Expansion Systems (i)
Backplane expansion
Features
Original Price
Velleman Interface System
Motherboard (K2616) provides space for up to 4 interfaces cards.
Interface Cards for Motherboard are as follows:
K609 - DC output board with 8 open collector outputs (25V / 50mA)
K2610 - A/D convertor, 8 bit precision
K2611 - 8 optocoupler inputs
K2614 - Centronics parallel printer interface
K2618 - D/A convertor, 8 bit precision
Interface Cards for Motherboard are as follows:
K609 - DC output board with 8 open collector outputs (25V / 50mA)
K2610 - A/D convertor, 8 bit precision
K2611 - 8 optocoupler inputs
K2614 - Centronics parallel printer interface
K2618 - D/A convertor, 8 bit precision
K2616 - £25.69 (kit)1
K2609 - £19.011
K2610 - £28.261
K2611 - £20.551
K2614 - £30.831
K2618 - £24.661
K2609 - £19.011
K2610 - £28.261
K2611 - £20.551
K2614 - £30.831
K2618 - £24.661
USP
by U-Microelectronics
USP-ADAP - Back-to-back adaptor required for first card and backplane.
USP-BBP3 - A 3-slot buffered backplane with side connecter. Requires auxiliary power supply.
USP-BPE4 - A 4-slot buffered backplane which provides a a further 4 slots after USP-BBP3.
USP-PLOT - Prototyping board.
USP-232D - A dual channel RS232 serial interface with Z80DART chip. Patch allows use of LPRINT and LLIST. Baud rate of 75 to 9600 with full handshaking. Includes terminal emulator and 50 page manual.
USP-I/O - A general purpose parallel interface with Z80PIO chip. Provides 2 8-bit input or output ports with 4 handshake lines. Comes with 30 page manual.
USP-CENT - A kit for use with USP-I/O for Centronics compatible printers. Includes cable from USP-I/O and LPRINT and LLIST drivers.
USP-PRINT - includes: circuit board assembled and tested, Spectrum adaptor (USP-ADAP) , comprehensive manual, cable and software on cassette.
The USP-PRINT board is actually a USP-I/O, the cable and software make it a USP-PRINT.
USP-BBP3 - A 3-slot buffered backplane with side connecter. Requires auxiliary power supply.
USP-BPE4 - A 4-slot buffered backplane which provides a a further 4 slots after USP-BBP3.
USP-PLOT - Prototyping board.
USP-232D - A dual channel RS232 serial interface with Z80DART chip. Patch allows use of LPRINT and LLIST. Baud rate of 75 to 9600 with full handshaking. Includes terminal emulator and 50 page manual.
USP-I/O - A general purpose parallel interface with Z80PIO chip. Provides 2 8-bit input or output ports with 4 handshake lines. Comes with 30 page manual.
USP-CENT - A kit for use with USP-I/O for Centronics compatible printers. Includes cable from USP-I/O and LPRINT and LLIST drivers.
USP-PRINT - includes: circuit board assembled and tested, Spectrum adaptor (USP-ADAP) , comprehensive manual, cable and software on cassette.
The USP-PRINT board is actually a USP-I/O, the cable and software make it a USP-PRINT.
USP-ADAP - £6.90*2
USP-BBP3 - £35.65*2
USP-BPE4 - £25.30*2
USP-PLOT - £13.80*2
USP-232D - £34.50*2
USP-I/O - £29.90*2
USP-CENT - £3.45*2
USP-PRINT - £26.99*7
*Mail order price only +£1.50 p&p or £2.00 for Western Europe.
USP-BBP3 - £35.65*2
USP-BPE4 - £25.30*2
USP-PLOT - £13.80*2
USP-232D - £34.50*2
USP-I/O - £29.90*2
USP-CENT - £3.45*2
USP-PRINT - £26.99*7
*Mail order price only +£1.50 p&p or £2.00 for Western Europe.
Specspansion
FB tronics
A combined 4-slot motherboard and 24-line programmable portboard. On board 5 volt regulator. Built-in address decoding available at three of the motherboard slots for up to a further 12 ports. Provision for 4 additional cards.
Port/motherboard drilled only - £18.50*8
Port/motherboard fitted with additional connectors (up to 4), per connector +£3.50†8
Motherboard connectors loose, per connector - £3.50†8
Port sockets per set of 6 - £1.40†8
Programming Aid Cassette - £3.50†8
*+80p p&p †+40p.
Port/motherboard fitted with additional connectors (up to 4), per connector +£3.50†8
Motherboard connectors loose, per connector - £3.50†8
Port sockets per set of 6 - £1.40†8
Programming Aid Cassette - £3.50†8
*+80p p&p †+40p.
Card Frame expansion
Features
Original Price
MUKBUS
card frame system
from Microtext
6 Slot Motherboard complete with connectors. Fully Buffered 64 Way Signal Bus. On Board Reset Switch.
Sinclair Edge Connector Expansion. Compatible with Microtext Accessories.
Claimed to be released later: 2K RAM Board. Disc Interface Board. Bar Code Reader Board. Full 80 Column Video Interface.
Digital/Analogue Board. Full Colour High Resolution Graphics Board. Centronics/RS232 Interface.
MUKBUS Power Supply
2 Metre Mains Cable, illuminated On/Off Switch, 5 Volt @ 5 Amp, 12 Volt @ 3 Amp.
Capable of Driving Full Bus and Discs.
Sinclair Edge Connector Expansion. Compatible with Microtext Accessories.
Claimed to be released later: 2K RAM Board. Disc Interface Board. Bar Code Reader Board. Full 80 Column Video Interface.
