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AMSTRAD 640k Personal Computer
- Thread starter Jaynesh
- Start date
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
Model? Condition?? Pix???
--T
--T
CP/M User
Veteran Member
Jaynesh wrote:
> I have this computer in my cupboard.
> Could it be worth anything?
> Old is gold
Why are you thinking of selling it?
I'd hate to say it, but I don't think so - cause I'm unaware
of any Amstrad PC based group which would put value onto this
machine.
Like Terry I'm unsure which model your referning to. I know
Amstrad did an interesting little 8088 based PC which looked
like an Amiga & according to the review I saw of it - the
reviewer thought that's who it was aimed for. It came with GEM
Gui system & DOS of course - video was CGA I think.
The machine I'm thinking of (in particular) might be better
keeping, cause I see it as a kind of PCJnr, in that it could
probably have the potential of having it's own specific line
of programs - cause the machine I'm thinking of certainally
wasn't the sort you'd add much hardware to it.
But then the same could be said about any Amstrad PC based
computer! Personally, I've always wondered if Amstrad put some
kind of Firmware in their PC line of machines (like they did
for the CPCs).
CP/M User.
> I have this computer in my cupboard.
> Could it be worth anything?
> Old is gold
Why are you thinking of selling it?
I'd hate to say it, but I don't think so - cause I'm unaware
of any Amstrad PC based group which would put value onto this
machine.
Like Terry I'm unsure which model your referning to. I know
Amstrad did an interesting little 8088 based PC which looked
like an Amiga & according to the review I saw of it - the
reviewer thought that's who it was aimed for. It came with GEM
Gui system & DOS of course - video was CGA I think.
The machine I'm thinking of (in particular) might be better
keeping, cause I see it as a kind of PCJnr, in that it could
probably have the potential of having it's own specific line
of programs - cause the machine I'm thinking of certainally
wasn't the sort you'd add much hardware to it.
But then the same could be said about any Amstrad PC based
computer! Personally, I've always wondered if Amstrad put some
kind of Firmware in their PC line of machines (like they did
for the CPCs).
CP/M User.
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
This is the Amstrad '640' that I thought of:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8792347906&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
--T
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8792347906&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
--T
CP/M User
Veteran Member
Hmmm... Yeah, I can't seem to find the Amstrad computer I'm
thinking of. It's in one of my books though, I'll see if I can
find it. It's different from the PPC640, but released around
the same time. Maybe the one I'm thinking of is rare. If I
find the article - I'll take a photo of it & post it here.
CP/M User.
thinking of. It's in one of my books though, I'll see if I can
find it. It's different from the PPC640, but released around
the same time. Maybe the one I'm thinking of is rare. If I
find the article - I'll take a photo of it & post it here.
CP/M User.
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
Yeah, I know which one ya mean. It's an integrated keyboard/system unit with a (5.25"?) floppy built into the right side, and there's a little 'trapdoor' at the rear, which opens to reveal the too-short expansion slot(s) (I don't remember if it has one or two).
--T
--T
Last edited:
Micom 2000
Veteran Member
It's more likely not one of the PPC Amstrads. I have an Amstrad PC640 HD20 which was a regular DOS machine with a couple of differences. Like the IBM PS/1 2011 and 2021 it's power supply was in the monitor. It also had sockets for 4 AAA batteries external on the top. Unfortunately it also had a non-standard 6-pin KB (which I am looking for) and mouse. I have never been to boot it up because of that. The monitor is labelled PC-CD in front.
It's possible it does have a green Gem GUI like the Atari ST, based on my research.
Lawrence
It's possible it does have a green Gem GUI like the Atari ST, based on my research.
Lawrence
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
My quick search didn't yield a picture, but this site proved to be quite informative:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cliff.lawson/index.htm
--T
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cliff.lawson/index.htm
--T
CP/M User
Veteran Member
This is the machine I was thinking about.
Yes, it's the Amstrad PC20! ;-)
This has:
The keyboard (which inhouses the actual computer) was $899 reviewed in this particularly magazine late 1988 (I can best guess). It was described as a machine to compete with the Amigas at the time, unfortunately it probably didn't do too well with the CGA - which is somewhat significant since video cards on IBMs transformed into EGA a couple of years back (in that period) - just a bit before VGA was it or was VGA around in 1988?
Anyway certainally an unusual machine, which you could plug into the telly & away you go - I think that the Amigas & Atari STs at the time would have limited it's success - but like the PC Jnr, it could probably do some neat stuff - if the manufacturers gave it a few tricks.
CP/M User.
