How to build a simple ZX Spectrum Interface

I'm really excited to get this furby wired in!
Let's build an interface to drive LEDs using our own ZX Spectrum code!

[pednn]

Nice, bings back memories. Back in the day I used a Z80-PIO with a transistor circuit to turn on the cassette motor. Actually two. With a slightly modified copy program it automatically created digital copies of cassettes by starting one player when loading and the other when saving. The chip was also used as Centronics interface to printers by DK'tronics..

[danieltornqvist]

Great stuff,
This is the way to go for making people rake an intresst in I/O.
Looking forward to part 2

[HappyCodingZX]

great work, it's always fun to see old tech being used in new ways. I shared a link to this video on the This week in Retro podcast, hopefully they will give you a mention and get you some more followers.

[JohnSmith-bhzx]

Very interesting, looking forward to part 2.

[csbluechip]

Kudos! Looking forward to the rest of the series :)

[frankowalker]

I made 3 of these Z80 PIO breakout boards.

One with Channel A as input and B as output, another with A and B as inputs and the third with A and B as outputs. I also put opto isolators on the I/O pins of the PIO for extra protection. (Hence the three versions)

BTW, If you use the shorter edge conector, you can use these on the ZX81. LOL. The pinouts are in the same place.

[NeoMK]

I’ve been watching your videos a while and a quick thank you for all your advice, but you have made my morning with the line “Skin it, hack it and hook it up to a Spectrum!” - obviously..😂😂

[terryraymond]

I like it if I can find a furby I havent seen one of those for 20 or more years

[ClassicRetroByte]

Nice. 👍.
I made a similar interface For a Christmas light display many years ago.
Only I use the printer port of my +3 and a opto isolator board to drive 8 sets of 240vac lights.
The type that don't work if one bulb is blown.
Looking forward to see what you come up with. 👍

[RudysRetroIntel]

Hey! Excellent job and video! Is there a PDF of that book? Thanks for sharing

[tailzer]

Nice to see I/o from start. Just for info it’s considered bad practice to drive anything direct from logic, should use a transistor or driver chip (which essentially is logic plus transistor outputs. If anything pulls too much it will just take the chip out.Anyway just thought I’d comment for learning, great vid and looking forward to pt 2. There’s also a great robotics book for Spectrum, that has circuit ideas too. Worths a search.

[Xoferif]

I'm not quite sure what the little solder tabs down the edges of the green proto boards are for. They don't seem to be connected to any of the through-holes.
Anyway, looking forward to the next installment!

[markretro]

love it .. i have recently done a similar thing using 74LS logic chips basically making the specie work like an Arduino ! lol .. i am planning to bit bang an SD card in SPI mode from the specie (not as easy as i thought) watching this video makes me think i need to look at this PIO chip though (i did look at it before but got confused on how it worked)

[WorldRobotNews]

In the 80s blue Peter made a robot that connected to the spectrum edge conector

[meh]

You had me at "Skin it...".
Speaking as a parent, I hate those fu*by things.

[terryraymond]

where could I find a Furby besides Flea bay?

[sakisyoutuber]

can you help me make an interface for temperature?