PCW kit

[Token]

I can't found my battery charger, I hope I can make new one soon, this is old photos I took the day I got the mainboard 

[Token]

I don't think the autoboot.hfe works with PCWs. It's probably best just to load one converted CPM-Boot disk for the PCW to the sd card. Then start the PCW and press the next button one time to jump to this image and wait a bit.

I myself have an HxC with LCD and it works well with the CPC (without autoload.hfe). I don't know about the double step, but I can't imagine that it is needed, as the PCW format is the same as the CPC.

(and a last question: do you convert the dsk files to hfe files with Del Nero's Windows software? Sorry for the question, but you never mentioned this. I just want to make sure we can rule out the simple mistakes.)

Thanks again MaV! I'm very new with the hxc, I was happy that I managed to make it work on my CPC


I use HxCFloppyEmulator 2.0.20.1 / Del Nero's Windows software

[Token]

I don't think the autoboot.hfe works with PCWs. It's probably best just to load one converted CPM-Boot disk for the PCW to the sd card. Then start the PCW and press the next button one time to jump to this image and wait a bit.

There's only one button on the slim version on the hxc floppy emulator. I did format the SDcard again, just put the HLE version of CP/M plus (converted from a DSK that work in the CP/M Box emulator)
So I know it should boot. But there's no beep when I press the hxc button then. I added HXCSDFE.CFG, the same. I have a beep when I put AUTOBOOT.HFE.
So I'll try what you do on the CPC first.

[MaV]

So I know it should boot. But there's no beep when I press the hxc button then. I added HXCSDFE.CFG, the same. I have a beep when I put AUTOBOOT.HFE.
So I'll try what you do on the CPC first.

There's a misunderstanding. The HXCSDFE.CFG file should always be copied first after formatting, then follow the other files.

[Token]

Thank you. I forgot that. So first HLE file that is copied on the sdcard is slot 0, then second is slot 1 etc
I did the test without autoboot.hle. As it is CPC tool anyway. That's also why I was wondering how you loaded a file since PCW.


I'll try again later. It didn't work on PCW and CPC this way since my slim hxc. But I had a beep. But always only one when I pressed the button (even with more HLE files) like there's only 1 slot.
I formatted 2 times, CPC then PCW.


CPC with just 0:HXCSDFE.CFG 1:CPCGAME.HLE
PCW with just 0: HXCSDFE.CFG 1:CPM.HLE
(SDcard FAT32)

[Munchausen]

I think you need to either:


Edit HXCSDFE.CFG so that it chooses CPM.HLE at startup. But that doesn't look simple (you need to use a hex editor). And you will lose the setting as soon as you change disk images (unless you change back to CPM.HLE before you reboot).


Or you could configure the HXC to autoboot (using the windows tool... I guess you already have it configured like that though), and rename CPM.HLE to AUTOBOOT.HFE on the SD card so that it gets booted instead of the normal autoboot selector image. Looks like this can be problematic too though, Jeff says here that he is going to make a new bootup mode to support this, but I don't know if he ever did.


BTW, if you want to use the HxC without the autoboot.hfe on the CPC I think you might have to disable autoboot using the windows tool and copy the new HXCSDFE.CFG onto the SD card.

[Token]

Nice tricks, thank you


I have to test a 3" to see if that mainboard really works, if the monitor is well connected... I might solder the keyboard soon.


Rename cpm.hle to autoboot.hle indeed worked (of course I also tried to not use autoboot in the config) but while it read, nothing happen on the monitor, no black lines on the background. I still see a sort of border, much smaller than CPC, almost fullscreen on the GT65-2.


HXCSDFE.CFG is full of 00, it's only few bytes, like 8 that save all the parameters. (since total commander) It's seem's that every bits saved something here


Without the autoboot setted on the cfg, the CPC doesn't see any disk.

[radu14m]

Would it be possible to use a normal cpc6128 ROM in joyce ?
Im thinking of getting a super cpc with 512kb, from a pcw8512

[TFM]

So what's a Joyce? Well compared to the CPC it has no sound and no color. So it's a step back. CPUs in CPC and PCW word at the same speed and my 4 MB RAM expansion inside my 6128 keyboard already outnumbers the PCW. Sorry, I like the PCW, but it can't be a CPC replacement imho.

[MaV]

A PCW's but a computing shadow, a poor player
That beeps and prints at office hours upon the desk
And then is seen no more. It's a device
bought by an idiot, bereft of sound and colour,
Signifying nothing.

Shakespeare might hate me for this gush of words (pardon the pun).

If criticising, at least do it in style.

[radu14m]

Hmm....didn"t know that it has no sound and color.
cause i saw some youtube videos with games on it, and they had also sound....



Amstrad PCW 8256 Computer, Games & Batman Footage - YouTube


Or you mean that the quality is bad, and cant be called "sound" ?

[MaV]

Or you mean that the quality is bad, and cant be called "sound" ?

Yes, that's the typical PCW sound. I was quoting TFM.
There also was a prototype AY-soundcard (DK'sound) which is supported by Head over Heels:

Head Over Heels (Amstrad PCW) with DK'Sound - CP/M Box Emulator
The game's sounds and effects in this case are exactly like the CPC version.