P.S. Sorry 'bout the image quality, I took a photo of it out of a magazine. But yeah, having seen all of the thread - this machine doesn't have 640k & I'm unsure it was ever possible to put 640k into it - judging by the tone of the review.
Yes, it's the Amstrad PC20! ;-)
This has:
Code:
[FONT=Courier New]8086, 10Mhz CPU[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]512k RAM[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Single 720k, 3.5" floppy drive[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]I/O [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]===[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Parallel Port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Serial Port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Monitor Port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]TV Port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]External Floppy port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Joystick Port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Mouse Port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]102 keys keyboard[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Display[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]=====[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]CGA 3 modes[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]40x25 or 80x25 in 16 colours[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]320x200 in four colours[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]640x200 in two colours[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Colour Monitor additional $300[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Expansion port[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]2 x PC compatable slots[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]OS:[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]MS-DOS 3.3, GEM[/FONT]The keyboard (which inhouses the actual computer) was $899 reviewed in this particularly magazine late 1988 (I can best guess). It was described as a machine to compete with the Amigas at the time, unfortunately it probably didn't do too well with the CGA - which is somewhat significant since video cards on IBMs transformed into EGA a couple of years back (in that period) - just a bit before VGA was it or was VGA around in 1988?
Anyway certainally an unusual machine, which you could plug into the telly & away you go - I think that the Amigas & Atari STs at the time would have limited it's success - but like the PC Jnr, it could probably do some neat stuff - if the manufacturers gave it a few tricks.
CP/M User.
P.S. Sorry 'bout the image quality, I took a photo of it out of a magazine. But yeah, having seen all of the thread - this machine doesn't have 640k & I'm unsure it was ever possible to put 640k into it - judging by the tone of the review.
Last edited:
NathanAllan
Veteran Member
Here's what I found, and it sure looks like a neat machine. Love the case design
http://1000bit.net/scheda.asp?id=163
http://1000bit.net/scheda.asp?id=163
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
NathanAllan said:Here's what I found, and it sure looks like a neat machine. Love the case design
http://1000bit.net/scheda.asp?id=163
I hate to be the voice of gloom and doom here, but I have to differ with ya on this. They seem like a PITA, too much proprietary hardware for my taste. And the picture posted by CP/M U is misleading, because in real life, you couldn't use it with the monitor sitting on top like that, at least, not if ya wanted to use your expansion slots, cause the expansion cards stick out the top (unprotected).
--T
CP/M User
Veteran Member
Terry Yager wrote:
> I hate to be the voice of gloom and doom here, but I
> have to differ with ya on this. They seem like a
> PITA, too much proprietary hardware for my taste. And
> the picture posted by CP/M U is misleading, because
> in real life, you couldn't use it with the monitor
> sitting on top like that, at least, not if ya wanted
> to use your expansion slots, cause the expansion
> cards stick out the top (unprotected).
Actually I thought it was an interesting comparision between
my photo & Nathans, the second photo on the 1000bit site shows
the depth of the machine, where's the photo of mine makes it
look like a pancake! ;-)
It's an oddball machine & as such deserves one kick 'butt
game, which'll have any Amiga owner gobsmacking - it just
needs that 8bit VGA card in box - plugged out the back for 256
colours, cause I just to see 160x100x16 troubling any Amiga
user - unless it's got something simular to the PC Jnr
undocumented mode! ;-)
But that's just how I feel! ;-)
I know what you mean though - write 1 program which is only
any good for one person - yourself! ;-)
Cheers,
CP/M User.
> I hate to be the voice of gloom and doom here, but I
> have to differ with ya on this. They seem like a
> PITA, too much proprietary hardware for my taste. And
> the picture posted by CP/M U is misleading, because
> in real life, you couldn't use it with the monitor
> sitting on top like that, at least, not if ya wanted
> to use your expansion slots, cause the expansion
> cards stick out the top (unprotected).
Actually I thought it was an interesting comparision between
my photo & Nathans, the second photo on the 1000bit site shows
the depth of the machine, where's the photo of mine makes it
look like a pancake! ;-)
It's an oddball machine & as such deserves one kick 'butt
game, which'll have any Amiga owner gobsmacking - it just
needs that 8bit VGA card in box - plugged out the back for 256
colours, cause I just to see 160x100x16 troubling any Amiga
user - unless it's got something simular to the PC Jnr
undocumented mode! ;-)
But that's just how I feel! ;-)
I know what you mean though - write 1 program which is only
any good for one person - yourself! ;-)
Cheers,
CP/M User.