We have 3 sinclair zx spectrum manuals available for free pdf download. There is no principal difference to using a compact cassette as many home computers did. It also provides the software tools to manage these virtual drives and tape cartridge images, in. Having been pleasantly surprised with the sales of the replacement keyboard membranes for the sinclair zx81 home computer, we are currently considering looking to design and produce a range of projects for the sinclair zx81. Sinclair zx spectrum manuals manuals and user guides for sinclair zx spectrum.
It allowed the user of controllers complying with the atari 2600 standard to be used in spectrum games and was greatly supported. Mar 22, 2015 after longlong collection period of zx microdrives and connecting blocks. Zx microdrive a small, fast, and somewhat unreliable taperoll storage medium released by sinclair. Tynemouth software llp old computers, new computers, bespoke web design and software development, computer repairs, it and media services uk saturday, 3 february 2018 keyboard options for the zx max 48 zx spectrum clone. Have a problem with the headlights and cooling fans coming on when the battery terminals are connected and the key is not in the ignition. Sinclair zx microdrive repair, mutant caterpillar games ltd retro. The software runs correctly until it gets to paging back the spectrums usual rom and dropping in to the basic menu. Zx microdrive now on release sounding something like a statement on the fate of a serial murderer from a topsecurity prison, this advert part of one of sinclairs regular mini magazines within the magazine they were placed in trumpets the arrival of the zx.
The official home location of the tzx format the current version is v1. Hes done a lot of retrocomputing projects including connecting a zx81 to the internet to load programs. Nov 23, 2016 victor trucco makes us wish we spoke portuguese. Where can i find the wiring diagram for the 2010 zx 14, so i do not mistakenly tap into the wrong wire. The zx microdrive was a magnetic tape data storage medium introduced by sinclair for use in its computers. The microdrive was sinclairs typically unconventional answer to the spectrum owners desire for a mass storage system. Zx microdrive now on release sounding something like a statement on the fate of a serial murderer from a topsecurity prison, this advert part of one of sinclairs regular mini magazines within the magazine they were placed in trumpets the arrival of the zx microdrive, a year after they were first announced. The bike will start but the battery would have to be disconnected to cut it off. It also included a de9 rs232 interface capable of operating at up to. Spectrum faq, 301105 since the faq is no longer maintained, for technical details you may want to see the tech info wiki. Media in category zx microdrive the following 17 files are in this category, out of 17 total. I would be interested in at least one internal replacement for the ql if you decided to develop one there is just something sad about those empty slots with faulty drives in them. Media microdrive rename 1984 your spectrum 48 media microdrive repair. A lot of hardware has been developed for the zx spectrum both by sinclair and any.
We have 3 sinclair zx spectrum manuals available for free pdf. Note that programs originally written for the 16k spectrum would have run in contended. It was a form of cassette, but of a different size and shape from normal cassettes, and designed to be inserted into a drive to be used similarly to a disk but slower. New sinclair zx microdrive replacement faceplate fascia. Sinclair microdrive the most innovative extension were maybe the sinclair. Spectrum 48k, interface one microdrive, networking and rs232c support, interface two joystick and cartridge port, microdrives, thermal silver paper printer and. Datacorder pcb dv1 dv2 dv3 dv4 dv5 dv6 dv7 d3 d2 d1. The vdrive zx is simply connected to your interface 1, either with your existing microdrives or by itself. Originally intended as a local area network interface for use in school classrooms, it was revised before launch to also act as the controller for up to eight zx microdrive highspeed tapeloop cartridge drives.
In parallel with the design, schematics were refined, pcbs finalised. You do not need to tap into the lights, there is a connector kit. During its long life, before amstrad swallowed it up and redesigned the hardware to make it cheaper and give it a real keyboard, original makers sinclair research. Zx101c portable octane analyzer with usb calibration software manual version 2. Ill be making them in batches of 510 and theyll be available to buy from sellmyretro. The sinclair zx interface 1 was released by sinclair research in 1983 to provide a faster means of storage, rs232 interface and network port for the zx spectrum. Sinclair zx interface 1, interface 2 and microdrive service manual. Uses a tape loop to emulate a disk drive, offers random access and fast loading. The sinclair zx microdrive resurrection project long.
The older, less american amongst you, will probably be at the very least familiar with the zx spectrum microcomputer. The schematics have been redrawn using the gschem schematic editor from the open source geda project. I have a scanned copy of the zx inferface 12 and microdrive service manual, but this wasnt of very much help so far regarding running the device wo if1, head adjustment, motor speed and the waveforms to be. Sinclair zx spectrum home computer storage solutions. Analogue schematic diagram of the spectrum 128k circuit board spectrum 128k board schematics ii. Zx interface 1 also provides an extension to the basic spectrum software which incorporates all the microdrive, rs232 link and network functions. We are pleased to be able to offer new replacement metal faceplates fascias for the sinclair zx microdrive unit. Using the jsmess emulator, users can boot up an emulation of the given. Mar, 20 perhaps the biggest rabbit that clive pulled out of his magicians hat was the zx microdrive, wrote popular computing weeklys nick hampshire for the papers 6 may issue. I did a few basic tests saving to tape and microdrive using the excellent vdrive zx. With a bit of tlc, well have your microdrive formatting.