Digital/Analogue Board. Full Colour High Resolution Graphics Board. Centronics/RS232 Interface.
MUKBUS Power Supply
2 Metre Mains Cable, illuminated On/Off Switch, 5 Volt @ 5 Amp, 12 Volt @ 3 Amp.
Capable of Driving Full Bus and Discs.
MUKBUS card frame - £34.95*5
MUMBUS power supply - £34.95*5
MUKBUS keyboard - £39.95*5
Keyboard case - £9.50†5
*including VAT (plus £2 post and packing)
† (including VAT and P&P)
Gordon Microframe
The GORDON MICROFRAME plugs directly into the back of any Spectrum, allowing the user full
control of over 256 I/O channels through its 5 slot motherboard.
It also has a floppy disc controller interface which boots the operating system into
16K of memory which shadows the BASIC ROM. The operating system supports basic commands
such as LOAD, SAVE, MERGE, ERASE, CAT, OPEN and CLOSE.
Gordon Microframe advert from Your Spectrum magazine, May 1985
control of over 256 I/O channels through its 5 slot motherboard.
It also has a floppy disc controller interface which boots the operating system into
16K of memory which shadows the BASIC ROM. The operating system supports basic commands
such as LOAD, SAVE, MERGE, ERASE, CAT, OPEN and CLOSE.
Gordon Microframe advert from Your Spectrum magazine, May 1985
£149.50*6
*Inclusive of VAT @ 15% (plus p&p @ £3)
*Inclusive of VAT @ 15% (plus p&p @ £3)
Modular Expansion
Features
Original Price
Basicare
The BASICare systems consists of a series of stacking modules each performing a specific function. The first of these is the Persona module which is connected directly to the ZX Spectum's edge connnector. All subsequent modules connect to the Persona or another module.
PERSONA - Primary module provides a 64-way buffered connection between the Spectrum and other modules.
RAM08 - Provides 8K of paged Random Access Memory.
RAM16 - As above but this time 16K.
RAM64 - Again extra paged memory, now 64K (requires MINIMAP module).
DROM - Non-volatile storage.
TOOLKIT - 8K of utilities in EPROM.
CLOCK - A real-time clock with battery back-up.
SONUS - A three channel sound generator.
PERICON A - Provides 24 input/output lines.
PERICON B - Provides 24 lines of buffered output.
PERICON C - Centronics interface to drive an 80 column printer.
LINK A - An 8 channel analogue-to-digital converter.
MINIMAP - Memory paging module.
USERFONT† - For redefining character set (requires RAM08 and DROM).‡
‡ The USERFONT module appears to be only have been available for the ZX81 with no evidence that it was ever available for the Spectrum.
PERSONA - Primary module provides a 64-way buffered connection between the Spectrum and other modules.
RAM08 - Provides 8K of paged Random Access Memory.
RAM16 - As above but this time 16K.
RAM64 - Again extra paged memory, now 64K (requires MINIMAP module).
DROM - Non-volatile storage.
TOOLKIT - 8K of utilities in EPROM.
CLOCK - A real-time clock with battery back-up.
SONUS - A three channel sound generator.
PERICON A - Provides 24 input/output lines.
PERICON B - Provides 24 lines of buffered output.
PERICON C - Centronics interface to drive an 80 column printer.
LINK A - An 8 channel analogue-to-digital converter.
MINIMAP - Memory paging module.
‡ The USERFONT module appears to be only have been available for the ZX81 with no evidence that it was ever available for the Spectrum.
PERSONA - £45.00*3
RAM08 - £24.50*3
RAM16 - £26.75*3
RAM64 - £76.25*3
DROM - £48.00*3
TOOLKIT - £22.20*3
CLOCK - £45.00*3
SONUS - £30.15*3
PERICON A - £27.90*3
PERICON B - £33.75*4
PERICON C - £41.75*3
LINK A - £40.00*3
MINIMAP - £35.95*4
Optional USERFONT† - £8.00*4
Additional 2K RAM for RAM08 - £6.50*4
Additional 2K for DROM - £7.50*4
*VAT at 15% and post and packing included for UK (overseas +15%)
† incorrectly advertised as USERFRONT
RAM08 - £24.50*3
RAM16 - £26.75*3
RAM64 - £76.25*3
DROM - £48.00*3
TOOLKIT - £22.20*3
CLOCK - £45.00*3
SONUS - £30.15*3
PERICON A - £27.90*3
PERICON B - £33.75*4
PERICON C - £41.75*3
LINK A - £40.00*3
MINIMAP - £35.95*4
Additional 2K RAM for RAM08 - £6.50*4
Additional 2K for DROM - £7.50*4
*VAT at 15% and post and packing included for UK (overseas +15%)
† incorrectly advertised as USERFRONT
References
1. "Velleman - advert", Sinclair Projects, August/September 1984 p.492. "USP - advert", Personal Computer News, No.18, 13th July 1983, p.45
3. "YS Hardware Review - The Tower of Power", Your Spectrum, No.3, May 1984, p.34
4. "Persona ZX Your key to the Tower of Power - advert", Sinclair User, No.16, July 1983, p.41
5. "Spectrum & ZX81 MUKBUS - advert", Sinclair User, No.17, August 1983, p.46
6. "7 Reasons to go Microframe... - advert", Your Spectrum, No.14, May 1985, p.42
7. "ZX-SPECTRUM Centronics Interface £26.99 COMPLETE - advert", Sinclair User, No.25, April 1984, p.17
8. "FB tronics - advert", Sinclair User, October 1983 p.125
External Links
Last revision : 20/01/2024