26 Apr
2007
26 Apr
'07
10:28 p.m.
The Amstrad 1512/1640 had the PSU built into the
monitor, which could
also power the PPC512/640 "laptop". The connector was a 14-pin DIN,
same as the external floppy connector on an ST. I used to work in a
computer repair shop around the time these machines were current, and we
used to get an Atari ST in every couple of weeks or so where the owner
had "plugged it into his mate's Amstrad monitor and now the disk drive
didn't work".
Repair was usually a new floppy, new FDC and new sound chip. Why the
sound chip? Well... no, someone else can tell it.
I've never worked on an ST, but I'm going to guess that the sound chip
also provided a couple of I/O ports, a couple of lines of which were used
for drive select.
-tony