Pico / modern interfaces (UnoDos, etc.)
Modern interfaces and storage — UnoDos, Pico/RP2040 devices, divMMC/ZXMMC, SD-card solutions, USB adapters.
152 threads · 1108 messages · 2002-08-04 → 2026-10-18
Most of this topic is the TS-Pico. Ricardo Calcagno (Argentina) announced it in November 2022 as a storage solution for the TS2068, which never had an equivalent of the Spectrum's DivIDE or Dandanator. It connects the 2068 to a Raspberry Pi Pico for loading and saving BASIC and code from SD card, switching external ROMs and emulating cartridges. Gustavo Pane reworked the electronics, with schematics and Gerbers on GitHub. Ricardo said the idea drew on Dr Beep's PC-ZX interface, and by 2024 he counted about a dozen people on the TS-Pico dev team. Commands are embedded in LOAD/SAVE strings with a "tpi:" prefix, which Kevin compared to Commodore's LOAD "$",8. Ryan Gray suggested using the PI token or extended keywords instead. Ricardo explained how the Pico maps HOME ROM, EX-ROM and /ROSCS accesses onto 64K Flash/SRAM blocks. A custom Spectrum ROM ships with it, and mapping a cartridge ROM such as OS-64 into the DOCK bank was in progress. Jeff Burrell explained why MicroPython could only ever run on the Pico with the 2068 as a terminal. Jon designed a resin-printed TS Pico enclosure, and David Anderson planned a batch run.
The early-user threads record the common problems. "J Invalid I/O device" errors on LOAD "tpi:..." could be cleared with SAVE "tpi:close" after power-on. The directory is listed with LOAD "tpi:dir", not SAVE. The SD card needs a /TAP folder at its root, and Ricardo recommended a fast card such as a SanDisk V30. Firmware is updated by holding BOOTSEL and dragging a UF2 file onto the Pico, while custom commands mean writing MicroPython in Thonny. François Lanciault found an early ROM bug that broke high-resolution mode. Gustavo fixed it, and the fix explains why Hi Color Hero failed on some Picos and worked on others. Custom tape loaders and video streaming (raised in Jon's TSAnim thread, which David ran on a real 2068 with the Pico and PicoVideo board) were still on the to-do list.
The Spectrum route was the other path. Adam Trionfo plugged a divMMC into his 2068 through David's Twister board with a Spectrum ROM and got instant TAP/TZX loading and a working Kempston port, though it sometimes froze while booting. That thread turned to power: David looked at the divMMC's load, and Neil C. cited the January 1989 UPDATE warning that peripherals overload the 2068's 1 A regulator. In 2025 David Laffineuse plugged a divMMC Future straight into a 2068 without a Twister and killed the Z80 and RAM and blew traces; after replacing chips he sent the board to Carl Miles. Jeff Burrell built an FPGA setup that booted the 2068 as a Spectrum with UnoDos or esxDOS and 1 MB of SRAM. In the resulting syntax discussion, François proposed Interface 1 microdrive syntax, as Interface1bis used for eight SD "drives". Jeff's video upgrade board thread pointed to ZX-VGA-JOY, ZX-HD and the ZX-Uno's 2068 configuration.
The Yahoo-era threads show the same wish years earlier. M. Emrah Oral wanted a divIDE and argued (2008) that one with custom firmware could give the 2068 a Spectrum/2068/128 boot menu. zxbruno's 2008 hardware wish list drew Johnny Red's suggestion of CompactFlash over a hard disk. Mark Martin pointed to Alvin Albrecht's FPGA project with IDE. Several threads only drifted into the topic: the 2050 modem serial conversion (wiring an RS232-TTL adapter to the 8251), the disk-systems overview (FDD3000 in FUSE is the only emulated disk system), Josef Jelinek's loading-screen thread and a Raspberry Pi 4 emulator thread.
Key threads
- TS Pico interface (#1210 on groups.io) — Ricardo Calcagno's original announcement of the TS-Pico, with Gustavo Pane's hardware rework and the schematics on GitHub.
- Pico up and running, sort of (#833 on groups.io) — First-user troubleshooting: Invalid I/O device errors, the SAVE "tpi:close" workaround, UF2 firmware updates and a planned 2-slot expansion board.
- Question about TS-Pico (#840 on groups.io) — How the Pico maps HOME, EX-ROM and DOCK memory, plans for loading OS-64 as a cartridge ROM, and why Python cannot run natively on the Z80.
- Shorter TS Pico Commands (#705 on groups.io) — Debate over the tpi: command syntax and token alternatives, plus Gustavo Pane's plans for a multifunction serial/Centronics/Wi-Fi interface.
