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PC1512

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Amstrad PC1512
Amstrad PC-1512 at National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park, UK
Also known asSchneider PC1512, PC1640, PC6400, Sinclair PC500
ManufacturerAmstrad
TypePersonal computer
Release date1986
Introductory price£399 plus VAT
Operating systemMS-DOS3.2 andDOS Plus
CPUIntel 8086@ 8 MHz
Memory512 KB (expandable to 640 KB)
Storage10 or 20 MB HDD (optional)
Removable storage5¼-inchfloppy disks
DisplayBW or color monitor; 640×200 with 16 colors
GraphicsCGA compatible
SoundPC speaker
InputKeyboard,Joystick,Amstradmouse,light pen
ConnectivityRS232, parallel port
Dimensions372 × 284 × 135
Mass6.05 kg / 7.75 kg

TheAmstrad PC1512wasAmstrad's mostlyIBM PC-compatiblecomputer system, launched in 1986,[1]and advertised with prices from £399 plus VAT.[2]The system was also marketed in the US by Texas-based Vidco Inc. from the start of 1987.[3][4]Later in 1987, a slightly updated version called thePC1640was introduced,[5]also marketed as thePC6400andSinclair PC500.[6][7]Schneiderbranded machines for theGermanmarket were also sold.[8]

Features

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WhereasIBM's PC(and almost all PC compatibles) had apower supplyin a corner of the main case, the PC1512's power supply was integrated with that of itsmonitor.The monitor had sufficient venting to cool itself byconvection,instead of needing a fan. The PC1512 was therefore quieter than other PCs. Rumours circulated that an Amstrad PC would overheat, and while existing owners would note that this did not happen, new buyers were discouraged.[5]As a result, later models had a cooling fan integrated into the main case.[9]Another example of rumour was the suggestion that there were issues with the 'unshielded' power supply in the monitor affecting an optional hard drive that could be installed at the back of the base unit and further that this would be solved by taping tin foil or aluminum foil over the back of the base unit or the bottom of the monitor to shield the hard drive.

The PC1512 shipped with one or two 360KB 5¼-inchfloppy drives,and optionally ahard drive(10 or 20 MB). The 5¼-inch floppy drive(s) could be replaced with 1.2 MB capacity versions. The machine was also marketed as theSinclair PC500.[7]

Amstrad licensed bothMS-DOS3.2 andDigital ResearchDOS Plus,which was largely compatible with MS-DOS and included some features fromCP/Mand the ability to read CP/M disks. Only one of these operating systems could be used at a time. They also licensed theGEMwindowing system,which supported the customizedCGAhardware of the 1512.[10]

In 1987 the PC1512 was followed by thePC1640,which had 640 KB of RAM and anEGA-compatible graphics chipset, acquired fromParadise Systems,integrated into the main board of the machine,[11][7]although only the ECD model could display all EGA modes. The PC1640 also allowed replacing the internal graphics adapter with a8-bit ISAVGAgraphics expansion board, which made it more versatile than the PC1512.[citation needed]

Both the PC1512 and the PC1640 could be upgraded with aNEC V30CPU, that increased and added80186 instruction setcompatibility, and by adding anIntel8087mathematical coprocessor (FPU). Upgraded with the FPU, the PC1512 and PC1640 did outperform later PC architectures (i.e.80286w/o FPU) in numerical operations, which was highly useful forCADand numerical calculations. Lotus 1-2-3 and Matlab supported the 8087. A performance benchmarks as conducted withCheckitcompares the different models and configurations of the PC1512 and PC1640, with that of a fast 80286.

Amstrad also attempted to expand its market share by selling computers in the United States. In the US the PC1640 was marketed as thePC6400and included a 20 MB hard drive.[6][7]

Reception

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Performance benchmark of the Amstrad PC1512, PC1640 series
Amstrad PC1640 on display in Museo Almeriense de Retroinformática

The PC1512, and also its successor the PC1640, sold very well. Part of it was explained because the basic model (one floppy drive, no hard disk) launched for £399, which made it one of the first cheap PCs in Europe. This price, which initially increased to £450,[12]: 100 was restored in September 1987 amidst adjustments in Amstrad's PC range.[13]

Second, its design was compact and visually appealing. With the exception of the fan in the PC1640's ECD monitor, both the PC1512 and the PC1640 were silent. This was a significant difference compared to the quite noisy PCs sold at the time. Although the Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640 had to compete against faster AT-type architectures at the time of their release, they were sufficiently powerful to run office software popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, includingWordPerfect5.1,WordStar,Microsoft Word4 and 5 for DOS, the spreadsheetLotus 1-2-3,Matlab,and the database programdBaseIII+ as well asAshton-Tate'sFramework IIintegrated office suite. The PC1512 and PC1640 were shipped with Digital Research'sGEMas a graphical shell, but could run alsoGeoworks Ensemble(up to Version 2.1), andMicrosoft Windows(up to Version 3.0, that did support a 'real mode').

The PC1512 significantly helped open up the European PC market to consumers as well as businesses, and Amstrad's advertising of the PC1512 was aimed at homes rather than offices. The 1512's influence was such that the UK PC magazinePC Plusoriginally targeted itself at the "Amstrad PC 1512 and compatibles", since home ownership of other PCs at the time was rare.

