New Cartridges for the ZX Spectrum
Ah, the good ol’ Speccy. This computer put the cherry on top of Clive Sinclair’s computing business, and firmly cemented Sinclair Computers in the history books. Like many home computers of the early 1980s, most software was released on cassette tape, and loading could be a frustrating experience. Your volume level had to be just right, the tape heads had to be clean, and you had to hold your tongue at just the right angle while pressing PLAY. However, software could also come on cartridges, and though the Spectrum didn’t make as prolific use of ROMs as, say, the VIC-20 did, it was a viable option (and certainly better than tape or, heaven forbid, the microdrives!) Now you can get brand new cartridges pre-loaded with diagnostic software or the ROM images of your choice!
In the same footprint as the original cartridges, Tindie seller HAL’s Friends has managed to squeeze in four times as much storage, meaning you can have 4 ROM images on a single cart. Simply switch the DIP switch to select the image you want to use, and pow — the software will be loaded before you can blink! They also sell some other nifty peripherals for classic home computer, so check them out.
Note that you do need a Spectrum Interface 2 in order to use ROMs with the ZX Spectrum, but it seems like the vast majority of owners already have this peripheral as it also adds two joystick ports — a must-have if you want to enjoy the huge library of games.
The included diagnostic software is great to have if you’re having issues with your ZX Spectrum. It will thoroughly test all components on the motherboard and help you diagnose and solve any issues you might be having. Is the ULA having issues? Is the RAM getting flaky with age? Are all the I/O ports working properly? Having a diagnostic cartridge makes troubleshooting so much easier. Also, if you are having issues with your ULA — we have those too!