- tsPico sd card saves (#671 on groups.io) — Corrected command sequence for SD saves and directories, MicroPython/Thonny for custom commands, and the EEPROM upgrade for the hi-res bug.
- I Got My Spectrum divMMC Today! (#1455 on groups.io) — divMMC running on a 2068 through a Twister board with Spectrum ROM; Kempston port, boot freezes and power-supply load.
- Issue with a TS 2068 (#56 on groups.io) — Cautionary case: a divMMC Future plugged in without a Twister damaged the Z80, RAM and traces.
- UnoDos and the TS2068 (#1287 on groups.io) — Jeff Burrell's FPGA board booting the 2068 with UnoDos or esxDOS, and the Interface 1 syntax suggestion for a new SD interface.
- Tape Programs on the TS Pico (#193 on groups.io) — Loading multi-part TAP games on the Pico and SD card reliability problems.
- One big mistake timex made... (#1969 on groups.io) — Yahoo-era proposal that a divIDE with custom firmware could give the 2068 a Spectrum/2068/128 boot menu.
All threads (152)
↳ marks a thread where this topic begins mid-conversation — the link jumps to the message where it starts.
| Thread | Msgs | Activity | Started by |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ UnoDos and the TS2068 | 79 💬 | 2022-08-25 | JEFFREY L BURRELL |
| ⭐ Timex 2050 Modem and Serial Port Conversion 📎 | 53 💬 | 2026-02-10 | Adam Trionfo |
| ⭐ Video Upgrade Board for TS2068 📎 | 36 💬 | 2022-05-23 | JEFFREY L BURRELL |
| ⭐ Tape Programs on the TS Pico 📎 | 34 💬 | 2025-12-25 | Paul Anderson |
| ⭐ Question about TS-Pico 📎 | 25 💬 | 2023-11-28 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ I Got My Spectrum divMMC Today! 📎 | 25 💬 | 2022-01-30 | Adam Trionfo |
| ⭐ TSAnim: Full motion video on the T/S 2068 (all 4 frames of it) 📎 | 20 💬 | 2025-01-08 | Jon |
| ⭐ tsPico sd card saves 📎 | 19 💬 | 2024-04-11 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ ZX Spectrum 128K vs TS2068 | 18 💬 | 2007-01-24 | M. Emrah Oral |
| ⭐ TS Pico interface | 16 💬 | 2022-11-25 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ Shorter TS Pico Commands | 16 💬 | 2024-03-12 | Kevin |
| ⭐ Timex Disk Systems Overview? ↳ #3694 📎 | 16 💬 | 2023-06-08 | Willie Jones |
| ⭐ Pico up and running, sort of 📎 | 13 💬 | 2023-12-04 | David Ellis |
| ⭐ Issue with a TS 2068 📎 | 12 💬 | 2026-06-03 | David Laffineuse |
| ⭐ Raspberry Pi 4 Sinclair ZX81 Emulator | 12 💬 | 2026-03-31 | John Mobley |
| ⭐ TS-Pico Expansion Board 📎 | 12 💬 | 2023-11-22 | Carl Miles |
| ⭐ SE Basic on Timex 2068 | 11 💬 | 2026-05-15 | Michael Hart |
| ⭐ NVRAM PCB made by Tom Woods | 11 💬 | 2024-08-11 | RichJ |
| ⭐ 512kB cartridge | 10 💬 | 2006-12-13 | Jarek Adamski |
| ⭐ Introducing Super2068 ↳ #9662 | 10 💬 | 2026-08-15 | Charlie Day |
| ⭐ Wide video modes 📎 | 10 💬 | 2025-08-28 | David Anderson |
| ⭐ Quick Reference for TS Pico 📎 | 10 💬 | 2023-12-11 | Floppy Days Podcast - Ra |
| ⭐ Elite without Lens Lock Tech? 📎 | 10 💬 | 2022-02-22 | Adam Trionfo |
| ⭐ FuJinet | 9 💬 | 2024-10-15 | Floppy Days Podcast - Ra |
| ⭐ CDs as a storage device -- my successes and failures thus far | 9 💬 | 2004-10-24 | Bruno Florindo |
| ⭐ How to break out of VU-File to redirect to SDcard? 📎 | 9 💬 | 2023-12-06 | Ryan Gray |
