[[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 distribute games via cartridges on the new Amstrad. The cartridges are protected with the [[ACID]] chip.
== EPROMs ==
All known manufactured cartridges contain EPROMs (rather than PROMs or ROMs). The cartridges can be fitted with different EPROMs in range of 32K 32kb through 512K (actually produced are 512kb, but only 128K..256K)128kb to 256kb versions are known to have been produced. The cartridge PCBs typically include six [[LK Links]] to match the PCB to the EPROM pin-outs:
VCC ---LK1--- EPROM.A18 ---LK2--- CA18
VCC ---LK3--- EPROM.A17 ---LK4--- CA17
(----- EPROM -----) (------------------------ Links installed -------------------------)
Type Pins Size A15 A17 A18
27C256 28 32K LK5 (A15=VCC=High) LK4 LK3 (A17=VCC=Supply) N/A 27C512 28 64K LK6 (A15=A15=Address) LK4 LK3 (A17=VCC=Supply) N/A
27C1001 32 128K LK6 (A15=A15=Address) N/A LK1 (A18=VCC=/PGM)
27C2001 32 256K LK6 (A15=A15=Address) LK3 LK4 (A17=A17=Address) LK1 (A18=VCC=/PGM) 27C4001 32 512K LK6 (A15=A15=Address) LK3 LK4 (A17=A17=Address) LK2 (A18=A18=Address)
Some cartridge PCBs don't have any LKs installed, instead, the etched circuit has hardwired connections between some of them. One could scratch them off, and then use the LK soldering points to reconfigure the board for eproms of other size.
== 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 '''[[ACID''' ]] chip, otherwise the CPC+[[Plus]]/GX4000 refuses to work. * For details, on the chip see [[ACID]]. All game cartridges (and the system cartridge shipped with the 464+/6128+) include an ACID chip, so, even with limited soldering skills, it's extremely easy to reuse that chip with other EPROMs. Which is meaning that the protection doesnunlicensed third-party developers couldn't prevent piracy or homebrew programming. It's only preventing commercially produced unlicensed games (which are more than unlikely to be sold with instructions saying to "de-solder your ACID chip before using this game"). == Misc == produce cartridges without buying the [[RAM7ACID]], a French hardware developer, created a device to hack [[RAM7 Cartridge Hacker|CPC Plus cartridges]]from Amstrad.
== Pictures ==
<gallery caption="2700-023P-1 (with hardwired LK1 and LK6, and single-sided soldering points)">Image:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-Components.jpg|ComponentsImage:BurningRubberGX4000versionPCB.jpg|Components installedImage:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-Top.jpg|Component SideImage:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-Bottom.jpg|Solder 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
</gallery>
<gallery caption="PT-NO-Z90903-MC0121A (with custom LKs, and double-sided soldering points)">Image:Inside GX4000 cart 1unrotated.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="2700-023P-1 AMSTRO1 (with hardwired LK1 and LK6, and double-sided soldering points)">ImageFile:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-ComponentsCart PCB AMSTRO1 top.jpg|ComponentsComponent SideImageFile:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-InstalledCart PCB AMSTRO1 bottom.jpg|Components installedSolder SideImage</gallery> <gallery caption="Cartridge Slot">File:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-GX4000 Top.jpg|Component SideGX4000 with top-loading cartridge slotImageFile:Cartridge-2700-023P-1-BottomCPC464Plus LeftSide Nighfallcrew.jpg|Solder SideCPC 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 464plus 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">
Courtesy of Amstrad.cpc.free.fr
More informations at the [http://amstrad[Amstrad CSD]] page.cpc.free.fr/article.php?sid=16 Link to the French article on the matter]
== 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==
* [[CPC GX4000-Multi EPROM Cartridgehttp://www.vieuzordiland.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=34 Vieuxzordiland's page on replacing EPROMs. In French]* [http://amstrad.cpc.free.fr/article.php?sid=16 Link to the French article on the Demonstration System]
[http://www.vieuzordiland.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=34 Vieuxzordiland's page on the matter. In French]
[[Category:Hardware]][[Category:Cartridges| ]][[Category:DATA Storage]]
[[Category:StubCPC Internal Components]][[Category:CPC Internal ComponentsHistory]][[Category:CPC HistoryPlus]]