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Z80 Developements Links To Other Sites

The links on this page to other Z80 based computers and generic Z80 hardware web sites are for those who would wish to view the possibility of projects pioneered by other computer enthusiasts being made available for the Einstein.

Modifications for the Einstein will have to be made and individual firmware and software will need to be developed to access the new hard ware.

Introductory comment for this page
by Author Chris Coxall

Want a Tatung Einstein
Computer

8bit Projects For Everyone: memory, IDE, mouse, ISA cards

This web site is dedicated to hardware, operating systems and programming tools of 8bit computers. Here are also described other things that could be useful with 8bit computers (like IDE harddisks or ISA cards and motherboards).

Visit website.

Simple IDE Hard Drive Interface for the Spectrum

Click to View

This hardware device seems quite simple to build. The price of it’s simplicity is that it uses 8 bit width and will only access half the capacity of an IDE hard drive. I have the permission of Gary Lancaster to use his gif schematic from off his Spectrum Web Site. Further information is on his web site.

Thanks must also go here to Pera Putnik, who designed the interface. His Web Site.
Also a full 16 bit IDE interface at this web site.
Comment: Creating software for the Einstein to access the drive will be the hard part.

Full 16 bit IDE hard drive interface + Flash Memory Card

Sami Vehmaa’s ZXATASP 16-bit IDE interfaces + Flash Memory Card for Spectrum computers (described at http://user.tninet.se/~vjz762w/).

Comment: Adding flash card memory

ZXF A Spectrum Magazine for Download

Excellent magazine in pdf documents for download and printing out on the home computer/printer.

The content is good for all Z80 processor computer enthusiasts not just Spectrum owners. A well laid out professional magazine and a good read for anybody.

Compact Flash Card Interface

In issue ZXFO4 an easy to follow compact flash card interface diagram for the Z80 expansion port by Roelof Koning. Also some basic programming to test the hardware installation. Could it be fitted to the Einstein?

VISIT
Home Page
All Magazines download page.

The ZX-Spectrum ZXMMC Interface's page

See Page

GUIDE

The hardware of the guide full 16bit IDE hard drive interface seems complex. Needs the Z80 processor IC remounting or having a circuit soldered to it. Not something that can be done by an add on to the expansion bus that most Z80 retro computers have.

SOURCE CODE FOR IDE

A lot of useful information though, in programming source code, can be found at this guide site for IDE drives. The GIDEprog.zip archive holds a lot of "filename.MAC" Z80 assembly files I can follow. "C", Pascal and others I can't. What is more the only executable file in this archive "test.com" ran in the Einstein TC01. The information was of little use as there was no IDE HD fitted but the program did not crash. Can this program be adapted for other IDE interfaces? One *.MAC file seems a CP/M extension for accessing IDE hard drives.

VISIT SITE

SEMI VIRTUAL DISK
That Attach to Original Floppy Disk Drive Port.

With the floppy disk drive port not being installed on modern systems the demand for floppy disks could fall. They could be come more expensive and harder to come by as retail outlets stop stocking them. Many Z80 retro computers were designed for use with floppy disk drives. The Einstein TC01 depends on a floppy disk to install a DOS before other programs can be run. To keep retro computers faithful to their original design concept, in being able boot operating systems and load files via the floppy disk port, other storage media types emulating the floppy could be needed.

This Semi Virtual Disk for the TRS80 does that.

Another substitute drive and floppy for Amiga and Atari computers.
This site can be translated to English by Google translate page

Not a unaversal solid state alternative to the floppy disk yet but the principal is working in practice.