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A surgical guide to the Amstrad NC

12,082 bytes removed, 10:11, 11 July 2023
/* Specifications */
== A Surgical Guide To The Amstrad Notepad Computer ==
This page is based on Hans-Jürgen Böhling's "surgical guide to the Amstrad NC". The original document is avaliabe here: [https://web.archive.org/web/20141214160211/http://home.arcor.de/h.boehling/nc100.htm](author's website) or here [[Media:sg-nc100.zip]] (local copy)
=== Amstrad Notepad Computer - What is it? ===
The model [[NC Series|NC100 ]] is about DIN A4 size with a LCD 8 lines * 80 characters
screen, nearly full size keyboard, a PCMCIA memory card slot on the right
hand side and four coloured keys. The Notepads have standard Centronics
Processor : Z80 compatible CMOS
Operating
frequency : 6 4.606 MHz
Memory : 64K byte internal
(15K system-, 11K upper-, 38K lower memory)
Storage : PCMCIA/JEIDA Memory Cards (PC-Cards) Type I
max. 1M byte SRAM 5 Volt
Display : 480*32 64 pixel disply display (usually 80*8 characters)
Weight : 930 g
Height : 22 mm
- BBC-BASIC with Assembler support
</pre>
 
=== How to get the Firmware Number? ===
[[File:NC100_HowToOpen.png]]
<pre>
What is inside?
---------------
=== What is inside? === Inside the NC100 is a SMD layout. I have a german NC100 and the plate circuit board is
labeled Amstrad plc 4500-001P-1, NA999-32142, manual marked C (A-H) and
1 (1-8). All IC's are SMD apart from IC303 which is on the backside of the
NC100 (behind the firmware EPROM cover). On the drawing below I have
labeled all IC'sICs, but you can find it on the layout also!         Centronics RS232 6VDC ╔══════════════Ð══Ð═══════Ð══Ð═══Ð═════════ÐÐ╗ ║ 4 * AA size -│ └───────┘ └───┘ └┘║ ║ Batteries │ ┌─────┐┌──┐ ┌──┐309 ┌─┐311║ ║ +│ │ │└──┘ └──┘ ├─┤ ║ ╠════════════Ð═¥ │302 │308┌──┐305 ┌─┐└─┘313║ ║ │ │ │ └──┼┬──┐└─┘314 ║ ║ PCMCIA │301 └─────┘ └┴──┘ ┌─┐ ║ ║ card-slot │ ┌─┐ 307 310┌──────┐304 └─┘312 ║ ║ │ └─┘ ┌─┐┌─┐│303 │ ║ Ã───────┬────┘ └─┘└─┘└──────┘ ║ ╠══Ð══Ð═¤Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══Ð══╣ ║St│1 │2 │3 │4 │5 │6 │7 │8 │9 │0 │ │ │De│Bs║ Ã──┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴── ║Tab│Q │W │E │R │T │ │U │I │O │P │ │+ │ │ ║ Ã───┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┬─┴┐<┘ ║ ║v │A │S │D │F │G │H │J │K │L │ │ │ │ ║ Ã────┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴──┴┬── ║^ │ │X │C │V │B │N │M │, │. │ │^ │ ║ Ã─────┬┴─┬┴─┬┴──┴──┴──┴──┴──┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬┴─┬──┼── ║y │ │ │ │ │ │r │g │b ║ ╚═════¤══¤══¤═════════════════¤══¤══¤══¤══¤══╝                          -4-�The tabel below gives a description of the IC's in the NC100: 
[[File:NC100_Inside.png]]
The table below gives a description of the IC's in the NC100:
<pre>
╔════Ð═══════════════Ð════════Ð═══════════════════════════════════════╗
║IC-#│Label │Pin's │Description ║
Ã────┼───────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────────────────────Â
║302 │NEC Japan │4*34=136│µPD 65034 ║
║ │D65034GD093 │PLCC 136│Customer Chip 136│Custom ASIC ║
Ã────┼───────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────────────────────Â
║303 │NEC Japan │2*16= 32│27C2001 = CMOS EPROM 256K*8 bit ║
