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Amstrad PCW - Spares, Repairs & Disc Conversions to PCDisc Conversions to PC, Spares,Repairs, Software, Manuals and Support forAMSTRAD PCW WORDPROCESSORS SiteMap QuickLinks ...... Discs, Spares, Software etc PCW to PC Disc Conversions FREE AmstradPCW items PCW Help& Tips page  BACKGROUNDThe humble PCW has beenaround since 1985 and over 200,000 were sold in the UK alone.Though superseded by PC's for most applications these days, the good old PCWis still favoured by many people, especially authors and those who finddifficulty handling a mouse, for itseasy to use LocoScript word processor (or LocaScript to those in theUSA) and its friendly keyboardlayout . . . . and it's not affected by nasty viruses! LuxSoft wasbased in the heart of the Cornish village of Luxulyan - hence the name- but re-located during Summer 2008 to the southern edge of Luxulyanparish, less than half a mile from the renowned Eden Project. LuxSoft acquired one of thefirst Amstrad PCW 8256's in Autumn 1985 and soon released aseries of Basic programs for PCW enthusiasts. Sales of this softwareraised over £500 for the Cornwall Air Ambulance and the RNLI(Lifeboats). LuxSoft was an AuthorisedAmstrad Business Dealer supplying new Amstrad computers until Amstrad pulled out ofthis marketin the mid-1990's.While so many PCW orientatedbusinesses have ceased to trade or moved to newer pastures, our PCWbusiness has actually grown year on year as it becomes more and moredifficult for dedicated users to source consumables, spares, software and support for thevenerable PCW. The Achilles Heel of theoriginal PCW's was their belt-driven 3" disc drives.Unfortunately, simply fitting a new drive belt is neither easy nor apanacea for all drive ills as stiffness or even complete seizure of thecentre bearing of the drive may be the root cause of belt failure ....or the disc reading problems may be down to another cause, such as thesled motor. Hence we regularly receive PCW drives (by post) or even completePCW's (personally delivered) for repair and servicing.It's strange that in a worldwhere PC's go out of date within a month, if not a week, and thecomputer pundits sounded the PCW's death knell in the press as early as1986, here we are - well over 20 years after the PCW's debut - withpeople actually going back to PCW's because they are heartily sick ofthe complexity of Windows Vista and the constant threat ofviruses. The PCW is ideal for the job for which it was intended - a prettyflexible word processor - so it's a shame that when they do go wrongand a visit for advice is made to the local computer store, the averageassistant, having been born long after the PCW ceased production, hasnever heard of them so recommends a sexy new PC and the local tip forthe poor PCW ... all for the want of a rubber band or a bit of oil inso many cases. With sales staff also being ignorant of the possibilityof converting LocoScript files on "those funny little discs"for use on said new PC, we shudder to think how many autobiographies,how much valuable research work, and how many literary masterpieceshave already been lost for ever in this way. We are committed tosupporting the PCW for as long as is humanly possible - and at this ratewe'll peg out before the PCW's do ! - but please note that we do notpurchase redundant machines.For active PCW users, there's a Help& Tips page which gives answers to "Frequently AskedQuestions" and problems we find that folks have been having withboth LocoScript and CP/M.We are pleasedto be able to offer you thefollowing for your Amstrad PCW: Discs Printer Ribbons Spare Parts Software Repairs LuxSoft ofLuxulyan"Clingingto the trailing edge of technology"Tel (01726) 812257email malc@luxsoft.demon.co.uk AmstradPCW Discs - 3" and 3.5" - CF2 3" discs for the Amstrad PCW8256, PCW8512 and PCW9512 Brand NEW 3" CF2 discs by Maxell & original Amsoft (not the cheap imports illegally being sold as Amsoft's) at £3.00 each. Fully tested second user Amsoft or Maxell ones at £1.50 each. Please specify single density format (to suit 8256 & 8512 'A' drive) or double density (8512 'B' drive & 9512) when ordering so that we can reformat them ready for immediate use on your PCW. - 3.5" 720k (MF2DD) for PCW9512+, PCW9256, PCW10 and 3.5" replacement drives Few only left now - Brand new (unformatted) at £6.00 for ten. Second user, reformatted for PCW use and fully tested at £5.00 for ten.Aboveprices exclude postage as this depends on quantity.Please e-mailfirst to check availability and accepted payment methods - We can acceptpayments via  AmstradPC & PCWPrinter RibbonsDue to badexperiences, we very muchregret that we are no longer stocking ribbons. We apologise forany inconvenience this may cause.Afirm that does still stock PCW ribbons is CLP in Blandford Forum,Dorset - tel 01258 45 95 44. The 8000 series dot matrix fabric nylonribbon (which also suits the PC DMP 3xxx range) is their ribbon ref2741UFN while the 9512 multistrike is 2746UMS. Please mention our namewhen ordering. AmstradPCWSpare Parts We have the following in stock& ready to ship : Replacement Keyboards - second user keyboards (8000 or 9512 style - both sorts suit all PCW's excl PcW16), clean & fully tested at £7.50 plus postage. Replacement Printers - 8256/8512 series dot matrix in stock at £20.00 each plus £9.50 postage. Please specify whether your existing UK model printer is an A or C series (sticker underneath) or you need a non-standard foreign model. 