The PC1512 shipped with 512 KB ofRAM;it could be upgraded to 640 KB of RAM with 16 pieces of 4164-120 Dynamic RAM chips (64KBx1 per chip) and setting a jumper.[14]Video output was compatible with theCGAstandard, with an extension allowing all 16 colours to be used in the 640×200 graphics mode. TheCPUof both the PC1512 and the later PC1640 was an 8 MHzIntel 8086,which was sufficient for playingThe Secret of Monkey Island,Maniac MansionandPrince of Persia.The power supply was located in the monitor, which made upgrading difficult.

The input devices supplied with the machine were notable. The mouse was an Amstrad Mouse, which was incompatible with serial mice common at the time. It was supported by some games, includingElite,but many DOS programs had problems with it. The keyboard sported anAtari-compatiblejoystickport for digital joysticks. Joystick movements and buttons were mapped to unused keyboard codes, allowing the joystick to be used in many DOS games that were written for keyboard control.

The series was somewhat unusual for the fact that it had a physical volume control on theinternal speaker.This allowed the user to make the machine beep quietly, or silently, from boot time onwards. This innovation is still not present in most modern PCs: the legacy beeper is typically still a fixed-volume device.

Specifications

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Schneider-badged version of the Amstrad 1512 DD
Amstrad PC-1512 DD on display at Retrosystems 2010

General hardware specifications of the PC1512:

  • Available as choice of one or two 360 KB 5¼-inch floppy disks drives or one floppy disk drive with a 10 or 20 MB hard disk drive.
  • Hard disk version, supplied with an extra floppy disk and manual backup and restore utilities
  • PC1512 CGA display with extra 640×200 16 colour mode. PC1640: CGA, EGA, Hercules mode, plus possibility to add an 8bit ISA VGA board.
  • Colour or monochrome monitors. Monochrome monitor displays CGA in greyscale, not compatible with more usualHerculesmono display.
  • Motherboard includes RS232c serial and parallel port
  • Loudspeaker with volume control (PC speaker,not sound card)
  • Battery-backed real time clock and configuration RAM
  • Socket for8087math co-processor.
  • Connector forlight pen
  • Full size QWERTY keyboard withAtari joystick port
  • Two button mouse with dedicated port on system unit
  • Microsoft compatible mouse driver
  • Three full-length PC/XT-bus ISA expansion slots – these were accessed through top and side panels with thumb-push locks meaning expansion cards could be added without use of a screwdriver.

Supplied software

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Four disks were supplied with floppy models, five with hard drive models.

The system was also bundled with the Amstrad PC Games Collection, which included four games:Bruce Lee,The Dam Busters,Tag-Team WrestlingandPsi-5 Trading Company.These came on three floppy disks, contained in a plastic clamshell case.

Dimensions

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  • PC1512SD System Unit 372 W 284 D 135 H 6.05 kg
  • PC1512DD System Unit 372 W 284 D 135 H 7.75 kg
  • PC MM Monochrome monitor 350W 300 D 315H 7.43 kg
  • PC CM Colour Monitor 372W 365D 330H 11.6 kg

Accessories

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Printer

Amstrad launched the Amstrad DMP3000 printer, which was an 80-character dot matrix printer with both IBM and Epson compatibility that boasted NLQ (Near Letter Quality) and could handle bothA4andfanfoldpaper. It connected to the computer via a parallel port.

Modem

Amstrad also launched the SM2400 modem, which was a quad-speed dial-up modem that boasted speeds of up to 2,400 baud. It was an internal ISA modem. It was encased in plastic and could fit into Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640.

References

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  1. ^Moody, Glyn (November 1986)."Amstrad PC-1512 Sugar-Sweet Clone".Practical Computing.pp. 58–60.Retrieved16 July2024.
  2. ^"Compatible with you know who. Priced as only we know how".Practical Computing.November 1986. pp. 26–27.Retrieved16 July2024.
  3. ^"Amstrad PC to be sold in the States".Practical Computing.February 1987. p. 17.Retrieved16 July2024.
  4. ^PC1512 advert(PDF).Amstrad.
  5. ^ab"PC-1512 and the Fall of Amstrad".i-programmer.info.Retrieved2023-04-07.
  6. ^ab"General notes on Amstrad PCs".Amstrad computer site.2000.Retrieved2023-04-07.
  7. ^abcdElliott, John (April 19, 2013)."Amstrad XTs: Models".John Elliott's homepage.Retrieved2023-04-07.
  8. ^"Amstrad PC 1512SD - MCbx".oldcomputer.info.Retrieved2023-04-07.
  9. ^Dimitrios Angelakos (16 October 2005)."FUD – A Marketing Strategy in the Computer Industry".
  10. ^"PC-1512 and the Fall of Amstrad".i-programmer.info.Retrieved2023-04-07.
  11. ^Moody, Glyn (September 1987)."Amstrad PC-1640 Making Amends".Practical Computing.pp. 36–37.Retrieved16 July2024.
  12. ^Barlow, David (March 1987)."IBM Compatibles Top 10".Practical Computing.pp. 99–101.Retrieved16 July2024.
  13. ^"Amstrad drops price of PC1512 by £50".Your Computer.November 1987. p. 6.Retrieved16 July2024.
  14. ^Peter's z80.eu site blog."RAM Upgrade Amstrad (Schneider) PC1512 from 512KB to 640KB".{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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