Computer and accessories, 'Amstrad CPC 464', made by Amstrad, England, 1984

Computer and accessories made of plastic, metal and electronic components.

A grey screen monitor with a handle on top and a small screen. At the bottom of the monitor, facing the screen, from left to right is the 'AMSTRAD' name in capitals, a label with 'CTM 644 colour monitor', a small port hole for an attaching cable, '12v DC' and a power button. Underneath in the middle are two curly grey wires with a blue and green label attached, 'BEAB Approved'. Attached to the monitor at the back is a black wire and a white plug.

A dark grey, long rectangular box shape keyboard with dark grey, green, blue and red buttons. Consists of a typical computer keyboard, however on the right hand side is a built in tape deck and tape recorder, eject and player etc buttons. 'AMSTRAD 64k COLOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER' and 'CPC 646 COLOUR' is printed in light grey lettering at the top of the keyboard with a red 'ON' light.

The joystick is a small black box with four black suction pads underneath. On top is a black plastic stick with two red buttons. It has a black connecting wire.

A book with a brightly coloured 'rainbow style' front page (red, yellow, green, blue). It has a picture of the Amstrad keyboard and above this in black capital lettering is 'USER INSTRUCTIONS'. At the top is the Amstrad logo and 'CPC 464' in white capital shadow lettering. Inside the book, the text is black on white paper.

Card slipcover printed with a black background with red squares pattern on the right hand side and the words, 'THE POWER BEHIND YOUR AMSTRAD' in white capital lettering. On the left hand side is the dk'tronics logo at the top, 'GRAPHICS LIGHTPEN' in red capital lettering and 'for the AMSTRAD CPC464 COMPUTER ROM SOFTWARE', in white capital lettering underneath.

A white box lid, with dk'tronics inscribed on it. A white box base with two compartments, one larger than the other.

Booklet printed with a black background with white writing, 'AMSTRAD PERIPHERAL - TECHNICAL MANUAL' and the dk'tronics logo at the bottom.

A black cassette tape with a white label that has the dk'tronics logo and 'AMSTRAD SOFTWARE' at the top. On the bottom it says 'LIGHTPEN PRINTER ROUTINES' and conditions for the usage of the tape.

A black graphics light pen with the dk'tronics logo in white lettering down the side. Attached is a wire with a connector on the end.

Dark grey box with dk'tronics logo and the words 'LIGHTPEN ROM' in silver writing.

White card guarantee leaflet with address of RAM ELECTRONICS on the front and a stamp.

Given by Samantha Lawson and Simon Linzell

Purchased from Currys in Rochester when the donor, Samantha Lawson (b. 08/01/1978), was about seven years old. She and her brother Thomas (b. 30/11/1974) played with the computer. They lived in Walderslade, a large village close to Chatham, Kent.
Samantha remembers waiting for the games to load up which could take some time. The picture was built up from lines across the screen and was accompanied by a high pitched sound. It would sometimes crash just before the picture was complete and one had to start all over again.
Their favourite games were the Daley Thompson's SuperTest Challenges and they spent hours learning them and trying to beat each other.

This object is an Amstrad CPC 464 computer, one of a series of 8 bit home computers designed by the British Electronics Company, Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was one of three leading market home computers in the 1980s along with the Spectrum ZX and the Commodore 64. The series released a total of six distinct models. The CPC464, CPC664, and CPC6128 were highly successful competitors in the home computer market. Games were purchased in a tape format and were loaded into the in-built tape deck and could take around 20 minutes to load before they could be played. Apparatus such as joysticks improved the game play. Examples of available games for this computer were a computer version of Scrabble, Winter Games and Dizzy. During its lifetime, the CPC series sold approximately three million units.

B.166:1 to 12-2010