Editing Amstrad NC200 (section)

== Hardware ==

The Centre for Computing History describes the processor as a Z80 with a custom all-in-one chip for the I/O and memory management.<ref name="cch" /> David Given, who ported CP/M to the NC200, describes the memory management as able to map any 16&nbsp;KB bank of RAM anywhere in the address space; he expanded his machine to 1128&nbsp;KB with a memory card.<ref name="cpmish">David Given, [https://github.com/davidgiven/cpmish/blob/master/arch/nc200/README.md "Platform: the Amstrad NC200"], cpmish project documentation, and [http://cowlark.com/2017-12-04-nc200-reverse-engineering/ "Running native programs on the Amstrad NC200"], cowlark.com, 4 December 2017. Retrieved 2026-10-02. The NC200's 16 KB bank mapping, the PCMCIA slot's Type I-only opening, ATA cards on PCMCIA adaptors under CP/M, the undocumented Function+R boot from floppy, a first NC200 ruined when its C cells burst over the main board, battery life of up to ten hours on five C cells.</ref> The PCMCIA slot takes SRAM memory cards of up to 1&nbsp;MB; the case opening admits only Type I cards.<ref name="ncus" /><ref name="cpmish" />

The floppy drive formats 720&nbsp;KB discs that a PC can read; the NC200 puts files in a directory called NOTEBOOK.<ref name="ncushw" /> Given found that discs formatted on the NC200 itself use a non-standard sector skew, which more than doubles disc speed under his CP/M port compared with discs formatted on a PC.<ref name="cpmish" />

{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:100%; text-align:left;"
|+'''NC200 against NC100 and NC150 (Tim Surtell)'''
! Item !! NC100 !! NC150 !! NC200
|-
| Screen || 480 × 64, 80 × 8 || 480 × 64, 80 × 8 || Backlit 480 × 128, 80 × 16
|-
| RAM || 64&nbsp;KB || 128&nbsp;KB || 128&nbsp;KB
|-
| Discs || – || Optional Ranger drive || Built-in 3.5-inch 720&nbsp;KB drive
|-
| Power || 4 × AA, 6&nbsp;V adaptor || 4 × AA, 6&nbsp;V adaptor || 5 × C, 7.5&nbsp;V adaptor
|-
| Games and spreadsheet || No || Yes || Yes
|}

=== Power ===

Five alkaline C cells give about 35 to 40 hours according to Amstrad, depending on how much the backlight and floppy drive are used; the backlight triples the consumption and the floppy drive raises it to about twelve times normal. NiCad cells give about 10 hours and are not charged in the machine. A CR2032 lithium cell keeps the memory when no other power is present.<ref name="um" /> Given reports up to ten hours from five C cells.<ref name="cpmish" /> The adaptor gives 1&nbsp;A at 7.5&nbsp;V and is not regulated; Tim Surtell's site says the barrel of its plug is positive, against convention.<ref name="ncushw" /> The Centre for Computing History describes the adaptor as 7.5&nbsp;V AC.<ref name="cch" /> Measure an adaptor's polarity before using it.