Beta Disk Interface

Soviet clone of Beta Disk Interface

Beta Disk Interface is a disk interface for ZX Spectrum computers. It was developed by Technology Research Ltd. (United Kingdom), in 1984[1] and released in 1985 with price £109.25 (or £249.75 with one disk drive).[2] Beta 128 Disk Interface is a 1987[3] version supporting ZX Spectrum 128 machines (difference is in access points addresses). Beta disk interfaces were distributed with TR-DOS operating system in ROM, also attributed to Technology Research Ltd. Latest firmware version is 5.03 (1986). The interface was based on the WD1793 chip.[4]

The interface handles single and double sided, 40 and 80 track double density floppy disks, up to 4 drives.

Clones

This interface was popular for its simplicity, and the Beta 128 Disk Interface was cloned all around the USSR. The first known USSR clones were ones produced by НПВО "Вариант" (NPVO "Variant", Leningrad) in 1989.[5] Beta 128 schematics are included in various Russian ZX Spectrum clones.

Some variants of schematics support only 2 drives. Phase correction of the drive data signal is made in different ways.[6][7]

Operating systems support

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sinclair User March 84, p. 34
  2. ↑ Sinclair User Jan 85, p. 73
  3. ↑ Sinclair User Jan 87
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  5. ↑ Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Beta Disc / TR-DOS. Аппаратные средства. Стандартный интерфейс дисковода. - С.-Петербург, 1994
  6. ↑ Рюмик С. Контроллер дисководов. Канал записи / Радиолюбитель. Ваш компьютер, 1998, NN10-12; 1999, N1
  7. ↑ Рюмик С. Контроллер дисководов. Канал чтения / Радиолюбитель. Ваш компьютер, 1999, N4-8
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