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→Technical specifications
==Technical specifications==
*CPU: 8/16-bit [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog Zilog] Z80A at 4 MHz<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GX4000_at_Old_Computers_2-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-GX4000_at_Old_Computers-2 [2]]</sup>
*ASIC: Support for sprites, soft scrolling, programmable interrupts, DMA Sound<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Arnold_V_Specifications_13-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-Arnold_V_Specifications-13 [13]]</sup>
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<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Resolution'''<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Arnold_V_Specifications_13-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-Arnold_V_Specifications-13 [13]]</sup></p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"><span style="line-height:20px;">Based on the amstrad CPC hardware, you have the same standard 16KB video modes :</span></p>
*Mode 1: 320x200 pixels with 4 colours
*Mode 2: 640x200 pixels with 2 colours
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Overscan resolutions :'''</p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"><span style="line-height:20px;">The screen size is re-dimensionable, the pixel sizes stay the same as it just reduce the border.</span></p>
*Mode 0: 192x272 pixels with 16 colours
*Mode 1: 384x272 pixels with 4 colours
*Mode 2: 768x272 pixels with 2 colours
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"><span style="line-height:20px;">It is possible to have multiple mode on screen with raster interrupts.</span></p>
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<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Colour'''<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GX4000_at_Old_Computers_2-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-GX4000_at_Old_Computers-2 [2]]</sup></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Sprites''' <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Arnold_V_Specifications_13-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-Arnold_V_Specifications-13 [13]]</sup></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"><span style="line-height:20px;">The Hardware sprites have to be uploaded into the ASIC. They can hardly be fast changed or multiplexed, and are coded in 8bpp despite having only 16 inks.</span></p>
*Number: 16 high resolution sprites per line
*Sizes: 16x16 (pixels, each sprite can be magnified 2x or 4x in X and Y), the basic 1x size is the same as for Mode2 pixels.*Colours: Each sprite can use up to 15 coloursfrom the same sprite palette (16 inks : 15 colours + transparency)<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"></p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Memory''' <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Arnold_V_Specifications_13-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-Arnold_V_Specifications-13 [13]]</sup></p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"><span style="line-height:20px;">Being based on a computer system, this console has a huge RAM capacity compaired to other 8 bit consoles. But no specific VRAM. The fact that released cartridges were limited to 128kB was quite a setback, but 512kB cartridges are possible.</span></p>
*RAM: 64 kB
*VRam: 16 kB: There is no real dedicated VRAM, RAM banks can be used as VRAM, the Z80 is then put on wait state while the video circuit reads the RAM bank. Also it is possible to get an overscan mode : the video circuit would read more than one RAM bank, the displayable zone is something like 24K.*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Read-only_memory ROM]: 32 kBdepends on the LKs settings on the cartridge and the ROM/EPROM used. From 16kB to 512kB. All cartridges released used 128kB though.<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"></p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Audio'''</p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"><span style="line-height:20px;">GX4000/Amstrad PLUS use the same AY as used on ORIC ATMOS, ZXspectrum128/+2/+3, MSX1, AmstradCPC or AtariST (YM clone), yet it may be clocked differently.</span></p>
*3-channel stereo; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910 AY-3-8912 chip]<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GX4000_at_Old_Computers_2-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-GX4000_at_Old_Computers-2 [2]]</sup>
*3-DMAchannels : the ASIC has DMA channels for the AY, enabling to lessen the CPU when playing samples or stuffs.<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;"></p>
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''IO'''<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GX4000_at_Old_Computers_2-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-GX4000_at_Old_Computers-2 [2]]</sup></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">Audio output, 2x Digital controller connectors, Analog controller port (IBM standard, well, not exactly), Lightgun connector (RJ11), Audio and RGB Video output (8-pin DIN), Power supply socket from external PSU, Power supply socket from monitor.</p>
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