| ⭐ Starting to design a TS1560 "Bus Expansion Unit" for the ZX81/TS1000/TS1500 - Br | 9 💬 | 2025-02-10 | David Anderson |
| ⭐ ROM replacement services | 9 💬 | 2007-05-09 | Jarek Adamski |
| ⭐ A Bluetooth Multicart... for the Astrocade? | 8 💬 | 2025-10-26 | Adam Trionfo |
| ⭐ New: How to use ZX Spectrum mode on your TS-Pico | 8 💬 | 2024-01-05 | David Anderson |
| ⭐ TCC cartridge and DivIDE 57c 📎 | 7 💬 | 2024-08-14 | RichJ |
| ⭐ TS2068 FujiNet | 7 💬 | 2022-04-30 | thatoldnerd |
| ⭐ TS Pico Script | 7 💬 | 2025-01-24 | Jay Carlson |
| ⭐ menu program for TSPico 📎 | 6 💬 | 2024-08-26 | Floppy Days Podcast - Ra |
| ⭐ T/S 2068 version of a ZXSpand | 6 💬 | 2012-06-20 | John |
| ⭐ New FPGA Board | 6 💬 | 2022-11-19 | JEFFREY L BURRELL |
| ⭐ TS-Pico | 6 💬 | 2024-01-05 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ Coming soon-ish: OpenSpand (ZXpand) for the ZX81/TS1000 | 5 💬 | 2026-05-27 | David Anderson |
| ⭐ 2068 and pico info 📎 | 5 💬 | 2024-01-15 | RichJ |
| ⭐ Sinistar arcade game cartridge port for the TS2068 ↳ #9954 | 4 💬 | 2026-10-13 | David Anderson |
| ⭐ tzxduino | 4 💬 | 2023-04-15 | larry lorenson |
| ⭐ Problems loading .tap on TSPico | 4 💬 | 2026-01-31 | ricardo |
| ⭐ TS-Pico Memory | 4 💬 | 2024-02-28 | Jeremiah Stoddard |
| ⭐ TS Pico External Commands 📎 | 4 💬 | 2023-12-26 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ My first computer experience: Hangman (green screen terminal recreation with TS 📎 | 3 💬 | 2026-02-24 | Jon |
| ⭐ tsPico SD card follow up. | 3 💬 | 2024-04-14 | RichJ |
| ⭐ ZX-Wespi Nano Project - Replaces the RF Modulator and brings VGA Video and Netwo 📎 | 3 💬 | 2025-10-24 | Carl Miles |
| ⭐ SD Cart for the Timex 1000 | 3 💬 | 2022-06-16 | Adam Trionfo |
| ⭐ Spectrum 1-chip IDE interface <--> 2068? | 2 💬 | 2005-09-12 | bryankvines |
| ⭐ DivMMC on TS2068 | 2 💬 | 2015-01-28 | retrocanada76 |
| ⭐ Testing TS2068 Cartridge with PicoROM-28 📎 | 2 💬 | 2026-04-04 | Jon |
| ⭐ TS-Pico helper 📎 | 2 💬 | 2024-04-29 | Ryan Gray |
| ⭐ TS Pico and diagnostics ROM/DCK 📎 | 2 💬 | 2023-12-26 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ PicoCartridge2068 📎 | 1 💬 | 2026-08-13 | Jon |
| ⭐ A new(er) TAP to Cart conversion tool | 1 💬 | 2026-06-13 | David Anderson |
| ⭐ Sucessful replacement of AY-3-8912 with AY-3-8912A | 1 💬 | 2023-04-26 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ Proposal for AU (Golden) commands | 1 💬 | 2024-08-25 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| ⭐ One more TS1000 Hi Res Game 📎 | 1 💬 | 2026-05-15 | Don Crawford |
| ⭐ zx-wespi | 1 💬 | 2023-01-31 | larry lorenson |
| ⭐ Using the divMMC to LOAD/SAVE a BASIC Program | 1 💬 | 2022-01-18 | Adam Trionfo |
| ⭐ Micropython versions and TS-Pico | 1 💬 | 2024-11-29 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| TS Pico Enclosure 📎 | 24 💬 | 2023-12-23 | Jon |
| Found a Timex Sinclair 2068 ↳ #7094 📎 | 19 💬 | 2024-10-02 | Thomas Hynes |
| Silly question ↳ | 19 💬 | 2006-03-14 | M. Emrah Oral |
| Who knows how to build their own hardware... ↳ | 18 💬 | 2008-06-23 | M. Emrah Oral |
| To Christian Mann RE: TS2040 INK | 18 💬 | 2025-02-02 | Adam Trionfo |
