Plus

Introduction to the Plus range

Spanish Amstrad 6128 Plus
Custom Airbrushed 6128 Plus

In 1990 Amstrad introduced the "Plus" range which tweaked the hardware in many ways and added a cartridge slot to all models. The Plus included the 464 Plus, 6128 Plus and a cut down Plus without the keyboard nor support for non-cartridge media was released simultaneously as the GX4000 video game console. All of the range included a cartridge slot and additional hardware improvements.

Most improvements were to the video display which saw an increase in palette to 4096 colours and gained the capability of hardware sprites. Splitting the display into two separate windows and pixel scrolling both became full supported hardware features although both were possible on the non-"Plus" hardware using clever programming of the existing Motorola 6845. An automatic DMA transfer system for feeding the sound chip was also added but the sound chip itself remained unchanged. Additionally, the BASIC command set for disc access was improved.

These models did not do very well in the marketplace, failing to attract any substantial third party support. The 8-bit technology behind the Plus was starting to look a little out of date by 1990 and users resented the substantial price hike for cartridge games compared to their tape and disc counterparts. However, the Plus machines did sell well in France where Amstrad still had a large following due to the success of the classic CPC range there.

The range was officially titled as 'Amstrad 464 Plus', 'Amstrad 6128 Plus' and 'GX4000' and the 'CPC' (standing for Colour Personal Computer) abbreviation used in the older generation was dropped. However, many Amstrad users refer to the Plus range as 'CPC Plus' or 'CPC+' due to the inherent similarities of the two ranges.

The GX4000 Games Console

Amstrad GX4000

The GX4000 is a game console based on a 6128 Plus without a floppy controller or keyboard (although it is actually possible to modify one, add a floppy controller and a keyboard and use it as a Plus). It was delivered with two game paddles (as the ones delivered with the Plus models) and Burnin' Rubber on cartridge (without BASIC).

The GX4000 was Amstrad's attempt to gain some share in the home game console market, then dominated by the likes of Nintendo and Sega. Like others before it, and like others after it, it failed abysmally in its goal. Despite the fact that the hardware was decent (after all the CPC+ series were some of the very best 8-bit computers ever designed), it was a case of 'too little, too late'. Lack of CPC+ specific software, lack of marketing effort and bad timing meant that Amstrad's adventure in the home market was about to end.

GX4000 Differences compared to 464 or 6128 Plus

The master clock is 39.9Mhz (approx) instead of 40Mhz for the 464/6128 Plus. The Arnold V specification indicates this is to give a better picture. This means the GX4000 is 0.25% slower than a 464 or 6128 Plus but should have a better picture.

The pause button on the GX4000 is mapped to the P button on the CPC keyboard. Other than this the 2 digital joysticks are connected, all other keys are not connected.

There is a difference in the wiring schematics on the ADC inputs where the ASIC senses the computer configuration.

The following are not connected on GX4000 so the associated inputs are not defined (possibly high):

   * Printer (data and strobe)
   * Keyboard lines 0,1,2,4,5,7,8
   * FDC
   * FDD motor
   * Cassette read, write, motor
   * The signals /ROMEN, ROMDIS, /RAMRD, RAMDIS, CRTC CURSOR, EXP, Printer BUSY

When a system cartridge is inserted (this has been verified with a yellow and a green labelled system cartridge), the copyright message and a Ready prompt is displayed. If the fire buttons or directions are pressed on the first digital joystick you see X,Z and the arrows displayed, the same as if you had pressed these buttons on a 464/6128 Plus or CPC. Pressing Pause displays "P".

Accessing the Plus hardware improvements

The Plus and GX4000 cartridges access the Plus hardware improvements, but specific software can be created using the extra features without the need of cartridge hardware (contrary as it was claimed by Amstrad in 1991). The extra features are not locked by a hardware mechanism but only by a special 17 bytes-length sequence send to the CRTC. So, it's possible for everyone to create his/her own software on the Plus, using the extra features available through a 16kb ASIC I/O page. Except the extra-features, the 464 and 6128 Plus machines are almost fully compatible with the classic CPC generation. Some minor differences are noticeable in emulated components (PPI, CRTC, Gate Array Gate Array) and in the interrupt mechanism in vectorised mode.

For details about the Plus/GX4000 hardware features, see Arnold V Specs Revised.

Software

Graphic utilities

To complete... See Applications for exact words

Music software

Soundtracker DMA by Zik of Futur's

To complete with software able to use dma sound playlist... See Applications for exact words

Libraries

B-ASIC (Logon System)

Operating Systems

FutureOS (only in german)

Games

Non-cartridge games

Aigle D'or: Le Retour
Best Of The Best - Championship Panza Gold Edition Karate/Kick Boxing Gold Edition (Loriciels) (1991)
Burger Party (Futur's) - horizontal shoot'em up
Call &BD10'n'oeuf (Fenyx Kell) - released for the Amstrad Expo 2005 Contest
DDay
Fluff (Radical Software)
Frogger (Executioner)
Jet Set Willy Plus - Manic Miner 3 Plus (Andy Cadley) - remakes of 3 CPC classics for the CPC Plus
Prehistorik 2 (Titus Software)
Space Gun (Ocean)
Stryker and the Crypts of Trogan (Codemasters) - enhanced for Plus
Wildfire (Game in development for the CPC plus)

Cartridges released for the GX4000

Vaporwares

Said to have actually existed and even reviewed in some specialised press :

Games patched for the Amstrad CPC Plus

The following Amstrad CPC games have been patched for the Amstrad CPC Plus to take advantage of its extended colour palette:

Cybernoid II Plus
FIFA World Cup 2006 (based on World Cup Soccer: Italia '90)
Solomon's Key Plus
Rick Dangerous Plus
Operation Wolf Plus
Rick dangerous 128+ - Extended and enhanced for Plus

Bootlegs

Lately (as of May 2007) several instances of bootleg cartridges have appeared. These are not original releases and, although they could run without any problems, caution should be exercised when buying. What is more, their collectible/historical value is doubtful. For more details, see here

Included in Delivery

464 Plus

The computer itself, incl. built-in Datacorder
System Cartridge with AMSDOS(the Plus series were actyakky the first Amstrad machines to have the OS on a removable medium, as opposed to on-chop built-in OSes; nevertheless, this was not that bad as cartidge loading is instantaneous), Locomotive BASIC 1.1 and the game Burnin' Rubber
1 Paddle
CPC464plus/CPC6128plus manual
Game manual
Either an Amstrad MM12 Monochrome Monitor or an Amstrad CM14 Colour Monitor

6128 Plus

The computer itself, incl. built-in 3" disk drive
System Cartridge with AMSDOS (the Plus series were actually the first Amstrad machines to have the OS on a removable medium, as opposed to on-chop built-in OSes; nevertheless, this was not that bad as cartidge loading is instantaneous, Locomotive BASIC 1.1 and the game Burnin' Rubber
System Disk with CP/M Plus and utilities, identical disk for all countries
1 Paddle
464plus/6128plus manual
Game manual
Either an Amstrad MM12 Monochrome Monitor or an Amstrad CM14 Colour Monitor