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The '''GX4000''' was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad Amstrad]'s short-lived attempt to enter the [Filehttp:Placeholder|video|right|300px//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_console games console] market<ref name="GX4000 at Old Computers">[http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=2&c=1082 GX4000 at Old Computers] </ref>. The console was released in Europe in 1990 and was an upgraded design based on the then still-popular [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC CPC] technology. The GX4000 shared hardware architecture with Amstrad's [Filehttp:Placeholder|right|300px]//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC#The_plus_range CPC Plus] computer line, which were released concurrently, this allowed the system to be compatible with the majority of CPC Plus software.

<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;">The '''GX4000''' was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad Amstrad]'s short-lived attempt to enter the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_console games console] market. The console was released in Europe in 1990 and was an upgraded design based on the then still-popular [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC CPC] technology. The GX4000 shared hardware architecture with Amstrad's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC#The_plus_range CPC Plus] computer line, which were released concurrently, this allowed the system to be compatible with the majority of CPC Plus software.</p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;text-align:start;">The GX4000 was both Amstrad's first and only attempt at entering the console market. Although offering enhanced graphics capabilities, it failed to gain popularity in the market, and was quickly discontinued, selling 15,000 units in total.</span>

=Amstrad GX4000= <p style="font-size:13px;">The GX4000 is a game console based on a 6128 Plus without a floppy controller or keyboard (although it is actually possible to modify one, add a floppy controller and a keyboard and use it as a Plus). It was delivered with two game paddles (as the ones delivered with the Plus models) and Burnin' Rubber on [http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/GX4000_cartridge cartridge] (without BASIC).</p> <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;font-size:13px;">The GX4000 was [http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Amstrad Amstrad]'s attempt to gain some share in the home game console market, then dominated by the likes of Nintendo and Sega. Like others before it, and like others after it, it failed abysmally in its goal. Despite the fact that the hardware was decent (after all the CPC+ series were some of the very best 8-bit computers ever designed), it was a case of 'too little, too late'. Lack of CPC+ specific software, lack of marketing effort and bad timing meant that Amstrad's adventure in the home market was about to end.</p>==Technical specifications==*CPU: 8/16-bit bit [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog Zilog] Z80A ] Z80A at 4 MHz4&nbsp;MHz<sup classref name="referenceGX4000 at Old Computers" 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 classref name="reference" id="cite_ref-Arnold_V_Specifications_13-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;Arnold V Specifications">[http://enwww.wikipediacpctech.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-Arnold_V_Specifications-13 [13]]</sup><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:uk/docs/en.wikipediaarn5new.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-Arnold_V_Specifications-13 [13]html Arnold V Specifications]</sup></pref>

<p style="margin-top:0Maximum onscreen colour counts can be increased in all Modes through the use of interrupts.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>

*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 only memory|ROM]]: 32 kB<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;">'''Audio'''</p>

*3-channel stereo; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY[General Instrument AY-3-8910 |AY-3-8912 chip]]<sup classref name="reference" id="cite_ref-GX4000_at_Old_Computers_2-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;GX4000 at Old Computers"/>[http://en.wikipedia.orgGX4000/wikiAmstrad PLUS use the same AY as used on ORIC ATMOS, ZXspectrum128/Amstrad_GX4000#cite_note-GX4000_at_Old_Computers-+2 [2]]</sup>+3, MSX1, AmstradCPC or AtariST (YM clone), yet it may be clocked differently.

'''IO'''<p styleref name="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;text-align:start;GX4000 at Old Computers"/> 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>

<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;"></p>===Cartridge Games===