Longshot has released version 1.9 of the Amstrad CPC CRTC Compendium (15th May 2026) which is a documentation about the CRTC 6845 (and some others circuits). Note that the CRTC is a generic component used in several computers including the IBM PC.

It is possible to check if an emulator is good with the SHAKER tests by Longshot. SHAKER is a program designed to run on CPC machines produced by AMSTRAD in the 80s-90s. The objective of this program is to carry out extensive tests on the video circuits of this machine. These video circuits are the GATE ARRAY and the CRTC 6845. AMSTRAD produced several series of GATE ARRAY and used CRTC models produced by different manufacturers (HITACHI, MOTOROLA, UMC, AMSTRAD). This has been causing compatibility problems on operations that exceed the functional specifications of these circuits. The identified CRTCs are numbered from 0 to 4.

And last, if you like reading, don't hesitate to go check Longshot's blog.

Arkos Tracker v3.5.1 by Targhan is available on his web site. The site has many tutorials. This version is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Intel and ARM).

This v3.5.1 corrects a few bugs and brings a few optimizations.

You will find on Tronic's web site (GPA) various utilities for use on or for the Amstrad CPC, several about YM music but also GPArt Studio v1.3 which can converts and modify Amstrad CPC screens.

One more year, this year it will be the 26th year of the web site which started in 1999.

I wish you all a good 2026 year, my best wishes of happyness, health and success for you and all the people who are important for you (and for all the others too). Well, if we could have some more peace on earth it would be also a good thing.

Merry Christmas 2025, have a nice diner and night with the people you are caring for.

A new article by norecess464 about this year 2025 is a recommended reading. What will he dos this his newly CPC-Cplink expansion card (made by Revaldinho) ?. You can find the CPC-Cplink card on Github.

Arkos Tracker v3.5 by Targhan is available on his web site. The site has many tutorials. This version is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Intel and ARM).

This v3.5 features :

• A new frequency viewer
• YM export and conversion facilities (direct export from YM to FAP for example)
• Performance issues on slower computers
• A Z80 Profiler command-line tool to count how many NOPs takes your code, in any binary!
• Corrected a rare bug in the AKG player
• Several new demos songs from me, Ok3anos and Doclands
• And many other smaller features/bug fixes!

Amstrad Power presents Universal Basic Library (UBL) by Orac81 which is a basic library for Amstrad CPC but also for C64, VIC-20, C16, PET, DOS QBasic, Apple II, Dragon 32, BBC Micro, ZX-Spectrum, MSX, TRS-80, Exidy Sorcerer and Ohio Superboard. UBL will use the lines 1 to 49 (fast function) and 9500-9999 (heavy functions), you code will then use lines 50 to 9499.

You can download a .DSK compiled by shacpc with examples programs using UBL.

Arkos Tracker v3.4 by Targhan is available on his web site. The site has many tutorials. This version is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Intel and ARM).

This v3.4 features :

• Amstrad PCW support
• Spectravideo 318/328 support
• Merge song option (don't thank me @Prodatron !)
• Export as TXT (which may please @m_dr_m)
• Skip the possible amsdos header when loading .SKS and .128 (once again to please @Prodatron !)
• RASM 2.3.9 compatibility
• Much better import of Chp'n'sfx songs
• and other cool stuff!

To make so beautiful Amstrad CPC loading screens like Eric Cubizolle (Titan), it's easy, you just need to use the same painting program : Multipaint by Tero Heikkinen AKA Dr. Terrorz, and maybe a bit of talent and mostly a lot of work.

Titan is describing Multipaint as a mmix of OCP Art Studio and Deluxe Paint for windows which offers the possibility of using the resolutions and palettes of a whole bunch of old computers including the Amstrad CPC (mode 0 and 1, overscan possible in mode 0).

One more interview by Retro Maniac, this time of Anthony Flack. As always the interview is bilingual, first in spanish then in english. Anthony Flack wrote the remake of Bomb Jack released at the start of this year.

Arkos Tracker v3.3 by Targhan is available on his web site. The site has many tutorials. This version is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Intel and ARM).

Arkos Tracker v3.2.7 by Targhan is available on his web site. This is no longer a beta version, the site has many tutorials. This version is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Intel and ARM).

It contains some important bug fixes, but also a FAP export, and a digidrum player! More doc and tutorials about digidrums and samples are going to be added to the website in the following days.

Arkos Tracker v3.2.6 by Targhan is available on his web site. This is no longer a beta version, the site has many tutorials. This version is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux (Intel and ARM).

Border 0 organizes his fifteenth score contest on the Amstrad CPC game Druid & Droid (action game by Arnolde in 2022) till the 31th march 2025. See the site for the rules, you will have to use the WinAPE Amstrad CPC emulator to record a SNR file.