Buying a CPC in 2014

[mattl]

So, I really want to get a CPC again. I'm thinking either a 6128 or 6128+ and one of those HxC SD Floppy Emulators.


I'd rather not run a huge CRT monitor, if I could run a regular PC monitor of some kind, but I'm also in the US now so I'm more limited to what might work with the CPC than when I was in the UK.


Is this an possible dream, and am I just going to wind up shipping a huge bulky CRT across the Atlantic.

[CraigsBar]

Well it is possible to rig up a vga screen using an adaptor board. This does however mean that some hardware scrolling hacks are awfully jerky. A normative crt tv is fine so long as you can get one with a scart connector - doubtful in the US. Flat screen tv's also work, but again with the scrolling issues.

[chinnyhill10]

So, I really want to get a CPC again. I'm thinking either a 6128 or 6128+ and one of those HxC SD Floppy Emulators.


I'd rather not run a huge CRT monitor, if I could run a regular PC monitor of some kind, but I'm also in the US now so I'm more limited to what might work with the CPC than when I was in the UK.


Is this an possible dream, and am I just going to wind up shipping a huge bulky CRT across the Atlantic.

No need for a monitor. All you need is a good quality regulated 5v PSU capable of delivering a couple of Amps (such as those sold by RS, not cheap crap from Fleabay) and a CPC SCART lead. In fact this looks like the ticket PSU wise - http://www.thesinclairshop.com/PDF/Amstrad-duel-voltage-psu.pdf


However from there your life will get harder as most American TV's don't have SCART. So you'll need to find a way to get the SCART into your TV. SCART to HDMI converters with upscaling are readily available this side of the Atlantic.

[ralferoo]

You could also use a GBS 8220 if you want to use a normal monitor. They tend to be pretty cheap if you buy from a Chinese seller, should be around $40.

E.g. CGA EGA YUV RGB to VGA Arcade Game Video Converter 2VGA Dual VGA GBS 8220 | eBay or GBS 8220 RGB CGA EGA YUV to VGA Arcade Games HD Video Converter Board ABB | eBay

[CraigsBar]

It all depends on how much you must have that Non jittery image, For example...


Attached are 2 videos, Both taken using my 464plus playing Relentless.


the first one is using the original Monitor, and the 2nd a Scart lead to a tft small screen TV, Notice the Jitter


Original CM14

DSCI0016 - YouTube


SCART TFT TV

DSCI0017 - YouTube

[TotO]

This case is a rare exception.
So, depending of the usage it's not a problem to plug a CPC on a LCD panel.

[arnoldemu]

For power you can use a pc power supply with a suitable lead. May have those on eBay.
For video bryce made a s video adaptor. Do US televisions or monitors take that?

[CraigsBar]

This case is a rare exception.
So, depending of the usage it's not a problem to plug a CPC on a LCD panel.

Well not that rare....


Super Cauldron, Prehistorik 2, Edge Grinder, Relentless, Subhunter all suffer


Pretty much anything recent with sideways scrolling.


Except the following, all of which work fine in my testing


R-Type 128, Dead on Time, Orion Prime, BB4CPC


So I guess it depends on what you want to play / do on your CPC.


Regards
Craig

[Bryce]

Any game / demo that changes the screen frequencies for effects will jitter on anything that isn't 100% analogue. ie: Original monitors and SCART to CRT TV will be fine, any LCD / Plasma / VGA solutions whether SCART or S-Video will jitter.

S-Video is usually standard on US TVs, however my S-Video PCB is PAL only, so it may not be suitable for most US TVs.

Bryce.

[Axelay]

Super Cauldron, Prehistorik 2, Edge Grinder, Relentless, Subhunter all suffer

Subhunter?  What sort of problem did you encounter?  The game uses software scrolling rather than hardware, so cannot suffer from the same problem as Relentless or Edge Grinder on a flat panel display.

[CraigsBar]

Subhunter?  What sort of problem did you encounter?  The game uses software scrolling rather than hardware, so cannot suffer from the same problem as Relentless or Edge Grinder on a flat panel display.

The shark sprites and swimmers have some jiggle/ghosting that looks a bit odd, which does not happen on a CM14. nothing to stop me playing this superb game. If I can find a way of holding the camera phone still enough *and* playing the game I'll try and get a photo. 


Craig

[TotO]

Well not that rare....
Super Cauldron, Prehistorik 2, Edge Grinder, Relentless, Subhunter all suffer Pretty much anything recent with sideways scrolling.

Yes... 5 games over 11000 entries on CPC Power. For me 0.05% is rare.

[CraigsBar]

Yes... 5 games over 11000 entries on CPC Power. For me 0.05% is rare.

I would imagine these recent releases are the ones that will get most game play. With the exception of the occasional classic (Chuckie Egg and Harvey Headbanger) I imagine most people play the recent releases more frequently than the older ones.


