Good Morrow All

[Sidney]

Hi There, I'm a long term gamer of 30 years plus standing but believe it or not I've never owned an Amstrad computer! (unless you count the Zx spectrum 128k+2 which was my first machine!) I know thats probably not the best thing to say on a CPC forum but the CPC does play a big role in my gaming history as it was home to one of my first computer game experiences.


You see I had a school friend who lived about 200 yards from the school who owned a CPC 464 and we would play everyday in our lunch hour and when we were skipping school. I remember him obliterating me on the CPC version of Matchday (mind you he insisted on me using cursors to his joystick!) I did get better eventually beating him on it and my Spectrum version! In 87 I remember many keenly fought battles on Matchday 2 on both CPC and Speccy which I edged overall!


I liked the CPC but the overall cost of the package with monitor etc was considered a bit too steep and unjustifiable by my folks so it was a choice between Speccy and C64, back then I went with the Speccy and the rest is history. I eventually got a C64 then an Amiga and since then every console and computer known to man but strangely not a CPC, for years- every time I considered it that bloody monitor requirement scuppered the deal!


Right now I think I've got more or less everything that I could ever want for the Spectrum and C64 but I miss the buzz and simple thrill of 8 bit game collecting, so much so that I bought a C16 and Acorn Electron to regain that buzz, I love both those machines and I have left it criminally late in my gaming life discovering them- in fact those great little underdog systems have some fine games and interesting quirks that I have come to love nearly as much as the Speccy and C64! However the elephant in the room is as ever the CPC, and right now I just can't justify not having one in my collection any longer so I have taken the plunge and have ordered one from eBay, in fact it is a Schneider model and it has an MP1 with it so maybe I can use it on a TV after all! Most of all it was a good price. I will buy the scart/psu combo next because that is pretty much a necessity. So now I'm waiting for the eBay seller to get it to me and I have a heck of a lot of catching up to do but i'm really looking forward to it. I will let you know how I get on with it---Fingers crossed etc! I will also be visiting here regularly for info-help and advice (if you don't mind of course!!)

[Dagger]

Welcome. I also used to  have a few battles with my bother and a work colleague on Matchday 2. I got good on the keys and keyboard so there was no advantage. Thought this was one of the best footy games at the time until I got Kick Off on the Amiga. I picked up a couple of speccy's with loads of games to play around with but did not enjoy them at all and have recently sold most of it. The C16 was a good machine - my first computer. I still have a plus 4 around. They were good for learning basic programming as you had 60k to play with but no sprites.

[keith56]

Welcome to the forum!

I've done the same as you with the 8 bit systems, but in reverse! I started off with the CPC, and spread out to the C64,Spectrum and MSX... I have to say of all the systems I own the CPC is my favourite

I take it the Schneider you've ordered is a 464? did it come with any games?

if your looking for a way to do without a monitor, if you need an alternative to scart this may be worth a look:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Genuine-GBS8200-Channel-Converter/dp/B012W1Z8CE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493193699&sr=8-1&keywords=vga+arcade
you can wire it up to the din plug, then use any VGA monitor - that's what I do in japan where there are no scart leads - you'll need a 5V 2A PSU for it

Please show us some pics when you have it up and running - and don't hesitate to ask questions, everyone on here is very helpful!

[Sidney]

Thanks Guys, it's nice to be here! It finally arrived and after a bit of a with the post and then with the setting up (the mp1 didn't like two tv's I tried-3rd was the charm!) I finally got going, it comes with Batman the Movie which I love on every system I've played it on,1943 which I have a fondness for and Back to the Future 2. I managed to find a Mastertronic flip tape which has Nonamed for the CPC and the Speccy so I had a go on that too. 1943 is well up to the other conversions Amiga included and Batman looks to me to be the best 8bit version I've seen. All in all a good start!!