| What if... TS 2068 loading screens ↳ #9650 📎 | 17 💬 | 2026-08-18 | Josef Jelinek |
| One big mistake timex made... ↳ | 16 💬 | 2008-01-08 | Adam Trionfo |
| USB | 10 💬 | 2004-08-04 | aralbrec |
| TS Pico documentation 📎 | 10 💬 | 2023-11-20 | David Anderson |
| TS 2068 --> CGA monitor. No BRIGHT ? ↳ | 10 💬 | 2008-04-18 | M. Emrah Oral |
| Events and Organzations 📎 | 9 💬 | 2024-02-26 | John Mobley |
| R Tape loading error when loading after saving a basic program 📎 | 9 💬 | 2025-07-23 | Juan Noc |
| TS 2068 Inventory ↳ | 8 💬 | 2006-05-06 | Louis Florit |
| Reminder: Timex/Sinclair Online User Group Meeting Monday May 6 | 8 💬 | 2024-05-29 | David Anderson |
| BackBit T/S 2068 Adapter; was: BackBit 📎 | 8 💬 | 2022-10-20 | Adam Trionfo |
| Wireless ZX Spectrum :) | 8 💬 | 2008-01-09 | Adam Trionfo |
| TS PICO Mount, Save, Load 📎 | 8 💬 | 2025-01-22 | *** |
| ts2068 - divMMC Future - Twister Board - 2040 Printer | 8 💬 | 2021-08-29 | Willie Jones |
| ZX81 Joystick Plans? | 7 💬 | 2023-03-25 | Adam Trionfo |
| tzxduino tape player emulator 📎 | 7 💬 | 2026-04-05 | Scott Baker |
| Testing my new TSPico and VGA video cards | 7 💬 | 2024-06-26 | JEFFREY L BURRELL |
| spectrum EPROM | 7 💬 | 2024-05-08 | David Anderson |
| To: Daniel Santos. | 7 💬 | 2025-08-03 | RichJ |
| CD ROMS As T/S 2068 Program Mass Storage Device | 7 💬 | 2002-08-04 | William McBrine |
| Greetings from a Brit ↳ #8293 📎 | 7 💬 | 2025-07-06 | paul |
| new T/S 2068 owner | 7 💬 | 2023-06-30 | Floppy Days Podcast - Ra |
| Pico SD card | 6 💬 | 2024-04-05 | David Anderson |
| Using the TS2068 as a terminal to telehack... (through ts-pico?) 📎 | 6 💬 | 2026-01-26 | David Anderson |
| ts2068 Pico saving basic programs from cassette to micro SD card | 6 💬 | 2024-03-26 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| DivIDE interface | 6 💬 | 2008-01-09 | Timex |
| TS1000 Composite mod ↳ #286 📎 | 6 💬 | 2021-08-04 | Jonathan Toy |
| TS2068 Video | 5 💬 | 2026-10-10 | David Green |
| Flashing the ESP for ZX Wespi | 5 💬 | 2023-02-09 | larry lorenson |
| tsPico vs. ts2068, and my thoughts | 5 💬 | 2024-04-11 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| TS-Pico and 2040 printer? | 5 💬 | 2024-03-15 | David Anderson |
| Two-Person Timex User Group Meeting | 5 💬 | 2025-10-30 | Adam Trionfo |
| ZX divIDE+ interface with 2068 / ebay, bitrom ,RWAP, delays etc.. | 5 💬 | 2008-07-06 | M. Emrah Oral |
| Hard Drive Interface | 5 💬 | 2008-01-08 | Adam Trionfo |
| TS Pico and Video Interface | 4 💬 | 2026-10-15 | Jeremiah Stoddard |
| .WAV files | 4 💬 | 2024-04-11 | RichJ |
| SAVE and LOAD cheat sheets 📎 | 4 💬 | 2024-04-06 | RichJ |
| My progress using the Pico | 4 💬 | 2024-04-03 | RichJ |
| ZXpand | 4 💬 | 2011-04-04 | John |
| ZX Microdrive replicas | 4 💬 | 2025-09-21 | David Anderson |
| TS-Pico DIY Build Notes | 4 💬 | 2023-12-22 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| HDMI out with TS Pico 📎 | 4 💬 | 2023-12-10 | Floppy Days Podcast - Ra |
| ZX divIDE+ interface / Polish postal service, ZX-Matrix, Sinclair USB | 4 💬 | 2008-07-15 | M. Emrah Oral |
| Pico Video Question, Issue Any thoughts? 📎 | 4 💬 | 2025-03-31 | Thomas Hynes |
