CPCWiki - THE Amstrad CPC encyclopedia! - User contributions [en]

LK-selectable Brand Names

2021-01-07T10:17:34Z

Kailokyra: As an Orion branded CPC has been found, moved it to the "Somehow used" category

[[Category:Amstrad Products]][[Category:CPC History]][[Category:CPC Internal Components]]

== LK1,LK2,LK3 ==

LK1,LK2,LK3 are optional links on the CPC mainboard, connected to [[8255#PPI Port B|PPI Port B]], Bit1-3. The links select the distributor name (which is displayed by the BIOS in the boot message).

These LKs exist on all CPC mainboards. By default, LK1-LK3 are not installed (Amstrad). Other combinations are LK2 installed in german [[Schneider]] models, and LK1+LK2 in australian [[Awa]] models.

{|{{Prettytable|width: 700px; font-size: 2em;}}
|''Bit 3 (LK3)''||''Bit 2 (LK2)''||''Bit 1 (LK1)''||''Distributor Name'' ||''Usage''
|-
|0 (link installed)||0 (link installed)||0 (link installed)||[[Isp]]||None
|-
|0 (link installed)||0 (link installed)||1 (no link) ||[[Triumph]]||None
|-
|0 (link installed)||1 (no link) ||0 (link installed)||[[Saisho]]||None
|-
|0 (link installed)||1 (no link) ||1 (no link) ||[[Solavox]]||See below
|-
|1 (no link) ||0 (link installed)||0 (link installed)||[[Awa]]||Australian CPCs
|-
|1 (no link) ||0 (link installed)||1 (no link) ||[[Schneider]]||German CPCs until late 1987
|-
|1 (no link) ||1 (no link) ||0 (link installed)||[[Orion]]||None
|-
|1 (no link) ||1 (no link) ||1 (no link) ||[[Amstrad]]||Default, used in most countries
|-
|}

* '''Note:''' Some of the brand names seem to include slight mis-spellings: "Awa" and "Orion" are more commonly written all uppercase, "AWA" and "ORION". And, if below speculations are correct, "Isp" and "Triumph" would refer to "ISP KG" and "Triumph-Adler".
* '''Note:''' In the CPC Plus schematics, the links are named LK101,LK102,LK103 - although on the actual CPC Plus mainboard the normal names are used: LK1,LK2,LK3.

== Used Brand Names ==

=== Amstrad ===

[[File:Amstrad.png|thumb|left|120px|Amstrad Logo]]
'''Amstrad''', being the company that has developed the CPC, is the default brand name shown in the boot message in most countries.
 

=== Awa ===

[[File:Amstrad-awa-thorn.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Awa Thorn]]
'''Mitsubishi Electric AWA Pty Ltd / AWA-Thorn''' distributed CPC computers in Australia. Externally, these CPCs look identical to English CPCs (with the normal Amstrad logo above the ESC key). Internally, LK1 and LK2 are shorted, so the BIOS displays "[[Awa]]" instead of Amstrad in the boot message. Whereas, Amstrad made a small mistake: The correct name would be "AWA", not "Awa".
 

=== Schneider ===

[[Image:Schneider Computer Division logo.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Schneider Logo]]
'''Schneider Computer Division''' exclusively distributed the CPC on the german market until their partnership with Amstrad ended around late 1987 or early 1988.

The german models were shipped with custom [[Schneider]] logos on the keyboard, displayed Schneider in the boot message, and, in case of the 464/664, they were produced with uncommon grey control keys (the english/french/spanish models all used the Amstrad logo on the keyboard, and colorful control keys on the 464/664; not on 6128).
On the contrary, german CPC keyboards never included support for german umlauts - unlike later french/spanish models which do support some accented letters.
 

== Somehow used ==

=== Solavox ===

'''Solavox''' is a brand name used by the UK based Comet Group. Much similar to Saisho being a brand name by UK based Dixons/Currys. Like Saisho, Solavox wasn't ever used in british CPCs.

However, some US export models from Spain were produced with the Solavox setting. Why this has happened, if those models actually reached the USA, and if Solavox UK was aware of this operation is unknown. For details, see the [[Solavox]] page.

