Stuff and Things.

[stephen_usher]

You can have my joystick STL file if you like.

I think that a memory upgrade and a floppy disk controller are must have items these days for the machine. The floppy interface has revolutionised the machine for me.

Note that if you want to play a lot of the ported Spectrum games or some of the native ones you'll have to rely upon direct SCART or RF as the programmable display controller can generate resolutions that OSSC+HDMI (TV/media converters/capture devices) just can't handle. Well, the OSSC is happy but the HDMI devices just say "NO SIGNAL".

I'm looking at the possibility of a display interface board as the left and right audio channels on the monitor port seem to be extremely low voltage and so will need to be amplified before going anywhere. I don't think that this is a fault on my machine.

[rubber_jonnie]

You can have my joystick STL file if you like.

Yes please :)

I think that a memory upgrade and a floppy disk controller are must have items these days for the machine. The floppy interface has revolutionised the machine for me.

I was definitely thinking of a RAM upgrade, I presume the FDD card works with Gotek?

Are there any SD card solutions, I've not looked TBH, I only bought it yesterday.

Note that if you want to play a lot of the ported Spectrum games or some of the native ones you'll have to rely upon direct SCART or RF as the programmable display controller can generate resolutions that OSSC+HDMI (TV/media converters/capture devices) just can't handle. Well, the OSSC is happy but the HDMI devices just say "NO SIGNAL".

I'm sure that CPC464 you sent me does the same as with some resolutions OSSC just won't display them.

I'm looking at the possibility of a display interface board as the left and right audio channels on the monitor port seem to be extremely low voltage and so will need to be amplified before going anywhere. I don't think that this is a fault on my machine.

I was wondering about that connector myself.

Will it work with RGB2HDMI do you know? BTW there is a beta version of the RGB2HDMI that will now pass audio to HDMI though I haven't tried it myself.

[PhilC]

@rubber_jonnie Itried contacting a couple of the guys who make SD card interfaces, got a reply from one but never replied again when I asked how much.

Ill have some spare ram and floppy interface boards in a week or so, just waiting on JLC.

[rubber_jonnie]

@rubber_jonnie Itried contacting a couple of the guys who make SD card interfaces, got a reply from one but never replied again when I asked how much.

Ill have some spare ram and floppy interface boards in a week or so, just waiting on JLC.

OK, sounds cool I may be contacting you about those in the near future :)

[stephen_usher]

The floppy interface boards are just WD1772 based controllers with the ability to handle up to 4 Shugart drives, or two drives if jumpered to IBM PC mode. If you only need up to 2 Shugart drives then you don't need the second 74LS240.

The board also has an option for a vertical edge connector for expansions and an over the top buck regulator for the 5V rail so you can power power hungry peripherals. 1A is ample so I replaced it with a 1 amp Traco. The board has an optional external power connector and power switch, neither of which I fitted.

The power supply is a 4 amp "9V" unregulated one, centre negative, like the ZX Spectrum. The machine without peripherals draws just over 2 amps, so way above that which the Spectrum PSU can provide.

I'll get the STL file for the joystick handle off my CAD/CAM machine and post here.

[rubber_jonnie]

The floppy interface boards are just WD1772 based controllers with the ability to handle up to 4 Shugart drives, or two drives if jumpered to IBM PC mode. If you only need up to 2 Shugart drives then you don't need the second 74LS240.

The board also has an option for a vertical edge connector for expansions and an over the top buck regulator for the 5V rail so you can power power hungry peripherals. 1A is ample so I replaced it with a 1 amp Traco. The board has an optional external power connector and power switch, neither of which I fitted.

The power supply is a 4 amp "9V" unregulated one, centre negative, like the ZX Spectrum. The machine without peripherals draws just over 2 amps, so way above that which the Spectrum PSU can provide.

I'll get the STL file for the joystick handle off my CAD/CAM machine and post here.

Cool thanks very much.

I'm sure I have a suitable PSU somewhere, I'll have to have a dig through my boxes, but to begin with I'll use my bench PSU.

Good to know it's center negative, I hate it when they do that...

As for the floppies I'll likely just use a single Gotek, maybe a pair but that's a little way down the road.

[stephen_usher]

Good to know it's center negative, I hate it when they do that...

Centre negative was the almost universal standard until the late 80s.