Search found 39 matches

by SpaceFlightOrange
Thu Mar 12, 2020 8:48 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Datacorder issues.
Replies: 21
Views: 6343

Re: Spectrum +2B Datacorder question

Ast A. Moore wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2020 11:03 pm
SpaceFlightOrange wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:56 pm I dug out my friend's +2a that I still have here . . .
Does the friend know? ;)
:D yeah, he's been great, letting me use it for testing/repairing mine. the price for this was a recap. he asked me to recap his +2. Not that it really needed it. a few were out of spec but generally ok.
by SpaceFlightOrange
Thu Mar 12, 2020 8:44 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Datacorder issues.
Replies: 21
Views: 6343

Re: Datacorder issues.

how important is the tension on the belt? The reason i ask is i noticed that on one of my tapes it was rather slow to rewind, but faster on my friends. I got a picked out a belt from the bag he left with his spectrum and matched it to the belt i removed (around 70mm) but when i fitted it, it still f...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:56 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Datacorder issues.
Replies: 21
Views: 6343

Re: Spectrum +2B Datacorder question

I tend to hear a lot of distortion through the speakers when loading. tends to be like a low tone, loud buzzing sound when the tape goes quiet. It was particularly apparent when loading Barbarian. once loaded the music started and was loud and distorted. The tape was still playing at this time, but...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:33 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Datacorder issues.
Replies: 21
Views: 6343

Re: Datacorder issues.

PeterJ wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:29 pm Posts merged by Admin.
Ah.

Though I was going mad then. Thanks
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:00 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Datacorder issues.
Replies: 21
Views: 6343

Spectrum +2B Datacorder question

Hi. I've got my spectrum +2b running rather nicely now (see original thread here ) the RGB output using a RetroComputerShack cable is astonishing, no ghosting whatsoever. and even some tapes (such as my 1st edition Great Escape) load flawlessly, they wont load on any of my 48k spectrums. But I do ha...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:39 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Thanks for the tip on the Proms from Farnell. Ordered a bunch. Just programmed one and its working great in the machine. Everything checks out.
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Feb 23, 2020 4:07 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Imaged the 2 ROMS, and there's 7 bytes different to the ROM-A image i've created from the individual images on Philip Kendalls site. ROM-B is identical.
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:44 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Fantastic! Thanks Mark!
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:49 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

By the way, the +2B uses ROM version 4.1, not 4.0 like the +3. Keep that in mind. Thanks. I've got them from Philip Kendall's site . They are supplied as 4 16k roms. Presumably I just need to concatinate image 0 & 1 for ROM A and image 2 & 3 for ROM B. Is this correct? One thing i did want ...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:11 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Thanks Mark for the reply. I got the info about the 27SF256 off the +3e ROMS page on world of spectrum here . They are from a seller ive used before for obtaining 27128's for burning diagnostic ROMs for my Oric and Beeb. Never had any problems with them. However, thanks for the link to the OTP chips...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:33 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Update.

Did the old switcheroo with the ROMS.

Mine in the other +2B have the same issue. the ROMs from the other +2B in mine work fine.

Gonna take an image of them all and then when my EEProms arrive, I'll burn em.
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:15 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Re: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Guesser wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:31 am The first thing I would do is remove the ROM and put it back in, in case it's simply a bad connection in the socket.
Yeah, sorry. had tried this, but no change
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:35 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault
Replies: 15
Views: 2330

Spectrum +2B Issue 1 Rom Fault

Hi. Picked up a pristine +2B (Z70833 Issue 1) the other night, poly boxed, for £35. Unfortunately, it had a 48k PSU, but given the condition, it was worth a punt. Got it cleaned up and powered but after a brief flash of the copyright message, the screen turns to black with a white border. I stuck my...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:28 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum plus composite signal degrading.
Replies: 4
Views: 1171

Re: Spectrum plus composite signal degrading.

Hmm, you do understand that OFC is just marketing bull$h!t don’t you? Regardless of whether it is or not, the picture quality is far better, and I already had the cable (it was an interconnect on a HiFi I no longer own). It's actually a RadioShack cable I bought from Tandy here in the UK, so that w...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Tue Jan 21, 2020 7:49 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum plus composite signal degrading.
Replies: 4
Views: 1171

Re: Spectrum plus composite signal degrading.