=== Orion ===

[[Image:CTM644 05.jpg|120px|thumb|CTM644 Monitor]]
'''ORION Electric Co,. Ltd.''' is a japanese company, founded 1958 by Shigemasa Otake. In [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|the interview]], Cliff Lawson has confirmed that Amstrad planned to export CPCs to "far east", using [[Orion]] as a partner.

At least one "[[Orion]]" branded CPC is known to exist and has been found in China. We don't know yet if it was just a demonstration unit for a trade show, or if it was effectively distributed there in confidential quantities. Two manuals and catalogs in Chinese were also found.
However, Amstrads [[CTM640/CTM644]] and [[GT64/GT65]] monitors contain cathode ray tubes from ORION. Some webpages also mention that the CPC computer itself was manufactured by Orion (in Korea).
 

== Unused Brand Names ==

=== Isp ===
'''Isp''' might refer to '''ISP KG Dieter Lather''', which operates (from 1975 until today, 2010) as european distributor for ORION products. The [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|interview]] doesn't confirm whether or not Amstrad was referring to ISP KG. However, there is no other big electronics company known to use "ISP" or "Isp" as brand name and being active back in 1983.

Considering that Amstrad did have some relations with ORION, it doesn't seem too unlikely that they also planned to work with ISP KG. Although, as far as known, ISP never rebadged the ORION products as ISP products, so there would have been no real requirement for the [[Isp]] boot message.
 

=== Saisho ===

Saisho is a japanese-sounding brand name used by the UK based retailer Dixons (Currys).
According to http://www.audiotools.com, the [[Saisho]] brand is [possibly among others] used "for low budget, Asian sourced products".

The [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|interview]] confirms that Amstrad was referring to this company.
 

=== Triumph ===
[[File:Triumph Typewriter.jpg|120px|thumb|Triumph Typewriter]]
'''Triumph''' isn't a unique trademarked brand name, making it difficult to tell which company Amstrad had in mind. There are various [[Triumph|companies using Triumph as brand name]] (most of them being rather unlikely for an Amstrad partnership).

The most serious candidate might be the english/german '''bicycle and typewriter manucfacturer''' Triumph, originally founded 1886 in england. In 1958, Triumph fusioned with Adler, so, if Amstrad was referring to this company, the correct boot message would have been "Triumph-Adler"; this company did actually produce '''computer hardware''' from 1971 up to today (2010).

Other than that it's also possibly that Triumph was an insider joke (like the Arnold dummy-entry in the brand name list). So Amstrad could have as well meant a less serious candidate, like the canadian Triumph rock band. The [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|interview]] doesn't reveal any details here.
 

=== Arnold ===

'''Arnold''' is some sort of an internal codename for the CPC series. It's also included as (non-selectable) dummy-entry in the brand name list in the BIOS ROM. The way how the BIOS is programmed makes it necessary to include a leading dummy-entry in that list, basically, this could have been an empty string (a single 00h byte), but for some reason, Amstrad put [[Arnold (Codename)|Arnold]] in there.
 

== Other Distributors/Manufacturers ==

=== Indescomp ===

'''Indescomp''' is the official spanish CPC distributor. [[Indescomp]] joined the marked a bit later than AWA and Schneider, and so, it didn't get a LK-selectable brand name in the BIOS. Even later localized models (with spanish character set & keyboard translation) displayed Amstrad in the boot message.

=== Patisonic ===

'''Patisonic''' is the manufacturer of an unlicensed russian CPC clone, the [[Aleste 520EX]]. It uses an EPROM with english CPC 6128 BIOS, with some modifactions (among others, replacing the LK-selectable brand names by hardcoded boot message).

=== VEB Mikroelektronik ===

'''VEB Mikroelektronik "Wilhelm Pieck" Muehlhausen''' is the manufacturer of an unlicensed east german CPC clone, the [[KC Compact]]. It uses an EPROM with english CPC 6128 BIOS (although it contains only 64K RAM), with some modifactions (among others, replacing the LK-selectable brand names by hardcoded boot message).

