Spectrum +3 questions

[mjnurney]

I'm in the process of getting a +3 but as I've never used one I have a few noob questions...

The drive can be fanged to 3.5 inch but can I save cassette games to disk after loading by any means??

Also there is a cf option for loading images , is this s plug in and go type affair?

And finally ... Scart?

Thank you boys and girls

---------- Post added at 10:39 ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 ----------

Also where there any 128k games released for the old thing?

 

[AndyLandy]

Someone on here did the 3.5" mod, it looks pretty sweet. Have a search around, I'm sure you'll find it.

Not sure about dumping stuff from tape to disk. There might be a way, possibly requiring a multiface to do it.

Zetr0 has recently turfed up a rather cunning mechanism for wedging a CF card into a +2A or +3, it looks quite sweet.

The Speccy does have an RGB video output, so if you can find/make the right cable, you should be able to SCART the thing.

Finally, yes there are 128k games out there. Not sure how many games were released on disk, but I certainly have a few Speccy games that use the extra RAM or the enhanced audio system

 

[mjnurney]

Thanks Andy , a mine of information

I'll have quiz zero on the cf option later..

I only ask about tape to disk as 99% of speccy stuff is tape based.

 

[fitzsteve]

I'm in the process of getting a +3 but as I've never used one I have a few noob questions...

The drive can be fanged to 3.5 inch but can I save cassette games to disk after loading by any means??

Also there is a cf option for loading images , is this s plug in and go type affair?

And finally ... Scart?

Thank you boys and girls

Hi Mate,

There were some apps that were sold back in the day that you could use to back up tape games to disk, you can find images of them here:

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/disks.html

If you have one the HxC Floppy emulator can be used with the Speccy+3 and thus load up an Disk image you like

For my Speccy+3 I have a DivIDE, its awesome and you just fill up the CF with .tap (tape image) or .sna (snapshot) then use an on screen selector to load your game, simples. The hardest part is finding a CF that works and setting it up right as it needs to be a raw partition or somthing like that, the manual explains all this though and I found Sandisk to be the best one.

Here are a couple of shots of mine up and running, I have Scart lead which I bought from eBay, from this seller:

Click here

It works great

All files load instantly, no waiting for Tapes lol

For .tap files you need to use the Load "" 'Enter' as normal but it loads instantly.

Steve.

 

[mjnurney]

Awesome stuff Steve.... Maybe I will get turbo esprit on my big tv now

Nice setup by the way

 

[fitzsteve]

Awesome stuff Steve.... Maybe I will get turbo esprit on my big tv now

Nice setup by the way

Thanks mate

Have a word with Zetr0 though as he was showing me some of his awesome work at Curry night with the upgraded Roms in the +3 he was able to load games from an CF HDD type affair.

Very cool, but the DivIDE is a neat solution and you can use it with any Speccy, 48k, 128k, etc.

Steve.

 

[mjnurney]

Awesome stuff Steve.... Maybe I will get turbo esprit on my big tv now

Nice setup by the way

Thanks mate

Have a word with Zetr0 though as he was showing me some of his awesome work at Curry night with the upgraded Roms in the +3 he was able to load games from an CF HDD type affair.

Very cool, but the DivIDE is a neat solution and you can use it with any Speccy, 48k, 128k, etc.

Steve.

Sounds interesting..

Ill Hang on untill I get the +3 setup and then I'll have a word with wiz that is mr zeets. I like the idea of quickload from a cf , I'm getting a similar setup for my ti99 at the min

 

[z3spacial]

Also,

check out the divide + from Zaxon on here - there's an ad in the Spectrum hardware ads - Just got mine (he was a little slow in delivering but his problems have been sorted, and his support is superb).

I have the normal divIDE too and agree with Fitz that it's VERY fussy on the type of CF card you can use.

...but the DIVIDE + is a nicely finished unit, cased up, complete with a Speccy through port, a CF slot AND an additional IDE interface. It's much less fussy with CF cards and has more memory too for the option of using different firmwares - definitely worth a look.

