Amstrad PC1640HD20

From: Lawrence Walker <lgwalker_at_look.ca>
Date: Wed Jan 10 15:09:22 2001

> >
> >
> > On Tue, 9 Jan 2001 11:39:20 -0500 Lawrence Walker
> > <lgwalker_at_look.ca> wrote:
> > > > I thought the keyboard was a standard IBM XT-compatible?
> >
> > > Nope. I have about a 1/2 dozen of the IBM PC/XT K-Bs. Those
> > > hefty beasts are my favorite k-b. Also a couple of the XT/AT
> > > switch type. This Amstrad does have a 5-pin DIN, but the pins are
> > > arranged differently than on the PC.
> >
> > Oh dear, how embarrassing, I was completely wrong. I had a
> > look at the plug on the PC1512 at home, and of course it's
> > a six-pin DIN plug. The outer pins in 270-degree layout
> > and an extra pin in the centre. I worked with one of those
>
> That is, of course, a standard 6 pin DIN plug.
>
> I know that Amstrad used that connector on the PC2086 (later XT clone
> with VGA graphics on the motherboard) -- I have that machine and the
> service manual. The 6 pins on the plug were the standard 4 lines of an
> XT keyboard (+5V, ground, clock, data -- I have no idea if the data
> protocol was the same as IBMs) and 2 pins that were for the mouse
> buttons. The mouse plugged into the system unit, the button signals
> (grounded by microswtiches in the mouse when the button was pressed)
> were sent down the keyboard cable, detected by the microcontroller in
> the keyboard and sent back to the system as key up/down messages.
>
 The connection on the side for the mouse is a DE-9. Are you
saying it wouldn't function without a K-B. If so, is the mouse also
proprietary ? A 3 button mouse came with this 1640HD20 and I
just tossed it in my mouse box among the multitude of others
figuring it was standard. Was this likely not the original mouse ?

 Since it won't start up w/o a K-B I haven't been able to check the
HD for configuration, altho the HD does seem to work.

> My 2086 came without a mouse. I converted an clone mouse for an Atari
> ST (IIRC -- it was just a plain 2 button quadrature output mouse), and
> thus got to find out what the signals were and where they went.
>
> I have no idea if the PC1512 is like this, but it might be.
>
> -tony
>
 One of my ST mouses (mice ?) has a simple switch to change it
to an Amiga mouse. I also have a Kraft joystick with DE9 and
DB15 connectors and a switch to change between Apple IIe and
PC. There was a box from Practical Peripherals called Mouse-
Master to switch between STs and Amigas. Seems like it shouldn't
be too difficult to make an all-purpose connection box for different
platforms. I also have a 4+4-input 1+1 output ABCD box, to use a
single mouse and K-B with multiple systems, that are readily
available, which would simplify the project. Any "gotcha's" in this
scenario ?

ciao larry


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Received on Wed Jan 10 2001 - 15:09:22 GMT