model adds a Zorro II backplane, implemented in programmable logic, to the custom Amiga chipset used in the Amiga 1000...
.
Its predecessors, the Amiga 500, 1000 and 2000, shared the same fundamental system architecture and consequently performed without much variation in processing speed despite considerable variation in purchase price. The A3000 however, was entirely reworked and rethought as a high-end workstation. The new Motorola 32-bit 68030 CPU, 68882 math co-processor, and 32-bit system memory increase the "integer" processing speed
Instructions per second
Instructions per second is a measure of a computer's processor speed. Many reported IPS values have represented "peak" execution rates on artificial instruction sequences with few branches, whereas realistic workloads typically lead to significantly lower IPS values...
by a factor of 5 to 18, and the "floating point" processing speed by a factor of 7 to 200 times. The new 32-bit Zorro III
Zorro III
Released as the expansion bus of the Commodore Amiga 3000 in 1990, the Zorro III computer bus was used to attach peripheral devices to an Amiga motherboard. Designed by Commodore International lead engineer Dave Haynie, the 32-bit Zorro III replaced the 16-bit Zorro II bus used in the Amiga 2000...
expansion slots provide for faster and more powerful expansion capabilities.
In common with earlier Amigas it runs a 32-bit operating system called AmigaOS
AmigaOS
AmigaOS is the default native operating system of the Amiga personal computer. It was developed first by Commodore International, and initially introduced in 1985 with the Amiga 1000...
. Version 2.0 is generally considered to have a more ergonomic and attractive interface than previous versions. Access for application developers was simplified.
The A3000UX
Amiga 3000UX
The Commodore Amiga 3000UX is a model of the Amiga computer family that was released with Amiga Unix, a full port of AT&T Unix System V Release 4 , installed along with AmigaOS. The system was otherwise equivalent to the standard A3000, once the Right-Mouse-Button initiated a boot to Kickstart .At...
was an A3000 variant bundled with the UNIX System V operating system. Commodore had a licensing agreement with AT&T to include a port of Unix System V (release 4). Commodore also sold a towerized variant called the A3000T
Amiga 3000T
The Amiga 3000T is the tower version of the Commodore Amiga 3000 computer. Although technically equivalent, it was housed in a large metal tower case repurposed from Commodore's PC compatible line....
.
An enhanced version, the Amiga 3000+, with the AGA
Advanced Graphics Architecture
Advanced Graphics Architecture is the third generation Amiga graphic chip set, first used in the Amiga 4000 in 1992. AGA was codenamed the Pandora chipset by Commodore International internally....
chipset and an AT&T DSP3210 signal processing
Digital signal processor
A digital signal processor is a specialized microprocessor with an architecture optimized for the fast operational needs of digital signal processing.-Typical characteristics:...
chip was produced to prototype stage in 1991. Although this system was never released, Commodore's negotiations with AT&T over the proper way to bundle their VCOS/VCAS operating system software in a personal computer environment helped Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
deliver their AV-series Macintosh systems, two years later.
In its stead Commodore replaced the A3000 in the fall of 1992, six months behind schedule, with the comparatively less advanced, PC Clone influenced A4000
Amiga 4000
The Commodore Amiga 4000, or A4000, is the successor of the A2000 and A3000 computers. There are two models, the A4000/040 released in October 1992 with a Motorola 68040 CPU, and the A4000/030 released in April 1993 with a Motorola 68EC030....
.
Technical Information
Motorola 68030
The Motorola 68030 is a 32-bit microprocessor in Motorola's 68000 family. It was released in 1987. The 68030 was the successor to the Motorola 68020, and was followed by the Motorola 68040. In keeping with general Motorola naming, this CPU is often referred to as the 030 .The 68030 features on-chip...
at either 16 or 25 MHz and 2 MB of RAM. It includes the Enhanced Chip Set and a "display enhancer" for use with a VGA monitor and a DMA
Direct memory access
Direct memory access is a feature of modern computers that allows certain hardware subsystems within the computer to access system memory independently of the central processing unit ....
SCSI-II
SCSI
Small Computer System Interface is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it...
controller and hard disk drive.
"Fast RAM" can be increased by fitting ZIP
Zig-zag in-line package
The zig-zag in-line package or ZIP was a short-lived packaging technology for integrated circuits, particularly dynamic RAM chips. It was intended as a replacement for dual in-line packaging . A ZIP is an integrated circuit encapsulated in a slab of plastic, measuring about 3 mm x 30 mm...
