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-
- HOT FAX FROM MAD MAXX!
-
- Marv Birkinbine, our redoubtable Boise video expert, Amiga dealer, and
- man-with-ear-to-ground, recently faxed a list of questions to Manfred
- Schmidt, president and owner of 51% of ESCOM AG, the parent company of
- the Amiga buyout winner. This morning, Tuesday May 2nd, he got a reply.
- What follows is my transcription. This appears genuine; I've seen
- the original. Marv assures me it's OK to post.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- 1: (Marvin Birkinbine) It has been said that you plan on making 64's,
- 600's, 1200's. Is this true? What about CD-32's, full-motion video
- module, etc.?
-
- (Manfred Schmidt) CD-32 production we will also start soon. Also
- we think to integrate CD-32 in a PC as well as in televisions.
-
- We will also cooperate with many suppliers like Motorola and Apple
- for new applications. The idea is to produce an Amiga PC board
- which fits into Intel machines, Apple Performa and Power PC.
-
- 2: (MB) (No, not THAT MB!) Will you be setting up a U.S. distributor?
- Will it be CEI? If not then who?
-
- (MS) Yes! Not yet decided! We talk with all.
-
- 3: (MB) Will you make monitors? What kind? Multisync?
-
- (MS) Yes, Amiga monitors. Specifications not yet decided.
-
- 4: (MB) Will you be fixing the 1200 & 4000 so they don't require 15KHz
- scan? (For better picture quality.)
-
- (MS) Yes, in next generation for 1996.
-
- 5: (MB) Will you consider national advertising in the U.S.?
-
- (MS) Yes, in cooperation with distributors and dealers.
-
-
- 6: (MB) Maxximum Video would be a great place to have those spots
- produced, and the cheapest!!!!!!!! [Ed. Note: Sorry for shameless
- commercialism.]
-
- (MS) O.K.
-
- 7: (MB) It is said that you are looking into a Power PC chip
- configuration. Have you considered the PA RISC? In the U.S. an 80MHz
- computer is where the competition is. The PA RISC at 125 MHz would be a
- step ahead and it is already reverse-engineered to emulate the Motorola.
-
- (MS) We are always looking for the most powerful machines.
-
- 8: (MB) Will you be looking at continued A2000 support?
-
- (MS) We talk with [obscured] to do it.
-
- 9: (MB) Will you be including hard drives with your systems?
-
- (MS) Optional.
-
- 10: (MB) What sort of development do you see ESCOM pursuing to advance
- the Amiga technology?
-
- (MS) We will work with new projects, when we have defined the R&D
- team. We will integrate the most successful engineers from the
- market.
-
- 11: (MB) Will you be setting up a U.S. engineering team?
-
- (MS) Yes.
-
- 12: (MB) Will you be contacting Newtek to arrange new support for the Amiga?
-
- (MS) We have to.
-
- 13: (MB) Will you be contacting H-P to produce chipsets or a joint agreement
- to license them to be a clone maker?
-
- (MS) Yes.
-
- 14: (MB) Where do you see Amiga and Commodore one year from now? Two years
- from now? Five years from now?
-
- (MS) We will be one of the most successful multimedia companies in
- the world. Commodore with Amiga will be a 1 billion US$ company
- within three years.
-
- 15: (MB) How long do you expect it will take to bring product to market in
- the U.S.?
-
- (MS) September 1995.
-
- 16: (MB) Will you sell directly in the U.S.?
-
- (MS) No, through distributors only.
-
- 17: (MB) How are you going to encourage software development in the U.S.?
-
- (MS) Please wait. We have some ideas.
-
- 18: (MB) What kinds of incentives will you be able to offer the dealer?
-
- (MS) Products, products ...
-
- 19: (MB) Will you be developing 16-bit audio for the Amiga? What about
- MIDI?
-
- (MS) Please wait.
-
- 20: (MB) Will you be correcting the dealer/distribution problem that
- Commodore made?
-
- (MS) I hope so. We will try our best.
-
- (MB) Well, that is about all I have for now. Sorry it is so boring but
- these are questions that a large number of my customers would like to
- know. [Ed. Note: and you know how boring WE are!] I will close for
- now and get this in the fax and send it to you. Thank you very much for
- taking the time to fax with me. And I hope to have a long and happy
- relationship with ESCOM.
-
- Please fax this back ASAP to Maxximum Video Creations Inc., 208-322-3091
- in Boise, Idaho, U.S.A. As of 4-30-95 you can E-mail me at:
-
- Madmaxx@micron.net.
-
- Thank you again for your help and LONG LIVE COMMODORE/AMIGA/ESCOM!!!
-
- Very truly yours,
- <signed>
- Marvin Birkinbine
- 4-27-95
-
- (MS) Please send your company profile. Best regards.
- Manfred Schmidt
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Courtesy of Marv Birkinbine Transcribed by Sam Johnson
- Madmaxx@micron.net unclesam@micron.net
- Editor
- AUSI Monitor
- Amiga Users of Southwest Idaho
-
- Usual disclaimers apply.
-