9512 & 9512+ daisy wheels - These are £25.00 each plus £9.50 postage when in stock but good working ones are getting much harder to source now so please phone or e-mail first. See below for individual spare parts or click here to find out about running instead a modern inkjet printer from your PCW. Daisy Wheel Printer failing or missing out letters ? If you are having problems with text alignment or even the PCW reporting "no printer", it may just be in need of a drop or two of oil on the silver bar along which the print head runs. Don't ditch the printer - e-mail us with the symptoms. If it is missing out letters and the Daisy Wheel itself is intact, then the armature (the plastic arm that does all the hard work driving the daisy wheel hammer) has probably cracked or broken. Picture at left shows a more modern grey plastic 'armature' (original ones were black) in position against the solenoid (electro-magnet). New armatures are no longer manufactured and stocks nationwide are almost totally exhausted but ...... We currently have one brand new armature left in stock - sensible offers invited. If you have a new daisy wheel armature for sale, do let us know ! Don't bin the PCW, see below about running an alternative DOS-compatible inkjet or laser printer from your 9512 instead eg HP Deskjet or Laserjet. Front & rear paper feed trays for the 9512 Daisy Wheel printer at £4.00 each plus post. Dot Matrix printer Bail Arm spring broken ? We have both A and C types in stock at £2.50 each plus a 40p large letter sae. Don't forget to say which type of printer you have (there's a small circular sticker on the underside of the printer with an A or C on it - if not there, tell us what colour your paper thickness lever is - red or blue). Dot matrix pins not firing ? We have brand new 'A' and 'C' series print heads. CPS8256 Serial/Parallel Interface - these enable PCW8256 and 8512's to talk to DOS compatible external PC printers like dot matrix, inkjet, deskjet, bubblejet and laser printers ... but you'll need Loco2 or later (with which we can also help). In original box £25, unboxed £20 excl post. Please e-mail first to check availability and accepted payment methods - We can acceptpayments via PCW Software & Manuals Original LocoScript & CP/M program discs Original LocoScript/LocoSpell etc upgrade discs LocoScript 3 Printer Support Pack Official PCW Manuals for PCW 8256, PCW 8512 and PCW 9512 Mallard Basic Manual (Ring Bound Edition) Program Discs are £5 each including postage to UK destinations, Official manuals are £7 incl post (they're heavy!). also see our 'Free Stuff' page Repairs and Upgrades Disc drive failed or monitor gone bang ? Call us before taking your PCW to the tip! The most common failure is the disc drive ... and these can be repaired. Please note that due to problems with both parcel post and couriers smashing PCW's for a pastime, we no longer accept complete PCW's for repair by these means ... but they can always be dropped in personally when visiting the Eden Project or Heligan. Need more memory or a serial/parallel port? We have a supply of these items in stock. Want to run an Inkjet or Laser printer from your PCW ? No problem on an Amstrad 9512 or 9512+, even with LocoScript 2 ! In a nutshell, if a printer is DOS compatible on a PC, LocoScript can drive it from a PCW. The PCW 9512/9512+ is fitted with a standard PC-type parallel port so, provided that your LocoScript Start of Day disc contains the relevant "printer driver" file, you can print on: most older Canon Bubblejets eg BJ10, BJ/BJC2xx and BJ/BJC4xxx many Epson Stylus inkjets eg Stylus 200, 500, 600, 740 but not 400/440 most HP Deskjet printers eg 5xx. 6xx, 7xx, 8xx, 3820, & 6122 any HP Laserjet DOS compatible laser printer eg HP Laserjet 1200, Panasonic 44xx, Brother HL6xx, 7xx etc plus current products HL2070n. 5240, 5250dn; Samsung 1750 and the 2250. We also understand the Dell 1710 to be compatible..... without the hassle of upgrading to Loco 3 or 4.So at last you can have bold, italics, and a varietyof type sizes as well as theluxury of auto sheet feeding. Call or e-mail for more info. The same applies toAmstrad 8256 and 8512's that are fitted with a CPS8256 serial/parallel interface or equivalent, but if you are stillrunning the original LocoScript 1, you will need to upgrade to Loco2.Pleasenote that whilst 'external' printers work OK in LocoScript, they cannotnecessarily be driven by other programs run from CP/M. Your program'sdocumentation should indicate the types of external printed supported. AmstradPCW disc conversions to PCIfyou want to get that book published or take a security copy on CD ofall the work you have saved on your PCW or indeed your Amstrad PCW has died, we can offer DiscConversions from your3" CF2 or 3.5" LocoScript discs to avariety of PC formats (incl Word 95/97/2000/2003/2007 and MS Works 3/4/ME/XP) at just £5per disc (with discounts for quantity). This price for ourtotally confidential & professional service is - Half, if not a quarter, the price major leading competitors are charging ! AND we don't charge extra for returning your old CF2 discs AND there's no surcharge for full discs or files in Loco4 format AND we don't lose all your precious formatting or special characters like foreign accents by using a 'Text Only' (ASCII) conversion. AND we send you full instructions on how to edit & manipulate your files once they are on your PC, including tips on how to increase the readability of your pages. AND most important of all, our 'Easy Read' system not only makes opening the resulting files an absolute doddle for even the most inexperienced PC or Mac user but also, unlike some others, it is safe for your computer .... With our system there's no risk of wiping your hard disc clean !click here for full details about PCW disc conversions  "InTechnology's Guard's Van rather than the Vanguard"Tel (01726) 812257 - Fax 087 0051 7 259e-mail malc@luxsoft.demon.co.ukEstablished1986 - This page last amended 12th August 2008All prices quoted arecorrect as at time of posting this page but prices can and dofluctuate so please call or e-mail for latest prices andavailabilities. Wecan also accept payments via - please e-mail for detailsAll text Copyright LuxSoftof Luxulyan 2000-2008 |
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