Hard Disk Interface

Hi everyone,
Is there any Hard Disk interface for the ZX81 ? searching on the WEB I
can find an interface for connect the Commodore 1541 Disk Drive unit,
but those days is really difficult to use floppy disks ,I think that a
Hard Disk Interface is the best way to use the real hard.
So anyone know about some HDD interface project ?
If anyone want to build one I can work on the Software part.
Thanks for any info,
Gus

gus wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi everyone,
> Is there any Hard Disk interface for the ZX81 ? searching on the WEB I
> can find an interface for connect the Commodore 1541 Disk Drive unit,
> but those days is really difficult to use floppy disks ,I think that a
> Hard Disk Interface is the best way to use the real hard.
> So anyone know about some HDD interface project ?
> If anyone want to build one I can work on the Software part.
> Thanks for any info,
> Gus
>[/color]

I by no means an am expert, but I dont believe there is... In fact I
believe the ZX81 predates the invention of the hard disk

--
MCR
MAME - History In The Making
[url]www.pleasuredome.org.uk[/url]

On Sun, 04 May 2008 18:52:07 +0100, MCR wrote:
[color=blue]
> In fact I
> believe the ZX81 predates the invention of the hard disk[/color]

RAMAC predates the ZX81 by about 25 years...

It's hard to classify what the first hard disk intended for 'home'
machines actually was (i.e. small enough to not fill a room, require
3-phase, lots of cooling etc.), but units were around by the mid-70s.

I suspect a ZX81 hard disk interface could be done (although possibly only
with a 128 or 256 byte sector size), but it'd be really tight on
memory and I'm not quite sure what the point would be :-)

cheers

Jules

On Sun, 4 May 2008 10:32:47 -0700 (PDT), gus <gdeldago@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Is there any Hard Disk interface for the ZX81 ?[/color]

[url]http://www.fischerkai.de/zxteam/hdif_e.htm[/url]
--
[email]zoon@lu.onet.pl[/email] - Zbigniew NiedŸwiedŸ - GSM/SMS:+48601263351
[url]http://www.omega.computer.lublin.pl[/url] GaduGadu #589387
Suma inteligencji na planecie jest sta³a. Populacja roœnie.

> Hi everyone,[color=blue]
> Is there any Hard Disk interface for the ZX81 ? searching on the WEB I
> can find an interface for connect the Commodore 1541 Disk Drive unit,
> but those days is really difficult to use floppy disks ,I think that a
> Hard Disk Interface is the best way to use the real hard.
> So anyone know about some HDD interface project ?
> If anyone want to build one I can work on the Software part.
> Thanks for any info,
> Gus[/color]

Hi Gus,

There's a IDE driver card here...
<http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/brico/centronic/index_en.html>

or in french :
<http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/brico/centronic/index.htm>

or The Kelly IDE card base on a 8255... by "Zeddy br"
[url]http://www.pjrc.com/tech/8051/ide/[/url]
[url]http://www.zx81.megahospedagem.com.br/files/IDE81.asm[/url]
But the orginal project is "Interface IDE Kelly.zip" ... You had to retrive
the right page with google (or ask me the file!).

Xav.

There are dozens of IDE projects for the ZX81 and TS1000. Before
ts1000.us went down, I read posts of people using SD cards on their
ZX81. I forgot the name of the interface now... MMC-something... And
if you ask the german ZX81 group (who also read these news), they know
how to use USB on the ZX81. If you have a Spectrum 128K and the
interface 2, you can also emulate the ZX81 with Paul Farrow's
cartridge (100% accurate emulation, including High Resolution
Graphics), and a serial cable to transfer .P files from your PC to
your emulated ZX81. That way your PC becomes your ZX81's "HDD".

Yes, it would be far more useful to have a ram stick interface.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: [email]briang1@blueyonder.co.uk[/email]
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________


"Jules" <jules.richardsonnews@remove.this.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2008.05.04.18.29.49.616058@remove.this.gmail.com...[color=blue]
> On Sun, 04 May 2008 18:52:07 +0100, MCR wrote:
>[color=green]
>> In fact I
>> believe the ZX81 predates the invention of the hard disk[/color]
>
> RAMAC predates the ZX81 by about 25 years...
>
> It's hard to classify what the first hard disk intended for 'home'
> machines actually was (i.e. small enough to not fill a room, require
> 3-phase, lots of cooling etc.), but units were around by the mid-70s.
>
> I suspect a ZX81 hard disk interface could be done (although possibly only
> with a 128 or 256 byte sector size), but it'd be really tight on
> memory and I'm not quite sure what the point would be :-)
>
> cheers
>
> Jules
>[/color]

I built an MMC card interface and developed a menu-based driver for
it. I think this might be what zxbruno (Hi!) might have been talking
about on ts1000. Pictures here:

[url]http://www.robsonfamily.dsl.pipex.com/mmc/mmc.htm[/url]

There's also a link at the bottom of the page for software and
schematics. It looks hard but really it's just 4 ttl chips. It works
really well but I'd recommend some kind of larger RAM expansion or
additional eeprom or rom. Not uttely essential, but useful!

