ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Discussions about Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 Hardware
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1024MAK
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by 1024MAK »

ABS will melt if using a anything other than a slow speed to cut it. Even if you try to get a straight line, it won't be straight!

I now cut it slightly short of where I actually want the edge, then file it down.

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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

1024MAK wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 11:15 pm ABS will melt if using a anything other than a slow speed to cut it. Even if you try to get a straight line, it won't be straight!
I now cut it slightly short of where I actually want the edge, then file it down.
Thanks. I'll keep that in the brain bank for next time.

In the mean time, after all that success I had... I'm now getting tape loading failures even with the ground and tape signals to the wespi cut.

I'm not sure where to go from here.
Lardo Boffin
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by Lardo Boffin »

If you have another ULA do a quick swap. ULAs can partially fail and at least that will eliminate that.

Failing that I would completely disconnect the Wespi.
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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

Well, what I'm doing now is increasing the resistance between the composite and the wespi until I find a point where the tape loads and the wespi still functions.

This is still going to leave me with a picture issue on the RGBtoHDMI, but that's after I solve the loading problem first. So far, I've added another 1K and the tape has become a little more reliable and the wespi still functions.

However, the TZXduino appears to have deleted flightsimulator when I paused it mid-load... and having said that I'm having real problems with selecting files anyway, they're not in alphabetical order and if I go from Z up, I get 0. If I go from A down, I skip straight to Z... so... yeah.
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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

For those interested in the cannibalism, I've got an adjustable resistor pack which is currently on 2K clipped in between the 1K of the wespi and after the 220 for the RGBtoHDMI.
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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

OK - 17K ohm extra worked, bringing the total to 18,220 ohm. If I added another 1K on top of that, loading fails from wespi.

I think I'll take it down to 10K (11,220 total) and run more tests, but even adding the extra 1K seemed to improve the chances of tape loading.
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1024MAK
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by 1024MAK »

My advise is to not to switch the power or 0V/ground, but to switch the signal lines, see this post ;-)

Mark
ZX81 Variations
ZX81 Chip Pin-outs
ZX81 Video Transistor Buffer Amp

:!: Standby alert :!:
There are four lights!
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

1024MAK wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:13 pm My advise is to not to switch the power or 0V/ground, but to switch the signal lines, see this post ;-)
I did read that, and I fully understand, but I'm trying to get this to work while using the jack as an on-off without having to utilise an extra switch.

I am getting good success with an extra 10K.
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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

OK - I'm getting intermittent results.

I'm now thinking of using a stereo jack socket and wiring the middle one for the composite signal, in reverse.
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msknight
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Re: ZX-WESPI - add a cheap wifi-enabled fileserver to your Zeddy!

Post by msknight »

Ok - that works.

Changing the mono socket for a stereo switching socket.

Put the composite across the middle pin.

Obviously to connect a tape you have to put in a stereo jack and wire to tip and ground... otherwise the composite will end up connected to the ground and the TZXduino doesn't like that.

It's the only way that I can think of that works, as a certainty.... without having to fit a switch.
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