Hi. Apologies. I haven't gotten around to replying to this. mainly because I never got around to investigating it further, but I have managed to improve the situation quite a bit. How? I replaced the cable. I've been using a shielded composite cable, and was happy with it, but it was very long and I...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Dec 15, 2019 10:53 am
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Spectrum plus composite signal degrading.
Replies: 4
Views: 1171

Spectrum plus composite signal degrading.

Hi. My issue 6a Spectrum+ has the transistor-based composite mod installed (BC549, Base connected to Composite, Collector to +5v and emitter to the centre pin of the phono connector in the modulator, and the resistor and all other connectors from the modulator removed). This has been working fine bu...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Nov 03, 2019 8:31 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack
Replies: 9
Views: 1492

Re: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack

Hi. So a quick update. I haven't really done much on this, due to other things, but I got around to whipping the Transistor out and testing it (I haven't ordered any replacements) My tester gave it a clean bill of health, so I stuck it back in. It did originally look as if there was a dodgy joint on...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Sun Nov 03, 2019 8:20 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: My Spectrum Plus
Replies: 24
Views: 3841

Re: My Spectrum Plus

I second what Mark has said, The RWAP membranes are excellent. Just don't over-tighten the back plate when you fit the membrane as you'll get stuck keys. If its been sitting around for 25 years, I'd recommend getting a recap done, just to be safe. Has it been repaired in the past or something? The R...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:21 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack
Replies: 9
Views: 1492

Re: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack

:oops: Nah, ignore the comment about the ULA. I had a brain fart and was thinking about a later issue of the RAM pack where Sinclair replaced some of the logic chips with a small ULA. Mark Ah.I was scanning the ram pack board, thinking, "There's no ULA on here" I'll swap that transistor o...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:27 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack
Replies: 9
Views: 1492

Re: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack

The ULA? On the ZX81? It seems to be fine without the ram pack installed? Is there anything in particular I should look out for?
by SpaceFlightOrange
Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:25 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack
Replies: 9
Views: 1492

Re: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack

Good Spot! I never noticed that! :oops: I've just received a new credit card so I cut out a piece off the old one and slotted it in, and checked everything lined up when I connected it. Still no joy. I took a reading off one of the 4116's and I get zero volts at pin 1 and at pin 8. I metered the edg...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:56 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack
Replies: 9
Views: 1492

Re: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack

It's an issue 1. There was no picture on the TV at all when it was connected. I haven't done any metering yet, I'll upload that shortly. Thanks https://i.postimg.cc/5HJfSYcj/IMG-0013.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/ZBKZXG5S/IMG-0014.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/7CNwsHD9/IMG-0015.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/2bcmY0...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:20 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack
Replies: 9
Views: 1492

Sinclair ZX 16k Ram Pack

Hi. I took a punt on a cheap ram pack (£3.75). the only bummer was the postage, which was nearly the same price again. It's in pretty good condition, but I gave the edge connector a clean with IPA, as well as the edge connector on the zeddy. I tried it on my issue 1 ZX81, but it won't come on with i...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Fri Sep 13, 2019 1:17 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Just been given a Spectrum+
Replies: 14
Views: 2952

Re: Just been given a Spectrum+

Thanks Mark. To be honest, the picture is really good apart from a bit of moire here and there on dithered patterns. I'm super impressed. Just this occasional wobble which is easy to resolve, I assumed it might be a slight sync issue. I'll have to try it on my little CCTV monitor at some point, but ...
by SpaceFlightOrange
Thu Sep 12, 2019 4:08 pm
Forum: Hardware
Topic: Just been given a Spectrum+
Replies: 14
Views: 2952

Re: Just been given a Spectrum+

Hello. Just thought I'd update. The spectrum has been working great and I've been having lots of fun with it. I did the composite mod the other day, opting for the transistor based mod (base connected to composite, collector to 5v and emitter to the phono socket centre pin of the modulator). This wo...