| Creator: Matt |
| Date: 2003-03-16 |
Rating:  |
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Description
The CPC6128 was the 1337est computer I've ever had! It was amazingly easy to use because you could use BASIC commands in the command line. I was able to use it at an age of 4 (even before I was able to read and write correctly). The 4MHz Z80 CPU and 128KB of RAM were pretty good for a home computer back then, although better computers already existed. But the CPC was still useful for most important tasks (word processing, games, databases, even graphics design was possible). The best use of the CPC was to learn how write programs. The integrated BASIC was well documented and it doesn't take long to make a few simple programs, Pascal and assembler programs were also possible with additional software. The CPC was also useful for controlling external devices. It had a standard 8bit parallel port which was easy to access and an expansion port with more pins which I'm afraid I never had any devices for and which I never used to control interfaces.
Today the CPC is not being used anymore because a few things got fuxx0red over the years (damaged parallel port, defective keys, floppy motor got worn out).
Specifications
| Manufacturer: | Schneider (Amstrad) |
| Year of build: | 1985 |
| CPU: | 8bit Z80, 4 MHz |
| RAM: | 128 KB |
| Graphics: | 640x200 with 2 , 160x200 with 16 of a total 27 colors |
| Sound: | 3-channel FM Sound with noise generator |
| Storage: | proprietary 3" floppy, tape optional |
| Connectors: | parallel port, expansion eort, secondary floppy, joystick, stereo headphones |
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 | This is the main unit of the CPC. Back then, all the hardware was integrated into the keyboard. On the rear side there was a power supply cable which had to be connected to the monitor. |
 | Proprietary 3" floppy disks with 180 KB of space served as storage media. To access the B side the disk had to be flipped. |
 | With the Schneider MP2 HF modulator the CPC could be used with a TV. Unfortunately there was no composite output so the image quality on the TV was not very good. Since the CPC had an RGB output for the monitor it was possible to connect the CPC to an RGB capable TV using a scart mod. The image quality was as good as on the original monitor. |
 | This cool oldschool joystick was of an incredible quality! It had two fire buttons (which the CPC supported) but both buttons were assigned to button 1. WTF? |
 | The CPC still in action (1996). We used an original Schneider color monitor (looted). The picture quality was pretty good for such an old monitor and far better that the cheaper green monitor. Above the monitor there's the Schneider matrix printer which was extremely slow and printed with an earthquake-like noise. |
 | This eight-channel interface created by some guy called Ingold could be connected to the CPC's parallel port and was a good example for the CPC's ability to control small circuits and machines. |
 | Because the interface was designed for the CPC664 which had no centronics connector an adapter had to be made. Time for !mURx to show his soldering skills. Unfortunately the parallel port was fuxx0red later due to an other interface that was faulty. |
 | The CPC's default OS was a simple BASIC console. However, it was easy to write your own programs which made the CPC an ideal tool for learning. Other OSes could be used as well, for example CP/M on a floppy disk. |
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