For some reason I do not like the basic idea to take some crappy CGA beeper PC architecture and dress it up as some black Amiga ST lookalike... This computer had no natural place in the market...
nice machine to look at. imagine if sinclair released this as the sucsessor to the spectrum instead of the +2 for £199, it would have sold like hot cakes!! :)
The Sinclair PC200 was actually an Amstrad PPC640 without the built in LCD screen. Search google for the two models and you'll see they actually reused the cases!
I had one of these from eBay a few years back, never got around to using it so I put it back on eBay. I have a feeling that CGA was used for economic reasons - this was made by Amstrad after all - and because it needed to work on domestic TV sets, and I think better graphics at higher resolutions than CGA would be too blurry.
I have the Amstrad version of this which they called the PC20. I still have it in the loft with original software and an amstrad 14 inch colour monitor.
Indeed, very nice machine, but I think it's based more on Atari ST (case design, GEM added as a graphical environment). I'm not sure it was good idea to equip this with CGA - MCGA would be much better choice, or VGA, or even EGA, but CGA? Hmm... I remember I read about this machine in "Komputer" magazine, which was published in my country in the second half of 80's and at the beginning of the 90's. I don't remember the exact issue, but I have it somewhere :-)
For some reason I do not like the basic idea to take some crappy CGA beeper PC architecture and dress it up as some black Amiga ST lookalike... This computer had no natural place in the market...
maiki60fps 2 months ago
I had one since i was 5 years old. I grew up with this pc. Unfortunately i don't have it anymore :(
SirTsixlas 4 months ago
CGA graphics in 1988, oh dear....
Beckcona 6 months ago
nice machine to look at. imagine if sinclair released this as the sucsessor to the spectrum instead of the +2 for £199, it would have sold like hot cakes!! :)
leerat 6 months ago
Hmm a 8086 CGA PC going up ahead the Amiga 500. Great idea guys. Honest.
doritostheking 7 months ago
I love Rick Roll. I love retro computers. So I like this...interesting video.
MattTheSaiyan 7 months ago
Damn, it took me 30 seconds before I realised I had been stealth-RickRoll'd !
ForViewingOnly 1 year ago
wanna sell it? I realy want it. Where can I find the sound from the video?
michaelboett173 1 year ago
The Sinclair PC200 was actually an Amstrad PPC640 without the built in LCD screen. Search google for the two models and you'll see they actually reused the cases!
A great machine though - One of Sugars' best.
richardharris82 1 year ago
Does this mean I got rickroll'd?
ftpaddict 1 year ago
@damedavid I think it is :)
factor6 1 year ago
I had one of these from eBay a few years back, never got around to using it so I put it back on eBay. I have a feeling that CGA was used for economic reasons - this was made by Amstrad after all - and because it needed to work on domestic TV sets, and I think better graphics at higher resolutions than CGA would be too blurry.
MarkTheMorose 1 year ago
This computer was also done as Amstrad PC-20...almost the same but in White casing.
Was great but the choice of a CGA killed it.
If it were a EGA and the same price, would have worked better...commercially.
Also perhaps a custom sound system... like a simple AY as on Speccy and AmstradCPC would have been great.
EGA was actually a good stuff even compauired to an Atari ST.
The main problem : you couldn't fit extension cards inside the casing.
macdeath69 1 year ago
Could have done without that music but oh well.
R33Racer 1 year ago
We have all just been Rick Rolled, PC Beeper-style!
ImperialProductions 1 year ago 3
@ImperialProductions Yes, the Monotone Ttracker is pretty cool thing :)
factor6 1 year ago
I have the Amstrad version of this which they called the PC20. I still have it in the loft with original software and an amstrad 14 inch colour monitor.
jsj24uk 1 year ago
Indeed, very nice machine, but I think it's based more on Atari ST (case design, GEM added as a graphical environment). I'm not sure it was good idea to equip this with CGA - MCGA would be much better choice, or VGA, or even EGA, but CGA? Hmm... I remember I read about this machine in "Komputer" magazine, which was published in my country in the second half of 80's and at the beginning of the 90's. I don't remember the exact issue, but I have it somewhere :-)
trophy242 2 years ago
I think I have that Komputer issue (have several of them at home). Anyway, it's a very nice computer even though it's just a PC compatible.
factor6 2 years ago
@trophy242 MCGA/VGA wasn't really popular back then and very expensive, and EGA was always costly and there was little specific software made for it.
VintageJunior 1 year ago