External FDD connector on +2A/B

[spider]

I wonder, as IC16 (amongst others. mainly IC17 to IC20) are missing from the +2 , does this actually serve any useful purpose ?

Either for its intended purpose or otherwise, although quite what I am not sure.

I've not disassembled my machine to take a closer look to see what if anything is connected to said edge connector but looking at the schematic (excellent redraw by Guesser) it seems not.

Just a thought for the curious, aka me.

[1024MAK]

Ventilation

Although note that on the +2B the case does not have the floppy cut-out or the connector. See the photo here

Mark

[Guesser]

In theory if you have an original +2A you could populate the missing components on the board, hack a hole in the case to access the floppy connector, and patch the PCB to support twin external drives.
However doing all that would in my opinion ruin what is a relatively rare computer.

[cj7hawk]

Or, since the important signals are available at the expansion port, you could just make an external PCB with the missing components, and make the entire thing external with 1 or 2 drives, and a Spectrum bus interface.

[Seven.FFF]

Or, since the important signals are available at the expansion port, you could just make an external PCB with the missing components, and make the entire thing external with 1 or 2 drives, and a Spectrum bus interface.

Like SD-1 and PLUS-2A-FDD.

[spider]

I'd not seen the +2 without the FDD slot present (as seen in those pictures) , interesting thank you.

I did have a very very vague idea of attempting to populate the missing components then using the external edge connector (using something like a 5.25 floppy connector, its about right I think maybe) to connect a 3.5 and swap lines so it behaved as drive A. That might be a lot of work as its easier (but more expensive) to obtain a +D/lite.

Was one thought, the other is too terrible to post here! at the moment.

I'd not butcher a blank open in a case that did not have one though.

[Guesser]

the external edge connector (using something like a 5.25 floppy connector, its about right I think maybe)

That's exactly what it is, though Amstrad managed to get it upside down and back to front, so the notch is cut at the wrong end