A cartridge system was introduced with the launch of the CPC+ series. This enabled developers to distribute games via cartridges on the new Amstrad. The cartridges are protected with the ACID chip.
Technical specs.
There are different versions of the cartridges which contain EPROMs of different sizes. To indicate the EPROM size to the CPC+, different combinations of links have to be shorted.
| EPROM type | EPROM size | Contacts |
| 27C512 | 64kb | LK3 |
| 27C1001 | 128kb | LK1 + LK6 |
| 27C2001 | 256kb | LK3 + LK6 |
RAM7, a French hardware developer, created a device to hack CPC Plus cartridges.
Pictures
- GX4000 cartridges
Inside view of a CPC+ cartridge
Inside view of a CPC+ cartridge
Demonstration System
Amstrad released a Demonstration system for his retailer in order to show GX4000 games: the Amstrad CSD.
It was a 464plus motherboard, with an extra "daughter board) allowing the insertion of 12 games cartridges, plus an extra special cartridge acting as an OS.
- Some photos of Amstrad Expo 90
Courtesy of Amstrad.cpc.free.fr