Spectrum Font for Sinclair / Amstrad XTs 
========================================

  The ROM images supplied in this zipfile contain the Sinclair Spectrum
font, adapted for use in the following models of Amstrad/Sinclair XT:

- Sinclair PC200
- Sinclair PC500
- Amstrad PC1512
- Amstrad PC20
- Amstrad PPC512
- Amstrad PPC640

  Four ROM images are supplied:

norm200.bin:	Normal Spectrum font; suitable for PC200, PC20.
norm500.bin:	Normal Spectrum font; suitable for PC500, PC1512. 
bold200.bin:	Bold Spectrum font; suitable for PC200, PC20, PPC512, PPC640. 
bold500.bin:	Bold Spectrum font; suitable for PC500, PC1512. 

  Installation instructions:

1. Burn the appropriate ROM image to an EPROM. For a PC200/PC20/PPC512/PPC640 
  you'll need at least a 32k EPROM (eg, 27C512); for a PC500/PC1512 you only 
  need 8k (eg, 27C64).

2. Find the character ROM.
	- On a PC200 or PC20, all you need do is open the 'sunroof'. In the 
	 middle you should see a hole in the motherboard shielding. Sticking 
	 up through this hole will be a chip marked AMSTRAD 40109. Unplug it
	 and replace it with the EPROM.

	- On a PPC512/640, the procedure's more complicated, because you 
	 have to open the PPC up and remove the bottom circuit board. Again, 
	 the character ROM will be marked AMSTRAD 40109. 
	  Note that on a PPC512/640, you should only use bold200.bin, 
	because otherwise highlighted text won't display properly on the 
	LCD.

	- On a PC500 or PC1512, you need to dismantle the computer 
	 completely and remove the motherboard. The character ROM is near
	 the front on the right-hand side. It will be marked either 
	 AMSTRAD 40045 or AMSTRAD 40078, depending on whether it's one of
	 the later models that includes a Greek character set. Be warned: 
	 it may well be soldered rather than socketed, necessitating a lot 
	 of trouble to desolder it and replace it with a socket into which 
	 the EPROM can be plugged.

  If all went well, when you power up the PC you'll get the Sinclair font.
For best results, set it to boot in CGA 40-column mode using DIP switches
or the NVR utility.

  On those systems which can drive an MDA, the MDA font has been stretched 
by me to fit in the 14x8 character cell. So it doesn't look the same as the 
Sinclair font, just similar.

Building From Source
====================

  All fonts are generated from four text files: 

	master14n.txt: Normal font, 8x14
	master14b.txt: Bold font, 8x14
	master8n.txt: Normal font, 8x8
	master8b.txt: Bold font, 8x8

  The build system is designed for UNIX with psftools-1.0.7 or later. To make
your own custom character ROMs, alter the .txt files and run 'make'.

Ideas for the Future
====================
* Like the original Amstrad character ROMs, these ROMs each contain four 
fonts that look the same (except for some national characters). But it's 
quite possible to put four different-looking fonts in a character ROM, and 
use the font option links LK6/LK7 to switch between them at any time.

* Currently these fonts only apply in text modes. In graphics modes 
character definitions are held in the BIOS. New BIOS images could be 
created with these fonts embedded.

* Extend the Makefile to create ROM images in other formats (eg: IBM, Compaq, 
 generic).

