J.Ivy Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 So heres my current project. Not done yet, but starting to take shape. A sinclair zx-81 (also sold as a Timex TS1000). Its been put into a custom wood case, a TI-99/4A keyboard has been added, a modern power supply and has a 16k ram cartridge. I still need to rewire the keyboard, but im thank full that ive found a few pictures of them already modded online. As well as i need to finish up the power supply and switch. Im debating doing the zx-1541 mod to this. That is using a commodore 1541 floppy drive as an external hard drive for my sinclair. Who knows, it might be fun to store Pong and Pacman on a floppy HD 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 I love shit like this! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Baldwin Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 i wood like to see a zx spectrum log into a bbs how we do it with our lantronix modems. i have only seen youtube videos from bbc tv computer programes in the 80s but never any one logging into a bbs any more these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Ivy Posted April 8, 2016 Author Share Posted April 8, 2016 (edited) These were rather cheap and simple 8 bit computers, thus many experimenters modified them back when they were new. Adding wood cases, non membrane keyboards, floppy drives, a host of different things. heres the plans for the ZX-1541 mod, so that I can use a Commodore 1541 floppy drive as my hard drive. A whopping 96kb of memory! http://8bit.yarek.pl/interface/zx81.zx1541/index.html Edited April 8, 2016 by J.Ivy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Baldwin Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 thats cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Have you implemented a better back porch? Are you interested in the ZX-PAND add-ons that involve joystick ports, AY sound chip and if I recall correctly memory card device in case the 1541 is not practical enough? I've come to understand that in modern days there is quite a lot of ZX-81 upgrades, but due to low volume they're quite pricy so mainly for the true enthusiasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Ivy Posted April 8, 2016 Author Share Posted April 8, 2016 I would love to own and use the ZX-pand and AY sound mod, I just dont have the money to buy either at this point. Hopefully i can one day in the future Though there is a cheap way to rig up a joystick for this. I can add a DB9 port in the back, then hard wire that directly into the keyboards matrix, for the left, right, up, down, fire. Giving me a simple way of having a joystick for this machine. As well as using the ZX-tape program for this. Loading and converting the game files to my pc, then onto an mp3 player. So i can then load games through the cassette port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 i wood like to see a zx spectrum log into a bbs how we do it with our lantronix modems. i have only seen youtube videos from bbc tv computer programes in the 80s but never any one logging into a bbs any more these days. Yes, the BBS scene is still alive and well! I log into a BBS all the time with my TI-99/4A hooked up to a Lantronix UDS-10. I've got the pieces of footage to make a You Tube video, but have not had the time to put it all together in a decent manner yet. I do have a lame little video that is showing off ANSI graphics in 80 columns though. << LAME LITTLE YOU TUBE VIDEO >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Baldwin Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 hi i was talking about the zx spectrum computers you never see them bbsing with the lantronix modem. i dial into bbses everyday with my old computers and lantronix device good fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Ivy Posted April 11, 2016 Author Share Posted April 11, 2016 Well my video output is now being screwy, im not getting a consistent signal to the tv, just flashes of it on the screen. This board WAS working fine a few weeks back when i hooked it up to a 1982 quasar b&w tv set. Ive tried two different adapter cables as well as checked the power supply. Im at a loss, any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Are you using the same TV? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGuitari Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Maybe a dumb question but how did you hook up the TI keyboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Ivy Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Are you using the same TV? Yes, im using the exact same tv that ive used with it in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Ivy Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 (edited) Maybe a dumb question but how did you hook up the TI keyboard? The matrix of the Ti-99/4a and ZX-81 are different, so the keyboard has to be modified a bit. A few cut traces and a bit of rewiring. Here are the pictures that i found of a TI that has already been modded for use on a zx81. I actually havent modded my keyboard yet, i was about to and then had this video issue crop up... Edited April 12, 2016 by J.Ivy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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