Zon X-81 pics

[BrunoFlorindo]

Some pics of the Zon X-81 Interface, sent to me by Moggy (thanks!).

[sirmorris]

Wilf has a description and schematic for a Zon compatible board:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/wrigter/inde ... %20ZON.htm

[BrunoFlorindo]

Thanks. I know about his site, but what we've been missing is pictures of the original hardware. We need more pictures!!

[RWAP]

OK that looks like a possible project then - I can get my colleague to have a look at designing / building the backplane and a ZON X-81 interface to fit in it - however, how many would we want to make? Ideally, we would need to look at a minimum of 25 units.

[sirmorris]

Sound vs mass storage?
MS every time

[BrunoFlorindo]

Hmmm, here we go again..

Rich, I have an idea that might prove useful but I don't know if it's easy to do. Your website could have a list of interfaces, adapters and cables for the ZX81, ZX Spectrum and TS2068, and a list of people that added their name because they're interested in it. Each item would show how many people would buy it and the minimum number of orders required to bring the project to life. This would be useful for all Sinclair users and at the same time it would help you determine what can be done and what can't. I can help with the publicity by announcing it to Brazilian, Portuguese, American, British and Spanish Sinclair websites, forums and newsgroups.

[yerzmyey]

SirMorris: Oh, it's not so simple.
I would be interested in both - sound and some mass-storage, however the mass-storage would must have its own system (not requiring changes in ZX81), would have to load *.P files and would have to be based on some FAT (to make transfer ZX81 <-> PC as easy as possible). Popular cards would be required.
These ones from photo-cameras (smaller so nicer) or these ones from divIDE (ZX Spectrum).

Anyway, as for the AY interface - surely idea with internal speaker is highly obsolete (and kinda expensive), so the speaker would have to be replaced by simple LINE-OUT stereo port (jack).

I hope my suggestions are resonable (taken mostly from Spectrum world, where they prove correct).

Anyway - count me in, pls.

Greetz!

[sirmorris]

Hmm - the AY has IO ports on it. That's all you need to handle an SD/MMC card. the 'driver software needed' argument is pointless as the AY needs driver software too...

I have FAT code that is freely available. Mike has FAT code that's freely available. That's not a problem. Converting spectrum AY players to zx81 is more of a problem I think But not impossible! Where there's interest there's a way. I'd certainly offer to help.

[yerzmyey]

sirmorris:

>Hmm - the AY has IO ports on it. That's all you need to handle an SD/MMC card. the 'driver software needed' argument is pointless as the AY needs driver software too...
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Driver sofware? I'm not sure if it was to me (doesn't seem so) but if You mean system/file browser, then I just ment something inside of the "mass-storage" device, just not to use ZX81's 16Kb. And it wasn't any "argument" but idea from me.
It's mostly becasue in older divIDE versions there is a need to load system from tape. Which is a very bad idea.
So that's my suggestion to put this "file browser" into the device's ROM (EPROM could be more comfortable for some guys probably).
And yes, I tend to agree I would be interedted in such a device.



>I have FAT code that is freely available. Mike has FAT code that's freely available. That's not a problem.
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So I think it would be convenient for people, for copying *.P files from PC into the flash-card.



>Converting spectrum AY players to zx81 is more of a problem I think But not impossible! Where there's interest there's a way. I'd certainly offer to help.
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I agree it's possible and I even asked my coder, Hellboj, about it. He said it should work, however maybe not in interrupt-mode (but it's not a big problem to me).

[sirmorris]

Yes, additional rom and ram banks in the 8k region would be ideal. 4+4 is a nice round sum

Don't worry - The word "Argument" in my last post didn't mean fight - we're all friends here, right? If not you can come outside right now! It simply means "reason" in this case, more or less.