The circuit diagram of the zx interface 2 is shown below. The vdrive zx is for the spectrum and the vdrive ql is for the ql. A very popular third party peripheral was the kempston joystick interface. Loading zx spectrum snapshots off microdrives part 1 thursday, 26th july 2012, 16. The zx microdrive is a magnetic tape data storage system launched in july 1983 by sinclair research for its zx spectrum home computer. Zx microdrive manuals and user guides for sinclair zx microdrive. We sell a wide range of software and services for the retro sinclair ql home. Software as described above, zx80 and zx81 cassette files are completely incompatible to each other. Its a lot like a floppy disk with a large single track.
The zx97l is a complete zx81 using discrete logic chips with 32k of battery backup ram and 32k of eprom. C41, c42, c43, c44, c45, c46, c47 r77, r78, r79, r80, r81, r82, r83, r84, r85, r86 ic16, ic17, ic18, ic19, ic20 xl2 internal disc drive header led header include. Initially planned for a 1982 launch, the zx microdrive was finally brought to market in 1983 and a lot cheaper than other storage devices such as 5. The specmate isnt as sophisticated as the multiface and sometimes falls foul of. I started by placing all the components on a schematic in kicad eda software. The sinclair zx interface 1 was released by sinclair research in 1983 to provide a faster means of storage, rs232. All the parts are the same, the part numbers and pins are the same, other than the rom and ram, ive only added a few extra decoupling capacitors and a one resistor one transistor composite. The microdrive technology was later also used in the sinclair ql and icl one per desk personal computers. The games software consists of pure machine code in 95% of cases and once loaded it is practically impossible to return to spectrum basic for the microdrive save commands. An excellent manual is provided with the vdrivezx clearly explaining the principles. Housed in an existing microdrive housing the vdrivezx can be connected to the zx spectrum via the zx interface 1. It was proposed as a cheaper alternative to the floppy disk, but it suffered from poor reliability and lower speed. Various diskdrives and improved tapebased systems were also introduced the zx spectrum predates affordable floppy disk drives, although these became increasingly popular.
I have the same alarm but even with the connector kit it was really tight to the point i spliced the connector kit and added 34 inches. To find out what other programs are stored in the demonstration cartridge, enter the. Zx interface 1, interface 2 and microdrive service manual. A peripheral from sinclair research for its zx spectrum home computer, the zx interface 1 was launched in 1983. The company claimed 16kb programs would load in less than 20 seconds. Accessing the features of the zx interface 1 microdrive, network and rs232 is also difficult. Dec 31, 2016 it is a fairly accurate clone electrically to the zx80, using the same chips and the original schematic with only a few concessions to the modern world. Apr 25, 2014 1 thought on sinclair zx interface 1 and zx microdrive 1983 rich mellor september 5, 2014 at 7.
When you have finished watching this program, read on. The information related to the virtual drives and cartridge images are stored on sd card. The zx97lite is a simplified zx97 designed to fit on one single sided pcb. The zx microdrive system was released in july 1983 and quickly became quite popular with the spectrum user base due to the low. Tested with an extensive suite of zx spectrum software full list to follow.
Now that you have set up your zx interface 1 and your microdrive, you will want to know what programs are waiting for you on the demonstration cartridge. Anyone who has ever tried to repair or clean a zx microdrive unit will find that in order to. Easy to fit, using instructions supplied and manufactured using the latest techniques these help keep the sinclair zx microdrive unit looking brand new and running for a good few more years. The zx microdrive was capable of storing about 85kb to 90kb at a rate of 15kb per second and could connect to the zx spectrum via the zx interface. The world of spectrum faq, maintained by arjun nair. Instead it crashes the machine, showing the typical screen indicating no rom is available. We have 1 sinclair zx microdrive manual available for free pdf download. The zx interface 1, which would connect the microdrive to the spectrum, was engineered by martin brennan, who would go on to work on ataris jaguar console and, in the past decade, to design and. I then added my custom edge connector component and started to trace the connections. Sinclairs revolutionary product was the zx microdrive. To complement the vdrive ql there is also the vmap ql which is a configurable hardware device for translating microdrive addresses. Both the ql and zx versions will be offered at the same price as the original microdrive. This device alone improved the spectrum 100%, allowing 85k per cartridge. Oct 05, 2017 zx spectrum loading from zx microdrive dperec.
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