== Interview ==

Below is an email/interview, found at Charles da Silvas webpage ([http://amstrad.cpc.free.fr/article.php?sid=26 link]), where [[Cliff Lawson]] gives details on (some) of the optional brand names:

:"Charles,

:It was a marketing exercise with a view to being able to sell it under different brand names in different territories. For example '''Saisho''' may sound Far Eastern (Japanese?) but it's actually a brand name used by the UK's largest electrical retailer ('''Dixons''') and a lot of their "own brand" product goes under the Saisho name. By having links, if Dixons had wanted some sort of exclusivity deal on the product but badged under their own name (OEM effectively) then this would allow for it. '''Orion''' were the name of the Far Eastern manuacturer and opened the possibility of it being sold in that market. As far as I know the only ones ever really used were '''Amstrad''' and '''Schneider''' (I think the Aussies just got "Amstrad" too).

:Cliff"

Note: The part about australia is correct in so far that the australian CPCs have normal Amstrad logos on the keyboard, however, several people confirmed that they do display "Awa" in the boot message.

== See also ==

* Aside from the distributor links, Amstrad has also used further LKs for various other purposes. See [[LK Links]] for details.
* [[CPCs Worldwide]]

User Manual

2021-01-07T10:14:36Z

Kailokyra: /* Chinese */ fixed the link for the chinese manual

Here are the User Manuals that came with the computer together with [[Demostration tape or disc]] and the [[System Disk]]s.

== English ==

*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/cpc464.en.rar CPC 464 User Manual]
*[[Media:CPC664.PDF|CPC 664 User Manual]]
*[[Media:Amstradcpc6128manual.pdf|CPC 6128 User Manual]]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/AmstradCPC6128-hypertext-en-Sinewalker.pdf CPC 6128 Manual], OCRed and with hyperlinks, prepared by [[User:Sinewalker|Sinewalker]]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/plususer.en.rar CPC Plus User Manual (for 464+ and 6128+)]
*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 User Instructions]] (multi-language)
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/ddi-1.zip DDI-1 User Manual] (zipped BMP's)
*[[Media:DDI-1 User Manual.pdf|DDI-1 User Manual]] (pdf)
*[[Media:Amstrad DMP1 Owners Manual.pdf|DMP1 User Manual]]

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:CPC 464 User Manual.jpg|CPC 464 User Instructions
Image:CPC 6128 User Manual.jpg|CPC 6128 User Instructions
Image:Amstrad DDI-1 Manual En.jpg|Amstrad DDI-1 User Instructions
</gallery>

== French ==

*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 User Instructions]] (multi-language)
*[[Media:DMP2000 User Manual (French).pdf|DMP2000 User Manual]]
*[[Media:DMP2160 User Manual (French).pdf|DMP2160 User Manual]]
*[[Media:DMP3000, DMP3160, DMP3250di - User Manual (French).pdf|DMP3000/3160/3250di User Manual]]

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:CPC 6128 User Manual (French) Cover.jpg|Amstrad CPC 6128 Manual
</gallery>

== German ==
*[[Media:Schneider Bedienungshandbuch CPC464.pdf|Schneider CPC 464 Bedienungshandbuch]]
*[[Media:DDI-1 Handbuch.pdf|Schneider DDI-1 Benutzerhandbuch]]
*[[Media:Schneider Matrix Printer NLQ401 Benutzer-Handbuch.pdf|Schneider Matrix Printer NLQ401 Benutzerhandbuch]]
*[[Media:Schneider MP-1 Modulator - Bedienungsanleitung.pdf|Schneider MP-1 Modulator Bedienungsanleitung]]

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Schneider CPC 464 User Manual Cover.jpg|German Schneider CPC 464 Manual
Image:Amstrad CPC464 User Manual German.jpg|German Amstrad CPC 464 Manual
Image:Schneider 6128 Manual.jpg|German Schneider CPC 6128 Manual
Image:DDI-1 User (German) Manual.jpg|German Schneider DDI-1 Manual
</gallery>

== Italian ==

*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 Manuale D'Uso]] (multi-language)
*[[Media:Amstrad_CPC_464_-_Manuale_D'Uso.pdf|CPC464 Manuale D'Uso]] (provided by Andrea Pastore (Ataru'75 - Mr. DVG) )

