ScuzzBlog: Diaries November 2017 Entry 25th November 2017: Post: 1 Amstrad MEGA-blast - Part 1 Sounds more explosive than it really is. Just that with all these battery issues I thought it was time to have a blast and crack open the the Amstrad Mega PCs and see the state of the battery removal. I have to be honest and say that I haven't looked in well over 9 years I guess. The units arrived 28th Sept 2008 and Aug 2007. When the computers were opened both had battery leaks. The worst was the computer with the least damage. The owner had stored the computer upside-down and consequently all the battery gunk had oozed out into the top of the case. Also the battery was held on with a large gob of rubber which also prevented it getting to the motherboard. Though the other had leaked less it actually sadly did get to the tracks. I am guessing none of these computers will survive today if the battery was not removed. Saying that the Mega Drive aspect of the computer may still be working as it resides on its own motherboard. Odd little beast but a whole bag of fun. The Mega Drive part of the unit works totally independently. You simply slide the front fascia over and pop in the cartridge and the machine instantly, and I mean instantly starts playing the Sega game. The Amstrad monitor provides the sound and just works without fault. The only issue is on the first of these two units the sound slide is a bit flaky and will wake up the neighbourhood as you can't really turn it down. The PCs appears to work albeit without the battery. The units boot into DOS and the floppy drives kick into gear. I don't think there is really much up with either unit. I guess I could give them a better clean, but hey what the heck. I use the one of these almost every day and I have that annoying SONIC music running through my head all the times. Never, and I say never, play this game. I defie anyone to play and put the thing down. The unit uses the standard Sega controller also. Works just as a normal Mega Drive. A BLAST. Amstrad Mega PC made by Amstrad under license from Sega Manufactured in 1993. Uses a 32bit Intel 80386SX at 25 MHz Supposed to have a 40MB hard drive though missing 1MB SIMM RAM which can expand to 16MB To be honest I wouldn't even know how you could fit a hard drive. The only one I've see appears to remove the floppy drive. Amstrad Mega PC Computer 1 With Mega Drive And floppy drive Amstrad 386SX works independently ie not at the same time as the Mega Drive when running. And there is the Mega Drive. The volume control for the Mega Drive is the slide bottom right. Kinda flaky on this machine. Fine on other Volume control, that does not alter volume on monitor for MD Licensing information Mouse and keyboard ports under Mega Drive cartridge slot Uses the standard controller. There was a Mega PC controller which I don't have Time to get inside The Mega Drive card sits above the main computer motherboard All very neat and tidy Slot end for the Mega Drive Uses the Z80 on the Sega board The Sega board still carries the Amstrad name albeit a stand alone Mega Drive board in truth Difficult to see where a hard drive unit would fit PSU to the side Wiring is incredibly neat and tidy And this is where the battery was You can see the damage it did Maybe space for a hard drive below the main floppy drive. Dunno Mega Drive and PC working in the same unit Turbo light ... so funny And there she sits working as a PC With its own dedicated monitor Something Amstrad always provided And the Mega Drive works by simply sliding the front panel and then inserting the cartridge SONIC 2 Kinda cool as an idea. Shame they didn't make one for the PS1 System battery is dead... No surprises there And there you have it... MegaPC number 1

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Last updated 25/11/2017

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