393:, 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. As a result, later models had a cooling fan integrated into the main case. 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.
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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, was restored in
September 1987 amidst
524:
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
576:
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 magazine
488:
and numerical calculations. Lotus 1-2-3 and Matlab supported the 8087. A performance benchmarks as conducted with
Checkit compares the different models and configurations of the PC1512 and PC1640, with that of a fast 80286.
348:
computer system, launched in 1986, and advertised with prices from £399 plus VAT. The system was also marketed in the US by Texas-based Vidco Inc. from the start of 1987. Later in 1987, a slightly updated version called the
647:. 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.
640:
port 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.
452:, integrated into the main board of the machine, although only the ECD model could display all EGA modes. The PC1640 also allowed replacing the internal graphics adapter with a
627:
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, including
525:
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, including
590:; 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. Video output was compatible with the
764:-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.
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PC1512 CGA display with extra 640×200 16 colour mode. PC1640: CGA, EGA, Hercules mode, plus possibility to add an 8-bit ISA VGA board.
678:
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.
492:
Amstrad also attempted to expand its market share by selling computers in the United States. In the US the PC1640 was marketed as the
404:(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 the
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originally targeted itself at the "Amstrad PC 1512 and compatibles", since home ownership of other PCs at the time was rare.
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and the ability to read CP/M disks. Only one of these operating systems could be used at a time. They also licensed the
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893:. It was an internal ISA modem. It was encased in plastic and could fit into Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640.
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standard, with an extension allowing all 16 colours to be used in the 640×200 graphics mode. The
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480:(FPU). Upgraded with the FPU, the PC1512 and PC1640 did outperform later PC architectures (i.e.
808:
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The system was also bundled with the
Amstrad PC Games Collection, which included four games:
681:
Hard disk version, supplied with an extra floppy disk and manual backup and restore utilities
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The series was somewhat unusual for the fact that it had a physical volume control on the
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in a corner of the main case, the PC1512's power supply was integrated with that of its
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integrated office suite. The PC1512 and PC1640 were shipped with
Digital Research's
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620:. The power supply was located in the monitor, which made upgrading difficult.
889:, which was a quad-speed dial-up modem that boasted speeds of up to 2,400
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534:
191:
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823:. These came on three floppy disks, contained in a plastic clamshell case.
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422:, which was largely compatible with MS-DOS and included some features from
773:
Four disks were supplied with floppy models, five with hard drive models.
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Amstrad launched the
Amstrad DMP3000 printer, which was an 80-character
459:
graphics expansion board, which made it more versatile than the PC1512.
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633:, but many DOS programs had problems with it. The keyboard sported an
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Digital
Research GEM (Graphics Environment Manager) plus GEM Desktop
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35:
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208:
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Amstrad PC-1512 at
National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park, UK
687:
Colour or monochrome monitors. Monochrome monitor displays CGA in
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Amstrad PC1640 on display in Museo Almeriense de Retroinformática
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w/o FPU) in numerical operations, which was highly useful for
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1240:"RAM Upgrade Amstrad (Schneider) PC1512 from 512KB to 640KB"
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423:
1205:
938:"Compatible with you know who. Priced as only we know how"
598:
of both the PC1512 and the later PC1640 was an 8 MHz
508:
Performance benchmark of the Amstrad PC1512, PC1640 series
877:
paper. It connected to the computer via a parallel port.
866:
595:
1237:
462:
Both the PC1512 and the PC1640 could be upgraded with a
573:(up to Version 3.0, that did support a 'real mode').
389:. The monitor had sufficient venting to cool itself by
1121:"FUD – A Marketing Strategy in the Computer Industry"
840:
PC MM Monochrome monitor 350W 300 D 315H 7.43 kg
1118:
835:
PC1512DD System Unit 372 W 284 D 135 H 7.75 kg
832:
PC1512SD System Unit 372 W 284 D 135 H 6.05 kg
751:
Two button mouse with dedicated port on system unit
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
670:Amstrad PC-1512 DD on display at Retrosystems 2010
843:PC CM Colour Monitor 372W 365D 330H 11.6 kg
396:The PC1512 shipped with one or two 360KB 5¼-inch
1284:
155:Schneider PC1512, PC1640, PC6400, Sinclair PC500
674:General hardware specifications of the PC1512:
869:(Near Letter Quality) and could handle both
448:-compatible graphics chipset, acquired from
1252:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
796:Digital Research DOS Plus (runs MS-DOS and
260:BW or color monitor; 640×200 with 16 colors
138:
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
665:
654:
511:
503:
1119:Dimitrios Angelakos (16 October 2005).
1069:
586:The PC1512 shipped with 512 KB of
440:In 1987 the PC1512 was followed by the
231:512 KB (expandable to 640 KB)
14:
1303:Computer-related introductions in 1986
1285:
1277:More information on the Amstrad PC1640
1271:More information on the Amstrad PC1512
1213:"Amstrad drops price of PC1512 by £50"
1184:
662:-badged version of the Amstrad 1512 DD
381:(and almost all PC compatibles) had a
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964:"Amstrad PC to be sold in the States"
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353:was introduced, also marketed as the
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444:which had 640 KB of RAM and an
58:adding citations to reliable sources
29:
912:"Amstrad PC-1512 Sugar-Sweet Clone"
602:, which was sufficient for playing
521:adjustments in Amstrad's PC range.
24:
25:
1314:
1264:
1135:"PC-1512 and the Fall of Amstrad"
1056:
1028:
1012:"PC-1512 and the Fall of Amstrad"
1001:
885:Amstrad also launched the SM2400
711:Loudspeaker with volume control (
691:, not compatible with more usual
650:
537:4 and 5 for DOS, the spreadsheet
496:and included a 20 MB hard drive.
