Spectranet

[Seven.FFF]

Ben has expressed interest in making a wireless version, but for now a wireless bridge like this one is a cheap, easy and proven solution:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123910528089

[PeterJ]

Ben has expressed interest in making a wireless version, but for now a wireless bridge like this one is a cheap, easy and proven solution:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123910528089

Yes, the website says 'We will test a affordable Wifi dongle very soon, that connects to the ethernet-socket of Spectranet.'

[Hedge1970]

Hope you don’t mind me bringing this thread back. I just got one of these cards, it’s from Aleksey, he is selling clones on eBay from Russia.

I’d been communicating with him for around 2 months now, Aleksey has been fixing an issue with compatibility across different Z80 chips. Anyway back to the questions.

Is the Spectranet supposed to work with an Interface One?

[cat]

I just got one of these cards, it’s from Aleksey

Mine is in the mail... do they work identically to the normal ones? like can I use the English instructions on the web?
I'm planning to cad up a 4d poopable case for it, I'm not aware of any in existence, but I can't do that till I know the dimensionses.
So excited, but shipping is slow and Russia is farrrr

[MonkZy]

[mention]cat[/mention] It works exactly like the original, so all original documentation is the same for Alexsey's card.

The documentation for the card itself (the switch functions etc.) is sent by Aleksey and is the only card specific documentation.

'Tis a fine card. I play around with assembly and the card has always behaved as expected, I use the spectranet GitHub for all my reference.

[Hedge1970]

I am very much finding my feet. However the card worked once I removed my peripherals - Spectra 128+ and the IF1. That said I don’t really understand how it’s all supposed to work as I don’t have instructions. I am using Spectranet instructions from the web - bytedelight - and so far all the calls work - %cat, %mount 0, etc… Worth noting that while keen I can be a bit slow to pick up stuff so the full potential for my world may take some time to realise.

Losing my Spectra means I am back to having video through spectrum composite mod which on my flat screen means dealing with Dot crawl and with Spectranet essentially being text based this is a real pain. While I figure out the potential for Spectranet in my Speccy life I will live with it, however it’s not a solution for the long term. I can’t blame Spectra as it’s well documented on the site that it won’t work with Spectranet, it’s just that I have used Spectra for the last 5 odd years and I am used to crisp sharp displays so the composite mod is horrid and causes headaches over long periods. In addition to this clash, I can’t get Spectra to work with either of my IF1’s and so I have also lost my vDriveZX which I use quite frequently. I have not tried my Multiface yet, but losing the vDriveZX makes the Multiface redundant in my world.

Back to the card, It appears to have a TFNS server pre-programmed in firmware, which launches when you switch it on. If I let this load there does not seem to be a graceful way to “exit” to basic. However If I break into it as it loads I can then access basic and use the %mount - etc - commands of Spectranet. My aim is to set up my own local TNFS server once I can get the software for my windows machine. Unfortunately as we speak this site which gets lots of google hits for the Server software is down http://spectrum.alioth.net/. I see from our forum that it has been down for a while following some sort of bot attack. I think, or as I understand it, that once I find a copy of the Windows TNFS sever software I should see similar functionality that I get from Multiface and vDriveZX the ability to make snapshots and save them to PC. Plus I should be able to save my work on PC as well. However none of this is viable for me if I can’t get a solid display as I can’t program with DOT crawl.

Exciting stuff though, just lots to learn.

[Hedge1970]

I just got one of these cards, it’s from Aleksey

Mine is in the mail... do they work identically to the normal ones? like can I use the English instructions on the web?
I'm planning to cad up a 4d poopable case for it, I'm not aware of any in existence, but I can't do that till I know the dimensionses.
So excited, but shipping is slow and Russia is farrrr

There is this one https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4838221

[cat]

It appears to have a TFNS server pre-programmed in firmware, which launches when you switch it on. If I let this load there does not seem to be a graceful way to “exit” to basic. However If I break into it as it loads I can then access basic and use the %mount - etc - commands of Spectranet. M

If you get back to basic you should be able to run

Code: Select all

%fsconfig

to get into the menu where servers are saved in 'slots' and you can edit them. Also turn off autoload if you want.

It's sloooowww but you can view an old version of the alioth site cached here: https://web.archive.org/web/20200620070 ... /Main_Page and all the downloads are still being served. That's more or less how I got my server set up, but I'm on linux.

[cat]

There is this one https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4838221

oh, nice. that saves me a lot of effort! thanks.

[Hedge1970]

....
It's sloooowww but you can view an old version of the alioth site cached here: https://web.archive.org/web/20200620070 ... /Main_Page and all the downloads are still being served. That's more or less how I got my server set up, but I'm on linux....

Perfect thank you.

[Hedge1970]

There is this one https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4838221

oh, nice. that saves me a lot of effort! thanks.

Caviat - I’ve never 3D printed before…. Just printed it out, it’s nice, but I would have preferred if the case held the edge connector and hence held the circuit board and the header together. But of course I can add that feature if I so wish going forward.

[cat]

oh, nice. that saves me a lot of effort! thanks.

