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#1
Hi all. Just joined.
I've had my CPC464 since the mid 80's when my parents bought us a green screen set up with an MP-1 for when we wanted to go colour and bigger (and the TV wasn't in use). It served me well for many years, getting a dot matrix printer (now gone) with a box of ream paper and some joysticks.
I started buying Amstrad Action to learn more about it but never got further in coding than the stuff in the magazine. I always wanted a Multiface II but that was beyond my means. Frontier Elite was given away on the last issue and that, along with all the Dizzy games, has always been my favourite.
Getting near Christmas one year I asked my dad for an "upgrade" computer. I really wanted to get a 6128 (still do!) but I would imagine that was too hard to find and too expensive, so instead I got an Amiga 500 and that's where that journey started (and never went away).
I got he 464 out every now and then, but for the most part it remained stored away. Recently, though, it came back out and I took it to an Amiga User Groupo meeting, where a fair amount of people had some very nostalgic moments, some of them even having a play with it!
I recently bought a Dk'tronics RAM Expansion off an Amstrad user and I plan to upgrade it to more RAM when I can. No software tape, though, so I've downloaded the .cdt file and am trying to get my hifi tape system to record the sound to tape. Work-in-progress still.
Having bought the special edition Amstrad Addict I discovered that there is a LOT more the old girl can do these days as people have, in the intervening years, delved into what the hardware can really do and worked with it to do fantastic stuff. I got in touch with Duke and ordered an m4 board. I paid for it yesterday (he had 11 other people to build for in the queue in front of me) and it is being shipped out today! Exciting stuff!!
I also got a power lead so I can use it without the green monitor or MP-1 and am trying to get it working on a modern monitor. All in good time, though. My main priority is to get all the aging tapes into digital format for the m4 board.
Anyway, hi all!
Sam / Bifford
I've had my CPC464 since the mid 80's when my parents bought us a green screen set up with an MP-1 for when we wanted to go colour and bigger (and the TV wasn't in use). It served me well for many years, getting a dot matrix printer (now gone) with a box of ream paper and some joysticks.
I started buying Amstrad Action to learn more about it but never got further in coding than the stuff in the magazine. I always wanted a Multiface II but that was beyond my means. Frontier Elite was given away on the last issue and that, along with all the Dizzy games, has always been my favourite.
Getting near Christmas one year I asked my dad for an "upgrade" computer. I really wanted to get a 6128 (still do!) but I would imagine that was too hard to find and too expensive, so instead I got an Amiga 500 and that's where that journey started (and never went away).
I got he 464 out every now and then, but for the most part it remained stored away. Recently, though, it came back out and I took it to an Amiga User Groupo meeting, where a fair amount of people had some very nostalgic moments, some of them even having a play with it!
I recently bought a Dk'tronics RAM Expansion off an Amstrad user and I plan to upgrade it to more RAM when I can. No software tape, though, so I've downloaded the .cdt file and am trying to get my hifi tape system to record the sound to tape. Work-in-progress still.
Having bought the special edition Amstrad Addict I discovered that there is a LOT more the old girl can do these days as people have, in the intervening years, delved into what the hardware can really do and worked with it to do fantastic stuff. I got in touch with Duke and ordered an m4 board. I paid for it yesterday (he had 11 other people to build for in the queue in front of me) and it is being shipped out today! Exciting stuff!!
I also got a power lead so I can use it without the green monitor or MP-1 and am trying to get it working on a modern monitor. All in good time, though. My main priority is to get all the aging tapes into digital format for the m4 board.
Anyway, hi all!
Sam / Bifford
#2
I mean I'm not what I used to be back in the day when it comes to adventures, but I hardly consider this a puzzle...
#3
Applications (CPC and CPC-related) / Re: HDCPM - boot and run CP/M ...
Last post by zhulien - Today at 13:36Fantastic! Especially the device mounting.
#4
F
Technical support - Hardware related / EME-157 drive hooked up to PC/...
Last post by fgasking - Today at 13:02Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone had experience of hooking up a EME-157 drive (taken from a broken 6128 Plus) to a PC or Kyroflux device and if they could advise on the power connection?
