While I'm most well known for the hardware, software and magazines I produce for the SAM Coupe computer, I did start off computing at a very young age with a ZX Spectrum 48K in 1983, which was upgraded to a + case when the keyboard membrane failed in 1985, followed by a +2 at launch in 1986. I had great fun learning BASIC and trying out various bits of game maker software, although at the time I always had the impression that Z80 machine code would be too hard to learn! (I eventually taught myself machine code in 1994 on the SAM Coupe!). I also picked up one of the ZX Spectrum Next development boards in 2017.

To keep up to date with new developments please see my social media accounts on X (Twitter), Mastodon and BlueSky. Also keep a look out there for when I'll next be exhibiting at retro computing events around the UK - since 2022 I've been exhibiting at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, the Retro Computer Museum in Leicester and various other smaller shows.

Any questions or comments please use this contact form on my main website to drop me a message.

Scroll down to see the released interfaces or use these quick links:

- 2 Way ZX Bus Expansion (Released August 2023)
- ZX Spectrum (and SAM Coupe) 16 Bank ROM Cart (Released April 2020)
- ZX ROM Cartridge Slot (Released May 2020)
- ZX Spectrum - RC2014 Bus Interfaces (Released January 2022)

For ordering there are PayPal Buy buttons in the product information for each interface, for payment using PayPal or Credit/Debit cards. To combine shipping for several items or for more than quantities of one please send me a message via my contact form for a combined total.

This extension card allows you to plug two peripherals in to your ZX Spectrum, one horizontally, one vertically.

This is my first piece of hardware that's compatible with the ZX Spectrum, released in April 2020. In 2019 I became really interested in the failed ZX ROM Cartridge format, when Sinclair released ten cartridges (and Interface 2) for the ZX Spectrum in 1983 and I looked at supporting those cartridges on the SAM Coupe. Then I looked at creating my own compatible Interface 2 style cartridge...

The ZX/SAM 16 Bank ROM Cart allows you to store 16 ROM cartridge images (16K ZX Spectrum cartridge ROMs, with an expanded 32K mode for the SAM Coupe) on a single cartridge and select them by means of the rotary control in the corner of the cartridge.

System Requirements

If you are using a ZX Spectrum you'll need an interface that gives it the ZX ROM cartridge slot, such as the original Sinclair Interface 2 or my own ZX ROM CARTRIDGE SLOT interface (released May 2020, see below!)

(To use with the SAM Coupe you'll need the ZX-ECUTOR interface which I released in December 2019. SAM owners see my main SAM Coupe site.)

Preloaded Software + Free Games!

The cartridge is supplied with a few pieces of test code loaded. Most of the sixteen memory banks will be pre-loaded with just a small animation program to show that bank is empty.

Two games are preloaded into the cartridge, thanks to the courtesy of Radastan (@Bytemaniacos on X/Twitter if you want to say thanks!). 'Mag the Magician' and 'Dead Space' were two games released as ZX ROM cartridges in 2017 and 2018. Also as of May '21 the new Arcade Game Designer ROM by Jonathan Cauldwell is included with his permission too.

Lastly, I have written software to write to the memory of the cartridge which is included in one of the banks on the cartridge. This software is for the SAM Coupe only and can be installed onto a floppy disk.

No copyrighted code is included without the full permission of the authors / copyright holders. But online you'll find a few cartridge games to download and install, as well as alternative ZX Spectrum system ROMs such as Geoff Wearmouth's GW03 and Looking Glass ROMs, a prototype ZX Spectrum ROM made available by the Centre for Computing History etc. By flashing a ZX System ROM you can have your SAM Coupe turn on into a ZX Spectrum emulating mode straight away etc. Please note requests for extra software such as these to be preloaded will be rejected.

Writing to the Cartridge

There are two ways to write ROMs into the sixteen banks on the cartridge yourself.

If you are a ZX Spectrum owner you can pop out the flash memory chip and use an EPROM Programmer to write to the chip. (Your programmer will have to support the SST39SF family of memory chips).

(SAM Coupe users can use the included software on the cartridge which makes it easy to write to the flash memory.)

Notes

Please note that a random colour of cartridge will normally be supplied. I've made them so far in green, white, black, purple and red. Other colours may appear in the future!

If you do want to check what colours I currently have available and choose a specific colour send me a message via my contact me form.

Presenting my second hardware release of 2020 and also my first piece of dedicated hardware for the ZX Spectrum. While I've focused purely on developing for the SAM Coupe since 1993 my first computer was a 48k ZX Spectrum back in 1983, followed by the +2 in 1986.

The ZX ROM CARTRIDGE SLOT gives your ZX Spectrum an Interface 2 style cartridge slot to allow you to use the ROM cartridges. Initially there were just 10 cartridges released back in 1983/4 but there's been a couple third party ones since, including my own 'ZX/SAM ROM CART' (See my other listings).

System Requirements

The ZX ROM CARTRIDGE SLOT is compatible with all models of ZX Spectrum. There's a small switch on the interface to select the type of computer, which can be set as:

- 16K / 48K / 128K / +2 (this mode also for the new ZX Spectrum Next / N-Go clone)
or
+2A/+2B/+3

The later models had different control signals on the edge connector so to ensure correct operation on these later models my design also incorporates several diodes to ensure the signals operate correctly and let the internal system ROMs operate correctly when there's no cartridge plugged in.

There's also a reset button too, useful for 16K/48K ZX Spectrum users.

I've also tested this interface on the new ZX Spectrum NEXT. Works perfectly, set the switch to '16K/48K/128K/+2' and then use the ROM option in the Next's main menu. The interface is also slim enough so the HDMI port is not covered on the Next.

In the video below I've used both my trusty ZX Spectrum+ and the ZX Spectrum Next (dev board). The interfaces I've demonstrated it using include the RC2014 Digital I/O card, the YM/AY Soundcard for the RC2014 by Ed Brindley, as well as the two RC2014 peripherals I've designed and released myself: Graphic OLED Interface and SID Soundchip Interface. (For details of the peripherals I've designed and released for use with RC2014 systems and compatibles, including a new SAA1099P soundchip interface [June 2025] see my sub site at: 2014.samcoupe.com)

While the ZX Spectrum assigns all even I/O addresses to it's ULA chip, most RC2014 I/O based peripherals (such as the four mentioned above and in the demonstration video) do allow you to change the base I/O address so an address not used by the ZX Spectrum itself can be selected, but best to check the full specifications of any other RC2014 cards you potentially want to connect to your Spectrum via this interface.

As well as two RC2014 interface slots this board also features a reset button (still handy for 16k/48k rubber keyed Spectrums) and an external power input (micro-USB) as alternative power supply for the plugged in cards rather than taxing the Spectrum's 7805 power regulator if you are using power hungry cards.

The ZX-RC Bus Interface can also be fitted with an optional ZX Spectrum Edge Connector to allow you to plug in a standard ZX Spectrum interface as well as two RC2014 cards. This is extremely handy if you have a mass storage interface on your ZX Spectrum to save having to LOAD and SAVE to cassette etc. In the demonstration video I use the through port to plug in a DIVMMC Future interface to use SD cards for mass storage with my ZX Spectrum +. If you are going to be using the interface with the ZX Spectrum Next you'll probably not need to plug in a ZX Spectrum interface so can save a couple pounds by not having it fitted.