Difference between revisions of "AMX Mouse"
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* [[AMX 3D Zicon]] | * [[AMX 3D Zicon]] | ||
* [[AMX Art]] | * [[AMX Art]] | ||
| + | * [[FutureOS]] | ||
* [[Max desktop]] | * [[Max desktop]] | ||
* [[MicroDesign]] ([[Siren Software]]/Hogsoft/[[Campursoft]]) (see advert in ACU Jul 1988, page 30) | * [[MicroDesign]] ([[Siren Software]]/Hogsoft/[[Campursoft]]) (see advert in ACU Jul 1988, page 30) | ||
Revision as of 19:46, 4 April 2011
A mouse by the British company Advanced Memory Systems.
The mouse was connected to the joystick port of the CPC.
An additional lead plugged between the 5V power connector coming from the monitor and the 5V-socket of the CPC.
There were three versions in all.
The tape software is : AMX Art.
Contents
Technical
The AMX Art software uses the CPC's 300Hz interrupt to read the joystick port (at least it tries to do that, while moving the mouse pointer, the software accidently disables IRQs, and so, misses some interrupts). This is giving it a relative low resolution of max 300 mickeys per second (or actually less, due to the missed IRQs).
The AMX Interface hardware basically converts the incoming mouse signals to joystick signals, issuing LOW pulses (per mickey) on the corresponding direction lines. The protocol is thus very simple (unlike modern RS232 and PS/2 mice, the hardware doesn't contain any motion counters).
Row9.Bit0 Joy1up LOW for 1/300s per mickey, when mouse moved up Row9.Bit1 Joy1down LOW for 1/300s per mickey, when mouse moved down Row9.Bit2 Joy1left LOW for 1/300s per mickey, when mouse moved left Row9.Bit3 Joy1right LOW for 1/300s per mickey, when mouse moved right Row9.Bit5 Joy1fire1 LOW when Right mouse button pressed Row9.Bit4 Joy1fire2 LOW when Left mouse button pressed Row9.Bit6 Joy1fire3 LOW when Middle mouse button pressed
Note: The exact hardware timings are unknown, the values "1/300s" in the above description assume that the AMX hardware timings were designed to match up with the 300Hz AMX software timings.
Note II: Looking at the photos, it seems that /joystick1 (keyb row 9 select) is wired to the multivibrator, so the mickey timings may be software controlled; accordingly, software would be required to deselect keyb row 9 between each read.
Contains the following ICs:
- 1x CD4047BE - Low Power Monostable/Astable Multivibrator
- 2x MC14013B - Dual Type D Flip-Flops
- 1x SN74LS244N - Octal Buffers And Line Drivers With 3-State Outputs
The mouse used on the Amstrad appears to be the same as the mouse used on the BBC. But this is not confirmed. The connection to the interface is essentially the same.
AMX Mouse Hardware Clones
Moreover, the Dk'tronics Mouse Interface seems to be AMX compatible, too. (Not confirmed if it is really compatible, but the circuit looks very similar.) (though dk'tronics seems to support only one button, not three buttons.)
Other ways to connect a mouse to the CPC
See Peripherals
Covers
- AMX Mouse
Left Cover
Back Cover
Right Cover
Front Cover
Covertape
- AMX Art
Covertape
Disc & Tape
- AMX Mouse (AMX Art, AMX Control, Icon/Pattern Designer)
Disc, side A
Disc, side B
Tape, side A
Tape, side B
Pictures
- AMX Mouse
The mouse
The interface is connected to the joystick port
The mouse
Under the mouse
Inside Mouse interface (top)
Inside Mouse interface (bottom)
Interface showing mouse connection (blue connector at front), connector for CPC joystick port (at right) and connections for CPC power.
Interface power connections
Inside AMX Mouse (1)
Inside AMX Mouse (2)
Connection Guide
Advert (ACU Oct 1985)
.jpg)
Software
- AMX 3D Zicon
- AMX Art
- FutureOS
- Max desktop
- MicroDesign (Siren Software/Hogsoft/Campursoft) (see advert in ACU Jul 1988, page 30)
- Stop Press (aka AMX Pagemaker)
- The Advanced OCP Art Studio
- Cosmos
Download
- AMX Art (tape).zip (CDT for Emulators)
- AMX Mouse (disc).zip (DSK for Emulators)
Manuals
Reviews
- CPC Schneider International, issue 8-1985, page 87 (german)
