'''Vortex Computersysteme''' from Neckarsulm, Germany, was a hardware and software manufacturer for the Amstrad CPC. It was founded in 1984 by Mr. Michel and his brother, Mr. Majer and Mrs. Armbruster. Vortex now is called ICP (Intelligent Computer Peripherals) an is an Adaptec Company, specialized in RAID-Controllers.
== F1 ==
'''Vortex Computersysteme''' from Neckarsulm, Germany, was a hardware and software manufacturer for the Amstrad CPC.
A 5.25" disc drive. 80 tracks and 708Kb.
It was founded in 1984 by Mr. Michel and his brother, Mr. Majer and Mrs. Armbruster.
Sold as :
Vortex now is called ICP (Intelligent Computer Peripherals) an is an Adaptec Company, specialized in RAID-Controllers.
* '''F1-S''' with controller,
== Hardware ==
* '''F1-D''' with controller and two drives.
* '''F1-Z''' without controller as second drive
The disc drive also was available as an extended versions :
'''F1-XRS''' which also contains a RS232 interface
== Software ==
'''F1-X''' which can be updated with a RS232 interface.
Disc operation system [[VDOS]] 2.0 on ROM included.
* [[Graphic Master]] - a graphics program
* [[Para Plus]] - a disk utility for CP/M
* [[Vector]] - a maths program to print functions or to find a function which follows given points
Manual can be found here [[F1]]
== ROMs (Operating Systems) ==
<gallery caption="The Vortex F1 Drives">
* [[BOS]]
* [[VDOS]]
* [[Vortex CP/M]]
Image:F1-x.jpg|F1-X Disc Drive
== Adverts ==
Image:FD1.jpg|F1-D Disc Drive
<gallery>
File:Vortex Advert (CPCI 9-1986 page 76-77).jpg|Two-page advert from 1986
</gallery>
</gallery>
== M1 ==
[[Category:Peripherals]][[Category:CPC related companies]][[Category:German companies]][[Category:Vortex Computersysteme]]
A 3.5" disc drive. 80 tracks and 1.4MB. Sold as '''M1/S''' with controller, '''M1-Z''' without controller as second drive and '''M1/D''' with controller and two drives. The disc drive also was available as an extended version, called '''M1-XRS''', which also contains a [[RS232]] interface, and '''M1-X''', which can be updated with a RS232 interface. Disc operation system [[VDOS]] 2.0 on ROM included.
== The Vortex disc drive controller ==
The Vortex disc controler was similar to Amstrads own controller.
It used the same controler chip, the [[FDC|NEC765]].
Image:vortex controler 1.jpg|A anonymous box houses the controller
Image:vortex controler 2.jpg|Look inside the controller
Image:vortex controler 3.jpg|Controller with [[VDOS]] mounted
</gallery>
== SP ==
RAM expansion card. Not compatible to the [[dk'tronics]] memory expansion. Sold in different sizes of RAM as '''SP 64''', '''SP 128''', '''SP 256''', '''SP 320''' and '''SP 512''' (resulting in a maximum RAM size of the computer of 576KiB). Usable under [[BASIC]] and [[CP/M]] and offering a RAM disc.
<gallery caption="The Vortex Expansion RAM card">
Image:sp512top.jpg|The Vortex Expansion RAM card
Image:cpc464bf.jpg|CPC 464 before put the Expansion RAM card
Image:cpc464af.jpg|CPC 464 after put the Expansion RAM card
</gallery>
== Vector ==
A maths program to print functions or to find a function which follows given points. Released 1986.
== Para Plus ==
A program to transfer data [[Vortex Para Plus]]
== VDOS ==
The disc operating system [[VDOS]] for use with Vortex drives
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