Amstrad CPC 464 Plus (Keyboard problems are Fixed)
Autopsy:
from Wikipedia:
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8 bit home computers produced by Amstrad during the 1980s and early 1990s. “CPC” stands for ‘Colour Personal Computer’, although it was possible to purchase a CPC with a green screen (GT64/65) as well as with the standard colour screen (CTM640/644).
In 1990 Amstrad introduced the “Plus” series, 464 and 6128 Plus, which tweaked the hardware and added a cartridge slot to the system. Improvements were made to the video display which saw an increase in palette to 4096 colours and gained a capacity for hardware sprites.
Splitting the display into separate modes and pixel scrolling both became fully supported hardware features. The former was reasonably easy on the non-”Plus” machines, and the latter possible to some degree using clever programming of the existing Motorola 6845.
source: wikipedia
What keyboard problems did it have and how were they fixed?
@Alexander Holland
Hi Alexander,
Dirty Keyboard contacts, i have open the keyboard and i have clean with a paintbrush the keybpard membrane.
Photo #5:
http://www.nightfallcrew.com/?p=1775&nggpage=2
I hope it is as easy as that to repair the CPC 6128+ keyboard I just bought.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150374875788
The “2″ key doesn’t work so I cannot load anything :(
If you find your disk drive does not work, it is highly likely that it is a problem with the rubber belt which connects the motor to the spindle. It is a cheap an easy fix, you can get them from http://www.thesinclairshop.com/
In case anyone else finds themselves with one of these without a monitor, you can power one with a REGULATED, 5V, 2400mA, AC-DC transformer. Needs a 2.5mm jack, centre positive. (lad6019a55 about £7 on eBay). The CPC6128+ does NOT need 12V which makes the PSU’s cheaper.
Also it is very easy to make a SCART cable (8-pin DIN, SCART plug, 7 core cable)
http://www.kjthacker.f2s.com/docs/mods/scart.html
nice machine, shame keyboard color is crap :s
sorry for double posting but the screen color is weird, usually it is blue on CPC/+ instead of red :?
@fano
Yes, you are right, mhhh strange, but the Burning Rubber game Colors are right …
http://www.nightfallcrew.com/wp-content/gallery/amstrad_cpc_464_plus/img_1606.jpg
@fano
Yeppppp!!!! i have made a wrong RGB cable .. BGR instead of RGB .
Thanks Fano for the hints. right color of burning rubber game are here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/3057459766_4f340e6870.jpg
@xAD / nIGHTFALL
lol this is what i thought after but that was too late to post a third comment.Colors on this picture are correct ;)
Anyway, nice machine, Amstrad had an awfull copyright politic so real abilities of this machine have never been really showed, shame :s
Great site too ;)
hey any one help got an old amstrad cpc 464 and the tape player is eating the tapes tried cleaning it, but dont seem to have any luck any one got any ideas?
@kirst
Yes, the rubber pulley is dirty or consumed or the capstain is crooked.
search “capstain tape” on google.