I have to say I am enjoying it immensely and I kick myself for waiting so long! Having said that I throw myself into each new retro system I buy and swiftly pick up games and magazines for it. I have already ordered a PSU and scart combo from cool novelties because whilst it's great to get up and running with the mp1 I feel the system deserves the crystal clear clarity I always associate with the CPC.
The channel converter Keith mentioned is also a possibility too if the scart doesn't cut it. Oh and yes Keith- in answer to your question : it is a Schneider CPC 464, are these versions of the CPC common in the Uk?
Also what joystick standard does the machine accept is it Atari standard or Amstrad's own?
Cheers Guys

[VincentGR]

Welcome aboard.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Welcome aboard.


The joysticks are pretty much Atari standard. It'll also work with a sega master system controller as well. I think it works with a mega drive one too but the fire buttons are mapped to select and start which is a real pain in the ass.


Ah my CPC464 gave me many years of service. Only recently discovering the delights of the additional 64k of ram on some of the games, I'm feeling 12 years old all over again as I just got my mits on a 6128plus.


Have a look around for CDT images and download a program called playTZX, hook up a tape recorder to the line out of your sound card into the line in of your tape recorder and record to tape. Don't have the volume either too high or too low, and you'll boost your collection in no time 😃


Enjoy!

[Sidney]

Thank you Vincent




@Shaun- Thankyou for the advice- tremendously helpful. I have a couple of sticks and they will be put to use. It's fantastic that you can use a Master System pad, that's another system I love and I have a joypad or two knocking around! That tape advice is great to know too, I'm going to enjoy getting to know the CPC!

[Shaun M. Neary]

Thank you Vincent




@Shaun- Thankyou for the advice- tremendously helpful. I have a couple of sticks and they will be put to use. It's fantastic that you can use a Master System pad, that's another system I love and I have a joypad or two knocking around! That tape advice is great to know too, I'm going to enjoy getting to know the CPC!

The SMS pad was also amazing because of its length. A lot of joysticks were way too short of you were hooking up the CPC to a TV. Although I couldn't go back to tapes after all this time, I do miss the CPC464's screech. Used to miss it when a mate was loading his 464plus too.

[mr_lou]

Welcome to the site!

Sounds like you have a lot of great stories you could tell. Maybe you could author an issue of 8-bit Memoirs (see signature) some day in the future. 

[Shaun M. Neary]

Welcome to the site!

Sounds like you have a lot of great stories you could tell. Maybe you could author an issue of 8-bit Memoirs (see signature) some day in the future. 

Hah! I never got asked! 
*sits in the corner and sulks*

[mr_lou]

Hah! I never got asked! 
*sits in the corner and sulks*

I'm encouraging just about anyone to write their 8-bit memoirs. I'm hoping my first issue will motivate other authors to get started, and thus result in a bunch of future issues.
Anyone can use the label, as long as a few rules are followed, such as writing in English, and of course writing primarily about the 8-bit stuff. One important rule is that the whole thing must be freely available in some form. (Like in my case, I'm making the Blu-ray ISO file freely downloadable, while also offering a way to buy a disc).
So if you'd like to share your stories, go right ahead and get started.  (But be prepared that it'll take a few years).
Once you're done, we'll see what issue number your stories will have.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Cool.
Blu-Ray is a bit of an odd format though, isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I like it, I just don't know a lot of people in the UK who have BD drives in their machines unless they have Playstations. The blank media and the drives became way too expensive for a media that didn't take off as well as it should due to the streaming factor coming into play. Opinion aside, I think it's an interesting project. How many articles are you thinking? Word count, etc? I've been a proud owner of a CPC from 86-97, and again recently, but I've also played enough Speccy, C64 and Vic 20 games in other peoples houses to write bits on too. 

[mr_lou]

Cool.
Blu-Ray is a bit of an odd format though, isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I like it, I just don't know a lot of people in the UK who have BD drives in their machines unless they have Playstations. The blank media and the drives became way too expensive for a media that didn't take off as well as it should due to the streaming factor coming into play. Opinion aside, I think it's an interesting project. How many articles are you thinking? Word count, etc? I've been a proud owner of a CPC from 86-97, and again recently, but I've also played enough Speccy, C64 and Vic 20 games in other peoples houses to write bits on too. 

