Straight Adaptor

ZX Computing

WOULD YOU ADAM AND EVE IT? Stephen Adams has come up with a number of devices for the Sinclair range of computers. First up is the Straight adaptor, which converts the ZX Spectrum to the same expansion port as the ZX81, but does not do any address conversion. Thus, you can obtain a full 64K of addresses when the printer is in use. It may also be used to isolate some of the dangerous voltages involved when using I/O ports. The device, like the rest of the range of adaptors, plugs into the expansion port at the back of the Spectrum and does not require any special instructions or machine code to use it. The Eve adaptor is available for those people who own the 48K Spectrum, allowing them to access the wide range of ZX81 add on devices now on the market. However, the Eve adaptor will only work for devices which work in the 0-16K section of the ZX81's memory map and it will not allow you to add more than 48K RAM. The Adam adaptor, on the other hand, has been developed for the 16K Spectrum and simply allows users to add on the Sinclair (or compatible) 16K RAM Pack doubling your memory at a stroke. An update of the Adam adaptor is the aptly-named Adam II adaptor. This device allows the use of two sets of peripherals to be added at the same time on the 16K Spectrum. Thus, you could have a 16K RAM pack and any device which was contained in the 0-16K area of the ZX81's memory map such as ports and EPROM programmers (but not ZX81 EPROM programmers), or a battery backed RAM. All the adaptors are available from Stephen Adams for £9 including VAT, postage and packing. But before you rush off, Stephen has also developed what he claims to be the only programmable tape controller available for the ZX81 and Spectrum. The device can be used to select which tape recorder lead is required for SAVEing or LOADing; thus, you don't have to pull out the cassette leads causing wear on the sockets of the computer. The unit also turns on and off the cassette motor under program control and provides a minimum of five latched data outputs for controlling external devices. The outputs can also be used for providing up to 32 different devices at one memory or I/O address. Designated the RZ1 tape controller, the device has the ability to work on any machine as it uses no I/O address or RAM memory location. The price of the RZ1 is £20 including VAT, postage and packing. If you want more information on any of Stephen's hardware add-ons, you can write to him at [redacted] or 'phone him on [redacted].