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HxC Floppy Emulator Manager v4 released by NoRecess

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The 4th version of the HxC Floppy Emulator Manager is available.

It features :

  • User can now edit up to 20 slots (previous version: 15 slots was the max.)
  • New UI, removed the old "demomaker style" presentation, now displaying more files on screen (with longer filenames)
  • DEL key added to move back to parent folder while navigating
  • The manager now skips DSK files when using a HxC SD/Slim device
  • The Help page now reports the firmware version + build date of the Manager
  • Switched compilation to SDCC 4.2.0 (resulting better Z80 implementation)
  • Now compiled using RASM from roudoudou (previous version: Pasmo)
  • Now compressed using ZX0 packer (previous version: the good old Bitbuster)
  • Smaller binary (11KB) resulting a faster load from BASIC prompt (previous version: 16KB)

It remains compatible with the 64KB RAM-based machines, and the ROM version is sdirectly available into the AUTOBOOT.HFE file.




Blocktris, an Amstrad CPC reflexion game by Under4Mhz

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Blocktris by Under4Mhz is a new reflexion/puzzle game for Amstrad CPC, based on a ms-dos game.

It's a Tetris clone with some nice background images.






Vexed, an Amstrad CPC puzzle game by Under4Mhz

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Vexed by Under4Mhz (I like the name) is a new puzzle game for Amstrad CPC. Match blocks and dont leave one or you must start anew the level.

I found a new way to play it, see below (well when I will find how to use the buttons as the joystick button, I am new to EmulationStation).

Vexed on a PiBoy XRS (Raspberry PI 4 inside)




A new disk drive replacement by Recalbox for Amstrad CPC, PCW and PPC

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A new video by Oldschool is beautiful presents the new Recalbox hardware to boost old consoles and computers.

For our Amstrad computers, there is only an alternative remplacement for the disk drive of the CPC, PCW and PPC using the FlashFloppy firmware, so an alternative to a Gotek.



RAM upgrade from 512 to 640Kb on a Sinclair PC200 by Amstrad Retro Geek

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If you have a Sinclair PC200 (PC XT) still with its RAM default (512 Kb), I invite you to see the video by Amstrad Retro Geek which shows how to upgrade to 640 Kb.





Backlight installation on an Amstrad PPC by Amstrad Retro Geek

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I invite you to check the Youtube videos of Amstrad Retro Geek, including the one showing the installation of a backlight on an Amstrad PPC. And the following video showing two different colors of backlight.








Amstrad CPC CRTC Compendium v1.4 by Longshot

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Longshot has released version 1.4 of the Amstrad CPC CRTC Compendium which is a documentation about the CRTC 6845 (and some others circuits). Note that the CRTC is a generic component used in several computers including the IBM PC.

It is possible to check if an emulator is good with the SHAKER tests by Longshot. SHAKER is a program designed to run on CPC machines produced by AMSTRAD in the 80s-90s. The objective of this program is to carry out extensive tests on the video circuits of this machine. These video circuits are the GATE ARRAY and the CRTC 6845. AMSTRAD produced several series of GATE ARRAY and used CRTC models produced by different manufacturers (HITACHI, MOTOROLA, UMC, AMSTRAD). This has been causing compatibility problems on operations that exceed the functional specifications of these circuits. The identified CRTCs are numbered from 0 to 4.



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