====== Amstrad NC100 Notepad Computer (1992) ======
===== Features =====
* CPU: Z80
* Co-Processor: NEC custom chip (various I/O and memory management)
* RAM: 64 KB
* ROM: Unknown
* Text Modes: 80 char x 8 lines
* Graphics Mode: 480 x 64 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
* OS: BBC BASIC, word processor, diary, calculator, address book, serial terminal 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 ==
The NC100 supports a PCMCIA Ram card up to 1mb in size.
The emulator supports all RAM card operations: reading, writing, formatting and write enable/write protect.
It also supports RAM cards of all sizes (128k, 256k, 512k and 1mb).
The file format of a RAM card is a simple memory dump; there are no headers or other information stored in the file.
If files have been saved onto the RAM card by the emulation, then the file on the host filesystem will be updated (the update will happen when MESS is exited, or a new card is inserted).
== Imgtool commands ==
Use imgtool to create blank cards, and to put/get files to the card image. At this time, only 1mb cards can be created and there is no support to create unformatted or executable cards.
Do not forget to insert memory card (as "Cartridge"), and if you want to write files to it make sure it is write enabled (see Dipswitches in UI).
imgtool create nccard <card name>
Create a blank formatted memory card. The NC100 can write files to this.
You can view the files by
- Pressing FUNCTION + B to enter BASIC, then typing "*." at the ">" prompt.
- Enter wordprocessor menu and select list files.
imgtool put nccard <card name> <host filesystem name> <nc100 name>
Put a file from the host filesystem (e.g. PC harddrive) to the nc memory card. The file will be cut if it is larger than 64k (64k is the maximum file size supported by the nc100 filesystem).
At this time, all files are assumed to be ASCII. There is no support to put binary or BASIC files.
imgtool get nccard <card name> <nc100 name> <host filesystem name>
Get a file from the nc memory card to the host filesystem. Files are always saved as binary regardless of file type on memory card.
imgtool dir nccard <card name>
Show a directory listing of the memory card.
imgtool del nccard <card name> <nc100 name>
Delete a file from the memory card
== Serial ==
Serial is mostly working.
MESS does not have a UI to change the serial device transmit/receive properties, so at this time it is fixed to: 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity for the NC100 driver.
At this time, the serial device only supports a simple protocol. (Each byte is transmitted in a basic serial form, with start bits, data bits, parity and stop bits).
In the future the serial device will support xmodem and xmodem send/receive will then work in the emulation.
== XMODEM ==
XMODEM transfer instructions:
- Enter wordprocessor.
- Start a new document
- Quit wordprocessor
- Go to list documents.
- Press MENU key
- Here you can navigate the menu to find "XMODEM receive document".
- Start XMODEM send on PC.
== BIOS ==
MESS supports two ROM revisions of the NC100: v1.00 and v1.06. You can switch between them, changing the -bios parameter. At command line,
"-bios 0" or "-bios 106" = ROM v1.06
"-bios 1" or "-bios 100" = ROM v1.00
===== Known Issues =====
The emulation is reasonably accurate. I have used NCIOSPEC.TXT published by Cliff Lawson at Amstrad to write the driver. Unfortunately this document does not describe undocumented hardware features, so at this time, any programs relying on undocumented behaviour will not work well. I am currently looking for NC owners (especially NC150 owners) to run some tests for me.
===== History and Trivia =====
The Amstrad NC100 Notepad computer is a portable computer.
This system has a LCD screen and nice keyboard. 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 NC 100, NC 150 and NC 200 were three products that its founder Alan Sugar was hoping would help revive the company's fortunes.
Cutting edge, they were not. Both were based on old eight-bit Zilog Z80 microprocessors. Curiously, both machines came with a BBC Basic interpreter on which users could develop their own applications.
The NC 100 was a £199 notebook computer the size of a piece of A4 paper, with a full size keyboard and a "letterbox" screen at the top, offering 80 columns by 8 lines.
It had an RS232 serial port and a Centronics parallel port for printer and communications. Built-in were 64 kilobytes of memory, expandable to 1 megabyte with the addition of an add-on memory card.
"If you can't use this new computer in five minutes, you'll get your money back," boasted the company in its launch advertising. For ease of use, it had four colour-coded keys giving instant access to a number of built-in applications, including a word processor, calculator, diary and address book.
At a time when an entry-level lap-top computer cost more than £2,000 and the sub-notebook had not been invented, the NC100 and NC200 offered a good value alternative for those with basic computing needs, such as word processing on the move.
By 1992, once fast-growing Amstrad was struggling. Its reputation as a PC maker had been undermined by a batch of dodgy Seagate disk drives at the same time that bigger-name vendors were engaged in a price war, squeezing Amstrad out of the market.
All the NC computers were made in Japan by Nakajima. The company also sold its own version of the NC-100, called ES-210.
//(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 100 at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=753
===== Other Emulators =====
* nc100em -- http://rus.members.beeb.net/nc100em.html
Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009