║ │ │SO 14 │ ║
╚════¤═══════════════¤════════¤═══════════════════════════════════════╝
</pre>
=== Amstrad NC100/NC150 Simplfied Bock Diagram ===
[[File:NC100_BlockDiagram.png]]
=== Amstrad NC100/150 Power Supply Bock Diagram ===
[[File:NC100_PowerSupply.png]]
        -5-�Amstrad NC100/NC150 Simplfied Bock Diagram------------------------------------------ ╔══════════════════════════════╦═════════════©║ Addressbus ║ │║ ╔══════════════════════╦═════════════╗ │║ ║ Databus ║ ║ ║ │A0║ ║ ┌──────────┐ ┌──ð────ð──┐ ┌──ð────┴──┐ ┌──────┐ ┌────────┐║ ╠══ÁD0-7 │ │D0-7 A0-15│ │D0-7 C/D │ │ │ │ │║ ║ │ IC301 ã═════Á IC302 ã══Á IC308 ã══ÁIC309 ã═Á CN302 │║ ║ │ │ │ ___│ │__ │ │ │ │ D-SUB9 │╠══║══ÁA0-15 │ │ CS4├──┤CS │ │ │ │Serial │║ ║ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └────────┘║ ║ │CPU CLK├─────┤CLK UCLK├──┤CLK │ │ │ ║ ║ └──────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │║ ║ ┌──────────┐ │ │ │UART │ │ │║ ╠══ÁD0-7 │ │ │ └──────────┘ │ │║ ║ │ IC303 __│ │___ ____│ │____ │║ ║ │ CE├─────┤CS0 STBY├────────────────┤STBY │╠══║══ÁA0-13 │ │ │ │RS232 │ ┌────────┐║ ║ │A14-17(19)ã══╦══ÁAO14-19 │ └──────┘ │ │║ ║ │EPROM │ ║ │ ____ ___ │ │ CN301 │║ ║ └──────────┘ ║ │ STRB,ACK,ã═════════════════════════ÁD-SUB25 │║ ║ ┌──────────┐ ║ │ BUSY,│ │Paralell│║ ╠══ÁD0-7 │ ║ │ PD0-7│ └────────┘║ ║ │ IC304 │ ║ │ │ ┌────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐║ ║ │ │ ║ │ │ │ │ │ │╠══║══ÁA0-13 A14├── │ ã══Á CN303 ã═Á │║ ║ │ __│ ║ │___ │ │14 Pins │ │ │║ ║ │RAM CS├──║──┤CS1 │ │ │ │ │║ ║ └──────────┘ ║ │ │ └────────┘ │LCD-Screen │║ ║ ┌──────────┐ ║ │ │ ┌────────┐ └────────────────────┘ ║ ╠══ÁD0-7 │ ║ │ │ │ │ ║ ║ │ IC305 │ ║ │ KBO0-9ã══Á CN304 ã═══════════╗║ ║ │ │ ║ │ │ │10 Pins │ ║ ╠══║══ÁA0-13 A14├── │ │ │ │ ┌─────────ð──────────┐║ ║ │ __│ ║ │___ │ └────────┘ │ │║ ║ │RAM CS├──║──┤CS2 │ ┌────────┐ │ │║ ║ └──────────┘ ║ │ │ │ │ │ │║ ║ ┌──────────┐ ║ │ KBI0-7ã══Á CN305 ã═Á │║ ║ │ A14-19ã══╝ │ │ │ 9 Pins │ │Keybord Matrix │║ ║ │ IC306 │ │ │ │ │ └────────────────────┘ ║ ║ │ BVD1/2├─────┤BVD1 │ └────────┘ ╠══║══ÁA0-13 │ │ │ ┌────────┐ ║ ║ │ D0-7ã═════ÁMD0-7 │ │ │ ┌─┐█ ║ ║ │PCMCIA │ │ SP├─────┤ CN307 ├───────┤ │█ ║ ║ └──────────┘ │ │ ┌──┤ 2 Pins ├───────┤ │█║ ║ ┌──────────┐ │ POFF│ │ │ │ └─┘█║ ╚══ÁD0-3 │ │ │ │ └────────┘ ║ │ IC307 │ │ │ ▀▀▀ Speaker║ │ __│ │___ │ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌────────┐╚═════ÁA0-3 CS├─────┤CS3 POFF├─────┤OFF │ │ │ │ _____│ │ BD1, BD2,ã═════ÁLevel Detector ├─┤ CN306 │ │RTC ALARM├───┐ │ BVD2│ │__ ├─┤ │ └─┬─────┬──┘ │ └─┬─────┬──┘ ┌──┤ON ├─┤6VDC-IN │ │ ▄ │ │ │ ▄ │ │ │Power Supply │ └────────┘ └─┤█├─┘ │ └─┤█├─┘ │ └─────────────────┘ X302 ▀ 32.768K │ X301 ▀ 12.2M │ └───────────────┘      -6-�Amstrad NC100/150 Power Supply Bock Diagram-------------------------------------------    ┌─────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ DC6V ┌┬─o───────────┼─────┼───┤ ├─────o +6V ┌┐ │└─o──────┐ + └─────┘ │ DC/DC-Converter │ ││└┘ ───┴─── F301 │ ├─────o +5V └┴────o─┐ ┌───┐ │ │ │ └─┬─┘ ┌──────┤ ├─────o 5VBK AC-Adaptor │ ───┴─── │ │ and │ Lith. buff. RAM Input │ ┌───┐ │ │ ├─────o -15V │ └─┬─┘ │ + │ │ for LCD-Display │ ───┴─── ───┴─── │ │ │ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ │ ├─────o BD1, IC302 │ └─┬─┘ └─┬─┘ │ Battery Level │ 4*AA<4.2V │ ───┴─── │ - │ Detector ├─────o BD2, IC302 │ ┌───┐4*AA │Lith. │ │ Lith.