Changes
/* A1.1.1) CPCEMU (PC) 06/25/98 */ wikify
Amstrad used CRTC (Cathodic Ray Tube Controller) from different manufacturers, which worked the same in the main, but do have many different characteristics. This is the reason why a demo designed for CRTC type 1, may not display correctly (or even at all), on a CRTC type 0 :
* CRTC 0 : chipset HD6845S,HD6845SP, UM6845
* CRTC 1 : chipset UM6845R,
* CRTC 2 : chipset MC6845,MC6845S, MC6845P* CRTC 3 : CPC+ Asic,ASIC AMS40489* CRTC 4 : ?CPC+ pre-ASIC AMS40226
The KC compact (KC mean KleinComputer = little computer) is a clone of the Amstrad CPC. It was made by VEB Mikroelectronik in East Germany (the old DDR) in 1989. It was made the year before the Berlin wall came down, and ceased production soon after. The KC compact is 95% compatible to the CPC. The functions of the Gate-Array are simulated by TTL-Logic and a Zilog Z8536 CIO. The ROMs are a patched English CPC6128 Operating system ROM (includes setup code for the Z8536) and a unpatched Locomotive BASIC v1.1 rom.
CPE, first written by Bernd Schmidt and then by Ulrich Doewich
The Amstrad CPC emulator (v0.55beta) by Herman Dullink on PC, get
A PC version of AMI-CPC by Ludovic Deplanque (see A1.1.7), go
A german emulator by Martin Korth, go to http://www.work.de/nocash
Richard Wilson (author of ParaDOS) wrote no less than 3 emulators, get
A french CPC emulator for Amiga, by Ludovic Deplanque, sources included.
A CPC emulator for Amiga by Kevin Thacker. Get
Another french CPC emulator on AMIGA by Stephane Tavenard, get EmuCPC
!CPC is a CPC emulator for Acorn RISC OS machines (Archimedes/RISC PC)
This emulator for Acorn RISC OS machines is written by Andreas
Presumably the first CPC emulator written, for PC XT/AT by GHE,
Get MTM v1.30b by Paul Hodgson at ftp://ftp.lip6.fr/pub/amstrad/emulator/mtmw130b.zip
A CPC(+) emulator by Kevin Thacker for win9x, get binaries and
Zsim v2.42 by Jurgen G. Weber, it simulates a CP/M Z80 machine. It
Yage v0.91 by Antoine Pitrou, a CPC emulator which handles demos like
A spanish Amstrad CPC emulator for msdos/win9x by CNGSOFT, go
CPC-emulator for Linux/Unix with X11 version 023 by Ulrich Cordes,
Multi-Emulator Super System (Amstrad CPC, PCW, and NC) is available
Arnimedes for msdos and win9x, by Oliver Lenz, get it at http://www.arnimedes.de
An Amstrad CPC emulator by Olivier Poncet for unix and X11R6 at :
A french windows Amstrad CPC emulator at :
SNA2GIF v1.1 by Marco Vieth is included in CPCEMU, it extracts
SNAP GRAB v1.1 is a freeware by Georg Schwarz to extract screens from
CPC2x v2.0 by Michael Stroucken converts Amstrad CPC screens to the
CPCfs v0.85.3 by Derik van Zutphen, it transfers CPC files between .DSK
M2TOSNA v1.1 by James McKay converts CPC Multiface II files to 64
Copy Protected Disk reader v3.24 by Ulrich Doewich, for transferring
Transfer files between CPC and MAC with a parallel cable, get CPCTERM.ZIP
22disk is a shareware utility by Sydex (http://www.sydex.com) which
Disc Image Copier by Tim Rieman, transfer DATA and SYSTEM disc from
AIFF decoder by Pierre Guerrier, a tool for retrieving data from
ftp://ftp.lip6.fr/pub/amstrad/emu-uti/amiaiff.lzh
PC2CPC v2.0 by James Churchill converts CPC emulator EDSK images to 3"
DSK-CPC by Divine Coding reads a .DSK or .EDSK image from a 3.5"
CpcKey v0.3 for msdos use the CPCEMU parallel link for :
SEND2 v1.2 by J.GUEZENNEC (jguezenn icor.fr) is a complete parallel
CPC transfile project, a project aimed at simulating a small file
A PC utility for ms-dos by Ark for viewing Amstrad CPC screens, with
A dos utility (comes with C sources) to transfer Amstrad files from
A SLIP/IP stack developped by Mark Rison for Amstrad
ROMs are now included with CPCEMU and CPE, with the permission of
You can exchange files with Internet Relay Chat, but its primary goal
If you have problems accessing FTP sites, use the following method :
You will find them at :
Informations removed indefinitely.
