I no longer offer
the facility for selling PCWs on this site because of lack of interest. It's
difficult today to even givePCWs away. But there is still a small market for
spares. Take a look on eBay under Computers . Vintage Computing and do a seach
for Amstrad. To find out what Amstrad stuff is costing, do an advanced search
and tick the 'Completed listings' box.
HOWEVER, the Sales and Wants
page is still up and contains some useful information if you're looking for
a PCW or need help. Need help around Cardiff? Contact Anthony Hill
Anyone who has
PCW equipment for sale or to give away can do it on the newsgroup comp.sys.amstrad.8bit
To
print out text from these pages usingInternet
Explorer,right
click on the text pane
and select "print". Other browsers will be similar.
To
alter the size of the text window if required, pass the mouse over the vertical
border; when the cursor shape changes the border can be dragged to one side.
PCWs
don't have viruses but your PC is in constant danger of viruses,
worms, trojan horses. hackers, spam - the list increases each day.
Find out how to protect your PC here
Mallard
Basic on the PC find out more ............. here
Daisywheel printers for the PCW9512
and PcW9512+ - Spares problem
My Den
My
computer den is in a cupboard in the lounge of my flat. Just my PCW8512
and the PC with which I maintain this site (and others) Under
the PCW is a filing cabinet and under the PC are the PC box and printer.
The PCW8512 has two external switched
3.5" drives which mimic the 3" A: and B: drives. ie 2 x 180K
sides and a 720K. They can be seen behind the keyboard.
The whole is in a case that I made
many years ago. This makes the assembly easy to move.
Emails I'm always pleased to get Emails and will try to reply promptly, but of late
I've been getting too many questions which are fully dealt with in this website.
I'm always interested in helping PCW users, particularly beginners and those
with obscure problems, but I can't help with PCs and other computers, even Amstrads.
Please check for the answer to your problem in this website before Emailing.
Check the contents page and don't forget the Otherstuff section.
When using the repairs information it's important that you print out the text
and refer to it constantly whilst working. Methods shown were those which I
used during many years of repairing PCWs. More than one sheet may be necessary
eg 1) How to remove a drive 2) How to replace a belt. ........... never do more
than you have to.
JOYCE 2.0.1 has been published
by John Elliott. See my notes on JOYCE in the Emulators section.
Download
my Mallard Basic tutorial BASTUTOR free from the
Software section. Use it to learn Mallard
Basic on your PCW or on the JOYCE PCW emulator. Also find out about 22DISK.
If you have any interest at
all in PCWs you should try John Elliott's PCW emulators. There are two; one
works in Dos the other in Windows. Download free from John's website. Check
it out in the Emulators section
I've also added notes on a couple of others ; MYZ80 by Simeon Cram, a CPM emulator,
and WinApe a CPC emulator. The latter is an indulgence but I hope that MYZ80
may be complementary to JOYCE.
I'm always
very pleased to get Emails from you, whether they be queries, ads, comments,
or simply making contact. I shall always answer promply. However, if you have
a query please look in the site first. In particular:-
I don't
supply spares or software; look on my Sales
and Wants or Weblinks pages for them
wot do!
Want some freebies? Look on
the abovementioned page
Obtained a bare PCW with no
software or manual? check out my note below entitled "PCW beginners please"
then go to the-you guessed it!- the Sales and wants page.
PCW worked OK 2 weeks, 6 weeks,
2 years, 4 years ago but won't now? Pound to a pinch of ? it's a manky drive
belt. Get a new one from my S & W page contacts and check how to fit it
in my REPAIRS section.
PCW
Beginners please !!
Occasionally
I get enquiries from people who have somehow got hold of a PCW with no manual
and no software. "The screen lights up but nothing else happens".
If you're in this predicament please dig into this site for answers before Emailing.
Many people, finding that CF2 discs, software, books and peripherals are worth
more than the machines, sell off everything except the machine which they put
into a tip or an auction. People come along, and think they've got a bargain
until they try to run the machine. Unlike many other classical
machines the PCW has no built-in software. Everything has to be loaded from
the disc drive.
If this
applies to you there is a lot of cheap stuff around but to get the machine running
will take effort. You need at least a manual and boot discs. If you're lucky
enough to have a Locoscript boot disc and Manual you have the means to make
your fortune as an author. Perseverance with the PCW, particularly the PCW8256
or PCW8512 can be a rewarding experience not to be found with a PC.
If you're a PCW
enthusiast why not take up repairing PCWs as a paying hobby? Read my article
"Make Money" to find out how to start.
Sell your surplus
PCW stuff on this website. Loadsa stuff already for sale and wanted. See below.
I'm
always being asked about drive belts for Amstrad 3" drives in the PCW8256/8512/9512
and for the Citizen 3.5" drives used in the PCW9512+, PcW9256, PcW10 and
some Amstrad PCs. They are used in audio equipment and are flat belts 0,60 thk
x 3.00 wide x 69.0 in circumference. A slight variation in these dimensions
should be OK, particularly the circumference. Suitable belts are available from
John King and others (see my sales and wants pages).
Newsgroups - take
a regular look at the two newsgroups most concerned with the PCW and CP/M
The web page
for the older viewer. Click on graphic
Another
website is Computing in Retirement. Intended for the older viewer who is probably
retired, it explores the use of the PC as a hobby tool. View
the site here
