Dumping MiniDisc Media
If you have music on a collection of MiniDisc media and want to finally copy the data off onto modern media (or the cloud!), here are simple instructions for some different solutions:
Tynemouth Minstrel ZX80 Clone Kit
I have previously shown an unassembled Sinclair ZX81 Kit that could be bought in the early 80s. Today, it is possible to buy a clone of the ZX80 from Tynemouth Software. Here are some pictures.
Converting a Commodore 1541 or 1570 Drive into a 1551
The 1551 is the weird outlier in the family of Commodore disk drives: It is the only drive using the “TCBM” bus instead of Serial or IEEE-488. And what’s even weirder? 1541 and 1570 drives converted into 1551s!
Sinclair ZX81 Kit
Here are hi-res photos of an unassembled Sinclair ZX81 kit, with German assembly instructions.
Converting the “Competition Pro Extra USB” to C64/Amiga/Atari DB9
The new Speedlink Competition Pro Extra USB joystick has all the phsical properties and the excellent switches of the original Competition Pro, but comes with a USB interface. While this is great for use with The64 Mini for example, this joystick can be easily converted into an old-school DB9 joystick to work with Commodore, Amiga and Atari computers and consoles – without giving up the USB interface!
Repairing a Commodore 1084S Power Switch
The power switch of the Commodore 1084S tends to break easily. To replace it, you will need a standard “Preh TV3” switch (which can be found online), a screwdriver, a soldering iron, desoldering braid, and some basic soldering skills.