ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Any discussions related to the creation of new hardware or software for the ZX80 or ZX81
sirmorris
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by sirmorris »

Nice! Ready for a beta tester? ;)
gozzo
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by gozzo »

:o oooh!! :D :D
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Fwapp
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by Fwapp »

I'm trying to figure out how it fits in a memotech rampack case ;)
ZX80, ZX81 - 2C158C Bugged Rom iss.1, 2C158C "kludge fix" iss1, 2C184E iss1, 2C210E iss3, US NTSC iss1 "straight traces", US NTSC iss3 TS1000
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PokeMon
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by PokeMon »

Lol - I think you need something like this and a few copper wires. :mrgreen:
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@sirmorris
You are a hot candidate for a first review of ZXblast. ;)
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blittled
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by blittled »

I'm looking forward to seeing how this progresses and Sir Morris's review :)
2X Timex Sinclair 1000, ZX81, ZX80Core, 5X 16K Ram Pack, ZXBlast, ZX P file to Ear Input Signal Converter, Elf II
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mrtinb
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by mrtinb »

PokeMon wrote:Some news about ZXblast - the boards are here and in the meanwhile I made a short test with programming it as plain 16k RAM extension and works as expected. So the CPLD programming has to be developed further for the other features and some software extracted from ZXmore to control the USB chip and some testing. Hopefully it will be available for sale in about 2 weeks now. Not too much work for it now necessary. Will have time for it next week.
Any news on this great product?
Martin
https://zx.rtin.be
ZX81, Lambda 8300, Commodore 64, Mac G4 Cube
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PokeMon
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by PokeMon »

Yes - there was a bit delay in software development as I had much work during daytime the last month and to prepare the next release of ZXmaster for the ZXmore (release 1.9). This is ready for publishing now (tomorrow I think I updated the documentation) and so I have time to finish ZXblast development till end of next week. I am pretty sure the first version will be ready then.

Traditionally I offered a discount for the first orders here before listing it officially in the shop. I think this time I will give another benefit, a free hardware upgrade to all early birds with a new CPLD as soon as the premium version has been finished. There are a lot of options possible. So it will be listed later in two versions. A basic version based on a smaller CPLD for use as memory extension and USB media storage interface and an extended version with a bigger CPLD, more memory (512k instead of 128k - who ever need ... ;) ) and some extra features that would not fit in the small CPLD.

So I think end of next week ZXblast will be ready for the first orders. 8-)
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mrtinb
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by mrtinb »

PokeMon wrote:I think this time I will give another benefit, a free hardware upgrade to all early birds with a new CPLD as soon as the premium version has been finished. There are a lot of options possible. So it will be listed later in two versions. A basic version based on a smaller CPLD for use as memory extension and USB media storage interface and an extended version with a bigger CPLD, more memory (512k instead of 128k - who ever need ... ;) ) and some extra features that would not fit in the small CPLD.

So I think end of next week ZXblast will be ready for the first orders. 8-)
Wow. Cool indeed. 8-)

Will the option for using ROM files (e.g. Forth) from USB storage be in the first version?
Martin
https://zx.rtin.be
ZX81, Lambda 8300, Commodore 64, Mac G4 Cube
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PokeMon
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by PokeMon »

mrtinb wrote: Wow. Cool indeed. 8-)

Will the option for using ROM files (e.g. Forth) from USB storage be in the first version?
Yes. It is some basic functionality. I actually don't want to hide some features but have to see what's possible in smaller CPLD and so some rest of functions and ideas will come with the bigger CPLD then.
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PokeMon
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Re: ZXblast - ZX81 memory extension plus USB

Post by PokeMon »

ZXblast makes progress but there will be still more delay as I have to arrange some important family affairs now. I think I will be back in about one week and continue work on ZXblast.
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