Commodore Amiga 1000
Ship Date:July 1985
Price:US $1295 without monitor
US $1790 with RGB monitor
CPU:Motorola 68000 @ 7.14 MHz
RAM:256K stock, 8Meg max.
Display:16 colors at 640 X 400
32 colors at 320 X 200
Ports:Parallel, serial, floppy
RGB, RF, composite video
Stereo audio, joysticks
System bus
Storage:Internal 880K 3.5-inch floppy.
OS:AmigaDOS 1.0-1.34
"Workbench" GUI




Introduced in July 1985, the Amiga 1000 was created in part by Jay "father of the Amiga" Miner, who previously designed the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The Amiga was originally designed to be a killer game machine, but it was so great that it evolved into a full computer.

The Amiga 1000 was a quantum leap above any other system out at the time, as it included a 32-bit pre-emptive multi-tasking GUI (Graphic User Interface), 4 channel stereo sound, 880k 3-1/2 inch floppy disks, and video modes which provided up to 4096 colors at once. The Amiga can even display multiple screens at different resolutions on a single monitor, all at the same time.

The Amiga quickly became a favorite for graphic artists and animators since its multiple co-processors allowed it to do complex images and animations that other systems, with the exception of expensive workstations, just couldn't handle.



The Amiga 1000 has no internal expansion capabilities, all expansion must be via external components. The system bus is available under a cover on the right side of the system. There is also a memory expansion slot on the front of the system, under a hidden snap-off over, which doubles the standard memory from 256K to 512K.


Even more tricky is how some third-party expansion boards were designed to fit inside the system. The CPU is removed from the motherboard, the expansion board is plugged into the CPU socket, and the CPU is inserted back into the new board. Shown here is the Spirit IN-1000 memory expansion with battery-backed clock.




Like the original Macintosh and the Macintosh Portable, the Amiga 1000 has the signatures of its designers cast into the inside of the case, including the pawprint of Jay Miner's dog Mitchy.

Truly the most advanced and capable computer of the era. Unfortunately, due to poor marketing and lack of IBM and MS-DOS compatibility, the general public did not comprehend and appreciate its advanced capabilities.

Subsequent Amiga models released:
Amiga 1000
1985
68000 @ 7.14 MHzOCS chipset16 colors at 640 x 400 **
32 colors at 320 x 200 #		desktop, 512K RAM, no internal hard drive
Amiga 500
1987
68000 @ 7.14 MHzOCS chipset16 colors at 640 x 400 **
32 colors at 320 x 200 #		"wedge", 512K RAM, no internal hard drive
Amiga 2000
1987
68000 @ 7.14 MHzOCS chipset16 colors at 640 x 400 **
32 colors at 320 x 200 #		Desktop, 512K RAM, 7 internal expansion slots
Amiga 3000
1990
68030 @ 16 or 25 MHzECS chipset4 colors at 1280 x 400 **
32 colors at 320 x 200 #		Desktop, 2M RAM, 4 internal expansion slots
CDTV
1991
68000 @ 7.14 MHzECS chipset16 colors at 640 x 400 **
16 colors at 320 x 200 #		CD-ROM based entertainment system
Amiga 600
1992
68000 @ 7.14 MHzECS chipset4 colors at 1280 x 400
4096 colors at 320 x 200		"wedge", 1M RAM, internal hard drive
Amiga 4000 
1992
68040 @ 25.0 MHzAGA chipset1280 x 400 - 800 x 600 resolution, 256 colorsDesktop, 18M RAM, 4 internal expansion slots
Amiga 1200
1992
68020 @ 14.3 MHzAGA chipset1280 x 400 - 800 x 600 resolution, 256 colors"wedge", 2M RAM, internal hard drive
CD32
1993
68020 @ 14.3 MhzAGA chipset1280 x 400 - 800 x 600 resolution, 256 colorsCD-ROM based game system
** = 400 lines of resolution in "interlace mode"; #= 64 colors in "EHB mode", 4095 colors in "HAM mode"


Related Links

  • The Unofficial Eric Schwartz Web Site
  • Amiga Hardware Database (amiga.resource.cx)
  • AmiBay - better than eBay!

    • History of the Amiga Computer

    • 1982: Hi-Toro Incorporated is formed by a group of midwest investors trying to cash in on the video game craze. The name was later changed to Amiga, Incorporated after being confused with the lawn-mower manufacturer, Toro.
    • 1983: Information is leaked about an incredible computer codenamed Lorraine featuring unheard of graphics and sound capabilities, multitasking, 80 column display, 5+ megs of RAM and MORE!
    • 1984: August - Commodore purchases Amiga Corporation.
    • 1985: July - Commodore unveils the new Amiga 1000 in New York, for US$1300.
    • 1986: Commodore releases Transformer software for the Amiga, which, along with the Commodore 1020 5 1/4-inch disk drive, provides limited MS-DOS compatibility.
    • 1987: January - Commodore announces the Amiga 500.
    • 1987: January - Commodore announces the Amiga 2000.
    • 1988: December - Commodore announces the A2286D Bridgeboard for the Amiga 2000. The A2286D contains an 8-MHz Intel 80286 and a 1.2MB 5 1/4-inch disk drive.
    • 1988: Commodore introduces the Amiga 2000HD.
    • 1988: Commodore introduces the Amiga 2500.
    • 1989: January - Commodore announces that 1 million Amiga computers have been sold.
    • 1989: November - Commodore announces the Amiga 2500/30. It is essentially an Amiga 2000 with a 2630 Accelerator Board (25-MHz 68030 and 68882 math coprocessor).
    • 1990: April - Commodore offers Amiga 1000 owners US$1000 to trade in their Amiga on a new Amiga 2000.
    • 1990: June - Commodore ships the Amiga A3000 computer.
    • 1990: September - NewTek ships the Video Toaster, a hardware/software real-time video effects tool for the Amiga 2000, for US$1600.
    • 1990: Commodore announces the Amiga 3000. Prices start at US$4100 with a monitor.
    • 1991: January - Commodore releases the CDTV package. It features a CD-ROM player integrated with a 7.16-MHz 68000-based Amiga 500. List price is US$1000.
    • 1991: Commodore unveils the Amiga 3000UX. Cost is US$5000, without a monitor.
    • 1992: March - Commodore introduces the Amiga 600 for a base price of $500.
    • 1992: September - Commodore introduces the Amiga 4000.
    • 1992: December - Commodore introduces the Amiga 1200.
    • 1994: Commodore International and Commodore Electronics (two of the many international components of Commodore Business Machines) file for voluntary liquidation.
    • 1995: April - At an auction in New York, ESCOM buys all rights, properties, and technologies of Commodore.
    • 1997: Gateway buys bankrupt Amiga.
      Source: Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers



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