All depends on your budget

I've just bought a Speccy +3e off Zetr0 and he has informed me that he has a load of "How To"s on the way. Can't wait!!!!

 

[merlinkv]

@fitsteve

Great setup my friend

I'm just waiting to receive one like showed in your pics.....

I bought from Zetr0 a great one ZX +3e -Thanks a lot my friend- and outside one DivIDE because many users reports some bugs with the DivIDE+ & +3e machines.

Then, also thaks again to Zetr0 to provide me the information needed to make my own RGB & power cables.

Best wishes

 

[Zetr0]

Hiyas All

I love spectrum +3's (and +2A/B's) they are AWESOME

I have confirmed that some conponents will be arriving this week to finish off some +2e/3e ROM switchers AND some proto CF/IDE adapters (I am very excited =D)

With the adapter's I am building its very easy to setup a compactflash card and then add stuff to it from your PC,

One of these awesome little programms allows you to load "TAP2FILE" which creates a loadable file on the IDE device from the audio input, its a little more involved but I will do a how-to for that... there's also the ability to "FILE2TAP" which will allow me to repair some of my original cassettes!!!

One ofhe best things about it all is that you can load 128k and 48k snap-shots from the IDE device - how cool is that!

When Steve-oh was over I was playing with a 128k snapshot "Space Crusade" it had taken about 15-20 seconds to load the snap-shot, and the rest was play-history!

I have to admit, its very VERY exciting I cannot wait to share all this awesome... it feels like I have found pirate treasure thats been hidden away for centuries and I get to share with you all!!!!

 

[ad-rs1600i]

That is soooo cool, and love Spectrums as well!

Quite a few years ago now I found an excellent program on WorldofSpectrum which could convert a TAP file back into sound, so I hooked the speaker output from my laptop into the input on the Spectrum, and low and behold it loaded a game up - hats off to the guys and gals who create this stuff

Love the idea of being able to load games onto a memory stick and then get the spectrum to load via an piece of firmware

 

[mjnurney]

After saying I want a +3 I've decided to buy a +2

Why? Well you can't get much mire retro than cassette

 

[Zetr0]

@mjnurney

if you get a Spectrum +2A/B (thats the black models) you can upgrade the ROM's to +2e ROM's and have an internal 8bit IDE device!

Heres a Spectrum +2AB

How freaking AWESOME is that!?

 

[TheCorfiot]

@mj

Just to clarify,,,, any +2 that is NOT grey will be a +2A/B

TC

 

[mjnurney]

ahh okay - so black models can have upgraded roms?

is that the DivIDE ?

 

[AndyLandy]

ahh okay - so black models can have upgraded roms?

is that the DivIDE ?

Yup. Black +2s are actually +2As. They have +3 ROMs and can have external disk drives added. You can put in +3e ROMs and whack in an IDE interface.

The one Zetr0 is talking about here isn't the DivIDE, which I believe is an external affair. This is a really simple hack@home 8-bit IDE interface for the Z80 socket.

 

[TheCorfiot]

ahh okay - so black models can have upgraded roms?

is that the DivIDE ?

DivIDE compatible with ALL spectrum models.

The black +2 (A/B) is compatible with Zetr0's superhackythingamajiggysupermarvelousawesomefabbohitmewithahammermakemineadoubleIDE Interface

TC

 

[zaxon]

always you can choose divide plus:roll:

 

[mjnurney]

ah i see , so dont buy a grey on then...basically?

 

[AndyLandy]

Grey one will work with DivIDE, but not with Zetr0's hacky thing. It's still a damn fine Spectrum specimen and being a 128k model, will support games that require the extra RAM or enhanced sound.

The +2A and the +3 models were designed with disk operation in mind. By replacing the +3DOS ROMs with +3e ones, you can support these whizzy features, but I don't think you can do that on a +2.