433:, which supported the customized
1070:Elliott, John (April 19, 2013).
470:compatibility, and by adding an
34:
27:1986 PC-compatible microcomputer
1231:
1160:"Amstrad PC-1640 Making Amends"
1127:
944:. November 1986. pp. 26–27
239:10 or 20 MB HDD (optional)
45:needs additional citations for
1158:Moody, Glyn (September 1987).
1112:
1088:
1039:"General notes on Amstrad PCs"
982:
847:
466:CPU, that increased and added
13:
1:
910:Moody, Glyn (November 1986).
896:
826:
1185:Barlow, David (March 1987).
803:GEM-based Locomotive BASIC 2
499:
7:
970:. February 1987. p. 17
865:compatibility that boasted
754:Microsoft compatible mouse
605:The Secret of Monkey Island
545:, and the database program
372:
10:
1319:
1238:Peter's z80.eu site blog.
1219:. November 1987. p. 6
1096:"Amstrad PC 1512SD - MCbx"
793:Digital Research GEM Paint
569:(up to Version 2.1), and
365:branded machines for the
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1187:"IBM Compatibles Top 10"
478:mathematical coprocessor
1076:John Elliott's homepage
369:market were also sold.
671:
663:
517:
509:
437:hardware of the 1512.
411:Amstrad licensed both
1139:www.i-programmer.info
1072:"Amstrad XTs: Models"
1043:Amstrad computer site
1016:www.i-programmer.info
821:Psi-5 Trading Company
722:and configuration RAM
698:Motherboard includes
669:
658:
565:, but could run also
515:
507:
468:80186 instruction set
54:improve this article
1191:Practical Computing
1164:Practical Computing
968:Practical Computing
942:Practical Computing
916:Practical Computing
747:Atari joystick port
400:, and optionally a
134:
1298:IBM PC compatibles
861:with both IBM and
859:dot matrix printer
817:Tag-Team Wrestling
760:Three full-length
672:
664:
518:
510:
188:Introductory price
132:
1193:. pp. 99–101
769:Supplied software
730:math co-processor
715:, not sound card)
571:Microsoft Windows
567:Geoworks Ensemble
346:IBM PC-compatible
334:
333:
330:6.05 kg / 7.75 kg
245:Removable storage
174:Personal computer
130:
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16:(Redirected from
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1166:. pp. 36–37
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918:. pp. 58–60
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784:operating system
645:internal speaker
635:Atari-compatible
617:Prince of Persia
549:III+ as well as
450:Paradise Systems
431:windowing system
417:Digital Research
200:Operating system
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813:The Dam Busters
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720:real-time clock
718:Battery-backed
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563:graphical shell
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651:Specifications
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611:Maniac Mansion
535:Microsoft Word
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406:Sinclair PC500
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359:Sinclair PC500
338:Amstrad PC1512
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1217:Your Computer
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151:Also known as
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71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
19:
1233:
1221:. Retrieved
1216:
1207:
1195:. Retrieved
1190:
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1168:. Retrieved
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1142:. Retrieved
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1103:. Retrieved
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555:Framework II
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383:power supply
376:
358:
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350:
337:
335:
305:Connectivity
251:floppy disks
223:@ 8 MHz
194:399 plus VAT
180:Release date
160:Manufacturer
116:
110:January 2022
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
848:Accessories
725:Socket for
551:Ashton-Tate
539:Lotus 1-2-3
527:WordPerfect
300:, light pen
1287:Categories
1144:2023-04-07
1105:2023-04-07
1081:2023-04-07
1049:2023-04-07
1021:2023-04-07
997:. Amstrad.
897:References
827:Dimensions
781:MS-DOS 3.2
741:Full size
713:PC speaker
600:Intel 8086
402:hard drive
391:convection
344:'s mostly
319:Dimensions
296:, Amstrad
280:PC speaker
271:compatible
221:Intel 8086
80:newspapers
809:Bruce Lee
778:Microsoft
737:light pen
689:greyscale
660:Schneider
500:Reception
454:8-bit ISA
363:Schneider
1248:cite web
693:Hercules
638:joystick
531:WordStar
420:DOS Plus
415:3.2 and
379:IBM's PC
377:Whereas
373:Features
294:Joystick
290:Keyboard
265:Graphics
249:5¼-inch
209:DOS Plus
207:3.2 and
69:"PC1512"
1293:Amstrad
1223:16 July
1197:16 July
1170:16 July
974:16 July
948:16 July
922:16 July
875:fanfold
853:Printer
798:CP/M-86
580:PC Plus
464:NEC V30
442:PC1640,
387:monitor
342:Amstrad
257:Display
236:Storage
164:Amstrad
94:scholar
1045:. 2000
756:driver
743:QWERTY
703:serial
700:RS232c
543:Matlab
494:PC6400
413:MS-DOS
367:German
355:PC6400
351:PC1640
228:Memory
205:MS-DOS
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
18:PC6400
995:(PDF)
887:modem
881:Modem
863:Epson
762:PC/XT
630:Elite
561:as a
547:dBase
529:5.1,
482:80286
472:Intel
309:RS232
298:mouse
286:Input
276:Sound
101:JSTOR
87:books
1254:link
1225:2024
1199:2024
1172:2024
976:2024
950:2024
924:2024
891:baud
873:and
819:and
727:8087
705:and
623:The
614:and
475:8087
424:CP/M
357:and
340:was
336:The
327:Mass
183:1986
170:Type
73:news
867:NLQ
596:CPU
592:CGA
588:RAM
559:GEM
553:'s
486:CAD
457:VGA
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