Spectrum +3 differences.

[Gryzor]

Although I suspect (based on the solutions they came up with), that some of the hardware designers came from a radio/analogue background and had no significant microcomputer experience. 

If you read on Amstrad's history (Sugar's biographies and autobiography, that is) you'll see that this is true; Sugar used to drag with him old acquaintances and employees and this was a specific problem - business went past his engineers' abilities.

[Bryce]

I didn't know that (haven't read any Sugar books). I just think it's really funny, that you you can actually see this in the physical product. There's a huge difference between analogue and digital design. Everything right down to the chosen components, circuit solutions and even the PCB track layout is done differently in analogue. The first time I took a close look at the 16K/48K I thought, oh, radio engineers The strange thing is, you can see from version to version how things were "cleaned up" by experienced digital designers. Although certain things remained until the end.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Oh yes. And this trend was not only evident with Amstrad's computers but with earlier products (think stereo towers), too.

I find it quite natural, in a sales-oriented organization. At least they did manage to deliver good, sturdy products in the end.

PS the other day I saw a digital TV tuner bearing the Amstrad logo. Specs were quite nice and it looked good. A pity my TV has a digital tuner in it

[dragon]

In the spectrum case the spectrum 16k was designed by Richard Altwasser,He work in a metal company installing industrial robots and designing instrumentacion equipment.Before go to sinclair.Curiosity,after jupiter ace.He work in amstrad 86-92 But it forgot that work in sinclair XD.

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/richardaltwasser

In amstrad case,the 6502 is made for a couple of guys who had no idea of computers but had helped to amstrad tvs.But mej electronics exist since 1976.