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Info for nc200


====== Amstrad NC200 Notebook Computer (1993) ======




===== Features =====

* CPU: Z80
* Co-Processor: Custom all-in-one chip including the CPU, various I/O and memory management
* RAM: 128 KB
* ROM: Unknown
* Text Modes: 80 char x 16 lines
* Graphic Modes: 480 x 128 pixels
* Colors: bluish grey LCD
* Sound: Beeper
* I/O Ports: Parallel Centronics, Serial RS-232
* Keyboard: Full-stroke 64 keys
* Built In Media: 1 MB PCMCIA slot, 3.5" 720 KB floppy disk drive
* OS: BBC BASIC, word processor, diary, calculator, address book, spreadsheet, serial terminal, games in ROM
* Built In Language: BBC Basic



===== Usage =====

== Printer ==

Printer emulation is working. All data is saved out to a file on the host filesystem. The data is not processed in any way, so the file will contain the raw bytes output to the printer port.

== PCMCIA RAM Card ==

Same as NC100.

== Disk Drive ==

Not working. I am trying to find out the details of the disc interface by looking at lots of disassemblies!



===== Known Issues =====

Notice that this system is a TESTDRIVER, i.e. it's not included in the pre-compiled MESS you find at mess.org -- http://www.mess.org/.

The emulation is reasonably accurate. There are no documents about the hardware of the NC200. Originally Cliff Lawson published details but these have been lost when his WWW site went down. Since then he has been unable to write up the details of the hardware (Cliff is a very busy man).

So I have worked out much of the NC200 hardware by disassembling the ROM and I have also had much help from Russel Marks.



===== History and Trivia =====

The Amstrad NC200 Notebook computer is a portable computer.

This system has a fold-down LCD screen, nice keyboard and disc drive. (The disc format is 720k PC Double Density DOS compatible).

The memory is protected by a lithium battery which is charged when the computer is connected to a mains supply.

PCMCIA RAM cards can be used to store programs and documents.

The computer has a built in wordprocessor, BBC Basic, Serial Terminal, Calculator, Diary and more. The whole system is a personal organiser with lots of extras.

The NC200, was the last model of the NC series which was comprised of the NC 100 and NC 150.

It was a very much smarter, more professional design, with a larger fold-out screen, offering 80 columns by 16 lines, a built-in 3" inch, 720 kilobyte floppy disk drive for storage, but at a heftier price tag of £329.

It also had a spreadsheet, which the NC100 did not, as well as twice as much built-in memory at 128 kilobytes.

//(info from old-computers.com)//



===== Links =====

* NC page at Amstrad Computer Site -- http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cliff.lawson/notepad.htm
* Genesis8 Amstrad Page -- http://genesis8.free.fr/
* Tim's NC User Site -- http://www.ncus.org.uk/
* NC 200 at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1141



===== Other Emulators =====

* nc100em (preliminary NC200 support) -- http://rus.members.beeb.net/nc100em.html




Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009