Changes
/* Pictures */ High-res scans added
[[Image:Burning Rubber - cara A.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A GX4000 Burnin' Rubber cartridge for the + series]]
A cartridge system was introduced with the launch of the CPC+ [[Plus]] and GX4000 series. This enabled developers to destribute distribute games via cartridges on the new Amstrad. The cartridges are protected with the [[ACID]] chip.
== Technical specs. EPROMs ==There are different version of the cartridges which contain EPROMs with different sizes. For each EPROM size, a pair of contacts have to be closed.
== Protection ==
The EPROMs aren't encrypted, making it very easy to dump their content, or to replace them by other EPROMs. However, all cartridges must contain an [[RAM7ACID]]chip, a french hardware developer, created a device to hack otherwise the [[RAM7 Cartridge Hacker|CPC Plus ]]/GX4000 refuses to work, meaning that unlicensed third-party developers couldn't produce cartridgeswithout buying the [[ACID]]hardware from Amstrad.
== Pictures ==
<gallery caption="GX4000 cartridges2700-023P-1 (with hardwired LK1 and LK6, and single-sided soldering points)">Image:Inside GX4000 cart Cartridge-2700-023P-1-Components.jpg|Inside view of a CPC+ cartridgeComponentsImage:Inside GX4000 cart 2BurningRubberGX4000versionPCB.jpg|Components installedImage:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-Top.jpg|Component SideImage:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-Bottom.jpg|Inside view of a CPC+ cartridgeSolder Side
</gallery>
<gallery caption="PT-NO-Z90903-MS0201A (with custom LKs, and single-sided soldering points)">
Image:Cartridge-PT-NO-Z90903-MS0201A-Cartridge.jpg|Cartridge
Image:Cartridge-PT-NO-Z90903-MS0201A-Installed.jpg|Components installed
Image:Cartridge-PT-NO-Z90903-MS0201A-Bottom.jpg|Solder Side
</gallery>
<gallery caption="PT-NO-Z90903-MC0121A (with custom LKs, and double-sided soldering points)">
Image:Inside GX4000 cart 1 unrotated.jpg|Components installed
Image:Inside GX4000 cart 2.jpg|Solder Side
Image:Burning Rubber - cara A.jpg|Case Front (Component Side)
Image:Burning Rubber - cara B.jpg|Case Back (Solder Side)
Image:AMSTRAD CPC CARTRIDGE PT NO Z90903 B PARTSSIDE WITHOUT PARTS PCB SCAN ATV.jpg|Component Side (scan by ArcadeTV)
Image:AMSTRAD CPC CARTRIDGE PT NO Z90903 B SOLDERSIDE WITHOUT PARTS PCB SCAN ATV.jpg|Back side (scan by ArcadeTV)
</gallery>
<gallery caption="Spanish cartridge without text-layer on PCB (otherwise same as 2700-023P-1)">
File:Dragon CPC Plus System Cartridge PC Spanish.jpg|Components installed
</gallery>
<gallery caption="AMSTRO1 (with hardwired LK1 and LK6, and double-sided soldering points)">
File:Cart PCB AMSTRO1 top.jpg|Component Side
File:Cart PCB AMSTRO1 bottom.jpg|Solder Side
</gallery>
<gallery caption="Cartridge Slot">
File:GX4000 Top.jpg|GX4000 with top-loading cartridge slot
File:CPC464Plus LeftSide Nighfallcrew.jpg|CPC Plus with side-loading cartridge slot
</gallery>
== Demonstration System ==
Amstrad released a Demonstration system for his retailer in order to show GX4000 games: the [[Amstrad CSD]] (Cartridge Software Demonstrator).
It was a 464 [[Plus]] motherboard, with an extra "daughter board" allowing the insertion of 12 games cartridges, plus an extra special cartridge acting as an OS.
<gallery caption="Some photos of Amstrad Expo 90">
Image:csdscreen1.jpg
Image:csdscreen2.jpg
Image:csdface.jpg
Image:csddaughter.jpg
</gallery>
Courtesy of Amstrad.cpc.free.fr
More informations at the [[Amstrad CSD]] page.
== Pin-Outs ==
* [[Connector:Cartridge Slot (CPC Plus only)|Cartridge Slot Pin-Outs]]
== Misc ==
* [[RAM7]], a French hardware developer, created a device to hack [[RAM7 Cartridge Hacker|CPC Plus cartridges]].
* [[CPC GX4000-Multi EPROM Cartridge]]
==Links==
* [http://www.vieuzordiland.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=34 Vieuxzordiland's page on the matterreplacing EPROMs. In French]* [http://amstrad.cpc.free.fr/article.php?sid=16 Link to the French article on the Demonstration System]
[[Category:Hardware]][[Category:Cartridges| ]][[Category:DATA Storage]][[Category:StubCPC Internal Components]][[Category:CPC History]][[Category:CPC Plus]]