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Amstrad CPC464 - Manuale D'Uso.JPG|Amstrad CPC 464 Manuale D'Uso
Image:amstrad gx 4000 - manuale d'uso.JPG|GX4000 Manuale D'Uso (multi-language)
</gallery>

== Norwegian ==

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Amstrad CPC464 Manual No.jpg|Amstrad CPC 464 Bruker-veiledning
</gallery>

== Spanish ==

*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Manual%20de%20Referencia%20BASIC.es.rar Manual de Referencia BASIC]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20464%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 464 Guia del Usuario]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20464%20manual%20(1987).es.rar Amstrad CPC 464 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20472%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 472 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20664%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 664 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%206128%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 6128 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20464+%20and%20%206128+.es.rar Amstrad CPC 464+ & 6128+ Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/DDI-1.es.rar Amstrad DDI-1 Manual]
*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 User Instructions]] (multi-language)

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Manual de Referencia BASIC.jpg|Manual de Referencia BASIC
Image:Amstrad CPC 464 Guia del Usuario.jpg|Amstrad CPC 464 Guia del Usuario
Image:Manual del CPC 464.jpg|Manual del CPC 464
Image:Manual del CPC 472.jpg|Manual del CPC 472
Image:Manual del CPC 664.jpg|Manual del CPC 664
Image:Manual del CPC 6128.jpg|Manual del CPC 6128
Image:Manual del CPC 464+ y 6128+.jpg|Manual del CPC 464+ y 6128+
Image:Manual de Usuario del DDI-1.jpg|Manual de Usuario del DDI-1
</gallery>

== Chinese ==

*[https://acpc.me%2FACME%2FMANUELS%2F%5BCHI%5DCHINESE%2FCPC464_Manual%5BCHI%5D%5BRARE%5D.pdf Programmer's Manual (程序员手册)]

== See also ==

* [[Service Manuals]] - Technical info (Schematics etc.)

== Links ==

=== English ===

=== French ===

*http://www.amstradeus.com/ ( on section Scans : Les manuels utilisateurs )

=== German ===

=== Spanish ===

*http://www.amstrad-esp.com/publicaciones/manuales/index.php

*http://www.cpcmania.com/ ( on section Docs, Manuals: - CPC Manuals )

[[Category:Manual]][[Category:Amstrad Products]][[Category:Amstrad CPC media]][[Category:Software]][[Category:BASIC|*]][[Category:Hardware]]

User Manual

2021-01-07T10:11:25Z

Kailokyra: Added the Chinese "Programmer's manual"

Here are the User Manuals that came with the computer together with [[Demostration tape or disc]] and the [[System Disk]]s.

== English ==

*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/cpc464.en.rar CPC 464 User Manual]
*[[Media:CPC664.PDF|CPC 664 User Manual]]
*[[Media:Amstradcpc6128manual.pdf|CPC 6128 User Manual]]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/AmstradCPC6128-hypertext-en-Sinewalker.pdf CPC 6128 Manual], OCRed and with hyperlinks, prepared by [[User:Sinewalker|Sinewalker]]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/plususer.en.rar CPC Plus User Manual (for 464+ and 6128+)]
*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 User Instructions]] (multi-language)
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/ddi-1.zip DDI-1 User Manual] (zipped BMP's)
*[[Media:DDI-1 User Manual.pdf|DDI-1 User Manual]] (pdf)
*[[Media:Amstrad DMP1 Owners Manual.pdf|DMP1 User Manual]]

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:CPC 464 User Manual.jpg|CPC 464 User Instructions
Image:CPC 6128 User Manual.jpg|CPC 6128 User Instructions
Image:Amstrad DDI-1 Manual En.jpg|Amstrad DDI-1 User Instructions
</gallery>

== French ==

*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 User Instructions]] (multi-language)
*[[Media:DMP2000 User Manual (French).pdf|DMP2000 User Manual]]
*[[Media:DMP2160 User Manual (French).pdf|DMP2160 User Manual]]
*[[Media:DMP3000, DMP3160, DMP3250di - User Manual (French).pdf|DMP3000/3160/3250di User Manual]]

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:CPC 6128 User Manual (French) Cover.jpg|Amstrad CPC 6128 Manual
</gallery>

