From: vangess1@pilot.msu.edu (Rick VanGessel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews Subject: REVIEW: QuickPak A4000T computer system Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Date: 17 Sep 1998 11:24:15 -0400 Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett Lines: 104 Sender: barrett@belvedere.cs.umass.edu Message-ID: <6tr9iv$28g@belvedere.cs.umass.edu> Reply-To: vangess1@pilot.msu.edu (Rick VanGessel) Keywords: hardware, computer, commercial X-Review-Number: Volume 1998 Number 12 NNTP-Posting-Host: belvedere.cs.umass.edu X-NNTP-Posting-Host: belvedere.cs.umass.edu Path: rcfnews.cs.umass.edu!not-for-mail PRODUCT NAME QuickPak A4000T BRIEF DESCRIPTION Amiga 4000 full sized tower system. AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION Name: QuickPak Corp. Address: 1000 Forge Ave., Norristown, PA. 19403 Telephone: unknown FAX: (610) 287-0746 E-mail: info@quikpak.com World Wide Web: http://www.quikpak.com LIST PRICE A4000T with 68040 CPU - $1997.00 USD A4000T with 68060 CPU - $2697.00 USD REVIEW This model of the Amiga computer is a 100% compatible Amiga computer. The model I got came with a 68040 CPU which I swapped out for a Cyberstorm PPC/ 68060 CPU card containing 128MB ram. AmigaOS 3.1 is included with the A4000T. The A4000T comes with IDE and SCSI-II controllers built in. There is an active terminator inside which is toggled off and on via a dip switch on the back. There are other DIP switches present to adjust other SCSI functions. There is also space for 6 internal devices, five of which have external access. A DD floppy drive comes standard as well as 6 MB of ram (2 MB chip, 4MB fast). There are five Zorro III slots, two video slots, and three PC slots. The PC slots are still electronically isolated from the CPU and require a bridgeboard. They and the video slots are inline with the Zorro III slots. Two fans keep this unit cool inside. There is an internal speaker, keylock, and a hardwired reset button. The device bays are deep enough to accept all models of CD-Rom drives and other storage devices unlike the A4000D which would not accept many standard CD-Rom drives. There is no external floppy drive port. The case is mostly metal with a sturdy plastic face plate. The power supply is powerful enough to handle a lot of add ons to the tower. The manufacturer even told me that I could power my monitor from the included monitor outlet on the back of the computer. DOCUMENTATION The included documentation is thorough and easy to follow. LIKES Lots of room for expansion inside. DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS The rear access ports for the Zorro cards are just a little bit off, but not bad. The intake fan becomes noisy at times, but a blast of compressed air to blow out the dust usually fixes it. The included floppy cable in my computer had some bare wires on it. Also, there was no IDE cable included with my computer, only the floppy and SCSI cable. VENDOR SUPPORT Very difficult to contact. Even though the manufacturer replaced my floppy cable, they have never answered my questions concerning the SCSI II controller and whether it suffers the DMA problem that other scsi.devices do. WARRANTY The retailer I purchased the A4000T from does not provide a warrenty. QuickPak supplies a one year warrenty. CONCLUSIONS I am very happy with the QuickPak A4000T. I was initially going to convert my A4000 desktop to a tower, but this turned out to be a much better alternative. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Copyright 1998 Richard A. VanGessel, Jr. --- Accepted and posted by Daniel Barrett, comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator Send reviews to: amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu Request information: amiga-reviews-requests@math.uh.edu Moderator mail: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu Anonymous ftp site: math.uh.edu, in /pub/Amiga/comp.sys.amiga.reviews Web site: http://math.uh.edu/~barrett/reviews.html