Technical documentation

Ongoing project for additional technical documentation: the local mirror of Kevin Thackers' archive at http://www.cpctech.org.uk.

How to's

• Changing the drive belt
• A Guide to running software on a real CPC!
• Modify PC floppy drives to work on a CPC
• Transfering Alkatraz protected tapes and most games!
• Willem Programmer - how to program eproms using the Willem eprom programmer.
• Guide on how to connect a 3.5" drive to a CPC6128/664
• Guide on how to connect a 3.5" drive to a CPC6128/664 with photos
• Powering a CPC 6128 from a Sinclar Spectrum +3 PSU
• TV SCART cable
• Getting a CPC to work with an LCD or plasma TV
• Converting an MP1 into an MP2

BASIC / Firmware / CP/M

• Technical information about Locomotive BASIC

Built-in connectors: pinout

• 2nd disc drive (CPC664, CPC6128, CPC6128+)
• Analogue joystick (CPC Plus only)
• Aux socket (CPC Plus only)
• Cassette recorder
• Digital joystick
• Expansion port
• Floppy
• Monitor
• Printer port
• Stereo sound
• Tape

Hardware extensions

• CPC Booster
• SYMBiFACE II

Internal components

• 8255 - PIO - I/O controller
• Arnold_V_specs - Arnold V (CPC+) Technical Specification
• AY-3-8912 - Sound chip / keyboard controller
• Cassette data information - Information about the cassette storage system
• CRTC - Video chip
• Gate Array - Custom chip (frequency generation, colors, bank switching)
• I/O Port Summary - map of all known I/O ports of the CPC
• Power Supply for CPC and CPC plus
• Serial interface - how to use the DART and 8253 chips of an Amstrad-compatible serial interface

Service Manuals

• Service Manuals.

Protections

• 8k Speedlock
• Alkatraz
• Speedlock

Specifications

• Disc formats
• List of file formats
• SGX (SymbOS graphic files)
• VID (SymbOS video files)
• List of Emulator IDs