Usenet_area_"Cs.I.Pc"@watmath.waterloo.edu (01/08/88)
From Usenet: codas!novavax!augusta!bs From: bs@augusta.UUCP (Burch Seymour) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Amstrad PC1512 CONFUSION - HELP!!! Keywords: compatable Message-ID: <832@augusta.UUCP> Date: 8 Jan 88 13:57:52 GMT Organization: Gould CSD, Fort Lauderdale, FL Lines: 22 I've been thinking of getting an Amstrad PC 1512 and had corresponded with a person on the net who has one. His information is VERY different from the recent postings. Now I'm confused. Here's some of the comments I got from him: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 1512 comes with either mono or color (woops) colour monitor - the mono version being able to display colours as shades. Both have CGA (colour graphics adapter) compatability and are completely IBM compatible. Overall, the Amstrads are about as compatible as clones get. Even the most hardware specific programs seems to run, and there are no problems with the major applications (1-2-3, Wordstar etc.). Programs such as Side-kick and Flight Simulator work without any problems. Hence you can easily drive a Tandon 20Mb Hardcard - like the one I use. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- So either the early units had problems that were fixed or one of these folks is mistaken. Anyone else who owns or uses one care to take a side here? -bs- --- via UGate v1.6 * Origin: watmath (221/163)
bs@augusta.UUCP (Burch Seymour) (01/08/88)
I've been thinking of getting an Amstrad PC 1512 and had corresponded with a person on the net who has one. His information is VERY different from the recent postings. Now I'm confused. Here's some of the comments I got from him: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 1512 comes with either mono or color (woops) colour monitor - the mono version being able to display colours as shades. Both have CGA (colour graphics adapter) compatability and are completely IBM compatible. Overall, the Amstrads are about as compatible as clones get. Even the most hardware specific programs seems to run, and there are no problems with the major applications (1-2-3, Wordstar etc.). Programs such as Side-kick and Flight Simulator work without any problems. Hence you can easily drive a Tandon 20Mb Hardcard - like the one I use. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- So either the early units had problems that were fixed or one of these folks is mistaken. Anyone else who owns or uses one care to take a side here? -bs-
med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) (01/12/88)
In article <832@augusta.UUCP>, bs@augusta.UUCP (Burch Seymour) writes: > I've been thinking of getting an Amstrad PC 1512 and had corresponded with > a person on the net who has one. His information is VERY different from > the recent postings. Now I'm confused. Here's some of the comments I > got from him: > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The 1512 comes with either mono or color (woops) colour monitor - the mono > version being able to display colours as shades. Both have CGA (colour > graphics adapter) compatability and are completely IBM compatible. > > Overall, the Amstrads are about as compatible as clones get. Even the most > hardware specific programs seems to run, and there are no problems with > the major applications (1-2-3, Wordstar etc.). Programs such as Side-kick > and Flight Simulator work without any problems. > > Hence you can easily drive a Tandon 20Mb Hardcard - like the one I use. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > So either the early units had problems that were fixed or one of these > folks is mistaken. Anyone else who owns or uses one care to take a side > here? > > -bs- Well, I am know a new owner of an Amstrad PC1512DD. I've been posting information regarding the machine since I've been looking at it, and have also seen the differing opinions here - seems that maybe the machine is different on the other side of the "big lake". Postings from Europe seem to consistently indicate problems with compatability, but articles that I've read in PC World, as well as hands-on experience seem to indicate that these rumors are unfounded here in the US. First off, someone mentioned that the PC slots and/or machine itself was not "hardware compatable". I proposed using an off-the-shelf hard disk and controller instead of purchasing the Amstrad version which uses "1.5 slots". Well, this weekend I tried two different hard drives and two different controllers *with NO compatability problems whatsoever*. Simply installed the controllers, drives, ran fdisk then formatted the drives. They function flawlessly! Secondly, someone mentioned that there were some "graphics incompatabilities". I took this with a grain of salt, since most articles, including the one in PC World, indicate that the Amstrad is the most compatable PC they've tested in a long time. In fact, PC World tried it with some program (midnight pinball something-or-other) which they claimed was very graphics dependent, and that they were surprised that it worked perfectly. Though I can't claim that I've tested everything, the Amstrad PC graphics seem to be very compatable (I've tried a few games, and they run fine). So far, I've been very happy with the machine, and for the small price tag it is a very good XT clone. I'm a little concerned about the full-time turbo, but other than that I have no complaints (well, just one itsy-bitsy gripe - the height of the case will not accomodate taller than average controller cards, one of the hard drive cards is about half an inch too tall to replace the slot cover). If you have any more questions, or hear any more rumors that I could attempt to dispell, please feel free to send them to me. Myron Drapal AT&T Denver ..!ihnp4!druhi!med
