Amiga Video Toaster / Flyer FAQs
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      General Troubleshooting Notes

Product: Video Toaster

Platforms: 2000 3000 3000T 4000 4000T

Problems specific to the Flyer are documented within the Flyer FAQ. Flyer owners will also need to consult the Toaster FAQ when troubleshooting a problem, because those problems specific to the Toaster or the host Amiga are documented within the Toaster FAQ.

The Toaster/Flyer depends heavily upon the Amiga custom chip set for the work of creating graphics and combining graphics with video. In many instances, what seems to be a defective Toaster/Flyer is actually a defective Amiga custom chip. For this reason, it is wise to always follow several steps to eliminate the Amiga as the cause of the problem before you conclude that you need an RMA. Note that in the text below, where the phrase "Toaster/Flyer" is used, you will need to apply the test to just the Toaster, just the Flyer, or to both, as appropriate to the situation you are attempting to resolve.

• Test the Toaster/Flyer in another Amiga system. If the problem does not occur in the second system, you should suspect the first system is faulty.

• Test a different Toaster/Flyer and in the host system. If the problem persists, then the host system is likely at fault.

This may be difficult to do if you do not have recourse to a dealer, but if you can do these tests, you may save an unnecessary RMA, plus a no-defect labor charge from the Repair Department, which is levied even on in-warranty Toasters or Flyers.

On an Amiga 2000 or 3000 series computer, the major chips are socketed, and it is easy to substitute a new chip for a suspected faulty chip. 4000 series machines have surface mount parts, so most users will need to resort to a service center to have these chips checked.

• Since the Denise (2000/3000) or Lisa (4000) is the chip on which the Toaster is most dependent, try replacing it first.

• The Agnus (2000/3000) or Alice (4000) is next most likely, and the Chip RAM also carries out many functions required by the Toaster.

• The Video Hybrid chip in the 2000/3000 is also a possibility to consider.

• On the 3000 and 4000 systems, the bus-related chips such as Buster or Fat Buster may also affect Toaster operation, and the Flyer can be affected by bus circuit or chip problems in all Amiga models.

• U198 on the 4000 is known to cause difficulty with Toaster (see Pink Screen AGA) and with other cards, if it is delivering inadequate -5 VDC to the bus.

• On all systems, inadequate or variable power from the power supply lines can cause faulty operation of the Toaster or the Flyer.

• Faulty solder joints among the slot connector pins, slot connector contact springs which have been bent outward to the point at which they will no longer firmly connect with a card edge in the slot, and dirty contacts on the edge connector of the Toaster or Flyer board will also cause performance failures.

Bear in mind, even if no applications but the Toaster/Flyer exhibit display problems, this can still indicate a fault in the Amiga. No other application on your machine is doing what the Toaster is doing: the Toaster has been inserted into the video circuitry of the host computer via the video slot, and if only the functions of the Amiga chips and circuit components which access and control the video slot are broken, then only the Toaster (and Flyer, if also present) will exhibit problems.