The '''Amstrad NC Series''' was a series of A4-sized, portable [[Z80|Z80]]-based computers, released by [[Amstrad]] in 1992-1993. All models featured 64 or 128 KB of RAM, the [[Protext]] word processor, various organiser-like facilities (diary, address book and time manager), a simple calculator, and a version of [[BBC Basic]].
The screen of the first two models (NC100 and NC150) was small, eight rows by 80 columns, and not backlit, but this let the NC100/150 run for up to 20 hours on four standard AA cell batteries. There was an [[RS232 ]] serial port, a parallel port for connecting a printer, and a PC card socket, by means of which the computer's memory could be expanded up to 1 MB.
==Design==
Image:NC100_Top_EN.jpg|Top view (english version)
Image:NC100_Top_DE.jpg|Top view (german version)
Image:NC100_PCB_Top_Rev32141NC100_DE_Bottom.jpg|Bottom view (german version)Image:NC100_DK_Top.jpg|PCB Top view (NA999-32141danish version)Image:NC100_PCB_Bottom_Rev32141NC100_DK_Bottom.jpg|PCB Bottom view (NA999-32141danish version)</gallery> '''Dreamwriter 225'''<br>The NC100 was sold in the USA and Canada as the Dreamwriter 225 with the NTS brand. NTS will then sell other models with similar form factor as the NC100 but with a Nec V20 processor and different software to schools. The computer identifies itself as "Amstrad NC100 v1.06" on the settings screen. <gallery caption="Dreamwriter 225">Image:NC100_PCB_TopNTS_Dreamwriter_225_Top.jpg|PCB Dreamwriter 225 Top (NA999-32142)Image:NC100_PCB_BottomNTS_Dreamwriter_225_Bottom.jpg|PCB Dreamwriter 225 Bottom (NA999-32142)Image:NC100_Display_PCBNTS_Dreamwriter_225_DR_1.06_Rom.jpg|Display PCBDreamwriter 225 ROM
</gallery>
Image:NC150_Top.jpg|Top view
Image:NC150_Bottom.jpg|Bottom view
</gallery> <gallery caption="NC150 (Italian)">Image:NC150_PCB_TopNC150_IT_Top.jpg|PCB TopviewImage:NC150_PCB_BottomNC150_IT_Bottom.jpg|PCB BottomImage:NC150_Keyboard_Matrix.jpg|Keyboard matrixview
</gallery>
<gallery caption="NC200">
Image:Amstrad NC200 System s1.jpg|The NC200
Image:NC200_PCB_Top.jpg|PCB Top (NA 999-32271)
Image:NC200_PCB_Bottom.jpg|PCB Bottom (NA 999-32271)
Image:NC200_PCB_Top_Rev32272.jpg|PCB Top (NA 999-32272)
Image:NC200_PCB_Bottom_Rev32272.jpg|PCB Bottom (NA 999-32272)
</gallery>
Function+X - change file display options (from main menu)
Holding [Function][Control][Symbol] and then pressing the power key will cause the machine's self test mode to begin with the general test and then continue with the disc drive test(a disc must be in the drive for the test to operate!).
==NC200 Disc access==
* [[NC100 IO Specification]]
* [[A surgical guide to the Amstrad NC]] (NC100 Hardware Reference)
* [[NC Series Mainboard Versions]]
=== Datasheets ===
* Word Processor: A full featured port of Protext, including Mail Merge and spellchecker. (YELLOW-RED)
* Calculator: A very basic Calculator. Supports only basic arithmetic operations. (YELLOW-GREEN)
* Diary/Clock/Address Book: A simple calendar, adress address book and world clock application. (YELLOW-BLUE)
* BBC Basic: BASIC interpreter with graphics and sound capabilities. Includes a two-pass Z80 assembler. (YELLOW-B)
* Serial Terminal: A (VT52 compatible) terminal program with XModem file transfer function. (YELLOW-S)
=== Third-party software for the NC Series ===
* ZCN: CP/M 2.2 compatible operating system. Requires at least a 256K PCMCIA Memory Card. [http://www.ibiblio.org/zcn/]
* NC100.EXE by Prowort Service. MS-Dos program for transferring files to and from the NC. (Download below)
<gallery caption="NC100.EXE by Prowort Service">
image:NC100EXE_Disk_Top.jpg|Disk Top
image:NC100EXE_Disk_Bottom.jpg|Disk Bottom
image:NC100_EXE_Screenshot_01.gif|Splash screen
image:NC100_EXE_Screenshot_02.gif|Screenshot
image:NC100_EXE_Screenshot_03.gif|Screenshot
</gallery>
== The NC and relatives ==
These computers appear to use the same hardware as the NC100, except a NEC V20 (8086 compatible CPU) is used in place of the Z80.
