Former Editor of AA - found!

[MacDeath]

PC1512 was mostly a CGA aka the 4 colours of death (could have Hercules models as well).
But with PC1512 it had a custom 640x200x16 mode that could do for 320x200x16 like an EGA, yet less standard software compatibility speaking.
Some games were PC1512 compliant and would enable the 16 colours modes... most games would only be in normal CGA and suck.
Also power supply was inside the monitor.

Sorry it was a bit out of topic.

[Border_7]

I think Steve has been in Melbourne for a while now, back when they had Issue 100 of AA, I'm pretty sure he was in Australia then as well, unless he comes and goes I suppose.

Indeed he has... It was mentioned in the AA Tribute magazine... he provided some info back then too...

I've posted off a load of questions to him, so we will see how he goes with it all!!

[dcdrac]

yes a good question that, if Amstrad had made a 16 bit machine with a CPC emulator in it does he think it would have been a winner?

[TFM]

Sorry, but a 16 Bit system has not the power to emulate a CPC in 100% speed.

[CraigsBar]

Didn't the Amiga 1200 manage it? Although strictly that was 32 bit

[TFM]

Did it?

[Zoe Robinson]

Sorry, but a 16 Bit system has not the power to emulate a CPC in 100% speed.

Which is why my question posited a hardware compatibility layer like the original PS3's hardware emulation of the PS2 (which basically came down to it having a "PS2 card" in it that ran the PS2 software.

[Carnivius]

Didn't the Amiga 1200 manage it? Although strictly that was 32 bit

There was a CPC emulator?   I had a Spectrum emulator on my A1200.  Can't remember exactly why.  I think I was bulk buying a bunch of Public Domain software and just needed to fill up the order for the discount delivery or something.   Still it was interesting.

[MacDeath]

Perhaps some 16/32 bit system could provided they have some co-CPU.
I'm thinking about the Sega Megadrive with its auxiliary Z80.

Some Atari ST may also work as the soundchip wouldn't really be emulated and this could perhaps help, but to emulate a 4mhz system with only 8mhz may still be quite tricky.
Also the CPC and its video circuit able of great fullscreens may not be too easy on most older systems.

[ervin]

I emulated a CPC on my Amiga back in the day.
I had an A1200 with an overclocked 68060 running at 66Mhz.

Emu-CPC 0.7 ran CPC emulation at 85 to 90% of full speed, if memory serves me correctly (though it was a long time ago).
It was actually what got me back into the CPC, after a long hiatus!

[TFM]

Which is why my question posited a hardware compatibility layer like the original PS3's hardware emulation of the PS2 (which basically came down to it having a "PS2 card" in it that ran the PS2 software.

Right, and it would make sense here too. I remember there were computers with a Z80 and an 8088/8086 to be able to run CP/M and MS-DOS back the day. 

[Carnivius]

Which is why my question posited a hardware compatibility layer like the original PS3's hardware emulation of the PS2 (which basically came down to it having a "PS2 card" in it that ran the PS2 software.

Anything extra like that is considered an unnecessary luxury of sorts and is why it was one of the first things to get taken away early on in the PS3's lifespan.  I was annoyed when it happened and the PS3 I bought lacked the PS2 playback  but eventually the PS2 games I still wanted to keep ended up on the online store and I sold my useless disc versions and went with the digital (like I do with almost everything these days anyways).  Is nice having a lil PS2 folder of games on my PS3 (and got a folder of PS1 on there too).

[TFM]

I emulated a CPC on my Amiga back in the day.
I had an A1200 with an overclocked 68060 running at 66Mhz.

Emu-CPC 0.7 ran CPC emulation at 85 to 90% of full speed, if memory serves me correctly (though it was a long time ago).
It was actually what got me back into the CPC, after a long hiatus!

That's about a factor of 1:20. And that makes sense. 

[Zoe Robinson]

Anything extra like that is considered an unnecessary luxury of sorts and is why it was one of the first things to get taken away early on in the PS3's lifespan.

Yes it's a luxury but Amstrad has form on adding in extra cards to pull in extra capabilities on their computers. Remember the Amstrad Mega-PC? It was a 386 SX/25 (a system that was hilariously out of date when the Mega-PC launched but hell, I bought one anyway) with an entire Mega Drive built into it.

[Carnivius]

Yes it's a luxury but Amstrad has form on adding in extra cards to pull in extra capabilities on their computers. Remember the Amstrad Mega-PC? It was a 386 SX/25 (a system that was hilariously out of date when the Mega-PC launched but hell, I bought one anyway) with an entire Mega Drive built into it.

Yeah but the Mega Drive was still a hugely popular and money-making machine at the time.  Losing ground to the slightly more recent SNES but still doing big business.   They likely thought of playing Sega exclusive games such as Sonic the Hedgehog on a 'PC' was gonna be a big draw.

[Border_7]

Quick update - Steve has the list of questions and is working through it, should have answers and everything very soon... should be a good read!!!

[Border_7]

Drumroll.............................................................

Steve Carey - CPCWiki

Interview up! 

[robcfg]

Amazing work!


The interview is nice, thank you very much!

[Border_7]

No worries! 

[AMSDOS]

Unsure if Pat McDonald had any other programs besides the Sprite Editor, Typewriter & Module Designer, though people with nice enough to improve things like the Spite Editor or correct the bug in Typewriter    The Module Designer was more of a case of missing some lines which was corrected in AA49, don't know why I haven't check that program out yet since I like his Sprite Editor & Typewriter is useful, even though it's not ROM friendly, which is probably why it was replaced with Typecheck by Simon Forrester(?) in later issues.


How could you not like a bit of code like WHILE AAFOLDED=0

[Zoe Robinson]

Drumroll.............................................................

Steve Carey - CPCWiki

Interview up! 

Brilliant interview. He dodged my question ( [size=78%]) but it was brilliant nevertheless. Thank you for sharing it. [/size]

[remax]

Yes it's a luxury but Amstrad has form on adding in extra cards to pull in extra capabilities on their computers. Remember the Amstrad Mega-PC? It was a 386 SX/25 (a system that was hilariously out of date when the Mega-PC launched but hell, I bought one anyway) with an entire Mega Drive built into it.

Lucky you, at the time it was a dream for me! (even if i totally agree with you about the spec, but it was a few month before my 486DX266, i was on a PC3086, on a 86 processor (yeah not even a 286) at a blasting 8mhz).

[Border_7]

Brilliant interview. He dodged my question ( [size=78%]) but it was brilliant nevertheless. Thank you for sharing it. [/size]

He's a bit of a cheeky bugger! Then again, aren't all Brits?

[AMSDOS]

He's a bit of a cheeky bugger! Then again, aren't all Brits?

I got the impression he was an Aussie.


Should of asked for an Photo of him now just in case I bumped into him on the Street! 

[Border_7]

I think he thinks he's an aussie now! He will always be a British import!

If you google image Dr Steve Carey...

He's written books too:

How to Get a Job in Publishing: A Really Practical Guide to Careers in Books and Magazines by Alison Baverstock, Steve Carey and Susannah Bowen (Apr 1, 2008)
How to Save Your Life: Sack Your Boss, Start Your Own Business, Find Your Passion by Steve Carey and Susannah Bowen (Oct 31, 2009)