--- title: Amstrad PCW 16 categories: - Computers types: - Professional Computer origins: - United Kingdom years: - '1994' cpus: - Zilog Z80 A params: name: PCW 16 image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_running_s1.jpg company: /companies/amstrad company_name: Amstrad specs: - label: NAME value: PCW 16 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Amstrad - label: TYPE value: Professional Computer - label: ORIGIN value: United Kingdom - label: YEAR value: '1994' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: None - label: KEYBOARD value: Full-stroke keyboard, PC-AT type - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80 A - label: SPEED value: 16 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: Winbond 83787 I/O chipset - label: RAM value: 1 MB DRAM + 1 MB Flash RAM (holds Operating System and built-in software) - label: ROM value: Unknown - label: TEXT MODES value: Bitmapped characters - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 640 x 480 dots - label: COLORS value: Monochrome built-in display - label: SOUND value: 1 channel - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 35.5 (H) x 30 (D) x 31 (W) cm (main unit) - label: I/O PORTS value: Serial & Parallel Ports, Serial mouse, AT keyboard - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: One 1.44 MB 3.5'' disk-drive - label: OS value: Roseanne + CP/M 2.2 - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Power supply built-in - label: PRICE value: £299 when it came out tabs: - photos - software - emulators - links forum_thread: 68 photos: - title: LARGE VIEW subtitle: '' text: When switched on the computer displays this main menu. image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_running_s2.jpg - title: SIDE VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_sideview_s1.jpg - title: TOP VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_topview_s1.jpg - title: BACK SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_rearside_s1.jpg - title: UNDERNEATH TRAP DOOR subtitle: '' text: Among the numerous expansions planned by Amstrad, this trap door allowed a ROM chip and a connector to be added. image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_romtrap_s1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: The keyboard was a colored version of a standard PC-AT model. Each fuction key allowed a software module to be called. Four-color keys was used to manage system windows. image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_keyboard_s2.jpg - title: OPENED subtitle: '' text: Like all other Amstrad PCW computers, the inside electronics is made up of two boards. The upper one **(1)** is the analog board, holding the power supply unit and the video circuitry. The logic board **(2)** is located under it. image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_inside_s1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- Only two chips provide all the internal functions of the PCW-16, a Winbond I/O chip and an Amstrad custom chip.\ Provision is made for additional RAM and Flash RAM as well as a possible hard disk interface. **(1)** 1 MB RAM chips. Provision is made for a second 1 MB RAM bank\ **(2)** A trap door, allowed to insert a ROM chip from underneath the computer. However, in this version, the location is empty, no socket is soldered\ **(3)** 1 MB Intel Flash RAM chip\ **(4)** Custom Amstrad chip. Holds a 16 MHz Z80 CPU, video interface, addresses and data bus management\ **(5)** Winbond 83787 I/O chip. One found this chip in numerous PC compatible I/O cards\ **(6)** Provision is made for additional Flash RAM chips\ **(7)** Provision is also made for either a second floppy drive, or an hard disk drive\ **(8)** Video output connector\ **(9)** FDD power connector\ **(10)** Power supply connector\ **(11)** Backup battery and buzzer. image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_mainboard_s1.jpg - title: USER'S MANUAL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/amstrad_pcw16_manual_s1.jpg screenshots: - title: MAIN SCREEN subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/amstrad_pcw16_screenboot.jpg - title: WORD-PROCESSOR subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/amstrad_pcw16_softwp_s1.jpg - title: SPREADSHEET subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/amstrad_pcw16_softss_s1.jpg - title: DIARY/ALARM subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/amstrad_pcw16_softdiary_s1.jpg - title: FILE MANAGER subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/amstrad_pcw16_softfm_s1.jpg emulators: - title: Joyce url: http://www.seasip.demon.co.uk/pcw.html platform: MS DOS text: Emulates PCW systems under DOS - title: Joyce url: http://www.seasip.demon.co.uk/Unix/Joyce/index.html platform: Windows text: Emulates PCW systems on Windows platforms - title: Joyce url: http://www.bannister.org/software/joyce.htm platform: Apple text: '' - title: Joyce url: http://www.seasip.demon.co.uk/Unix/Joyce/index.html platform: Unix / Linux text: Emulates PCW systems links: - title: 16 Storm, the PCW-16 site url: http://www.aster.fsnet.co.uk/pcw16.htm text: Reviews, tutorials, news and links oc_id: 52 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608075417/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=52 date: '2023-06-08' --- The PCW 16 replaced the [PCW 9512](/museum/amstrad-pcw-9512/). Contrary to the previous models, which used a text-based interface, the PCW 16 used a graphical user interface called The Desktop. The computer didn't run CP/M like the old PCW computers, but had its own operating system called Roseanne. Even though CP/M wasn't supplied, it was adapted to this machine by independent developers. Unlike the previous PCW models which came with only the Locoscript word-processor, the PCW16 came with a complete range of built-in software - word-processor, spreadsheet, address book, diary/alarm, calculator and file manager. Luckily, Amstrad abandoned the Hitachi 3" floppy format and switched to the standard MSDOS 3.5" 1.44 MB double-density floppy disk. The Roseanne system could use long filenames (up to 31 characters). The display was also standard: 640 x 480 VGA mode. Amstrad provided Several internal expansions for the PCW-16, 1 MB RAM, 2 MB Flash RAM, Application ROMs, second FDD drive; but it seems that none of them saw the light. --- **Rob W.** remembers:\ Dixons UK were selling the PCW-16 as late as December 1997, bundled with a Citizen Dot-Matrix Printer for about £170, which seemed expensive, but up against the latest £1,999 P233-MMX Packard Bell at the time, it seemed somewhat cheap :)\ Sadly, despite being taken in by its psychedelic keyboard colours and constant nagging, my dad didn't buy me this :(\ But... the following year he bought me a P233-MMX for £600 and the rest is history.\ Unfortunately, I have not seen one since. Wonder why...