These games provide great fun, and a WOW factor that earlier releases do not.


I certainly enjoy those 5 far more than say 90% of the Movie licences, Dizzy or Roland on the ropes.

[CraigsBar]

<snip>
If I can find a way of holding the camera phone still enough *and* playing the game I'll try and get a photo. 

Well Playing with a Konix Speedking whilst balancing a camera did not do anything for my score or playing technique. However you will notice that the faster moving subs, Sharks and some of the swimmers have some weird jiggle and graphical artifacts associated with them, these do not occur on the CM14 or CTM644.


Video at:
YouTube


And 2 images taken out of the video where Ghosting is visible around the sharks.

[TotO]

Sure, you are right about the fact that new productions use those R3 scroll to be more impressive. It's why I said that depend of the people usage.
Not all peoples are interested about those games, so they can plug a CPC to a LCD panel w/o big issues.

[AMSDOS]

Sure, you are right about the fact that new productions use those R3 scroll to be more impressive. It's why I said that depend of the people usage.
Not all peoples are interested about those games, so they can plug a CPC to a LCD panel w/o big issues.

I posted a little program in here which uses that to smooth things out with an ordinary block scroll, I just wondered how that worked out on LCD? I didn't get any feedback regarding it, so I'm assuming it's no good.

[chinnyhill10]

It all depends on how much you must have that Non jittery image, For example...


Attached are 2 videos, Both taken using my 464plus playing Relentless.


the first one is using the original Monitor, and the 2nd a Scart lead to a tft small screen TV, Notice the Jitter

Neither of my CPC's do that with any of my LCD's. You have a badly engineered or faulty TV. The most I have seen is a very minor glitch on some demos and R-Type.

[chinnyhill10]

I would imagine these recent releases are the ones that will get most game play. With the exception of the occasional classic (Chuckie Egg and Harvey Headbanger) I imagine most people play the recent releases more frequently than the older ones.

Gosh, that's a statement and a half! I think I'll leave that to sit there rather than try and explain just how wrong I think it is.

[CraigsBar]

Gosh, that's a statement and a half! I think I'll leave that to sit there rather than try and explain just how wrong I think it is.

I am glad you think it's wrong. That way I get more interesting videos to watch.

[Bryce]

I'm not exactly what you'd call a gamer, but when I do play CPC games it's almost always the older games from back then, nothing new.

Bryce.

[mr_lou]

I definitely prefer a CRT screen, for so many reasons. The nostalgia, the picture, the smooth scrolling. Crisp picture that feels alive.

The LCD screen feels so dry.

But I also have to admit, that both the CPC's I have set up at home, are connected to LCD screens, to save space.

My opinion: A CPC without a CRT screen is not "complete". 
LCD screen is only an acceptable solution to use while waiting for a chance to make your CPC complete. 

I have learned to live with this "incomplete" solution though, because I also appreciate having some space. It's nice to be able to use 1 screen for my PC + my CPC + TV at the same time. My CPC 6128 is placed with behind my PC keyboard. If I didn't have this setup, I wouldn't be using my CPC nearly as much.

So let's put it in code:

Code Select Expand


if (LCD_accepted==HighCPCUsage && CRT_required==LowCPCUsage) OKtoUseLCD = true;


[Token]

I would imagine these recent releases are the ones that will get most game play. With the exception of the occasional classic (Chuckie Egg and Harvey Headbanger) I imagine most people play the recent releases more frequently than the older ones.


These games provide great fun, and a WOW factor that earlier releases do not.

I mainly play the old games on the CPC, and I mean the very old, it's pre-old-school games.
Often it's strange games with unique concept. You don't have to win, you have to hack the rooms. They don't require smooth scrollers to be enjoyable. Also I found most weren't good later with younger hardware, Boulderdash and all the clones... (emerald mine? :grumpycat:) please give me a CPC.

[dcdrac]

Cyberchicken looks great on both the original monitor and my LCD one...great game by the way

[CraigsBar]

Cyberchicken looks great on both the original monitor and my LCD one...great game by the way

seconded. The full retail version is awesome with a symbiface mouse, I cannot wait to hear it with a playcity.

[Axelay]

Well Playing with a Konix Speedking whilst balancing a camera did not do anything for my score or playing technique. However you will notice that the faster moving subs, Sharks and some of the swimmers have some weird jiggle and graphical artifacts associated with them, these do not occur on the CM14 or CTM644.



And 2 images taken out of the video where Ghosting is visible around the sharks.

Well that's some interesting looking visual issue, but I dont know what to make of it.  The game uses a double buffered screen, so that sort of visual 'flicker' on sprites should be impossible.  I can only take a wild guess that your LCD is having issues with the video signal in some way, but I really dont know how.  Have you seen that type of ghosting on any other games?