8 Nov
2010
8 Nov
'10
3:28 p.m.
When I get a chance, I'll get a screwdriver out
and check it, but my
memory is that I used the standard (European) schematic to locate and
replace one of those silly little circuit protectors in the power
supply--with a picofuse of the same rating.
What's silly about them (if picofuses are sensible)?
That Amstrad gate array is the principal thing I really don't like
about the machine. Undocumented and probably irreplaceable.
You and me both :-). To be fair, Amstrad did sell service manuals for the
machine at a sensible price. (THe one I have has 'Price \pounds 8.00'
printed on the cover), and spare parts [1] were available while the machine
was in production. So about 20 years ago you could have got a
replacement gate array chip with no problems. Which is more than you can
say for a lot of manufacturers.
[1] I had no problem getting a replacement flyback transformer for an
Amstrad PC monitor, for example.
Otherwise, a decent graphics display, lots of RAM,
what's not to
like?
I still think the nicest CP/M machine I've seen is the Epson QX10.
-tony