<2.3V │ └─┬─┘ │ │ ├─────o BVD2,IC302 │ │ - │ │ │ 4*AA<3.2V └────o───────o──────┤ ON/OFF ├─────┐ │ └────────┬────────┘ │ ▀▀▀ │ ▀▀▀ │ +6V │ o └─────────┐ │ │ ┌┴┐ │ │ │ IC313A │ │ │ ┌─────────┐ │ S301 │ │ │ │ │ ┬ └┬┘ │ S Q ├───┘ ─┴─ │ │ │ ┌────o o────o────o─────────────o├ ─ ─ ─ ─ ┤ │ │ │ │ │ ▀▀▀ │ │ ┌─────────┤ R │ _____ │ │ │ │ │ IC307, ALARM o────┘ │ │ └─────────┘ ___ │ │ IC301, NMI o─────────┘ │ │ IC302, POFF o──────────────┘                      -7-�== IC Pinouts ==On the next pages folowing the pinouts off the most important IC's ICs used in
the NC100. '*' indicates active Low and 'NC' is Not Connected in the NC100
=== The Microprocessor (MPU, IC301) ===
The Microprocessor (MPU, IC301)------------------<pre>
Type : Z84C00
Manufacturer : Zilog Inc.
21 *MREQ 43 A9
22 *IORQ 44 A10
</pre>
                -8-�=== The Customer Custom Chip (IC302)===-----------------<pre>
Type : µPD 65034
Manufacturer : NEC Electronics
Description : Customer Custom Chip with multiple funktions
Process : CMOS
Supply Voltage : +5V
Package : PLCC 136
The chip has multiple funktionsfunctions:
- Clock generator for CPU and UART
33 X1 67 GND 101 PD0 135 GND
34 VDD 68 GND 102 VDD 136 GND
</pre>
          -9-�=== The Firmware EPROM (IC303)===------------------<pre>
Type : µPD 27C2001
Manufacturer : NEC Electronics
The NC100 can also control 27C4001 (512K), 23C2001 (256K), 23C4001 (512K),
23C8001 (1M byte) EPROM's! By the type of the EPROM there had to be set
some different connections, this connections are set by zerro zero Ohm MSDSMD-resistors from the backside of the plate board close to IC303:
╔═════════Ð════════Ð══════Ð══════Ð══════Ð══════╗
I have double my ROM-space by set in a 27C4001 EPROM, remove J304 and set
in J301 by a pice of wire.
</pre>
       -10-�=== The Static Random Access Memory (SRAM, IC304 and IC305) ===-------------------------------<pre>
Type : µPD 43257A
Manufacturer : NEC Electronics
+ = use
</pre>
                 -11-�=== The PCMCIA card slot (IC306)--------------------===
The NC-100 can use PCMCIA/JEIDA Memory Cards (PC-Cards) Type I, max. 1024K
place. Data transfers are then be done in sector chunks.
<pre>
PCMCIA Card Connector Type I, 5 Volts:
34 GND 68 GND
RFU = Reserved Future Use
</pre>
    -12-�=== The Real-Time-Clock (RTC, IC307)===-------------------<pre>
Type : TC8521AP/AM
Manufacturer : Toshiba Corporation
- Built-in 26*4 bit RAM
- 4-bit bidirectional data bus
- 4-bit adress address input
- Directly connectable with CPU bus
- Capable of battery backup
19 XOUT
20 VCC
</pre>
                 -13-�=== The Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART, IC308)===-----------------------------------------------<pre>
Type : µPD 71051
Manufacturer : NEC Electronics
27 D0
28 D1
</pre>
               -14-�=== The RS232-Driver (IC309)===----------------<pre>
Type : µPD 4711A
Manufacturer : NEC Electronics
homepage: http://www.germany.net/teilnehmer/101.107378/index.htm
</pre>
 
[[Category:NC Series]][[Category:Amstrad Products]][[Category:Non CPC Computers]]
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