wagner@procase.UUCP (Mark Wagner) (12/06/88)
Hi. A friend of mine who doesn't know much about computers is thinking of purchasing a pc clone called an Amstrad. Thinking that I know something about this he has asked my opinion. Rather than explain why I don't know anything about PC's I thought I would post this asking for any help on the subject. So specificially: has anyone heard of a pc clone called "Amstrad" and if so how does it compare to other clones in terms of price/ performance/ etc.? Thanx, Mark. -- Mark Wagner, ProCASE Corporation. 408-727-0714 ...!tolerant!procase!wagner
phil@diablo.amd.com (Phil Ngai) (12/07/88)
I saw an Amstrad machine at a large department store in LA (May's?).
It had an 8086 and was around $999. For that price, I'd rather have an
AT clone.
--
Phil Ngai, phil@diablo.amd.com
{uunet,decwrl,ucbvax}!amdcad!phil ilan343@violet.berkeley.edu (12/07/88)
In article <23715@amdcad.AMD.COM> phil@diablo.AMD.COM (Phil Ngai) writes: > >I saw an Amstrad machine at a large department store in LA (May's?). >It had an 8086 and was around $999. For that price, I'd rather have an >AT clone. > PC Computing has a review of the "shopping mall" PC's. It includes the AMSTRAD 1512 (8086/8Mhz, 512K, 2 360K floppies). I quote: "...obviously owes much of its design inspiration to the people that gave us the $4 hair drier". The thing is all plastic with its innards wrapped in tin to shield RF signals.
porter@topaz.rutgers.edu (Adam L. Porter) (12/07/88)
It's a piece of junk: all plastic, and difficult to take apart and work on. Tell your friend to save his money...I'd rather have a no-name clone with more solid, "normal" construction than an Amstrad. -- ============================================================================== Adam L. Porter 272 Hamilton St. #96 New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (201) 247-6723 ==============================================================================
guest@bnr-public.uucp (Anyone) (12/07/88)
Another small fact, the power supply for an Amstrad is located in the monitor. "Special" cards are required to use any other monitor with this unit. I am not sure if this is a good feature or not, but the batteries for the real time clock are AA cells and are located on top of the unit underneath the monitor. There is a recess in the top of the case for the monitor. Oh yeah, one other thing. Only 3 expansion slots running parallel to the back of the machine. D. Scott Murphy scott5@garfield.UUCP scott5@garfield.mun.cdn
dross@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (david ross) (12/08/88)
In article <17917@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> ilan343@violet.berkeley.edu writes: >In article <23715@amdcad.AMD.COM> phil@diablo.AMD.COM (Phil Ngai) writes: >> [ ... Amstrads are not a good value (paraphrasure) ...] > > [ ... Amstrads are rubbish (paraphrasure) ... ] I'm not an Amstrad owner, but my brother in laws is, and I almost bought one. They're reasonably nice entry-level machines. They outsell *every* other PC clone (including IBM) in Europe. True, they're a bit plastic, but that's only a problem if you intend to drop the machine a lot! The price is quite reasonable, especially considering the software included. When I was pricing them out last summer, I found one place willing to give me the configuration I wanted (monographic, 1 3.5" drive, 1 5.25" drive) for $850. I only decided against it because I want more slots than the Amstrad makes available. -- _ _ _ David A. Ross (Dept.Math.&Stat.,U.ofMN,Duluth) / \/ \/ \ BITNET: dross@umndul THISNET: dross@ub.d.umn.edu / /--/--/ (...all the opinions expressed herein are facts, /__/ / \ hence they belong to nobody, least of all me...)