DRAM chips available in two varieties, Page Mode or Static Column.
The A3000, unlike most Amiga models, supports both ROM-based Kickstarts
Kickstart (Amiga)
Kickstart is a commonly used term for the bootstrap firmware of the Amiga computers developed by Commodore.Most Amiga models were shipped with the Kickstart firmware stored on ROM chips...
and disk-based Kickstarts (the early "SuperKickstart" model), although not simultaneously. Kickstart V1.4 is actually a beta version of Kickstart which is loaded from disk. 68040 microprocessors require at least 2.0 ROMs.
The A3000 has a number of Amiga compatible connectors including two DE-9 ports for joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
s, mice
Mouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
, and light pen
Light pen
A light pen is a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer's CRT TV set or monitor. It allows the user to point to displayed objects, or draw on the screen, in a similar way to a touch screen but with greater positional accuracy...
s, a standard 25-pin RS-232
RS-232
In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
serial port
Serial port
In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time...
and a 25-pin Centronics
Centronics
Centronics Data Computer Corporation was a pioneering American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name.-The beginning:Centronics began as a division of Wang Laboratories...
parallel port
Parallel port
A parallel port is a type of interface found on computers for connecting various peripherals. In computing, a parallel port is a parallel communication physical interface. It is also known as a printer port or Centronics port...
. As a result, at launch the A3000 was compatible with many existing Amiga peripherals, such as, MIDI interfaces, serial modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
s and sound samplers
Sampling (signal processing)
In signal processing, sampling is the reduction of a continuous signal to a discrete signal. A common example is the conversion of a sound wave to a sequence of samples ....
.
The A3000 has four internal 32-bit Zorro III expansion slots. This expansion bus allows the use of devices which comply with the AutoConfig
Autoconfig
Autoconfig is an auto-configuration protocol of Amiga computers which is intended to automatically assign resources to expansion devices without the need for jumper settings...
standard, such as, graphic cards, audio cards, network cards and later even USB
Universal Serial Bus
USB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices....
controllers.
The two ISA
Industry Standard Architecture
Industry Standard Architecture is a computer bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers introduced with the IBM Personal Computer to support its Intel 8088 microprocessor's 8-bit external data bus and extended to 16 bits for the IBM Personal Computer/AT's Intel 80286 processor...
slots can be activated by use of a "bridgeboard", which connects the Zorro and ISA buses. Such bridgeboards typically feature on-board IBM PC Compatible
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
hardware, including Intel 80286
Intel 80286
The Intel 80286 , introduced on 1 February 1982, was a 16-bit x86 microprocessor with 134,000 transistors. Like its contemporary simpler cousin, the 80186, it could correctly execute most software written for the earlier Intel 8086 and 8088...
, 80386 or 80486 microprocessors allowing emulation of an entire IBM-PC system in hardware. Compatible ISA cards may then be installed in the remaining ISA slot.
