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General Category => General Discussion - Introductions => Topic started by: hyperfan on 22:36, 02 February 17

Title: What cpc to use
Post by: hyperfan on 22:36, 02 February 17
Hi guys


Getting back into amstrad after a long break.


Is a 6128 with the hxc considerd the best games setup?
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 23:42, 02 February 17
If you are talking about completely unmodified machines, a 6128 with external tape player will let you play almost everything. The Plus range is very cool but the 464 does not have a floppy drive controller or port and the 6128 does not have tape port. If you are talking about modded machines, a 464 Plus upgraded to a 6128 is very nice, although you may run in to some compatibility problems with programs developed for the classic range. You could also add a tape port to a 6128 Plus, but the internal tape deck of the 464 Plus is more reliable. My workhorse is a modded 464 Plus  :) .
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: roudoudou on 08:25, 03 February 17
Is it justified to use tapes whereas all games exists in DSK/HFE ?



Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 00:16, 05 February 17
Only if you like them. It is as justified as using a real floppy drive instead of an HxC, I guess  :D
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: AMSDOS on 09:34, 06 February 17
I thought the best games setup would be a GX4000 with one of those hardware add-ons that I can no longer see on the forum or wiki.  ???
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 09:49, 06 February 17
As far as I know, the C4CPC is available  :) . The problem I see with the console, however, is that there is only a certain amount of games that have been converted, mainly arcades. It would be pretty impossible to play certain genres with it, like adventures.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: Skunkfish on 10:13, 06 February 17
If you're looking to buy a CPC to play some classics + latest releases then a 6128 & a HxC (or GoTek) drive is a great starting point.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: roudoudou on 13:04, 06 February 17
Quote from: ||C|-|E|| on 00:16, 05 February 17
Only if you like them. It is as justified as using a real floppy drive instead of an HxC, I guess  :D


Tape loading always upset me back in the days...


Especially when you have to wait for a loading screen, before the game loading...


The only prod who can motivate me to buy a 464 is Breaking Bauds  ;D


When i talked about DSK/HFE, i also mean use real floppy (as DSK/HFE is the "master" to create a real floppy from the huge internet resources). I do not have 40.000 real floppy  :o
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 13:24, 06 February 17
Tapes annoyed me like crazy back in the days too. Actually, I never owned a 464 in the 80s but a 6128 with external tape deck. However, now I kind of like them just for nostalgic reasons. I have all my software in the HxC but, from time to time, I load games from real tapes just because I feel like doing. I like to buy original tape games too. When I was a kid the tape deck was useful because it was way easier to find tape games and they were also half the price. Besides, almost all my friends had a 464  :) .
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: Dagger on 13:38, 06 February 17
I'm the same, just love loading up the tapes and waiting for them to load. I have a 6128 with hxc, 6128, 6128+, 464+ and 2 664's but I always find my self using the 464 standard. Nostalgia is a lovely feeling.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 14:10, 06 February 17
You have a couple of 664?  :D It is the only Amstrad I do not have!  :laugh:
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: Dagger on 18:44, 06 February 17

Got an English one and a Schneider :)

Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 20:28, 06 February 17
Look at you  :D
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: chinnyhill10 on 02:20, 08 February 17
6128 with HxC is the ideal daily runner. Then get a 464 for the weekends.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: keith56 on 04:37, 08 February 17
I have 3 machines at the moment

1. 6128 with internal HXC
2. 6128+ with External HXC and C4CPC
3 GX4000

I have to agree with previous commenters, that the 6128 with HXC is the one to go for as an all round machine, as I can use an external tape with the 6128 for my cassette games, and most games do not need the Plus features.

I would like to get a 464 at some point, partially for nostalgia as it was what I owned in the day, and for development to test on the 64k hardware.

On the subject of the HXC, During Dev of my last game there was a nasty bug in the code which was wiping the disk, I solved it thanks to the external HxC's LCD which showed a "W" at the moment the disk was being incorrectly written - I dread to think how long it would have taken to solve on the 6128 which does not have the LCD display.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: chinnyhill10 on 00:12, 09 February 17
Quote from: keith56 on 04:37, 08 February 17

On the subject of the HXC, During Dev of my last game there was a nasty bug in the code which was wiping the disk, I solved it thanks to the external HxC's LCD which showed a "W" at the moment the disk was being incorrectly written - I dread to think how long it would have taken to solve on the 6128 which does not have the LCD display.


I've always said the external HxC is a better investment as it can be used with other machines as well as your CPC.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: ||C|-|E|| on 00:42, 09 February 17
Indeed, it is one of the greatest additions along with the C4CPC if you have a Plus  :)
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: simondo on 09:59, 09 February 17
With the departure of Toto / Centpourcent for memory expansion, then unless you can track down a DK'tronics 64k RAM expansion, a CPC6128 or 6128plus with a HXC device is the way to go.


If you can get a memory expansion then a CPC464 and DDI-3 from Piotr is quite economical compared to to CPC6128s which are circa £200 on Ebay right now. I have also seen a couple of DDI-1 interfaces on Ebay which, with some modification, can be used with a HXC device. 


If you can change the CPC464 OS ROM to 6128 either internally or externally then there is very little difference between a CPC464 and CPC6128.


My setup:
CPC464 with 464 and 6128 OS ROM, DK'tronics 64k RAM expansion, DDI-3.


Edit: and of course my newly repaired 3" drive from Bryce!


Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: Bryce on 11:03, 09 February 17
I saw a 6128 on ebay (Germany) last week which ended without a single bid. Starting price was €69.

Regarding Memory expansions: When Mr Palmer releases his 2MB expansion, we will all have more than enough memory: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/2-mega-byte-memory-expansion/ (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/2-mega-byte-memory-expansion/)

Bryce.
Title: Re: What cpc to use
Post by: keith56 on 11:23, 09 February 17
perhaps this is of interest? it's still showing for sale, 70 euros

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?89645-CPC-6128-CRTC-4-Spanish-Layout
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