Upgrading your Spectrum +2AB (BLACK) & +3 with IDE Mass Storage

Zetr0

Ya' Like it Retr0?
Joined
Nov 22, 2007
Posts
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Hello my fellow AmiBayer's

I don't often get to do a Show and Tell as I would like but today is different since I am suffering from insomnia I might as well make it work in my favour!

So would you like to know how to add IDE mass storage on you Spectrum +2AB or +3 ?

Then let us begin -
 
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Spectrum +2AB Dissassembly

Spectrum +2AB Dissassembly

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Theres +2AB.... awaiting with excitement


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Locating the Screw Holes


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Gently does it, or you could break the plastic screw holders


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Disconnect the Cassette Header


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Disconnect the Keyboard Ribbons


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Very carefully - dont be to sudden with them


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And now we can begin....



(White Lab coats are optional at this stage....)
 
Removing the Motherboard and IC's

Removing the Motherboard and IC's

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Theres 5 screws and there not that tight


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Gently does it and there wont be any problems


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And there she is.... cute and pretty


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Removing the ROM's


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Only experienced and danger defying Hackers use screwdrivers to levy IC's from their sockets - (BE WARNED!)


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A world in a Chip.... a Zilog Z80 chip.... one of the most ubiquitous chips in the known universe!

Its in everything that an Arm or a Motorola isnt.... so check your underwear!


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Woah... thats some Dirty Interfaces.... we better get this filth clean!
 
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Contact Cleaning

Contact Cleaning

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Always read the label....

Then check with Google any words with more than two syllables (best check that first) and any words without vowels



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A Big juicy bottle of isopropyl alcohol -

would of preferred a good triple distilled Vodka, alas this will have to do.... just gotta fight the Wino's off first!


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Clever me decided to put some 99.99% IPA into a small spray bottle....

I have clever moments.... just don't tell!!!


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Theres no Escape from the IPA Spray bottle... all will be covered..... fingers, hands and clothing included!


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Behold!!

The Cue Tip of extra Cleanlyness +12



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Whoa..... I am sure the great outdoors has less dirt than that!

I best watch out for falling fossils!


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An important area, here is where we will be adding a couple of power rails =D


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The shiney shiney shine of IPA SHINEY!


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Yes.... soon the cue tip will ensure proper connection master......


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Spray away those years with the Spray Away IPA Way!


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Not even these 4 power terminals are safe from the Cleaning cue-tip of Doom!
 
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Adding Power Cable (Preperation)

Adding Power Cable (Preperation)

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The original Flux capacitor!

(my flux droper bottle)


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Here I add some flux liquid to the power terminals - I find the underside of the board easier to start from.

I always recommend to use a good NO CLEAN and NON CORROSIVE flux....

If you wonder why I capitalize these words... I suggest imagining the consequence of putting your PCB / Motherboard in industrial strength super concentrated Acid.... Or any Handy nearby A500+ that still has its battery =)


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This is the heating part of the heat and suck protocol!


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And Pump.... suck those terminals right up


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An even closer shot of the power terminals..... see I spoil you lot.....


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Excelent I can see through to the other side....


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En' Voila

Holy terminals of much need power rails note the +12v (top) and +5v (bottom) silk masking


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Ahhh the classic 4 pin Floppy Power Molex..... How I love thee!

So much so that I snipped and tinned the leads =)


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Lets get the colour code right.... red = +5v, yellow = +12v and black = Ground


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And this is how you fit the new power rail

(Power soldering .... all four at the same time gets you bonus points and a new trophy unlock!)


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Yes... the most handiest tool in the tool box....

Nail clippers.... they take a smidge of practice.... but once you have the nack..... you can use these for almost anything!


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And There you have it.... a new power rail... waiting to be used.....

Please note that on the +2AB theres not much +12v juice... so ensure the device you plumb up to it doesn't use it ( or less than 0.3amps )

And since I am on my soap box, remember to keep kids inside..... and playing video games.... its the only way they will learn!


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The magic Posi-driver (aka Philips) as it majestically screws the motherboard once again back into the tray.

The hard part is over!



Installing the Adapter on the +3 Supplemental

My thanks to fitzsteve for poping over and helping me out with the camera work and providing his +3 for the photoshoot!


After dismantling the Spectrum +3 and removing the motherboard - the first thing to do is add a POWER RAIL for the IDE Device.



As you can see, unlike the +2AB we have to solder the wires underneath the motherboard as the power header has been populated for use with the 3" Floppy Disk Drive.




So here were are,
  • +12v is at the top (yellow)
  • two grounds in the middle (black)
  • +5v is at the bottom (red).
A point to note is that unlike the Spectrum +2A/B the +3 has a solid power supply on the +12v (about 1amp to play with) so one can use common 3.5" IDE hard disks if they so wished! (please note you are limited to 128GB due to CHS limitations - use this space wisely ;))




Installing the motherboard into the bottom chassis, we gently route the power rail Molex wire around the chassis screw mount




A close up reveals the position of the Power Molex wires, although with a little squeeze you could fit all four in the bottom or top left corner.




After mounting the Z80 8bit UIDE adapter to the motherboard, install the IDE cable - an optional mounting for the IDE to CF adapter is on the FDD mounting chassis.




After using a bit of insulating tape on the FDD mounting chassis (to avoid shorts / grounding), mount the IDE - CF adaptor to the FDD Mountin Chassis - as you can see single CF to IDE adapters will fit perfectly!

Sadly dual adaptors will not. - well not without a little more work.




Here is the overview of the of the Z80 8bit UIDE adaptor connected to the IDE to CF Adaptor.... looks great!!