Specifications
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor Central processing unit The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in... |
Motorola 68030 Motorola 68030 The Motorola 68030 is a 32-bit microprocessor in Motorola's 68000 family. It was released in 1987. The 68030 was the successor to the Motorola 68020, and was followed by the Motorola 68040. In keeping with general Motorola naming, this CPU is often referred to as the 030 .The 68030 features on-chip... at 16 or 25 MHz |
| FPU Floating point unit A floating-point unit is a part of a computer system specially designed to carry out operations on floating point numbers. Typical operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and square root... |
68881 Motorola 68881 The Motorola 68881 and Motorola 68882 were floating-point coprocessor chips that were used in some computer systems in conjunction with the 68020 or 68030 CPUs. The addition of one of these chips added substantial cost to the computer, but added a floating point unit that could rapidly perform... (16 MHz ) or 68882 (25 MHz) |
| RAM | 2 MB Megabyte The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000... (configured as 1 MB "chip" and 1 MB "fast" RAM) Maximum 18 MB on-board Upgradable by further 128 MB via the CPU slot |
| ROM Read-only memory Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only... |
512 kB Kilobyte The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information... Kickstart Kickstart (Amiga) Kickstart is a commonly used term for the bootstrap firmware of the Amiga computers developed by Commodore.Most Amiga models were shipped with the Kickstart firmware stored on ROM chips... ROM |
| Chipset | Enhanced Chip Set (ECS) |
| Video | 12-bit color palette (4096 colors) Graphic modes from:
Horizontal scan rates of 15.60-31.44 kHz Vertical scan rates of 50-72 Hz Built-in "display enhancer" (scan-doubler and de-interlacer) for use with VGA Video Graphics Array Video Graphics Array refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, but through its widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the 640×480 resolution... monitor |
| Audio | 4 × 8-bit PCM channels (2 stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... channels) 28–56 kHz maximum DMA Direct memory access Direct memory access is a feature of modern computers that allows certain hardware subsystems within the computer to access system memory independently of the central processing unit .... sampling rate Sampling rate The sampling rate, sample rate, or sampling frequency defines the number of samples per unit of time taken from a continuous signal to make a discrete signal. For time-domain signals, the unit for sampling rate is hertz , sometimes noted as Sa/s... (dependent on video mode in use) |
| Internal storage Computer storage Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers.... |
40, 50 or 100 MB 3.5" SCSI SCSI Small Computer System Interface is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it... hard disk drive (upgradable) |
| Removable storage | 3.5" DD floppy disk Floppy disk A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles... drive (880 kB capacity) |
| Input/output ports | Analog RGB video out (DB-23M D-subminiature The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector. They are named for their characteristic D-shaped metal shield. When they were introduced, D-subs were among the smaller connectors used on computer systems.... ) Analog VGA out (DB-15F) Audio out (2 × RCA RCA connector An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals... ) Keyboard (5 pin DIN DIN connector A DIN connector is a connector that was originally standardized by the , the German national standards organization. There are DIN standards for a large number of different connectors, therefore the term "DIN connector" alone does not unambiguously identify any particular type of connector unless... ) 2 × Mouse/Gamepad ports (DE9) RS-232 RS-232 In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports... serial port Serial port In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time... (DB-25M) Centronics style parallel port Parallel port A parallel port is a type of interface found on computers for connecting various peripherals. In computing, a parallel port is a parallel communication physical interface. It is also known as a printer port or Centronics port... (DB-25F) Floppy disk Floppy disk A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles... drive port (DB-23F) 50-pin internal SCSI connector External SCSI connector (DB-23M) |
| Expansion slots | 4 × 100pin 32-bit Zorro III slots 1 × video slot (inline with Zorro slot) 2 × 16-bit ISA Industry Standard Architecture Industry Standard Architecture is a computer bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers introduced with the IBM Personal Computer to support its Intel 8088 microprocessor's 8-bit external data bus and extended to 16 bits for the IBM Personal Computer/AT's Intel 80286 processor... slots (requires bridgeboard to activate) 1 × 200-pin CPU expansion slot 8 × 30-pin DIP Dual in-line package In microelectronics, a dual in-line package is an electronic device package with a rectangular housing and two parallel rows of electrical connecting pins. The package may be through-hole mounted to a printed circuit board or inserted in a socket.A DIP is usually referred to as a DIPn, where n is... slots 32 × ZIP Zig-zag in-line package The zig-zag in-line package or ZIP was a short-lived packaging technology for integrated circuits, particularly dynamic RAM chips. It was intended as a replacement for dual in-line packaging . A ZIP is an integrated circuit encapsulated in a slab of plastic, measuring about 3 mm x 30 mm... slots |
| Operating system Operating system An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system... |
AmigaOS AmigaOS AmigaOS is the default native operating system of the Amiga personal computer. It was developed first by Commodore International, and initially introduced in 1985 with the Amiga 1000... 1.4 (Kickstart 1.4/Workbench 1.4) or AmigaOS AmigaOS AmigaOS is the default native operating system of the Amiga personal computer. It was developed first by Commodore International, and initially introduced in 1985 with the Amiga 1000... 2.0 (Kickstart 2.04/Workbench 2.04) |
| Other | 2 × front accessible 3.5" drive bays 1 × internal 3.5" drive mounting Battery backed real-time clock Real-time clock A real-time clock is a computer clock that keeps track of the current time. Although the term often refers to the devices in personal computers, servers and embedded systems, RTCs are present in almost any electronic device which needs to keep accurate time.-Terminology:The term is used to avoid... |