New member searching for DIY information

Talrek · August 2015

Hi everybody,
I'm totally new on this forum, and in the Spectrum family. Usually i work with Amstrad computer and Atari also.
I made various interface for Amstrad CPC, but Never for Spectrum. I really want to discover this computer.

I own a Spectrum +2 (grey model) and i would like to know which DIY interface exists. I mean interfaces i can build on my own.
For example for CPC i built MF2 clone, Mouse interface, Hack-it interface, Megaflash...
I don't know Spectrum scene, and may be i make a mistake but i can't find real DIY website about Spectrum (yes there is ppera's but that's all i found). Only websites to buy DIY interfaces and i'm not searching to buy, but to build.

Thank you a lot for your answers.

1024MAK · August 2015

Do you mean build a kit (where all components are supplied including the PCB)?
-or-
Buy a PCB for the project, then buy all the components yourself?
-or-
Download the PCB details, send these details to a PCB fabrication company / or make your own PCB...?

In general, each designer has over the years posted details in various ways. Some on their own sites (some of which have since disappeared :-( ).

Some have offered fully built projects, a full kit of parts, or just PCB options. But they are normally limited offers and once all the PCBs have been sold, that's it.

Mark

RobeeeJay · August 2015

Someone (sorry I forgot who!) does a breakout interface breadboard if you are developing your own interfaces! I've got one, it's pretty useful for playing around and also scoping signals without having to open up the case.

Talrek · August 2015

Thank you for all your answers. I was thinking about :
"Download the PCB details, send these details to a PCB fabrication company / or make your own PCB...?"
Even if there is not PCB / Just schema, it is good.
For example : on amstrad CPC José Leandro, retro-engineered the MF2 (he released also the Gals, trully an amazing job). So i only used his schema and .jed files)

I like to do this, because i find it fun. And i thought there were a lot of DIY projects like this one on the spectrum scene. But may be i'm wrong because i only found this website (http://piters.tripod.com/zx.htm) .

lunarul · August 2015

Just by following the Hardware forum you can find stuff like http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/discussion/21661/official-release-of-new-k-mouse-2008-interface

Isn't that the type of thing you're looking for?

Talrek · August 2015

Yesthat's exactly thekind of interesting project ;-)
I was wondering if a site about all DIY projects for spectrum exists. but i guess not.
Well all of this gave me ideas ;-)

I was wondering, is there somewhere a design (Scheme) for a floppy interface ? i didn't find one ?

Thank you.

1024MAK · August 2015

Velesoft has lots of projects. Search the hardware section. Some are also on his web site http://velesoft.speccy.cz/

Kio's Sinclair ZX Computers Archive has various project info http://k1.spdns.de/Vintage/Sinclair/ at http://k1.spdns.de/Vintage/Sinclair/82/Doityourself/

http://hw.speccy.cz/

http://hardware.speccy.org/default-i.html

There are many more hidden in the depths of the hardware section, you will have to search through lots of posts though.

Mark

Talrek · August 2015

Thank you ;-)
Do you know if there is a DIY project for a Spectrum +2 (Grey model) for a flopy interface ?
I mean one i could build myself ;-)

Thank you a lot !!

1024MAK · August 2015

There are details of a floppy interface for the black +2. I don't remember if it works with other models. I don't have a link. But there is either a thread, or a series of posts about a member building one. Search the hardware section...

There is also the Plus D. Read here http://8bit.yarek.pl/interface/zx.plusd/index-de.html
If you are going to make a Plus D, have a chat with Ben. He has not been on here for a while, so contact him at his web site http://www.bytedelight.com because he has built these, so can supply a schematic that is known to work.

Also see here http://www.worldofspectrum.org/documentation.html but keep in mind the ftp site is not available. But this is http://www.worldofspectrum.org/NotThePlusD/

Mark

Talrek · August 2015

wow you provided me a lot of info to read. Thank you, i have a lot of infos to read ;-)

In fact i was just thinking i should have bought a +3, and not a +2... well i didn't know. If someone is interested in a grey model ;-) lol

The_Bert · August 2015

I think the interface 1024MAK is referring to is this one:
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/BackToThePlus3/

however, i recall that it was discussed here on the forum* at some point, and guesser stated that it would be simpler to just use the floppy circuit of the actual +3 as basis for an actual FDD interface for the +2A. The reason it is rather simple to do for the +2A is that this machine already has the complete +3 DOS in ROM.

*Unfortunately i'm not able to find that particular thread at this moment, i hope you will accept my apology.

EDIT: While i wasn't able to find the aforementioned thread, i DID manage to find a related one, in which the member BCH presents his homemade FDD which was built exactly like the internal FDD circuit of the +3:

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/discussion/comment/807282/

I hope this will be of assistance :)

Zup · August 2015

But if you're interested in making a FDD for your grey +2, you should look for a +D clone or a Betadisk 128 clone. That interfaces won't run +3 disks, but have their own software (and were the most used floppy interfaces for 128k).

If you're only interested in having lots of software (and not in read/writing to disk), a divIDE would be your choice.

The_Bert · August 2015

Zup wrote: »

But if you're interested in making a FDD for your grey +2, you should look for a +D clone or a Betadisk 128 clone. That interfaces won't run +3 disks, but have their own software (and were the most used floppy interfaces for 128k).

If you're only interested in having lots of software (and not in read/writing to disk), a divIDE would be your choice.

True words :)

IanJ · September 2015

Hi,

Heres my DIY interface for the Spectrum if it' anyu use to you:-

http://www.ianjohnston.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=105:spectruminterface&catid=3:hobbies&Itemid=8

I have an online shop where you can buy the bare PCB (you supply the parts).

PS. Tested on a 48k (rubber) spectrum only.

Ian.

guesser · September 2015

The +3 floppy interface type things are no use to you on a Grey +2 because the port decoding is done in the gate array on the +3/black +2. Also those machines have 4 16k ROMs where the +2 only has two.

Having said all that, if you added all the extra decoding and paging logic yourself it wouldn't be impossible. Someone has even had +3 ROMs running on a heavily modded 16k speccy!

Talrek · September 2015

Thank you for all the infos.
Does this mean that if i make disk (from dsk format to real disk) i will not be able to use it on a +d ?

The_Bert · September 2015

Talrek wrote: »

Thank you for all the infos.
Does this mean that if i make disk (from dsk format to real disk) i will not be able to use it on a +d ?

That is unfortunately correct, if you want to make disks for DiSCIPLE / +D, you'll need files with the extension .MGT.

Some electronic magazines, such as Outlet released many of their 'issues' in this format; however i am not aware of many commercial efforts for the MGT platform, and those that were published, were probably mostly utilities (to the best of my knowledge). :-?

DEATH · September 2015

Bloody hell, IanJ! I've watched your videos loads of times, never realised you were on here!

Good to meet you!

DEATH · September 2015

There is software designed to work on a +D system to allow you to read/write +3 format 3.5" floppy disks. It's not going to work on an image file however, it just allows file transfer from one format to the other.

Software also available to read/write +D disks on a +3 with an external 3.5" drive.

Similar programs allow PC 720K floppies to be read/written too, all of them in the Alchemist Software PD library :)

I THINK it's stuff written by Ian Collier and Dominic Morris back in the day.....

Talrek · October 2015

Hi again, i always searching for infos. I found an article about swift disc 2. There are 3 modes including microdrive emulation. I would like to know if it would be compatible with +3 disk images . Because it seems to...

New member searching for DIY information

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