dsd@hpsad.HP.COM (Donald StDenis) (12/10/88)
>/ hpsad:comp.sys.ibm.pc / nicky.nessen@raider.MFEE.TN.US / 7:10 am Dec 3, 1988 / >Does anybody know of a real cheap pc? I might be running a bbs and need a spare >computer. ---------- The last swap meet I went to had a used clone xt with 20M for $375. I couldn't beleive it. Brand new turbo xt clones, 256k, 1 floppy, - $350. Thet're almost giving them away. I've noticed used machines in the clasifieds for $400. Are thes available in your part of the country? -- Donald St. Denis R&D Department HP-UX Email address: dsd@hpsad Hewlett-Packard Signal Analysis Division Telephone: US (707) 794 4489 Rohnert Park, CA 94928
pv@korppi.tut.fi (Vuorimaa Petri Kalevi) (12/10/88)
From article <401500bd.14dc3@gogol>, by wagner@procase.UUCP (Mark Wagner): > > So specificially: has anyone heard of a pc clone called "Amstrad" > and if so how does it compare to other clones in terms of price/ > performance/ etc.? A friend of mine was considering buying a one. He doesn't know that much of computers, so he asked me to a have a look at the machine. Basicly it's very cheap at least here in Finland (that's why he was considering Amstrad PC). At first the machine looked quite nice. Later on when I asked questions from the seller I didn't like it that much any more. The biggest problem was that Amstrad PC is compatible with NOTHING! It has it's own mouse and so on ... The man at shop even claimed that one cannot put normal 3.5" disk drive inside the machine. You have to use some special version (I didn't believe him for that :-) Anyway, it's cheap as toys usually are!
leif@ambone.UUCP (Leif Andrew Rump) (12/12/88)
DON'T BYE IT! I'm working as a sysop for a Amstrad Computer shop in my spare time and until now we have replaced the two computers in my home twice because of harddisk problems (The power supply isn't strong enough) and a colour monitor burnt itself out! And the trick of death: Try holding down the SHIFT key and write COM as quickly as you can and you will end up with COM7. Now slow down and you will realise that a normal (software) writer will experience problems EVERY time he writes COM (this isn't (thank god) written on a Amstrad!). Leif Andrew Rump, Ambrasoft A/S, Roejelskaer 15, DK-2840 Holte (Denmark) UUCP: leif@ambone.dk, phone: +45 2424 111, touch phone: +45 422 817 + 313 BBS1: ABC BBS: +45 68 00 544, 3/12, 24h, 2:505/38 (ABC Sysop) BBS2: PC-Club BBS: +45 68 0270, 3/12/24, 24h, 2:505/54 (PC-Club Sysop) Please note the node-change: Ambone, Italian for a pulpit (The following interpretations emerged Am_bone, Ambrasoft A/S bone when Ambone was put down on paper and Amb_one, Ambrasoft A/S #one accepted - they are solely mine!!!!!) ...
mrh@camcon.co.uk (Mark Hughes) (12/13/88)
wagner@procase.UUCP (Mark Wagner) writes: >So specificially: has anyone heard of a pc clone called "Amstrad" >and if so how does it compare to other clones in terms of price/ >performance/ etc.? No long comparissons... just some simple feedback based on having used both Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640 for a couple of years. These machines are *very* compatible, as fast as you'd expect for the price, and extremely good value. Like most clones, they started out with reliability problems which were countered using cheap on site service agreements. I believe that they have no particular problems now, but would recommend a service agreement unless your purse is really stretched. -- ------------------- <mrh@camcon.co.uk> or <...!mcvax!ukc!idec!camcon!mrh> | Mark Hughes | Telex: 265871 (MONREF G) quoting: MAG70076 |(Compware . CCL) | BT Gold: 72:MAG70076 ------------------- Teleph: Cambridge (UK) (0)223-358855
driesb@neabbs.UUCP (DRIES BESSELS) (12/14/88)
Hi Donald as for the armstrad PC clone (or schneider, it is the same machine), I would not really recommend them. A few of my friends in London own one and lots of them are unhappy. specially the disk drives are real floppy-eaters (literally). If you want a nice clone it might be good to check the Vendex headstart. I have been playing with it and it was really a good proce for a good piece of machinery Best Regards, Dries Bessels Amsterdam, Holland
charles1@garfield.MUN.EDU (Charles Loader) (12/14/88)
In article <5605@naakka.tut.fi> pv@korppi.tut.fi (Vuorimaa Petri Kalevi) writes: >From article <401500bd.14dc3@gogol>, by wagner@procase.UUCP (Mark Wagner): >> >> So specificially: has anyone heard of a pc clone called "Amstrad" > >The biggest problem was that Amstrad PC is compatible >with NOTHING! It has it's own mouse and so on ... >The man at shop even claimed that one cannot put >normal 3.5" disk drive inside the machine. You have to use >some special version (I didn't believe him for that :-) > >Anyway, it's cheap as toys usually are! The Amstrad 1640 is a compact XT clone. Fairly fast 8 MHz 8086. We have used one in our general office no for about 3 years without a problem. All software that should run does. The Herc. display is very good and the mouse works fine when needed. Currently the machine is running MSDOS troff/tbl/eqn etc. using the EROFF package from Elan. Much of the output is mathematical text but the machine seems manage just fine, running at about the same speed as the mainframe under normal daytime load. (One nice thing about the 1640 is the absence of a cooling fan ... runs almost silently ... what a pleasure!) My brother has a PPC portable. The portable runs a little faster than the desk version. Seems to run all the standard software. C. E. Loader Chemistry Dept.
