Amstrad PC - PC1512 Motherboard Option Links

PC1512 motherboard links

The PC1512 has no DIP switches to configure it, but there are eight option links on the motherboard. Some of them have jumper pins already present; others would need jumpers to be soldered on.

LK1-LK3: Language

LK1	LK2	LK3	Language for ROS messages
Off	Off	Off	English
Off	Off	On	German
Off	On	Off	French
Off	On	On	Spanish
On	Off	Off	Danish
On	Off	On	Swedish
On	On	Off	Italian
On	On	On	Diagnostic mode (English messages; most of the self-test is skipped)

Documented in the Technical Manual, section 3.1.

LK4: Memory size

This link has a jumper on three pins. If it is on the left-hand pair of pins, then the memory size is 512k. If it is on the right-hand pair, the memory size is 640k (the extra memory chips must actually be plugged in!)

Documented in the Technical Manual, Appendix 7.

LK5: 32k ROM

This link is near the ROS ROMs; its use is not documented in the PC1512 technical manual. The schematic in the service manual suggests that when it is connected, the ROM is treated as 32k (2x16k) rather than the usual 16k (2x8k). It connects the A14 line on the ROM chips to the address bus.

LK6,7: Built-in graphics adaptor fonts

The links affect the font used by the built-in CGA.

LK6	LK7	Font
Off	Off	Normal: Codepage 437
Off	On	Danish
On	Off	Danish
On	On	Greek (on late models); otherwise Normal

Documented in the Technical Manual, section 1.11.6.3.

LK8: Ready line

This link is near the floppy controller; it is not documented in the PC1512 technical manual. The schematic in the service manual shows that, if connected, it links the RDY pin of the floppy controller to the READY signal from the floppy drives. If it is not connected, the RDY pin is pulled high.