== German ==
*[[Media:Schneider Bedienungshandbuch CPC464.pdf|Schneider CPC 464 Bedienungshandbuch]]
*[[Media:DDI-1 Handbuch.pdf|Schneider DDI-1 Benutzerhandbuch]]
*[[Media:Schneider Matrix Printer NLQ401 Benutzer-Handbuch.pdf|Schneider Matrix Printer NLQ401 Benutzerhandbuch]]
*[[Media:Schneider MP-1 Modulator - Bedienungsanleitung.pdf|Schneider MP-1 Modulator Bedienungsanleitung]]

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Schneider CPC 464 User Manual Cover.jpg|German Schneider CPC 464 Manual
Image:Amstrad CPC464 User Manual German.jpg|German Amstrad CPC 464 Manual
Image:Schneider 6128 Manual.jpg|German Schneider CPC 6128 Manual
Image:DDI-1 User (German) Manual.jpg|German Schneider DDI-1 Manual
</gallery>

== Italian ==

*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 Manuale D'Uso]] (multi-language)
*[[Media:Amstrad_CPC_464_-_Manuale_D'Uso.pdf|CPC464 Manuale D'Uso]] (provided by Andrea Pastore (Ataru'75 - Mr. DVG) )

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Amstrad CPC464 - Manuale D'Uso.JPG|Amstrad CPC 464 Manuale D'Uso
Image:amstrad gx 4000 - manuale d'uso.JPG|GX4000 Manuale D'Uso (multi-language)
</gallery>

== Norwegian ==

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Amstrad CPC464 Manual No.jpg|Amstrad CPC 464 Bruker-veiledning
</gallery>

== Spanish ==

*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Manual%20de%20Referencia%20BASIC.es.rar Manual de Referencia BASIC]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20464%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 464 Guia del Usuario]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20464%20manual%20(1987).es.rar Amstrad CPC 464 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20472%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 472 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20664%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 664 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%206128%20manual.es.rar Amstrad CPC 6128 Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Amstrad%20CPC%20464+%20and%20%206128+.es.rar Amstrad CPC 464+ & 6128+ Manual]
*[http://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/DDI-1.es.rar Amstrad DDI-1 Manual]
*[[Media:GX4000 User Instructions.pdf|GX4000 User Instructions]] (multi-language)

<gallery caption="Covers">
Image:Manual de Referencia BASIC.jpg|Manual de Referencia BASIC
Image:Amstrad CPC 464 Guia del Usuario.jpg|Amstrad CPC 464 Guia del Usuario
Image:Manual del CPC 464.jpg|Manual del CPC 464
Image:Manual del CPC 472.jpg|Manual del CPC 472
Image:Manual del CPC 664.jpg|Manual del CPC 664
Image:Manual del CPC 6128.jpg|Manual del CPC 6128
Image:Manual del CPC 464+ y 6128+.jpg|Manual del CPC 464+ y 6128+
Image:Manual de Usuario del DDI-1.jpg|Manual de Usuario del DDI-1
</gallery>

== Chinese ==

*[https://acpc.me/ACME/MANUELS/[CHI]CHINESE/CPC464_Manual[CHI][RARE].pdf Programmer's Manual (程序员手册)]

== See also ==

* [[Service Manuals]] - Technical info (Schematics etc.)

== Links ==

=== English ===

=== French ===

*http://www.amstradeus.com/ ( on section Scans : Les manuels utilisateurs )

=== German ===

=== Spanish ===

*http://www.amstrad-esp.com/publicaciones/manuales/index.php

*http://www.cpcmania.com/ ( on section Docs, Manuals: - CPC Manuals )

[[Category:Manual]][[Category:Amstrad Products]][[Category:Amstrad CPC media]][[Category:Software]][[Category:BASIC|*]][[Category:Hardware]]

Orion

2020-11-06T10:28:37Z

Kailokyra: Removed the picture - uploading is not working

[[Image:CTM644 05.jpg|200px|thumb|CTM644 Monitor with ORION cathode ray tube]]

[[Orion]] is one the [[LK-selectable Brand Names]] contained in the CPC BIOS, allowing to display the boot message '''Orion 64K Microcomputer''' on power up. Amstrad apparently planned a partnership with a company with that name.