Caviat - I’ve never 3D printed before…. Just printed it out, it’s nice, but I would have preferred if the case held the edge connector and hence held the circuit board and the header together. But of course I can add that feature if I so wish going forward.

Oh yeh, I see what you mean! I'll try and pop it into freecad and see what I can and can't in that regard

[Hedge1970]

Is anyone actively using an original Dylan Smith or bytedelight Spectranet on a 48k speccy? I would like to compare functionality to better understand if the ShamaZX NET / Spectranet compatible unit I have is as compatible both with other spectrum peripherals and also with the onboard functionality.

[stupidget]

Does anybody know if the NEXT can connect to a Spectranet server?

[Hedge1970]

Does anybody know if the NEXT can connect to a Spectranet server?

I dont know I am afraid and I dont own a Next so cant try for you,

[cat]

Does anybody know if the NEXT can connect to a Spectranet server?

https://www.specnext.com/forum/viewtopi ... anet#p3195 ? doesn't look promising there.
The next has wifi though, so is it 'just' some 'software' you need to be able to use those % commands?

[Hedge1970]

Really enjoying this card. The Windows server component could not be easier to set up, no installation just put it somewhere - anywhere on the pc and RUN it. Specifiy the starting directory in the run command - RUN c:\server.exe c:\mystart_directory and off you go.

Commands that I’ve found and use so far are just like a mix of Basic, Microdrive and DOS, mkdir, cd, save, load all really straight forward. You can overwrite files (unlike the Microdrive). I am very keen on the “website” style that can be developed and fancy setting up a TNFS version of a small club website I run. They’re will be no real point to it as it’s a niche of a niche of a niche hobby, but it’s fun doing new stuff I had thought I’d bought an ZX-HD adapter earlier this week but unfortunately it was a stock error so will have to wait a bit longer to get a crisp image.

[cat]

Caviat - I’ve never 3D printed before…. Just printed it out, it’s nice, but I would have preferred if the case held the edge connector and hence held the circuit board and the header together. But of course I can add that feature if I so wish going forward.

Oh yeh, I see what you mean! I'll try and pop it into freecad and see what I can and can't in that regard

My card turned up and is aweeesssooommmeee, so I've been pretty distracted getting on IRC and whatnot but I snuck a few mins, scratched my head and fiddled about a bit with some calipers. So far I've done this:

I'm trying to keep in mind how it will actually get printed and also how the boards get fitted inside. I'll print this out as soon as I can and check fitment but is this the kind of thing you were thinking of [mention]Hedge1970[/mention]? As soon as the backbox is fitting I can smash out the lid quick enough and upload stls somewhere if you want.

thinking on, we might want to get some location thingies in there to screw the connector board into otherwise we may get a lot of stress on the pin header when unplugging.

[Guesser]

I've been pretty distracted getting on IRC and whatnot

Whoops, I missed you.

#zx is the place to be for spectranet chat. (Or it would be if anyone was ever actually about )

[Hedge1970]

think on, we might want to get some location thingies in there to screw the connector board into otherwise we may get a lot of stress on the pin header when unplugging.

I’ve been thinking the same thing. I’ve not had time to rough anything out but looking at it all I think three parts. The front and back will be similar but deeper to the design I shared with you. Add to those a base that screws up into the front and back securing the base plate.

It’s been a while since I last built a 3D model for printing so will take a bit of trial and error.

BTW is your card working ok? You had a chance to play yet?? The more I get used to it the better it’s getting

[Hedge1970]

I had thought I’d bought an ZX-HD adapter earlier this week but unfortunately it was a stock error so will have to wait a bit longer to get a crisp image.

So I got the ZX-HD but unfortunately the cloned Spectranet is not compatible with it. Such a shame as it appears to work well in most other scenarios but I am locked in to whatever output I am able to get from composite which varies greatly across my spectrums. Anyway hope this helps someone who may find this in years to come

[robpearmain]

Where can I download the TNFS server, the link http://spectrum.alioth.net/doc/index.php/TNFS_server is showing an error

[robpearmain]

Really enjoying this card. The Windows server component could not be easier to set up, no installation just put it somewhere - anywhere on the pc and RUN it. Specifiy the starting directory in the run command - RUN c:\server.exe c:\mystart_directory and off you go.

Commands that I’ve found and use so far are just like a mix of Basic, Microdrive and DOS, mkdir, cd, save, load all really straight forward. You can overwrite files (unlike the Microdrive). I am very keen on the “website” style that can be developed and fancy setting up a TNFS version of a small club website I run. They’re will be no real point to it as it’s a niche of a niche of a niche hobby, but it’s fun doing new stuff I had thought I’d bought an ZX-HD adapter earlier this week but unfortunately it was a stock error so will have to wait a bit longer to get a crisp image.

Where did you get the server from, the link I have is down
http://spectrum.alioth.net/doc/index.php/TNFS_server

[cat]

the site is down, but the content is still there.
Would it be appropriate to mirror this or is that theft?

http://spectrum.alioth.net/downloads/

[Guesser]

the site is down, but the content is still there.
Would it be appropriate to mirror this or is that theft?

All the spectranet source is under an MIT license, so as long as you comply with that you can knock yourself out