[MaV]

Would it be possible to use a normal cpc6128 ROM in joyce ?
Im thinking of getting a super cpc with 512kb, from a pcw8512

Uh, no. The PCW is an entirely different computer.

[Token]

For a unknow reason I got something that worked. Must be a bad contact with the monitor. But I got a weird rendering, an "emboss" effect. I run Batman. And after a time it play music. Cool!


Most of the time I got the intro pic of Batman. Sometime nothing happen on screen.
The game really worked only 1 time. Without the need of the keyboard, I got the Batman menu with the tune and selector. Maybe it's the psu... (hard disk, USB) I should test with 2 psu.


So I must find how to fix the display, I don't use the 4 pins on the mainboard, but 3...






Also, does the keyboard use the led when you power ON the PCW?
At least, does the led is ON if Shift lock key is pressed? (even without disk)

I did a test with a 5V led, it's seems that what I drew on page one
isn't correct. I grab it here http://www.retroisle.com/amstrad/pcw/Technical/Hardware/pcw_keyboard.gif
Edit: it was right..


========
| 1 2 3 4 |


1:5V
2:GND
3:DATA
4:CLOCK


My led for test is ON with 2: as 5V and 1: as ground.

[Token]

As expected the psu was not good enough, it works with two.
Now, i see that Batman menu again, without keyboard the selector go up to down and cycle.
I need to fix keyboard and have a better picture on the screen, maybe the GT65 isn't compatible. I got the same emboss effect I had when trying to connect Atari ST on it. (I posted a photo on the forum with Goldrunner )


Edit, there's a problem with my psu on the mainboard, it's better now with 2 psu, so hxc is alone, but the game doesn't run everytime.
Do you know what psu is required?

[Token]

I did a mistake with the monitor    So now the image is sharp and clear! But there's a problem with the sync, display is oblique. 


Edit: it's a french GT65-2, same problem on my english GT-64 (the cutest    monitor ever)
Now I didn't soldered anything. Dirty/pig (c)fano job!

[Token]

It works with the GT65! 
I did so much mistakes on this, shame!! 
Also it seems it doesn't need pin 4 on the mainboard (GND 2)



It is possible that my psu is strong enough (1,5A : 2 peak), I've many random results but I believe it will works nice when soldered.


I'll try the keyboard soon.
Edit: Now it's less the blind test, I see why I had a lot of beeps before with CP/M, without keyboard it's writing random stuff, probably after 256 chars it's beeping

[TFM]

Hmm....didn"t know that it has no sound and color.
cause i saw some youtube videos with games on it, and they had also sound....



Amstrad PCW 8256 Computer, Games & Batman Footage - YouTube


Or you mean that the quality is bad, and cant be called "sound" ?

Well, just checked out the video. It shows the green screen and the sound is from the beeper. Check out the wiki page for tech specs. 

[Token]

I think the mainboard is faulty, with or without keyboard, chars are wrote on screen on CP/M until the beeps. Also my keyboard cable isn't the original, with the bent connector. (but i tried to bypass it, connecting straight from the small PCB controller inside the case)
I might buy another one tonight. Also I'll use the 5V from the GT65...


As with the Atari ST on the CTM, I had to reduce a lot the light on the green.


Edit: Keyboard works. I'll add shema etc later. For now I just enjoy some games   I'll put this in a small case, and make a second one in the CPC6128 case.


GT65/64 (I've an English and French version) = some games doesn't display every lines, there's no gfx on the low border in "last mission", it's even worse with "Sky war".


CTM = display everything, it's fun too connect R,G or B and combinations.

[Token]

I cleaned the keyboard (8256), there were some deleted keys. (office PCW) I could replace them by some 6128 keys. (french, new logo) I changed the cable as well (it wasn't the original) from an extremely yellow 8512 keyboard.
Cases are a bit expensive, so I had to think of it. I found an old external CD-ROM from a 486 laptop, very dirty too. I took it from my dad several years ago but very nice in the end.

[Munchausen]

awesome! so how did you get the HxC to work in the end?

[Gryzor]

Oh wow, this is really great; never realised the 6128 keycaps are the same...

[Token]

awesome! so how did you get the HxC to work in the end?

It doesn't seem to work well with the "slim" version. MaV can select slots since his HxC. I don't know what's his version. The only thing that worked is your own solution So I have to rename game.hle to autoboot.hle. The alone button on the slim is useless here. Maybe in the future me or others will found a better way to do it since the slim version. I also want to try the Gotek... 

[Token]

Oh wow, this is really great; never realised the 6128 keycaps are the same...

There's a very light difference, you can't even notice. The letters are a little bit different. But "Q" is italic on the PCW. Luckily I only changed letters, A,E,R,T,S,N and left SHIFT.

[Token]

I could play to Starglider (thanks MaV) 
It require you load CP/M first. I decided to read the ... RTFM <3


Ok, it's very simple to use HxC slim with the PCW.


Of course it require HXCSDFE.CFG to be the older file on the SDcard.
Easy to set with Total commander...
Now just get rid off the autoboot.hle


Then enable the "Indexed mode" in the setting.
The first slot must be a file called "DSKA0000.HFE", simply rename that CP/M disc...
Then slot 2, 3 are "DSKA0001.HFE","DSKA0002.HFE"
So rename the games in this format.


Press the button more than a sec to go back to the first slot, et voilà