| 2068 repair help 📎 | 3 💬 | 2026-10-18 | Retro Dreamstate via gro |
| A Few Questions | 3 💬 | 2024-10-09 | Thomas Hynes |
| YAMOD.ATBUS - fast IDE multiplexer | 3 💬 | 2004-07-06 | Jarek Adamski |
| CD-ROM for TS computers | 3 💬 | 2004-01-21 | stevenreardon |
| Did something stupid with TS2068 Extender and Twister/ROM/HDMI card | 3 💬 | 2024-02-09 | Dennis.g.brown |
| Post TS Pico Overviews and Reviews Here 📎 | 3 💬 | 2023-12-31 | Adam Trionfo |
| A reference and a question | 3 💬 | 2025-01-09 | Ricardo Calcagno |
| wifi modem is getting there 📎 | 2 💬 | 2026-10-12 | ArcadeDanger Danger |
| My TS/Pico Arrives and Adam Smiles | 2 💬 | 2024-07-30 | Adam Trionfo |
| "AI," the T/S 2068 and the TSPico | 2 💬 | 2026-03-04 | Adam Trionfo |
| How are things coming with the ability to store data files on the TSPico? | 2 💬 | 2026-02-28 | David Ellis |
| Building a Raspberry Pi Pico Powered ZX Spectrum - YouTube Video | 2 💬 | 2024-02-02 | Carl Miles |
| TJ Ferreira video about the TS-Pico | 2 💬 | 2024-01-19 | David Anderson |
| Pico loading error | 2 💬 | 2025-07-21 | RichJ |
| Digital storage options for the TS-2068 | 2 💬 | 2022-06-05 | qwertyfan2000 |
| Ts pico first impression | 2 💬 | 2023-12-05 | qwertyfan2000 |
| Paul DeMelto, TS1000 donations. 📎 | 2 💬 | 2023-11-03 | *** |
| TS_Pico firmware | 2 💬 | 2025-05-03 | Kurt Hildebrant |
| YouTube recording of Monday, March 7 meeting | 2 💬 | 2022-03-11 | David Anderson |
| TS2068 pico and video cards | 1 💬 | 2026-10-14 | RichJ |
| JLO disk system review addendum | 1 💬 | 2024-10-24 | RichJ |
| ESPectrum 📎 | 1 💬 | 2024-08-20 | David Anderson |
| TSPico beta testing and ZX81+38 clone 📎 | 1 💬 | 2024-06-12 | RichJ |
| Call for TS-Pico Beta testers | 1 💬 | 2024-06-12 | David Anderson |
| TS 2068 Personal Color Computer Video Interface | 1 💬 | 2024-04-16 | Jay Carlson |
| All my games--please see explanation email from other day 📎 | 1 💬 | 2024-04-06 | RichJ |
| CD as a mass storage device -- Success and failure so far. | 1 💬 | 2004-09-17 | hatulzabad |
| Raspberry Pi Pico RGB to VGA converter | 1 💬 | 2025-10-20 | David Anderson |
| BackBit MicroSD Cart on my Atari 8-Bit Computer 📎 | 1 💬 | 2022-09-01 | Adam Trionfo |
| I got my BackBit Cart | 1 💬 | 2022-08-20 | Adam Trionfo |
| Addendum-to Danial Santos re; 2068 to monitor | 1 💬 | 2025-08-02 | RichJ |
| Sunday's Meeting April 13, 2025 - Revisit the TS 2060 | 1 💬 | 2025-04-15 | Thomas Hynes |
| USB Keyboard Interface for ZX Spectrum in development! | 1 💬 | 2023-06-28 | Carl Miles |
| tsPico cheat corrections | 1 💬 | 2025-01-04 | RichJ |
| TS1510 new system and info on the ZX81NU build PCB I sent to you. 📎 | 1 💬 | 2025-01-03 | RichJ |
| To David Anderson and Carl Miles. | 4 💬 | 2024-09-06 | RichJ |
| Ordered tsPico video card | 3 💬 | 2025-09-16 | RichJ |
| Late update: Special guests at Zoom meeting today 📎 | 3 💬 | 2023-11-20 | David Anderson |
| TS2068 Pico video | 1 💬 | 2026-10-12 | RichJ |
| The PICO unit(s) Have arrived | 1 💬 | 2024-10-09 | Thomas Hynes |
| spectrum ROM | 1 💬 | 2024-06-14 | RichJ |
| TS-Pico Enclosure | 1 💬 | 2023-12-12 | Richard Burt |
| Mutual Timex Hobby; was: Re: [TS-Pico] Problem .dck files | 1 💬 | 2024-11-11 | Adam Trionfo |