These files are images of a disk, you "insert" a disk with F3 in
Three solutions to use plain CPC files :
Type CAT to get the directory of the disk, mostly programs are run
On a CPC, use the formatting utility on your CP/M disk (diskit) or
Auctions sites like http://www.ebay.com are good places to find
It's possible to find interesting things in Emmaüs shops, like at
- You can buy a selection of games cartridges for the CPC+ and the
Later mentions of DDI-1 can also be replaced by FD-1 (which comes
without the interface for the 464)
* A working solution on http://www.fvempel.nl/3pc.html
Porting files across from CPC to PC is easy, at least, if you have
Here is other information by Juan Perez Delgado, as I know nothing
See A5.2 after installing your new drive.
See A5.2 after installing your new drive.
The CPCEMU emulator has documentation on how to make such
Neither the CPC nor the PCW have a RS 232. You can buy it, you then
Commercial companies can transfer your files
The Locomotive name and products has been sold to SD Micros (SD
Contact Tony Gill at tgill alystra.win-uk.net for rates.
Converts PCW data to PC format. A price list can be obtained by email
David Simpson (email : DAS picknowl.com.au)
- digitalize the tape as AIFF or WAV files, using Cool Edit for example,
You can use CPC2TAPE (A1.2.17) to transfer a tape directly from PC to CPC.
Voc2tzx is an utility to transfer cassette programs into CDT tape
Post solutions in the newsgroup, I will store them on lip6.
Starting with CPCEMU 1.3 you can easily poke games with an external
If you have the error : 'disk missing', the drive belt should be the
See A3.2.1 and A3.2.2 for adding a 5,25" or 3,5" drive to your CPC.
The place to go for CPC spares is (coincidentally) a company called
By sending corrections, modifications, new informations for this FAQ
If you know addresses of authors who wrote programs on CPC/PCW, send
You can send me your latest production. As there is no upload
Frederic Herlem (frederic.herlem planetis.com) is writing the complete
See http://genesis8.free.fr/gamecal.php
See A3.4 for a PCW address.
Futur's is a french group, they do many things. They bring you the
AFC is a french association whose aim is to be a link between the various
A source for Amstrad PCW, PC 1286/2286, PC1386/2386, PC 1512/6400, and
Comsoft doesnt exist anymore. This company was held by Peter Campbell.
Martyn Sherwood
Brian Watson
Karl-Heinz Weeske
Walter Kuhn
EDV-Beratung Mewes
Andreas will send out replacement belts for 3 inch drives to anyone in
The unofficial (not the proper SOFT 968 guide) Amstrad CPC Firmware
u
With RamRomBox by Inicron or RAMCARD by RAM7 (see A10.3.2) come the
The Anatomy for the CPC is a hardback book, with a pink cover, and
To use a CPC joystick on PC, get ftp://ftp.lip6.fr/pub/amstrad/misc/DPADPR50.ZIP
'Read Amstrad CPC protected BASIC files
If french people are interested, don't forget to send stamps to get
For more informations see http://www.wacci.org.uk/
A magazine published every couple of months by the United Amstrad
A french zine, especially about programming on CPC(+). Last issue is
A french paper zine, most of the articles are translated in english.
Not a fanzine, but a commercial U.K. newspaper which stopped with
Nicolas Ader (Nicky one)
Anthony Nevo (orphee)
Miguel Fremeaux (Dracula)
Sebastien Broudin (Seb)
An English disc fanzine, with around 40 articles (all in English)
A good german zine, with some english articles, issue 8 is the last
A TGS/Creators production. It's a discmag that is mainly about
A new disc german-only mag by the group "TAG". I don't know much to
A disc mag for all the programmers out there. All Routines the editor
German Diskzine by
At first a german zine with english articles, now a french-german
For using older additional hardware on a CPC+, you will need an
Look A6.4) for a list of hardware made on CPC.