I'll be happy to help anyone with their own sd/mmc based solution.

Charlie

Sir Morris wrote:[color=blue]
> I built an MMC card interface and developed a menu-based driver for
> it. I think this might be what zxbruno (Hi!) might have been talking
> about on ts1000. Pictures here:
>
> [url]http://www.robsonfamily.dsl.pipex.com/mmc/mmc.htm[/url]
>
> There's also a link at the bottom of the page for software and
> schematics. It looks hard but really it's just 4 ttl chips. It works
> really well but I'd recommend some kind of larger RAM expansion or
> additional eeprom or rom. Not uttely essential, but useful!
>
> I'll be happy to help anyone with their own sd/mmc based solution.
>
> Charlie[/color]

how did you construct that keyboard? and how much did it cost?

I am interested in building a similar one for a 48k spectrum

[color=blue]
> how did you construct that keyboard?[/color]

I didn't - it was bought around about 1983 :)

On May 4, 7:08 pm, "GzavSnap" <zx81.pas2spams.ordi5 chez free en
france> wrote:[color=blue][color=green]
> > Hi everyone,
> > Is there any Hard Disk interface for the ZX81 ? searching on the WEB I
> > can find an interface for connect the Commodore 1541 Disk Drive unit,
> > but those days is really difficult to use floppy disks ,I think that a
> > Hard Disk Interface is the best way to use the real hard.
> > So anyone know about some HDD interface project ?
> > If anyone want to build one I can work on the Software part.
> > Thanks for any info,
> > Gus[/color]
>
> Hi Gus,
>
> There's a IDE driver card here...
> <http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/brico/centronic/index_en.html>
>
> or in french :
> <http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/brico/centronic/index.htm>
>
> or The Kelly IDE card base on a 8255... by "Zeddy br"http://www.pjrc.com/tech/8051/ide/http://www.zx81.megahospedagem.com.br/files/IDE81.asm
> But the orginal project is "Interface IDE Kelly.zip" ... You had to retrive
> the right page with google (or ask me the file!).
>
> Xav.[/color]

Hi Xav !!!
I´m impressed with the "simplicity" of your option :)
My hardware knowledge is near zero :( so if you help me I will try to
build the interface,
Is there any way to made just the IDE part, i mean, if I don´t need
the centronics functionallity can I do just the IDE board, I will read
in detail your site and take a look at your version of the vb81.
In the mean time just one more question. do you build the IDE borad ?
and do you control an IDE drive from the zx81 ?
Thanks in advance,
Gus

On May 5, 9:11 am, Guesser <ad...@alistairsserver.no-ip.org> wrote:[color=blue]
> Sir Morris wrote:[color=green]
> > I built an MMC card interface and developed a menu-based driver for
> > it. I think this might be what zxbruno (Hi!) might have been talking
> > about on ts1000. Pictures here:[/color]
>[color=green]
> >[url]http://www.robsonfamily.dsl.pipex.com/mmc/mmc.htm[/url][/color]
>[color=green]
> > There's also a link at the bottom of the page for software and
> > schematics. It looks hard but really it's just 4 ttl chips. It works
> > really well but I'd recommend some kind of larger RAM expansion or
> > additional eeprom or rom. Not uttely essential, but useful![/color]
>[color=green]
> > I'll be happy to help anyone with their own sd/mmc based solution.[/color]
>[color=green]
> > Charlie[/color]
>
> how did you construct that keyboard? and how much did it cost?
>
> I am interested in building a similar one for a 48k spectrum[/color]

Hi Charlie,
Well I must tell you that your projects look very professional for me.
I do discover the pictures on the zx-team forums yesterday and belive
me I´m really impressed with your work, I think it´s to much for me
right now. but I will be very happy if you give me a hand in a future.
One more time: your project is really good congratulations :)
Gus

