Amstrad CPC6128 and Spectrum+3 floppy drive

[Amstrad CPC6128 and Spectrum+3 floppy drive]

Just to answer my own question, and in case anyone else is interested - yes they are interchangeable. An Amstrad 6128 drive will work in a Spectrum+3, as will one of the DDI or FD1 model external drives, and vice versa.

[jsA8E (JavaScript Atari 800 XL Emulator) online]

Fabulous! Some Jedi like JavaScript skills there ..

[Sexiest old computer?]

Not a computer as such, and some may argue not much of a console! But in the days of 1970's wood / brown ugliness, the MPU 2000 stood out as a sleek, futuristic piece of technology - which to me still looks waaayy retro cool

 

[C=286-16 SL Ram Upgrade]

A 286 CPU should be able to access and utilize up to 16mb of ram. It's probably a good idea that you match the existing SIM size in MB, and obviously make sure your new pair are an exact match. Mixing 1mb and 2mb pairs for example may not work.

 

Try swapping the banks around, or boot up with only your new ram installed and see what happens. You may need to access somewhere specific in the bios to make the memory visible, so try all options.

[What system are these disks for? 6800 CPU, Flex OS. SWTPC 6800?]

Interesting. You should try and back those up securely somehow, this would seem like something of a rarity.

 

You're right, most likely SWTPC. The Altair 680 also used the 6800 CPU, and much later on so did the Dragon 32 and Dragon 64. (or a slight variant of)

[C=286-16 SL Ram Upgrade]

If it follows IBM architecture, then you should just be able to add the new SIMS so long as there is space. If you have 2 slots free then try adding the ram into those, but make sure the SIMS are an exact match (size, speed, chip count etc).

The only setup you may need to do will be in the BIOS - access that first and make sure the new memory is visible. The memory will probably be in bank 0 and bank 1.

This is based on experience of IBM 286's so no guarantees it will be exactly the same - but that's what I would try in the first case. It would be unusual for jumpers to be involved.

 

All the best

[Amstrad CPC6128 and Spectrum+3 floppy drive]

Hi

 

Not really sure if this is the right place to ask such a question .. but, here goes

 

Does anyone know if the floppy disk drive unit fitted into an Amstrad CPC6128 and Spectrum+3 are fully compatible, i.e. interchangable with each other? I've had a look and the pinout connectors are the same, as is the power lead. And obviously the floppy disks themselves are the same size (3 inch)

 

The scenario is I have a working Spectrum+3, and a CPC with faulty drive. So I wondered could I just swap them around? I have some Amstrad games on disk and no other way of loading them.. short of buying a replacement drive or computer. But if the drives are one and the same, then I could just swap temporarily.

 

Thanks for any help!

[Atari 2600 consoles Made in Ireland?]

Good spot, I hadn't noticed that.

 

Also the serial number on the Woody is blank, but above the sticker "AI 352" has been stamped into the plastic. I'm guessing AI is Atari Ireland, but is that also the serial number of the machine?

 

I don't know the history of Atari and when they began manufacturing the consoles in Ireland, but it seems these could be possibly a short batch of the older style before the Jr version was produced in the Irish factories. Would be interested to know if anyone else has similar consoles, and if that AI 352 number is different on theirs.

[Atari 2600 consoles Made in Ireland?]

Hi. Bit of a n00b here on this forum, and to Atari collecting in general. But I've been playing them of course since before the donkey was actually born.

 

I was under the impression that only Atari Jr's were manufactured in Ireland, be it for a short time. Recently though I've acquired a 4 switch Darth Vader made in Ireland, and also possibly more interestingly a Woody 4 switch. The Woody has a very cobbled together look about it somehow - you'll see from the pictures. As with the Vader the control ports, power switches etc have moved to the top of the chassis - but instead of the base being re-moulded it looks like an original base and has a thin but tough plastic sheet seemingly super glued over where the ports used to be located.

 

Will make more sense when you see the pictures.

 

So I guess my question is - is this unusual in any way? Or were there thousands or millions produced like this.

 

Maybe a question for the more hardcore collectors. Obv I've googled it but come up with nothing. And yes they're a bit dirty - fresh from 30 years of being locked up in a barn!

 

Rich