Two interesting videos by RetroManCave : restoring an Amstrad CPC 6128 :

• First part
• Second part

Doragasu started a project in January 2017 about a ROM board interface with DMA transfert. The project is now a reality :

• it can play digital audio with approximately 0% CPU overhead. The limits are the bits per sample ( 8 ) and the maximum sample length (64 KiB). Sampling rate can be configured on the fly, and ranges from 3906 Hz to 50 kHz (and beyond)
• it can can transfer data from external ROM to internal CPC RAM at 1 byte per microsecond. While doing DMA the Z80 is stopped, but this is much faster than doing the copy using software routines

April Fool ALERT, April Fool ALERT

I have received the same email than Markus Hohmann as he announced it on Facebook.

So Alan Michael Sugar is asking to remove all ROMs of the Amstrad CPC firmware for a copyright reason as an Amstrad CPC mini will see the light later this year.

I was waiting for such a beast, but I didnt think about possible consequences. Though I will respect what he is asking as I have never wanted to put illegal programs on this web site.

The extension card ZX Dandanator mini which exists on ZX Spectrum should see the light on Amstrad CPC : the CPC Dandanator mini, announced by XeNoMoRPH on Amstrad.ES.

You can read all the features of the original card on its author web site (see above).

The Next-Generation Speech Synthesizer for the Amstrad CPC 464 by Michael Wessel now supports also the Amdrum sound card that you can listen to on Youtube.

CubeIOS is out, but AST is still working on his ACMEDOS replacement : IMPDOS for the mass storage extension card XMASS.

A new version of YANCC (Yet Another Norton Command Clone) is available (130318b). It's a text interface to manage your files on the X-Mass and the AcmeDOS ROM with an interface which looks like norton commander or midnight commander).

• Fixed Unwanted starts of YANCC during Warm-Reset (e. g. Monty on the Run)
• In rare circumstances, some files are copied empty.
• In rare circumstances, the ROM-Init of YANCC makes nonsense... (e.g. in "12 Lost Souls")
• CubeIOS bugfix

It's this new version which is needed if you want to use the new ROM CubeIOS which replaces ACMEDOS.

The XMASS mass storage extension card can now be used with another ROM, that is CubeIOS :

• Detect (nearly) all Fat16+Fat32-Partitions on your CF-Card, DOM, etc. (1st Partition please). Prefered is Fat32 (should be faster with Save-Commands). You can format the media with e.g. Windows and fill it with data.
• Partial longnames.
• the usual RSX like |MD, |RD, |REN,....
• |DIR + |CD accepts wildcards
• Compatibility should be high (i hope so ;) ) - but i'm playing around with a lower-rom-patch to increase compatibility.

The ROM must be placed below AMSDOS and (if used) M4DOS, PARADOS. It's not compatible with ACMEDOS at the same time. YANCC-User should be update to the latest version.

The M4 Board which let you add wifi on your Amstrad CPC just got another firmware v2.0.5 beta 1 :

Fix CPC+ cartridge issue with demos Eerie Forest & CRTC3 (and maybe others)

The M4 Board which let you add wifi on your Amstrad CPC just got another firmware v2.0.4 beta 10 :

WiFi: Fix WiFi connect issue after upgrade (clear some data and set proper RF cal data).
WiFi: Fix GD25Q32C ESP8266 spi flashchip to work in Quad IO mode.
DSK: Do not show files with system attribute set. (makes better catart too)
DSK: Show '*' after file with "Read Only" attribute set.
DSK: Do not reject strange sector numbers (like AMSOFT disk protection)

Stephane Buisard has a nice desktop, I let you discover why.

Turk182 just bought an interesting cable : Adaptador SCART RGB a monitor Amstrad CTM 644. With it you can connect any 8bit computer using a SCART connector to a good old Amstrad CPC CTM 644 monitor.

A new version r005.8.15.1 of the Amstrad CPC core for MiST by Renaud Helias is available.

VGA counters fix... How can't I see that before ? (found while merging ZX-Uno version...).
Taken into account also in experimental r005.8.16c30 (experimental != validated)

Habi Soft who did create an interface adding to an Amstrad PCW a PS2 keyboard adaptator, vidéo (PAL/NSTC), joystick and mouse, now is showing a FGPA Amstrad PCW emulator with colors .

Check the youtube channel of Habi Soft.

The M4 Board by Duke can be used more easily with a file manager. It's duke himself who cites 4 of them (see source below) :

• Disk menu by Joe Halstead, modified by Takis Kalatzis for M4
• YANCC - Norton Commander Clone by SOS, compatible with M4
• File Launcher by SOS, compatible with M4
• Menu program for M4 (with program & games download direct from the internet) by rafa32gr