Yes, you can call Blu-ray a bit of an odd format, but there are a number of reasons why I chose to go with Blu-ray. The biggest reason is that I want the project to be watchable 30 years from now without me having done any maintenance on it whatsoever. I'm sure Blu-ray lets me do this, and I'm also sure it's impossible do achieve with a website. It's essentially an eBook, and I strongly feel that books ought to exist in some kind of static form. One that doesn't change. And considering that this is an eBook with music and video, Blu-ray was pretty much the only option in my opinion.

But Blu-ray is just the firmat I've chosen for my issue #1. Each author is free to chose whatever platform he wants. Like for example, if you want to make an Amstrad CPC DSK file, then that's fine too. Or an old fashioned paper printed book? Fine too. Each author picks his own target platform. As long as it's can exist in a freely downloadable version too, like e.g. a DSK file or a PDF.
So you're free to do pretty much what you want. It's up to the readers to acquire whatever target platform the author chooses - if they're interested enough.
ePub3 is another option. Can contain music and video too.

As for Blu-ray, more people own a Blu-ray player than you'd think. If not in the form of a standard player, then they have a PS3, PS4 or XB1. And if not, then you can always play the ISO file with a software media player like VLC or PowerDVD. I just personally prefer playing it from disc, reading comfortably from the couch rather than in front of the computer. The disc is also my backup. A playable backup, but still a backup. Stays on the shelf for decades while computers and tablets comes and goes.

As for word-count.... my issue #1 contains about 60 stories, equivalent to about 250 pages (plus illustrations and screenshots). But I'm not expecting other authors to write that much. I'd say about 10 stories would be fine.

I suppose I should look into publishing the guidelines I've written about it all, so we can stop hijacking this thread. 


EDIT: Guidelines for authors
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/other-retro/project-'8bit-memories'-collections-of-our-retro-memories/msg144465/#msg144465

[Sidney]

Thanks again Shaun, the Master System pads are very versatile, I think I have used them on more or less all my systems (at least the compatible ones!!) at one time or another and they are pretty good and reliable. Does anyone know if Atari 7800 pads are Amstrad compatible because I have that system and like its Joypads too.


@mr Lou-  I certainly have a few tales to tell of my many years of games playing across a multitude of systems!

[Shaun M. Neary]

Thanks again Shaun, the Master System pads are very versatile, I think I have used them on more or less all my systems (at least the compatible ones!!) at one time or another and they are pretty good and reliable. Does anyone know if Atari 7800 pads are Amstrad compatible because I have that system and like its Joypads too.

 


I know the joysticks were, but the trackball ran into problems. You can always just plug em in and test em in basic. If they bring back arrow keys and an X for fire, you're on to a winner. Worst case scenario is they won't respond.

[Sidney]

Thanks Shaun,  I will have a try with them. Just a quick one- I know that some 8bit machines have issues with various pads and sticks that were originally intended for other machines (I'm thinking mainly of the Commodore 16 and Plus 4 machines when I say that as I know some controllers that had auto fire, extra buttons etc could potentially fry the Ted chip) I'm guessing the CPC doesn't have issues of that type?

[Shaun M. Neary]

Thanks Shaun,  I will have a try with them. Just a quick one- I know that some 8bit machines have issues with various pads and sticks that were originally intended for other machines (I'm thinking mainly of the Commodore 16 and Plus 4 machines when I say that as I know some controllers that had auto fire, extra buttons etc could potentially fry the Ted chip) I'm guessing the CPC doesn't have issues of that type?

I don't know for sure to be honest, but any joysticks I ever plugged in either worked or just didn't respond. Never did any damage to my old 464 in all the time I've had it anyway. 

[Sidney]

Excellent! That's good enough for me, Thanks