====================================================================== EQUIPMENT:SCA INTERFACE AND CLOCK ====================================================================== THE NEW SCA MK11 INTERFACE and real time clock has been upgraded and made 100% compatible with the Amstrad version; except you get a real time clock thrown in. This must make the SCA Interface very attractive, indeed. I upgraded my puny built in printer not too long ago to a more respectable Brother HR-15 XL daisywheel, and naturally enough an interface to connect the printer to the rear expansion port of the PCW was needed. You will also need an interface if you want to be a part of the great comms. explosion and connect your PCW - via a suitable modem - to the outside world. The SCA Interface will allow both the RS232 and Centronics ports to be used simultaneously, if you have the necessary software to do so. What do you get? The SCA Interface comes as a very sturdy metal cased box complete with screws for securing to the expansion port at the rear. The case measures 11 cm x 13 cm x 2 cm approx. and weighs 450 grams (1 lb). There is a sixteen page manual and a demonstration disk is also supplied. I was impressed by both the appearance and quality of the interface which has been very well made and once secured can be confidently forgotten. Unfortunately there isn't a through connector for fixing your mouse or lightpen at the same time. With the interface connected LocoScript 2 will now greet you with "(with parallel/serial interface)" and CP/M's sign on screen will display "sio/centronics add-on" along with your system details (size of Transient Program Area, number of drives and disk m: size). The time and date stamping feature of the interface is accessible by any CP/M 3 (and some CP/M 2.2) programs that can read the time from the operating system. The interface uses a 170 ma/h ni cad battery which is trickle charged when the PCW is switched on. Under normal use the life expectancy of the battery is several years. The battery can be changed by anyone competent with a small soldering iron. The beauty of the real time clock feature is that you don't need to set the day/month/year every time the PCW is switched on. You must, however, initialize any disks that you require to be used for time date stamping by using the INITDIR.COM program from your master disk set. SCA Systems have supplied a CP/M program - TIME.COM - to set the system clock and subsequently read it. There is also a very nice program that displays a full-screen analogue clock (with the help of GSX graphics). The BASIC program - GETIME.BAS - is not protected so you can freely LIST and learn how to access the time feature from within BASIC. If you already use time and date stamping for your files this will make life that little bit easier for you, if you aren't then with the SCA interface it will be just that much easier to do so. The RS232 serial interface is a standard 25 way D connector (female) which is documented in the manual. Along with your modem (or printer) manual you should have enough information to be able to wire up your own cable. I used the RS232 connector for my printer which doesn't use standard wiring for its cable. I managed to get it working - with a little trial and error - without the expense of buying a custom made cable and I'd never used a soldering iron before either. I found the manual helpful. A secondary RS232 port is available from within the interface which operates on two wires - secondary transmit and secondary receive on pins 14 and 16 respectively. If you need to use this secondary RS232 port you will need a BASIC or machine code program to access it as CP/M doesn't support it. An example program - RSTEST.BAS - is supplied on the demonstration disk which should help anyone who is interested in using this feature of the interface. The parallel port offered is the standard 36 way D connector, which I haven't used. Providing your printer uses a standard Parallel (Centronics) type wiring diagram you shouldn't have any problems in connecting to this port either. Now that the SCA Interface is 100% compatible with the CPS 8256 you can't go wrong by buying this piece of hardware. SCA systems have given me quick and friendly service and offer a free help line if you have problems with the hardware. A very good interface could have been made perfect if it had a through connector or piggyback system fitted. If you would like further information contact : SCA SYSTEMS, 61 Ferringham Lane, Ferring, West Sussex. BN12 5LW TELE:(0903) 700288