At least one "Orion" branded CPC is known to have been sold in Shenzhen, China. It is unknown if it was meant for the Chinese market, Asian market, or imported from Hong Kong.

The [[CTM640/CTM644]] and [[GT64/GT65]] monitors contain cathode ray tubes from Orion.

'''Orion (Japan)'''

'''ORION Electric Co,. Ltd.''' is japanese company, founded 1958 by Shigemasa Otake.

* http://www.orion-electric.co.jp/en/

'''Orion and ISP KG'''

The ISP KG acts eurorean retailer for japanese ORION products (from 1975 until today), mentioned here because the CPC BIOS also includes [[Isp]] as selectable brand name, which may refer to ISP KG.

'''Orion Electric (Japan) and Orion Electronics (Hungary)'''

Confusingly, there are two ORIONs, both using nearly identical logos, and both spanning a nearly identical range of products. For example, both are selling television sets with the ORION brand name. Orion (Hungary), founded in 1913, has confirmed that they are '''not''' related with each other.

The [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|Cliff Lawson Interview]] isn't perfectly clear which company they were referring to: It only says "far east", but not how far. Considering that the CPC and GX4000 were manufactured in Korea and Japan, it's quite obvious that "far east" meant east Asia to Amstrad; Hungary is central Europe, and it couldn't even really be called east Europe.

[[Category:CPC_related_companies]]

Note by dragon:

Orion was the manufacturer of amstrad computers/monitor/keyboards and printers, not only the cpc range, the pc range to.

This can be extrated from the spanish boe. (the official boletin of spanish goverment). Back in 80, as was a imported product amstrad need obtain permison of the goverment to import it.

So searching in the boe we can view:

1. Pc 12 md, pc 14 Cd, pc 12hrcd, pc 14 hrcd was manufactured by orion electric( taiwan) co. Ltd in miaoli(taiwan),

2.keyboards pc2086t,pc2286t, pc2386t
Are made by orion electric (korea) co. Ltd in gumy(south corea).

3.Airo pc-mm, airo pc cm, keyboard airo 1512,gt-65, ctm-644, keyboard pcw-8512,keyboard pcw-8256, printer pcw 8512
i,printer pcw 8256 i, are made by orion electric (korea) co. Ltd in Gyeungsangbuk-do(corea).

4 , PCW-9512T keyboard , made by «Orion elctric, Co. Ltd.». In kumi(south korea).

Orion

2020-11-06T10:27:16Z

Kailokyra: Added a picture of the Orion branded CPC

[[Image:CTM644 05.jpg|200px|thumb|CTM644 Monitor with ORION cathode ray tube]]
[[Image:151141_K31-57_ORION_front.jpg|200px|thumb|An Orion Branded CPC]]

[[Orion]] is one the [[LK-selectable Brand Names]] contained in the CPC BIOS, allowing to display the boot message '''Orion 64K Microcomputer''' on power up. Amstrad apparently planned a partnership with a company with that name.

At least one "Orion" branded CPC is known to have been sold in Shenzhen, China. It is unknown if it was meant for the Chinese market, Asian market, or imported from Hong Kong.

The [[CTM640/CTM644]] and [[GT64/GT65]] monitors contain cathode ray tubes from Orion.

'''Orion (Japan)'''

'''ORION Electric Co,. Ltd.''' is japanese company, founded 1958 by Shigemasa Otake.

* http://www.orion-electric.co.jp/en/

'''Orion and ISP KG'''

The ISP KG acts eurorean retailer for japanese ORION products (from 1975 until today), mentioned here because the CPC BIOS also includes [[Isp]] as selectable brand name, which may refer to ISP KG.

'''Orion Electric (Japan) and Orion Electronics (Hungary)'''

Confusingly, there are two ORIONs, both using nearly identical logos, and both spanning a nearly identical range of products. For example, both are selling television sets with the ORION brand name. Orion (Hungary), founded in 1913, has confirmed that they are '''not''' related with each other.

The [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|Cliff Lawson Interview]] isn't perfectly clear which company they were referring to: It only says "far east", but not how far. Considering that the CPC and GX4000 were manufactured in Korea and Japan, it's quite obvious that "far east" meant east Asia to Amstrad; Hungary is central Europe, and it couldn't even really be called east Europe.

