PCW Plus

PCW Plus

Enhanced PCW from monochrome to colour (and sound).

colourCP/Mplus on PCWplus chiptunes with AYCplayer by Syx

This is the definition of an imaginary computer (but nowadays emulated and FPGA-ed) derived from the Amstrad PCW / Schneider Joyce. It has colour video and sound capabilities that the classic PCW lacked. Based on certain features that the ANT project, (Arnold Number Two) from the Amstrad/Locomotive development team led by Ronald Perry, would also possess.

The name PCW+ was not used due to the existence of the 9512+ model: + implies a 3.5" drive, while Plus implies colour. (Note that a PCW Plus UK magazine also existed after the 8000 Plus name was dropped).

John Elliot's PCW Joyce emulator supports colour with JOYCE 800x600 driver.

PCWcolour by Elliot's Joyce

In the evolution of Habisoft's CP/M Box emulator and its research into the PCW system arose the idea to clone the dk'Sound board. That had the AY sound chip. And later, thanks to FPGA technology, the PCW was equipped with an accessory that would enable colour video.

Historically, only one commercial program, published by Ocean, "HeadOverHeels" by Ritman and Drummond, supported the AY chip on the PCW.

Habisoft published a series of ports from CPC that expanded the PCW library with sound: Abbey of Crime; Hero Quest; Knight Lore; Pac Mania; Spirits.

Later, it standardized the possibility of ports from the ZX Spectrum to PCW: Movie; Fat Worm; Nonamed; and Phantomas2/Vampire, which used the PCW's buzzer as the Spectrum's beeper. Some of these also incorporated AY music.

The conversion trail was followed by Kachorro in its Spectrum ports of Barbarian, Coliseum, and Xecutor.

But the possibility of standardizing color options in PCW (Plus) was now opened up with the ColorIN specifications:

Video Modes: PCWplus

0 – PCWclassic monochrome: 2 colors, 720x256.

1 – Groups bits 2 by 2, giving 4 colors; 360x256.

2 – Same as 4-bit. 16 colors, 180x256.

3 – 8x1 attribute mode, as Timex/Thomson/MSX/... 8+8 bits are read, the first 8 are background and ink (4+4) and the next 8 are the bitmap. This allows for 16 colors in 360x256, at the cost of using only 2 different colors every 8x1 pixel. Due to the delay, the screen shifts one character to the right.

4 – Experimental, unofficial: 90x256, with 256 direct colors from the 8-bit palette. It therefore ignores the color palette. Enterprise-style, not particularly useful, but colorful.

Regarding the interface: Port $80 is used to send a value to select a register. Port $81 is for associated data; both support reading and writing. Similar to the operation of integrated circuits such as the PSG or a VDP, it allows sending many values with a minimal interface.

This is how KachorroSoft created the incredible colour ports of AMC and MadMixGame with graphics from the CPC; Phantis from MS-DOS CGA and CPC; and Hundra from the ZX Spectrum.

Mode1 4colors

Mode3 16colors with Attributes

PCW Plus enables fantastic loading screens never seen before on 8-bit systems.

Color and sound enhanced versions of Batman and Head Over Heels will follow later. Showcasing the capabilities of the PCW Plus system

so nice loading screen

isometric 4color

amazing loading screen

PCWplus technical specifications add too: joystick dk'Tronics and DAC sampler sound.

Backward compatibility with the classic PCW is maintained in the software.

PCW Plus is currently supported by the ZEsarUX and CP/M Box emulators and by numerous FPGA board cores thanks to Steddyman; Rampa; Albconde and ManuTeira (Mister; SIDI; Poseidon; Calypso; NeptUNO+ ; Mist ), and by Czarnikjak's color add-on board for real PCWclassic using RaspberryPico.

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?msg=246774

PCWplus FPGA cores allow easily to select 4 colour palettes on classic monochrome software or coder could use Z80 instructions to change colours in Color-IN