website/content/museum/amstrad-ppc-512-640.md

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Amstrad PPC 512 / 640	Computers	name image company company_name tabs forum_thread photos screenshots links docs videos related oc_id source PPC 512 / 640 /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_2systems_s2.jpg /companies/amstrad Amstrad photos software links docs videos 205 title subtitle text image PPC-512 Amstrad PPC models had a comprehensive 102 key AT-style keyboard with a nice feel, but sadly, a poor LCD display /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image RUNNING SYSTEM /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_running_s1.jpg title subtitle text image BOTH SYSTEMS #1 The only external difference between both models was the colour of the case, beige for the PPC-512, grey for the PPC-640. /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_2systems_s1.jpg title subtitle text image BOTH SYSTEMS #2 /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_2systems_s3.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE The basic version had only one floppy drive. /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_rightside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSED #1 /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_closed_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSED #2 /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_2systemsclosed_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS Only one difference between the two models - the RJ11 phone line connector on the PPC-640 **(1)** RJ11 phone line connector\ **(2)** Expansion port A\ **(3)** External monitor DIN socket. An Amstrad CPC series colour or B/W monitor can be connected here. It also supplies the power to the computer\ **(4)** If no monitor is connected, power is supplied by an external 12V transformer\ **(5)** Expansion port B\ **(6)** Serial RS232 connector\ **(7)** Parallel printer connector\ **(8)** Video connector for a standard CGA monitor. /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_rearsides_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE The electronics is composed of two interconnected cards (1 & 2) holding several Amstrad custom gate array chips. The third card (3) is the modem card that could also be installed as an option in the PPC-512. /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CARRYING BAG /media/museum/photos/amstrad_ppc512_bag_s1.jpg title subtitle text image BOOT SCREEN /media/museum/software/amstrad_ppc512_screen_1.jpg title subtitle text image QDOS2 Menu driven interface made by Gazelle Systems, the company where MS-DOS was born. Thanks to **Adam Godfrey** /media/museum/software/amstrad_ppc512_qdos2_ss.jpg title url text John Elliott's homepage - Amstrad XT Pages http://www.seasip.info/AmstradXT/index.html Very useful page with a lot of technical info !! title url cover text PPC 512/640 - SERVICE MANUAL http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/ppc640_sm/index.asp /media/museum/docs/couvs/amstrad_ppc_service-manual.jpg [**PPC 512/640 - SERVICE MANUAL**](http://www.1000bit.net/support/manuali/ppc640_sm/index.asp)written by Amstrad  compiled/archived by Tiziano Garuti\  type of document : HTML\  source : [www.1000bit.net](http://www.1000bit.net/) title url text Amstrad PPC 512 presentation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC6-WiBFO3s Length: 1:07 title url text Amstrad PPC 512 connecting to a mailbox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ychSsyn4xPs Length: 0:45 title url text Amstrad PPC 640 with hard disk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJxKBeEvtew Length: 9:28 /museum/amstrad-pc-1512 /museum/amstrad-pc-1640 /museum/ibm-pc-at /museum/ibm-pc-model-5150 /museum/ibm-pc-portable-model-5155 /museum/ibm-pc-xt-286 /museum/ibm-pc-xt-model-5160 /museum/ibm-ps-1 /museum/micronique-hector-xt 195 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230601084722/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=195 2023-06-01

With the Amstrad PPC-512 and 640, Amstrad wanted to make the cheapest portable PC compatible computer, in the same way as the Amstrad PC1512 was for desktop computers.

But, despite its pleasant form, this computer suffered due to its poor 9" LCD screen. It had one or two 3.5" 720 KB floppy drives and some versions could also be found with a 10 or 20 MB internal hard disk.

If you were tired of the poor LCD screen, you could connect a monochrome or CGA monitor to the PPC at home. The Amstrad CPC series monitors could be used too.

The differences between the PPC-512 and PPC-640 were a different colour case, a built-in modem (v21, v22, v22 bis and v23 protocols) and 640 KB RAM for the PPC-640. Both versions could run with 10 C size batteries (1 hour battery life), or with an external AC adaptor.