[[Category:CPC_related_companies]]

Note by dragon:

Orion was the manufacturer of amstrad computers/monitor/keyboards and printers, not only the cpc range, the pc range to.

This can be extrated from the spanish boe. (the official boletin of spanish goverment). Back in 80, as was a imported product amstrad need obtain permison of the goverment to import it.

So searching in the boe we can view:

1. Pc 12 md, pc 14 Cd, pc 12hrcd, pc 14 hrcd was manufactured by orion electric( taiwan) co. Ltd in miaoli(taiwan),

2.keyboards pc2086t,pc2286t, pc2386t
Are made by orion electric (korea) co. Ltd in gumy(south corea).

3.Airo pc-mm, airo pc cm, keyboard airo 1512,gt-65, ctm-644, keyboard pcw-8512,keyboard pcw-8256, printer pcw 8512
i,printer pcw 8256 i, are made by orion electric (korea) co. Ltd in Gyeungsangbuk-do(corea).

4 , PCW-9512T keyboard , made by «Orion elctric, Co. Ltd.». In kumi(south korea).

Orion

2020-11-06T10:23:33Z

Kailokyra: An Orion branded CPC has been discovered by a Chinese collector, and displayed on a Chinese forum. The pictures of said CPC have been saved here : https://acpc.me/#ACME/MATERIEL/DISSECTION/[CHI]CHINA/151141_K31-57_ORION

[[Image:CTM644 05.jpg|200px|thumb|CTM644 Monitor with ORION cathode ray tube]]
[[Orion]] is one the [[LK-selectable Brand Names]] contained in the CPC BIOS, allowing to display the boot message '''Orion 64K Microcomputer''' on power up. Amstrad apparently planned a partnership with a company with that name.

At least one "Orion" branded CPC is known to have been sold in Shenzhen, China. It is unknown if it was meant for the Chinese market, Asian market, or imported from Hong Kong.

The [[CTM640/CTM644]] and [[GT64/GT65]] monitors contain cathode ray tubes from Orion.

'''Orion (Japan)'''

'''ORION Electric Co,. Ltd.''' is japanese company, founded 1958 by Shigemasa Otake.

* http://www.orion-electric.co.jp/en/

'''Orion and ISP KG'''

The ISP KG acts eurorean retailer for japanese ORION products (from 1975 until today), mentioned here because the CPC BIOS also includes [[Isp]] as selectable brand name, which may refer to ISP KG.

'''Orion Electric (Japan) and Orion Electronics (Hungary)'''

Confusingly, there are two ORIONs, both using nearly identical logos, and both spanning a nearly identical range of products. For example, both are selling television sets with the ORION brand name. Orion (Hungary), founded in 1913, has confirmed that they are '''not''' related with each other.

The [[LK-selectable Brand Names#Interview|Cliff Lawson Interview]] isn't perfectly clear which company they were referring to: It only says "far east", but not how far. Considering that the CPC and GX4000 were manufactured in Korea and Japan, it's quite obvious that "far east" meant east Asia to Amstrad; Hungary is central Europe, and it couldn't even really be called east Europe.

[[Category:CPC_related_companies]]

Note by dragon:

Orion was the manufacturer of amstrad computers/monitor/keyboards and printers, not only the cpc range, the pc range to.

This can be extrated from the spanish boe. (the official boletin of spanish goverment). Back in 80, as was a imported product amstrad need obtain permison of the goverment to import it.

So searching in the boe we can view:

1. Pc 12 md, pc 14 Cd, pc 12hrcd, pc 14 hrcd was manufactured by orion electric( taiwan) co. Ltd in miaoli(taiwan),

2.keyboards pc2086t,pc2286t, pc2386t
Are made by orion electric (korea) co. Ltd in gumy(south corea).

3.Airo pc-mm, airo pc cm, keyboard airo 1512,gt-65, ctm-644, keyboard pcw-8512,keyboard pcw-8256, printer pcw 8512
i,printer pcw 8256 i, are made by orion electric (korea) co. Ltd in Gyeungsangbuk-do(corea).

4 , PCW-9512T keyboard , made by «Orion elctric, Co. Ltd.». In kumi(south korea).