[color=blue]
> One more time: your project is really good congratulations :)
> Gus[/color]


thanks :)

On May 4, 4:04 pm, Zbigniew Niedzwiedz <z...@lu.onet.pl> wrote:[color=blue]
> On Sun, 4 May 2008 10:32:47 -0700 (PDT), gus <gdeld...@gmail.com> wrote:[color=green]
> >Is there any Hard Disk interface for the ZX81 ?[/color]
>
> [url]http://www.fischerkai.de/zxteam/hdif_e.htm[/url]
> --
> z...@lu.onet.pl - Zbigniew Nied wied - GSM/SMS:+48601263351http://www.omega.computer.lublin.pl GaduGadu #589387
> Suma inteligencji na planecie jest sta³a. Populacja ro nie.[/color]


Hi, thank you very much for the info. The zx-team hardware projects ,
in my begginers point of view, looks very intimidating. I just can
enjoy the pictures and think what a good things people with electronic
knowledge can do.
Cheers,
Gus

Guesser <admin@alistairsserver.no-ip.org> wrote in news:fvmtgu$95e$1
@registered.motzarella.org:
[color=blue]
> Sir Morris wrote:[color=green]
>> I built an MMC card interface and developed a menu-based driver for
>> it. I think this might be what zxbruno (Hi!) might have been talking
>> about on ts1000. Pictures here:
>>
>> [url]http://www.robsonfamily.dsl.pipex.com/mmc/mmc.htm[/url]
>>
>> There's also a link at the bottom of the page for software and
>> schematics. It looks hard but really it's just 4 ttl chips. It works
>> really well but I'd recommend some kind of larger RAM expansion or
>> additional eeprom or rom. Not uttely essential, but useful!
>>
>> I'll be happy to help anyone with their own sd/mmc based solution.
>>
>> Charlie[/color]
>
> how did you construct that keyboard? and how much did it cost?
>
> I am interested in building a similar one for a 48k spectrum[/color]

Looks like a Fuller keyboard to me, am I right? My first serious tinkering
with a computer's innards was fitting my ZX81 pcb in one of those! It even
worked when I finished!

Jules wrote:[color=blue]
> On Sun, 04 May 2008 18:52:07 +0100, MCR wrote:
>[color=green]
>> In fact I
>> believe the ZX81 predates the invention of the hard disk[/color]
>
> RAMAC predates the ZX81 by about 25 years...
>[/color]

Useful info snipped
[color=blue]
> cheers
>
> Jules
>[/color]

You learn something new everyday!

--
MCR
MAME - History In The Making
[url]www.pleasuredome.org.uk[/url]

This reminds me that we need an English ZX81 forum... A place where
everything about the ZX81 can be found - Software (Simon's site
already has that), Optional hardware mods, Repair guides, Hardware
projects, etc. Yes I know, some of you don't like forums, but still...

Yesterday, for example, I noticed Mike did a ZX Spectrum emulator for
the ZX81 (!). Who would think it would be possible...

[color=blue]
> This reminds me that we need an English ZX81 forum... A place where
> everything about the ZX81 can be found - Software (Simon's site
> already has that), Optional hardware mods, Repair guides, Hardware
> projects, etc. Yes I know, some of you don't like forums, but still...[/color]

Agreed!
[color=blue]
> Yesterday, for example, I noticed Mike did a ZX Spectrum emulator for
> the ZX81 (!). Who would think it would be possible...[/color]

??!

On May 7, 12:22 am, Sir Morris <charlie_rob...@hotmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
> > Yesterday, for example, I noticed Mike did a ZX Spectrum emulator for
> > the ZX81 (!). Who would think it would be possible...[/color]
>
> ??![/color]

[url]http://web.archive.org/web/20031206221321/www.chuntey.com/SP81/[/url]

:D

Hi Gus,
[color=blue]
> There's a IDE driver card here...
> <http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/brico/centronic/index_en.html>
>
> or in french :
> <http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/brico/centronic/index.htm>
>
> or The Kelly IDE card base on a 8255... by "Zeddy[/color]
br"http://www.pjrc.com/tech/8051/ide/http://www.zx81.megahospedagem.com.br/f
iles/IDE81.asm[color=blue]
> But the orginal project is "Interface IDE Kelly.zip" ... You had to[/color]
retrive[color=blue]
> the right page with google (or ask me the file!).[/color]

On the IDE circuit part, there's an unwired on the 74hc139 : « /reset »
And i don't know if this pin is usefull to drive the IDE card ... (???)
Xav.