odd 464

Ynot.zer0 · 22:52, 23 May 11

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AMSTRAD-CPC-464-64K-PC-COMPUTER-GREEN-SCREEN-SPECTRUM-/330568277014?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RL&hash=item4cf7679c16#ht_786wt_1000

I've bid on this, purely to see what on earth has been done to it!!! I can only assume that it's a "cut-n-shut" - the tape deck has been removed and I'm assuming that it was only used with an FD-1 and 3" disc drive?!
nice desk space saving idea... but the most bizarre thing I've ever seen!

Bryce · 23:08, 23 May 11

Ha, seriously cool. That's a "must have", let us know whether you get it.

Bryce.

redbox · 09:42, 24 May 11

Brilliant.

Looks like a cost-down 464...?

"I got me a 3" drive, no need for that... saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!"

arnoldemu · 09:57, 24 May 11

excellent. I actually modified a 464 keyboard to do the very same.
Then I ended up taking it to our local tip.
would be funny if somebody took that and modified it and fixed it

EDIT: The circuit board inside was broken and my mod didn't work quite how I hoped.

MiguelSky · 11:35, 24 May 11

Not only the tape deck was removed but the cursor arrows and numeric pad keys too

A similar work is shown with a 6128 in the RockRiver's page (Restyling link) http://rockriver.tk/

MacDeath · 11:36, 24 May 11

But ? where are the function keys and arrows ?

Not sure if want.
But yep, this looks cute.
What's inside this ? a speccy ?

If one of you gets his hand on this one, this open doors for a proper analyisis...

I saved the picture, in case we should keep it as a prime exemple of silly madness.

This can be some terminal perhaps, but... no arrow keys is bad and fairly not practical.

Perhaps he added a Joypad plug to get the Arrow replaced by a joystick, which could be usefull actually.

I mean, how would you edit text with no arrows keys ?

Would be better with a 6128 thx to compact keyboard.
Or a 6128/464PLUS cut to have a separate keyboard and compact vertical central unit (PC styled).

MiguelSky · 12:52, 24 May 11

Quote from: MacDeath on 11:36, 24 May 11Would be better with a 6128 thx to compact keyboard.

Some on this way?

Image from http://rockriver.tk

MacDeath · 14:07, 24 May 11

Yeah now this is kool...
Just manage to get the CPC664 keyboard colour scheme (classy Blue) and this is complete awesomness.

Gryzor · 14:27, 24 May 11

This is actually very cute! An A600 contender! Wish they had done a better job with the shutting of the case...

steve · 17:16, 24 May 11

MacDeath: Don't look at this.

MacDeath · 18:19, 24 May 11

+1 like.

Ynot.zer0 · 21:24, 30 May 11

Oh well, it went for £1.00 more than I was willing to spend...

I only hope that the buyer posts to the forum / wiki what they finally bought!

steve · 00:25, 31 May 11

Quote from: steve on 17:16, 24 May 11

It would be logical if the spectrum PCB from the case above ended up in the cut down CPC 464.

Gryzor · 06:08, 31 May 11

Heh, there's a guy in a greek forum who says he had bought one from a store, packaged with a tape recorder... ohhhkay...

Just for the fun of it, his post reads:

Quote
This model was marketed with the Radio Shack CCR-81 (U.S.A) tape recorder as a gift, which featured a volume setting, a time counter and a Mic-In (oh the luxury!) so as to allow you to bring the noise down. I had bought it from Kounani's store or the Computer Market, at about half the 464's price

Kounani was a well-known, Amstrad-dedicated store. Computer Market was another central computer shop. And, according to him, the tape recorder amounted for half the CPC's price

Bryce · 08:39, 31 May 11

Did he mention in which particular "Alternative Reality" he was living in at the time? And whether it was a worm-hole or a tear in the space-time-continuum that brought him into our world?

Bryce.

Gryzor · 08:43, 31 May 11

Well, after watching Fringe I am a bit cautious as to what could be possible. Also, when someone I don't know says something with such certainty I like to keep a little doubt in my mind. But this is... I mean, what chances are there there could be an unknown model out there (lots of 'there' in here)?

Gryzor · 08:45, 31 May 11

Btw, this may explain it.

Bryce · 08:57, 31 May 11

Nice picture, in fact I think I can see a short-464 in there on the left (Planet Vaporware I believe) right next to a pile of Duke-Nukem releases

Bryce.

Gryzor · 09:07, 31 May 11

You infidel! 'Tis coming in a week!

But, even if you saw it in the pic it would have probably been swallowed by that black hole by now. So... no go.

Btw, another member of the greek forum just posted saying that stores would sell returned stock (faulty machines within (

) the warranty period) hacked like the one above, maybe with an MP1 as a cheap games machine. Doesn't make much sense to me, and I've never seen one...

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odd 464