Fritz: All Fritz/All Fritz.zip/All Fritz/FILES/INFOTEXT/REVIEWS.LZH/AMSTRAD.TXT

Text File | 1988-06-25 | 6KB | 96 lines

                    Hands-on Review of the AMSTRAD PC1512

                      Copyright 1988 by David Batterson


   I always look forward to doing an evaluation of new hardware and software.
After studying news releases and ads, you have opportunity to get the true
picture of the product's worth.
   Amstrad PLC (London, England) is reputedly the "most profitable" company
listed on the British Stock Exchange, and is the top seller of personal
computers in Europe, especially in France and Spain.  It is now breaking into
the largest market--the U.S.
   The review unit I received is the PC1512, with 2 floppies, 20 meg hard
card, and RGB monitor.  (I had hoped to review the higher-end model instead,
the PC1640 with EGA monitor.  But what you GET is what you review.)
   The first item I check out thoroughly on any new clone is the keyboard.
Don't count on getting a high-quality keyboard on ANY new compatible, unless
the basic unit price is high (like an AST Premium, for example).  But at least
you expect it to be a standardized XT/AT layout.
   Amstrad's keyboard is probably the WORST I have seen in recent memory.  It
reflects a dreadful design, and may cost the company innumerable potential
customers, or complaints after purchase.
   Instead of the <Enter> key being to the immediate right of the (" ') key,
for some unfathomable reason, they stick another key which is RARELY USED: the
(~`) key.  Thus, your right pinky  has a L-O-N-G reach to the <Enter> key.  If
that isn't bad enough, the <Enter> key is "stepped," i.e., part of it is lower
than the rest!  If you are a regular touch typist, you'll find this extremely
frustrating to deal with.
   But wait, there's more bad news.  On the lower left, you normally find the
left shift key to the left of the (Z) key.  Again, Amstrad decided to change
this by slipping in the (|\) key.
   By this misplacement of two of the most essential keys on the keyboard, you
find yourself typing (') instead of <Enter>, and (\) instead of Left Shift.
The <Alt> and <Ctrl> keys are to the left of the (A) key; again this is a
strange location, but not quite so crucial.  There is also a  right <Del> key
which did not seem to do anything (what's it for, Amstrad?).
   So just plug in another keyboard, right?  Wrong.  The DIN connector is NOT
standard, so you are stuck with this keyboard, like it or not.
   Now for a look at the nuts and bolts.  Running speed is 8MHz, using the
8086 CPU; 512K is expandable to 640K.  The Microsoft-compatible two-button
mouse ("Made in Hong Kong") has its own dedicated port on the left side.  The
keyboard also plugs into the left side, and there's a speaker volume control
too (which many computers lack).
   The clock/calendar is powered by 4 standard penlight batteries, housed in a
compartment under the monitor base.  The footprint is a compact 14.7-inch
wide, 15.1-inch deep, and 5.3-inch high.  The 12-inch color monitor sits on a
tilt/swivel base; there is not much variation with the tilt.  The power supply
resides inside the monitor case.
   Amstrad's color adapter displays high resolution graphics in 16 colors
(with the monochrome monitor there are 16 gray shades).  Although the color
quality was excellent, the text display with the RGB was too fuzzy.  It is
therefore not recommended.  You cannot use a non-Amstrad monitor either.
   The main power switch is not conveniently located (right rear of the
monitor).  The joystick port is handy (back of the keyboard).  The hard drive
comes pre-formatted, so setup involved just plugging in the keyboard, monitor
and power cord.  (No documentation was provided with the hard drive; this may
have been an oversight.)
   Upon powering up, the hard drive gives you the choice of selecting MS-DOS
3.2, or going to the Digital Research Graphics Environment Manager (GEM).  The
system includes GEM Desktop, GEM Doodle, GEM Paint (a full-featured graphics
paint program), clock, calculator, "Snapshot" (for capturing screen graphics),
utility programs, DOS Plus, and Locomotive Software's BASIC 2.
   Options include GEM Diary, Graph, Wordchart, Draw and Write.  Novices will
like using the GEM "windows" with point-and-click icons.  Experienced IBM
clone users will likely just stick with keyboard commands.  Using the mouse
(no fault with the mechanism) seemed to slow me down.
   Three full-size expansion slots are available; that's not really enough for
the power user.  But access to them is quick, through the pop-up cover on top
of the system unit; score one for the PC1512!
   InfoWorld reported that Amstrad's floppy drives have head-alignment
problems.  I did encounter a problem running my regular communications
program--ASCII Pro--from drive A; I came up with sector errors.  After
powering down and switching to my backup copy, this did not happen again.
   Another problem:  the clock did not keep time, but ran way too fast.
Despite constant re-setting, it continued to run fast each time.
   Luckily, the PC1512 does perform well otherwise.  I tested it using
a Practical Peripherals 1200SA modem, and Star NB24-10 printer.  Both of these
worked with no problems at all.  PFS:First Publisher, Electric Desk, Ability
Plus, Tracker, and several public domain programs ran perfectly on the PC1512.
   My dictionary defines "compatible" as "capable of orderly, efficient
integration and operation with other elements in a system."  Therefore, the
PC1512 CANNOT be called a true IBM compatible.  Due to the sub-standard
keyboard, non-standard keyboard/monitor ports, bad clock, and my nervousness
about the floppy drive reliability, I simply CANNOT recommend this computer.
   IF Amstrad switches to a standard keyboard (like on its PPC1640 laptop),
installs a quality clock, and clears up any possible drive problems, I would
recommend it with reservations.
   (List price with one floppy, mouse, hard drive and color monitor is $1449.
Amstrad Inc., 1915 Westridge Drive, Irving, TX  75038; 800/237-3116 or
214/518-0668.)
                                   -30-

Freelance writer David Batterson, as you can gather, likes quality keyboards.
Send any comments via MCI Mail: 273-7218 or DBATTERSON.

D.