TZXDuino pico: Difference between revisions

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For the national VideoGame Museum in Zoetermeer, I'm designing a version of the TZXDuino (a cassette replacement device) that is stripped down so much that it fits INSIDE a ZX-Spectrum.
For the national VideoGame Museum in Zoetermeer, I'm designing a version of the TZXDuino (a cassette replacement device) that is stripped down so much that it fits INSIDE a ZX-Spectrum.
A normal TZXDuino has a row of 6 or so 6x6mm buttons, and either a 16x2 character LCD (with a I2C backpack) or a tiny I2C driver graphical screen such as were used in "candy-bar" phones like the NOKIA 3310.
The tiny (1 by 1 inch) OLED screen must have an I2C interface. For my application a screen was unwanted and only two buttons (Up, and Play) were needed. Also I discovered that the LM386 speaker driver used to buffer/amplify the Cassette input signal was completely unnecessary. All Barrel and jack plug connectors were replaced with simple hard wire contacts, the "autostart" connection is not used in a spectrum, but might be used in a home computer with a built in cassette deck. Like a CPC646.
As the TZXDuino Pico is not much more than a Arduino nano couple to a SD-Card holder, it might also be used for other uses where an Arduino with sd-card interface is needed.

Revision as of 15:17, 8 October 2022

Project TZXDuino Pico
building a tiny cassette replacement device that can fit inside a sinclair spectrum
Status In progress
Contact mahjongg
Last Update 2022-10-08

For the national VideoGame Museum in Zoetermeer, I'm designing a version of the TZXDuino (a cassette replacement device) that is stripped down so much that it fits INSIDE a ZX-Spectrum. A normal TZXDuino has a row of 6 or so 6x6mm buttons, and either a 16x2 character LCD (with a I2C backpack) or a tiny I2C driver graphical screen such as were used in "candy-bar" phones like the NOKIA 3310. The tiny (1 by 1 inch) OLED screen must have an I2C interface. For my application a screen was unwanted and only two buttons (Up, and Play) were needed. Also I discovered that the LM386 speaker driver used to buffer/amplify the Cassette input signal was completely unnecessary. All Barrel and jack plug connectors were replaced with simple hard wire contacts, the "autostart" connection is not used in a spectrum, but might be used in a home computer with a built in cassette deck. Like a CPC646.

As the TZXDuino Pico is not much more than a Arduino nano couple to a SD-Card holder, it might also be used for other uses where an Arduino with sd-card interface is needed.