Memory Upgrade and Disk or mass storage for 2068?

2 messages · 2007-01-24 → 2007-01-25 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org

Participants: John Von Draugr, Jarek Adamski

Preserved from the Timex/Sinclair 2068 Yahoo Group (2001–2019), which is no longer online. Text reproduced from the archive.org archive; email addresses masked.

Messages

1. Memory Upgrade and Disk or mass storage for 2068?

John Von Draugr · Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:37

Hi.

    Is there any memory upgrades available for the 2068 and if so is it 
possible to get 128k and run Spectrum 128 programs then? Also, how 
difficult is it to get a disk drive or mass storage device like an IDE 
hard drive, or CF card, etc...?

    If anyone on this list has any software or hardware they are looking 
to sell for a reasonable rate, please contact me. I'm just starting my 
2068 collection, so I'm hoping that I might be able to purchase some 
items from members of the list as it is probably best to get it from 
other users/collectors, than from sellers on eBay who probably got their 
goods at estate sales and have no idea about the equipment and its 
functionality.

Thanks
John

PS: With regards to the disk drive or mass storage. Is it possible to 
take a program from tape and have it saved as a disk file or files so 
that they can be loaded from disk?

2. Re: [ts2068] Memory Upgrade and Disk or mass storage for 2068?

Jarek Adamski · Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:48

Hello!

On Cz, Stycznia 25, 2007 01:37, John Von Draugr wrote:
> Is there any memory upgrades available for the 2068 and if
> so is it possible to get 128k and run Spectrum 128 programs
> then?
It is hard to make it ZX128 compatibile.

I've designed an TC2144 upgrade, dedicated for Timex Computer
2048/2068 and mounted over the SCLD. It can be mounted inside
TS2068, but requires a lot of wires, as the SCLD is different.

The second solution, that is under testing is 4MB RAM upgrade
(ZX4MB/FlashD0). It will be Z80CPU-socket and ROM-socket
mountable. It is easier to be installed, but some internal
changes are required anyway.

Both give extra memory banks, second screen, like in ZX128.
The AY must be rewired separately. The only remaining problem
is 60Hz vs 50Hz, so there are 17% Z80CPU tacts less per TV
frame.


Separate RAM upgrade is 512kB SRAM, Larken Ramdisk compatibile,
that can simulate the ZX128 by patching the software in real
time.


> Also, how difficult is it to get a disk drive or mass
> storage device like an IDE hard drive, or CF card, etc...?
I'm going to release a cartridge with IDE and CF slot,
working as IDE8255. The board is almost ready - a memory
and some logic for it should be added.


> PS: With regards to the disk drive or mass storage. Is it
> possible to take a program from tape and have it saved as
> a disk file or files so that they can be loaded from disk?
In ZXVGS it is possible with Zebra Copy program, ported from
Timex Disk System. Next releases of ZXVGS will support FAT,
so the files could be copied on PC.


Jarek Adamski

Indexed under

TS2068 / TC2068 · Disk & floppy systems (Larken, AERCO, Oliger) · RAM expansion & RAMdisk