I'm aware that there are voltage differences, and that you have to use a flipped version of the power cable - but I understand that the EME-157 is 5V only. I have purchased this cable that comes with a modified power cable: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/135035278228 - but have a feeling the power connector isn't going to work due to the voltage differences. I'm sure that I read somewhere that just using a standard 3.5" drive connector from a PC supply on the EME-157 would work fine, but I can't find reference to it now (maybe I dreamt it!) and thought I'd check in here first, before potentially blowing the thing up!
Not able to test just yet anyway, as the drive belt has deteriorated and have just ordered a replacement in. I'm hoping to get the drive working, so that I can preserve 3" disks from time to time (commercial or unreleased for Games That Weren't).
Any recommendations/suggestions would be really welcome, and apologies for my lack of confidence in this area!
I was wondering if anyone had experience of hooking up a EME-157 drive (taken from a broken 6128 Plus) to a PC or Kyroflux device and if they could advise on the power connection?
I'm aware that there are voltage differences, and that you have to use a flipped version of the power cable - but I understand that the EME-157 is 5V only. I have purchased this cable that comes with a modified power cable: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/135035278228 - but have a feeling the power connector isn't going to work due to the voltage differences. I'm sure that I read somewhere that just using a standard 3.5" drive connector from a PC supply on the EME-157 would work fine, but I can't find reference to it now (maybe I dreamt it!) and thought I'd check in here first, before potentially blowing the thing up!
Not able to test just yet anyway, as the drive belt has deteriorated and have just ordered a replacement in. I'm hoping to get the drive working, so that I can preserve 3" disks from time to time (commercial or unreleased for Games That Weren't).
Any recommendations/suggestions would be really welcome, and apologies for my lack of confidence in this area!
#5
And if you never have seen the puzzle, it is ... https://www.paketesoft.com/es/the-key-eng-version
You need to find the key in the puzzle ...
You need to find the key in the puzzle ...
#6
Technical support - Hardware related / Re: CTM 644 Vertical Hold Issu...
Last post by Devlin - Today at 12:38Quote from: Wiggs1979 on 19:33, 04 May 24Hello,the pot's internals might be dirty - give it a good blast of contact cleaner and give it a spin the full range a few times while the monitor is off and see if that helps?
Firstly, just wanted to say thank you for such a great forum - I've been a long time lurker and read so many helpful posts on here that have helped get my 464's and 6128 fully functioning. I was never a CPC user back in the day, but I have a growing collection of retro computers!
I have a CTM 644 that wasn't working, but having replaced the HOT it seems to be back to life again. However, the vertical hold adjuster on the rear seems to need tweaking every time I power on the machine connected to it, else I have a rolling image or an image that is out of sync, split with part of the black border. If I leave the screen on for a bit, occasionally it'll start rolling very slowly too. The adjustment seems to be very sensitive, very small adjustments required, is that normal? Before I go desoldering and hunting for a suitable replacement 20k POT as I don't have anything to hand, I wondered if it's there's a common issue I might be missing? It's got the Z70215 PCB. Other than that, it shows a good, clear picture when it's not rolling!
Thank you!
I've found a lot of issues with the CPC and accessories misbehaving *so often* being down to purely things being dirty.
#7
Quote from: McArti0 on Today at 11:24I'll definitely draw it out. There will be reverse engineering 2. I remember there was a lot of emotion back then because I didn't know how CPC worked inside. Each test involved the fear of damage.I always have the fear of damage when working with the innards of my CPCs - I had to test my CPC adapter for my greaseweazle (i'd been putting it off for ages) and I was scared of blowing up the disk drive every second of operation - I know what i'm doing now, so there's less fear, but it's *always* there.
#8
I vaguely remember that it was probably an LS132. LS122. I will check.
#9
I'll definitely draw it out. There will be reverse engineering 2. I remember there was a lot of emotion back then because I didn't know how CPC worked inside. Each test involved the fear of damage. 
#10
Quote from: McArti0 on Yesterday at 17:51this is really quite impressive!Quote from: Prodatron on Yesterday at 14:45Is the right button working as well?of course yes! Display window is simple to show
would it be possible to draw up a circuit diagram so folks could try to figure out what the mystery chip is? I'm pretty sure a few people would love to construct their own (me included)