mrh@camcon.uucp (Mark Hughes) (01/18/88)
in article <2562@druhi.ATT.COM>, med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) says: > ...and have also seen the differing opinions here - seems that maybe the > machine is different on the other side of the "big lake". Postings from > Europe seem to consistently indicate problems with compatability, but > articles that I've read in PC World, as well as hands-on experience seem > to indicate that these rumors are unfounded here in the US. No, I think we just seem to have more people over here that are happy to propagate rumours and third hand gossip when they simply are unaware of the facts. (I have both a very early UK PC1512 and the current PC1640 and can only say that they are as compatible as the reports indicate that the USA "versions" are - I doubt that there is any significant difference in the machines regardless of your position w.r.t. the pond.) Its a shame that a company that has done so much for the UK micro market as Amstrad should suffer so much blatently incorrect bad publicity. When they do step out of line, they do (deservedly) get hammered, but they also seem to get a lot of unjustified bad press. THE AMSTRAD PC1512/1640 ARE GOOD VALUE AND ABOVE ALL HIGHLY COMPATIBLE CLONES. (PS. I was the chap that the originator of the "CONFUSION posting", Burch Seymour corresponded with. Hope your mind is now at rest once more Burch!) -- ------------------- UUCP: mrh@camcon.uucp / ..uunet!mcvax!ukc!camcon!mrh | Mark Hughes | Telex: 265871 ref:MAG70076 |(Compware . CCL) | BT Gold: 72:MAG70076 ------------------- Teleph: Cambridge (UK) (0)223-358855
jeroen@cogpsi.UUCP (Jeroen Raaymakers) (01/22/88)
In article <2562@druhi.ATT.COM> med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: > Secondly, someone mentioned that there were some "graphics >incompatabilities". I took this with a grain of salt, since most articles, >including the one in PC World, indicate that the Amstrad is the most compatable >PC they've tested in a long time. In fact, PC World tried it with some >program (midnight pinball something-or-other) which they claimed was very >graphics dependent, and that they were surprised that it worked perfectly. >Though I can't claim that I've tested everything, the Amstrad PC graphics >seem to be very compatable (I've tried a few games, and they run fine). > > I have been using the PC1512 for about 10 months now and haven't had many problems. However, of all the programs that I tried, there were a couple that did not work properly. Two of these were: 'Night Mission Pinball' and 'Pitstop II'. In both cases there is a distinct problem with the graphics. (The programs do not crash but the display is not what is should be). I assume that the former program is the one referred to in that article. Hence, I was a bit amazed to read this. There are several possibilities: 1. I am using the Schneider PC1512 (the brand name under which the Amstrad computers are being sold in Germany and the Netherlands). There could be a small difference between the two versions (unlikely). 2. The program referred to in the article (midnight pinball) is not the same as Night Mission Pinball. Does anyone have info on this? Has anyone else tried these programs on a PC1512? 3. There is something wrong with the hardware of my machine that causes the problem. Suggestions? I would be very interested to hear of anyone that has experience with these programs on a PC1512. Please e-mail to the address below. If the responses shed some new light on the issue of the graphics compatibility, I will summarize to the net. =========================================================================== Jeroen G.W. Raaijmakers TNO Institute for Perception P.O. Box 23 3769 ZG Soesterberg The Netherlands e-mail: tnosoes!cogpsi!jeroen@mcvax.uucp or tnosoes!cogpsi!jeroen@mcvax.cwi.nl ===========================================================================
ray@micomvax.UUCP (Ray Dunn) (01/22/88)
In article <2562@druhi.ATT.COM> med@druhi.ATT.COM (DrapalME) writes: >> [after quoting ALL of a previous posting - EDIT PLEASE ] > Well, I am know a new owner of an Amstrad PC1512DD... > ...I have no complaints (well, just one >itsy-bitsy gripe - the height of the case will not accomodate taller than >average controller cards, one of the hard drive cards is about half an inch >too tall to replace the slot cover). Quoi? Either the machine accepts XT height compatible cards or it does not! Is the card you tried an 8-bit but AT height card? You shouldn't expect it to accept AT height cards. Ray Dunn. ..philabs!micomvax!ray