<gallery caption="NTS DreamWriter 325">
Image:Nts_325.jpg|The NTS Dreamwriter 325 used in US and Canada schools in the mid 90s as low cost computer/word processor
Image:Dr3.jpg|The 1.03 ROM chip used for the NTS 325 US version
</gallery>
* NTS 325 2.0 US Manual (PDF link from Archive.org [https://archive.org/download/dreamwriter-325-instruction-manual/Dreamwriter%20325%20Instruction%20Manual.pdf here])
== Books ==
* Ian Sinclair, ''' Getting The Most From The Amstrad NC100 Notepad''', Dabs Press, ISBN 1-870336-68-2
* Vic Gerhardi/Dave Hampson, '''NC100 Magic''', Rakewell, ISBN 0-7457-0236-8(Author Vic Gerhardi kindly sent a copy for scanning, available [https://archive.org/details/nc100-magic here])* Patrick Hall, '''How To Program The Amstrad NC100 Notepad''', Sigma Press, ISBN 1-85058-511-3(Available at the [https://archive.org/details/how-to-program-the-amstrad-nc-100-notepad Internet Archive])* Robin Nixon, '''The Amstrad Notepad Advanced UserGuide''', Sigma Press, ISBN 1-85058-515-6 (CC License, available at [http://books.google.de/books?id=6vP5WtCdApgC Google Books])
* Kim Wilson, '''Getting The Best From Your Amstrad Notepad''', Sigma Press
Image:NC100startup.jpg|NC100 startup
</gallery>
== Downloads ==
* [[Media:NC100_UK_A2.zip|Amstrad NC100 Rom (version A2 English)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Nc100_gr_a1.zip|Amstrad NC100 Rom (version A1 German)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Nc100_dk_a1.zip|Amstrad NC100 Rom (version A1 Danish)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Nc100_sv_a1.zip|Amstrad NC100 Rom (version A1 Swedish)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Dreamwriter225_ROM.zip|Dreamwriter 225 Rom (v1.06)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Dw325_-_1_02UK.zip|Dreamwriter 325 Rom (v1.02 UK with Basic)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Dw325-1_03US.zip|Dreamwriter 325 Rom (v1.03 US without Basic)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:Dw325-2_0US.zip|Dreamwriter 325 Rom (v2.0 US with Basic)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:NC150_FR_B2.zip|Amstrad NC150 Rom (version B2 French)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:NC150_IT_B1.ZIP|Amstrad NC150 Rom (version B1 Italian)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:NC200_UK.zip|Amstrad NC200 Rom (English)]] (zipped Rom file)
* [[Media:NC100EXE.rar|NC100.EXE by Prowort Service (German)]] (rar compressed .exe file)
== External links ==
*[http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/home-computer-how-computers-should-be-sue-schofield-shoulders-her-amstrad-notebook-and-takes-a-swiss-army-knife-to-the-opposition-1483758.html How computers should be: Sue Schofield shoulders her Amstrad notebook and takes a Swiss Army knife to the opposition]
*[http://mycalcdb.free.fr/main.php?l=0&id=6391 More NC-100 pictures (even internals)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141214160211/http://home.arcor.de/h.boehling/nc100.htm Boehling's Amstrad NC100 website (hardware reference, BBC Basic reference, some NC100 programs)]*[https://web.archive.org/web/20171102151719/http://www.8bit-micro.com/amstrad-nc100.htm Screen upgrade for NC100]*[https://www.simulant.uk/shop/retro-computers-games-consoles/amstrad-cpc/Amstrad-NC200-Gotek-Floppy-Emulator-usb-drive USB Gotek internal floppy emulator drive upgrade for NC200]
[[Category:Non CPC Computers| ]][[Category:NC Series]][[Category:Amstrad Products|*]]