- a Dobbertin MFM interface with 20 MB HD,
The GIDE is a generic Z80 device that allows easy connection of any
It uses an ISA IDE controler and an adaptator card wich plugs in the
A useful add-on, connected to the expansion port, its primary use is
Francisco DOS SANTOS
The RRB is a ROM box that doesn't need EPROMs. Up to 32 EPROMs can be
See A8.1.1.2) and A9.1.3)
Virtual net 96, a network for Amstrad CPC, made by germans, look at
VN96 doesn't work on a CPC+, but Futur's (see A8.1.1.2) has a plan for a
Future OS is a new operating system for Amstrad CPC that needs
For 6128 and 6128+, it's compatible with Dk'tronics memory extensions,
A 512 Ko RAM extension for Amstrad CPC by Inicron, get
The Card Tridge can read, copy and store Amstrad CPC+ cartridges with
Connect ISA cards on your CPC by Siou (siou free.fr) :
Amstrad MP1 and MP2 replace the CPC monitor alimentation and permits to
For several years people thought that the CPC version of the
You cant use a PC mouse (serial or PS/2). There are Amstrad CPC
The Notepad is Amstrad's idea of a simple word processor. It is NOT
See A1.1.20.
NC100EM by Russell Marks for Linux (svgalib, X, tty) and MSDOS. It
Unfortunately, Tandy finally stopped selling them in November 1996.
The Notepads have standard Centronics parallel ports and RS232 9-pin
The NC can use dot matrix, inkjet and laser printers with its built-in
A battery-backed PCMCIA memory card (SRAM) will keep data even if
Cliff Lawson (NC Project Manager): if you have an NC200 you already
Brief instructions are given in the manual. You can either use the LapCat
Use a terminal program on the PC (Telix supports XModem file transfers
Converter programs are available for both PC and NC to convert from
You will need a 5 pin C-type DIN plug, a 9 pin serial plug, some
Oddly enough, the Notepad includes a copy of BBC BASIC. This allows
- ftp.maekong.york.ac.uk/pub/BBC
Certainly, to go from WP to BASIC type "*EXEC filename" into BASIC
Don't put formatting (bold, etc...) in the program.
Of course, just save it with the name AUTO and whenever you start
ZCN is a free operating system for the NC100. It's largely compatible
If you're lucky, switching it to standby and back will get you out. If
Try CPC supplies on +44 1772 654455 (Main switchboard) or Email their
Since the demise of Amstrad and Tandy stopping to sell the Notepad,
- http://www.amstrad.com and http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cliff.lawson
Although I appear to maintain this section, it wouldn't be in its
Amstrad made the following PCW systems :
A superior PCW emulator with loads of features. Currently at version 2.02
MACOs port of Joyce by Richard Bannister at
See A1.1.20
See C2.2) for some PD stuff. A listing of the better commercial utilities
- ftp://ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/cpm/
- http://www.locomotive.com
A PCW CD-ROM by P.D. Blake with over 4,500 files of PCW software,
Transferring data from floppy discs is easy if you have a 3.5" drive:
(this section by Axel_Berger Su2.Maus.De)
LocoLink is a cable that can connect a PCW to a PC with a parallel
RS232 can serve for a null-modem cable to connect to a PC. In order to
Operating a 3" 720Kb drive on a PC is very well possible: the cable
At present experiments with acoustic communications are being
Mike Mackenzie (AVCOM Services)
The original PCW printers can't be used on another computer, being
Three different keyboard layouts were produced for most PCW's: the
The 3" disc drives of the 8256, 8512 and 9512 can suffer from the some
All PCW (except the 16) can take a maximum of 512kb on the main board
Besides the maximum of 512kb on board PCW's can use memory above that:
An interface is an add-on that fits on the expansion port on the back
A hand-held scanner, 400dpi, by Creative Technology for use principally
A scanner that is fitted on the print head of the 9-pin dot matrix and
Light Pen from Electric Studio (PCW variant of the CPC device) for use
Video digitiser, also from Electric Studio. European PAL system, works
Graphics drawing pallet with a substitute keyboard (using the pen).
A lame duck: an interface that allows you to connect an 80 track disc
Several manufacturers made (Pace) and still make (Pinboard) disc
Several hard discs were made too for the PCW series.
A small, inexpensive add-on for the 9-pins matrix printer that allows
Lots were made for the PCW series: the Kempston 2-button and the AMX
A standard 102 keyboard (IBM AT type) was made for the Amstrad PCW
See C3.2)
A sound synthesiser was produced by d'k Tronics but I do not know of
The layout to make an Industry Standard Adapter for the PCW is
A number of layouts for diy expansions to the PCW can be found on:
No magazines are now produced, the last two PCWPlus and Amstrad PCW
This presentation comes from a csa8 article by Cliff Lawson.
Get this CP/M emulator for PcW16 by John Elliott at
See above
= E - PDA600 10/10/2000=
== E0) PDA600 presentation 10/10/2000==
= F - CP/M 04/21/2002=