thsieh@bnrmtv.UUCP (Theodore Hsieh) (12/15/88)
I've purchased an Amstrad PC1512DD not very long ago. It had a 512K RAM, two 360K floppy drives, a mouse, CGA with color monitor, three expansion slots, and some softwares including MS-DOS 3.1, GEM Desktop etc. The price for the whole thing was only $799. The system is very light in weight because it's all plastic. There is no power supply in the machine either. The power of the whole system comes from the monitor. The only problem with it is that there is not enough slots for expansion. The other problem to it (due to some salespersons in a Computer Store) is that the system is not 100% IBM compatible. Actually, I've tried running 'Quattro' on it but failed. So, if you are are looking for a PC for beginners, the Amstrad PCs are not so bad; otherwise, try looking around in the market, you might find some- thing more dependable for a resonable price. -------- Theodore
warren@psu-cs.UUCP (Warren Harrison) (12/16/88)
I don't know much about their dsktop system, but I have their "laptop"
model and couldn't be happier with it (at the price ...). I paid about
1,000 for it and it has a 7Mhz 8x88 with dual 3.5" floppies, 640K AND a
built in 2400Baud modem. The screen is small (but no smaller I expect than
most laptops) AND IS NOT BACKLIT (boo!). The good/bad point is that it has
a full size 101 key keyboard, so when I use it at home (which is most the
time that it is used), I can plug a mono (it also accepts CGA) 12" monitor
to it an dit is a very comfortable dual floppy PC machine. It fits under
an airplane seat, but due to the non-backlit LCD, it is hard to see unless
you have light shining directly on it ... this is OK for hotel rooms, but
I wouldn't suggest trying a write a movire review in real-time with it :-)
The thing I like most about it is that is is portable, so I can pick it up and
move it around the house, to friends houses, etc by just picking it up by
the handle and thegrabbing the monitor. The box weighs about the same as
the Zenith laptop (approx. I have just compared them by holding one in
one hand and the other an the other hand at the same time).
For someone who is going to get a dual floppy system, and doesn't do alot of
big compiles I WOULD recommend the Amstrad ... it runs any software I've
tried on it (but to be fair I haven't tried to crash it, so have just run
Quattro, Turbo Pascal, Turbo PROLOG< etc on it). For serious programming I
usually use my 286 (but I keep the Amstrad by the TV ...). For $1000 plus
another $75 you have a decent "luggable" with a full size keyboard (this
is what turned me off to Zenith, et al. The keyboards are too small if you
want to use them in a desktop mode) - if you want color change the $75 to wh
whatever - plus a 2400 baud dial up capability.
One thing though, you'll probably pay mor ethan $1000 at Macy's or whereever.
I have seen the Amstrad laptop for as low as $700 or so in a recent issue of
computr shopper ... be careful they don't try and sell you the 512K version
or the single floppy version however ... our local Silo was doing that when
I bought mine. Doing a CHKDSK on the display model quickly brought this
fact to my (and eventually the store manager's) attention.
