Leningrad ZX Spectrum Soviet clone | DIY AY Sound Module

Hello everybody and welcome to the basement. In this video I continue learning more about the Soviet clone computers of the late 80's by trying to build the first of three possible upgrades for the Legendary Leningrad Spectrum clone. The AY sound board uses only 3 x 74 series logic chips and an AY-3-8910 sound chip (or clone) and makes it possible to get some great chip tunes out of any ZX Spectrum. This board can be built to connect to the edge connector of the Specky but as the Leningrad doesn't have any edge connector it's been built into a card that sandwitches between the mainboard and processor. All the diagrams and parts that are needed to build your own can be found here :

Keep an eye out for upcoming episodes featuring a 128kb memory upgrade and with a lot of luck a DIY disc controller board making it possible to save and load programs from 3.5" floppy disks.

0:00 Intro
1:51 Titles
2:06 Final board preps
4:28 Testing the Leningrad before installing AY Board
7:06 AY first test - FAIL
8:04 Success
8:53 So, why wouldn't it work?
11:56 How the board fits in the computer
15:23 Antares 2 AY sound DEMO
16:31 Outro
17:01 Outro - Upcoming Leningrad mods

[BenScarboro]

The amount of troubleshooting a circuit you'll need to do is in direct proportion to how simple/well it went together!
Glad you got it working, very interesting piece of history there.

[CyberhugTechnologies]

Mate...I enjoyed this very much! Thumbs up for the video again - the whole series sounds so great planning around the speccy and looking fwd. to enjoying them :-) great job!

[CanadianRetroThings]

Nice upgrade! I really like the look of the wooden cases you have for the computer and tape emulator :)

[solartonytony]

hi 8bit, there was a diy project published in Sinclair Spectrum, with the same 8919 chip, and a basic program to generate Mozart-like music ... any hints where to find it ?

[Arcadecomponentscom]

Blame the seller. I tried twice to buy those AY-3-8910 chips and twice I was sold a tube of counterfeit chips. Now I harvest them off old arcade game PCBs.