To ensure OCD monkey satisfaction (and for tidiness) - its time to cable-tidy the IDE cable with a cable tie!




After preparing the Compact Flash Card - it was installed it and ready for action...




As you can see it is almost as if the Spectrum +3 was designed .... nay destined for this!
 
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IDE Adapter Bundle

IDE Adapter Bundle

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Ahh a box of golden delight!


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We have a generic CF to 40 pin IDE adapter snuggled up to a Sandisk 256MB CF Card that is getting a cuddle from 15CM's of delicious golden IDE cable that is be wooed by a smart looking Z80 to IDE adapter that also chatting up a couple of +3e ROM chips!


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The CPU is installed into the IDE Adapter (pay close attention to the orientation as well how clean my fingers are!)


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Ahhh the lovely sandwich of mass storage and spectrum....


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Ensure that none of those pesky ceramic caps get in the way of a good board mating with the Adapter - again note the direction as well ho clean my thumb nail is!)


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Dadaaaaa!!!!

Looks great.... you have done a good job so far!


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With a bit of sneakyness you can pull the power rail underneath the IDE adapter and using a ceramic capacitor lock it into place.

Like a BOSS!
 
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IDE Cable & Device Connect

IDE Cable & Device Connect

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Ahhh a golden beauty of an IDE cable.... its Halogen Free btw... I spare no expense!

(I should tell you now there is a difference in each end of the connector)



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Now IDC is very stiff stuff... as Black adder would say its made with stiffest stuff that McStiffy of Stiffwood could find on his stiffest shelf of stiffest things!

So to make it more manoeuvrable we need to pleat the wire... to do this we simply put a nick into the plastic after every forth wire


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Continue on with the pleat by gently pushing the small nick that separates like so.....

now do this..... another 9 times!!!


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And here is one I pleated earlier!

we get to braid it next or dreadlocks which ever!


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Its like Christmas!!!


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Plugged in the IDE cable - notice the IDE connector has an extra roll - this is to denote the Device Side of the IDE cable.

As you can also see I plugged in a very handsome SanDisk 256MB CF Card!


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And here is the HOST end of the IDE cable... see the difference?

Next time I will use different colours!
 
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+3e ROM & Host Connect

+3e ROM & Host Connect

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Ahhh the magic that makes the... err... magic happen!

Its the +3e ROM's \o/\O/\o/ YAY \o/\O/\o/


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Here is how and where fit ROM (B) - all nice and cosy next to the dapper looking IDE adapter ;)


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And here is where you install ROM (A) - right next to ROM (B) in fact....


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Connecting the IDE to the HOST


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Ahhh gently (but firmly) does it! Note the orientation of pin 1 (Red Strip Wire)


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Add the Power to the CF Adapter


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Gently (but firmly) Bend the IDE wire into the right position... see how it curls.... beautiful isn't it?
 
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Fixing IDE Device & Reassemble

Fixing IDE Device & Reassemble

The easiest way to ensure the Device stays in place (without damaging your precious Sinclair joy is to use Hot-Glue...

Since I have a hot-air gun, I cut pieces and place them where I want them (saves all that messy dripping mess) - you can get a hobbyist hot-air gun that would do the job perfectly for very little cost.

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measuring out the size needed for the hot-glue pieces.


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Angry looking hot-glue pieces... or slightly confused?


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Just melting the larger piece of hot-glue to affix it to the adapter.


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Here I am fixing the larger hot-glue piece at the front of the adapter


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Gently melting hot-glue piece for the other corner


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Make sure you get the two corners and get heat to the front as well, spread the heat around so that it evenly melts.


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Hot glue can take a while to set..... but once it does!!!


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Yep... a wholesome image!


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Isnt it pretty worth another shot if you ask me!


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And another glorious shot of the adapter and device fitted!


Reassemble

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Gently but firmly insert the keyboard tail - I found pinching pressure was enough.


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Dont forget to hook-up the cassette tape header..

.... dont you think that little CF card looks right at home there.... One could easily bring it forward and make a CF-Card access port at the font of the case... for easy access.
 
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Conclusion

Conclusion

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Here she is booted up with a 64MB CF card - quick test before screwing her back together.


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A splash screen before the Game Launcher loads -

Now If you haven't been to on of these guys events.... then you REALLY ought to try!


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Ahh the +3e Game Launcher....

I wrote that =D



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Ahhhh Jetpac on the +2AB.... oh yeah!



Here it is running (New YouTube Demo - Featuring the +3e Launcher)
[m]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6pYJCwuuUA&feature=youtu.be[/m]



Next How-To..... Getting Games and Data onto the IDE Device!
 
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Great instructions, Keith! (y)

Thanks for sharing!
 
It's threads like this that I wished we had some sort of voting system for each post. Superb work Z.
 
Think I'll be doing this mod to my +3 in the not too distant future!
 
I've got one of Keith's adapters on my +3 and I can wholeheartedly recommend it. (y)
 
What a beautiful thing, it some ways it is a shame the keyboard and case hides all that lovely work.

I picked up my IDE storage device from the great dark Lord of Hackery, Zetro. I highly recommend it to people here - it is a truly magnificent way of playing Speccy stuff!

The menu system is excellent, I look forward to the next chapter on adding new files to it. (y)
 
agreed Lord Zetr0 knows everything..... do tell :)

how do we get the menu on zeets and some .sna or tap files ?

waits with excitement....
 
Awesome stuff, just what I've been waiting for :cool:

I still have my +3 upgrade to do! Any chance of a guide for the software too? :whistle:
 
@Zetr0

Hi my friend :)

The +3e game launcher is freeware or shareware? Where I can get/buy it?

Thanks in advance
 
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