Warren
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warren Harrison CSNET: warren@pdx.edu
Department of Computer Science UUCP: {ucbvax,decvax}!tektronix!psu-cs!warren
Portland State University Internet: warren%pdx.edu@relay.cs.net
Portland, OR 97207-0751jonathan@cs.keele.ac.uk (Jonathan Knight) (12/16/88)
From article <2225@titan.camcon.co.uk>, by mrh@camcon.co.uk (Mark Hughes): > wagner@procase.UUCP (Mark Wagner) writes: >>So specificially: has anyone heard of a pc clone called "Amstrad" >>and if so how does it compare to other clones in terms of price/ >>performance/ etc.? > > No long comparissons... just some simple feedback based on having used > both Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640 for a couple of years. These machines are > *very* compatible, as fast as you'd expect for the price, and extremely > good value. I had a PC1512 and found it too incompatable to use. The floppy hardware wasn't compatable enough to run COPYIIPC, the mouse was fine for stuff which used the supplied mouse driver and didn't do anything clever. The mouse isn't compatable with anything else so you can't use a package that wants to drive the mouse directly (windows, cadd, etc etc). Even if the package uses the supplied mouse driver, I often found the mouse cursor disapearing or the machine locking up (e.g. MS Codeview). The keyboard software had a bug that caused binaries generated by MSC 4.0 to sometimes hang the system and the screen is a sort of Hercules compatable. It is a pretty good CGA emulator though (I had the monochrome version). Reliability is a real probelm, where I worked they bought a whole load of the things and it was odd not to find one or two broken ones lying around. Specifically the printer port chips kept blowing and the hard disks failed. I believe Amstrad are buying in hard disks now instead of making them themselves. Overheating was also a problem as the PC1512 didn't used to have any fans in them. Overall I wasn't too impressed with the machine and it certainly wasn't compatable enough for developing code on. I'd make sure that your applications work on it before buying one. I now use a Beltron XT compatable (Continental Ltd) with a Genius mouse and have only had trouble with the latest release of the MS mouse driver as the Genius mouse wasn't compatable with the latest MS mouse hardware. I just use an older version without problem. So far I've had no other trouble with it at all and I would recommend considering them as the machine has a much nicer feel and is a lot more rugged. Its also a snap together clone so the parts are well tried and from well known manufacturers (TVM monitors, DTK motherboard, Seagate disk, Western Digital controller). Its a touch more money but I feel it was worth it. -- ______ JANET :jonathan@uk.ac.keele.cs Jonathan Knight, / BITNET:jonathan%cs.kl.ac.uk@ukacrl Department of Computer Science / _ __ other :jonathan@cs.keele.ac.uk University of Keele, Keele, (_/ (_) / / UUCP :...!ukc!kl-cs!jonathan Staffordshire. ST5 5BG. U.K.
syrbz@warwick.ac.uk (J D Mulberg) (12/16/88)
I am surprised at the lack of impact that Amstrad has had in the US. In the UK Amstrad are one of, if not the biggest supplier of PC's. A brief summary: The original model was the PC1512. This was the first cheap clone from a name that everyone had heard of and was unlikely to go bust next month. It used a 8086 with 512K, 5.25 DD and a hard disk option. The monitor, keyboard and mouse were (possibly deliberately) uncompatable with everthing else, and were rather tacky. The screen especially was awful. The newer model was the PC1640, with 640K, and a better screen, but the same incompatability and bad mouse and keyborad. When you get one that works it's an acceptale machine, but the disk drives may need tweaking if you don't want the disks chewed. Just out is model 8086, which has finally got compatable everything, a 3.5 disk, and options on 5.25 and HD. At first glance it looks reasonable. The reason Brits buy Amstrads is that it's a known name, and made by someone I can phone up, visit and complain to, and sue if the beast I bought goes bang. When Dell, Leading Edge etc. incorporate themselves in the City of London, and convince people they're here to stay, they will do some substantial business. Jon Mulberg, Go placidly amidst the Warwick University noise and haste ... -- UUCP: ...!mcvax!ukc!warwick!syrbz PHONE: +44 203 523523 JANET: syrbz@uk.ac.warwick.daisy ARPA: syrbz@daisy.warwick.ac.uk
andrew@stl.stc.co.uk (Andrew Macpherson) (01/02/89)
I am surprised at all the tales of incompatibility. To scotch one immediatly, COPY22PC will work, as indeed does COPYRITE and EXPLORER. Mouse problems with CodeView --- This is true of every non-microsoft mouse, and the solution (top right of screen and click) is surely well known? I regularly use an Amstrad for running Ventura publisher. The 1512 is a form of CGA, but with 4 color planes which can be switched on or off for subsequent writes by setting a register. The 1640 has a better screen entirely, (EGA I think --- I havn't tried programming that) There was a question with the original versions as to whether the PS was adequate for the higher powered extension cards --- I have used LAN cards with no problems. There is a new version out --- The 2000 which is a cheap AT clone. I would suggest that may be worth looking at. A satisfied user -- Andrew Macpherson PSI%234237100122::andrew andrew@stl.stc.co.uk - or - ...!mcvax!ukc!stl!andrew "It is always a great mistake to treat the individual on the chance that he may become a crowd" -- Mr Justice Codd: (A.P.Herbert)