Description
The Reliable SD-Based Alternative to Sinclair Microdrives
The original Sinclair Microdrive was revolutionary, but today, its mechanical parts and magnetic loops are prone to failure. The vDriveZX offers a modern, solid-state solution. By emulating the physical characteristics of a Microdrive, this hardware allows you to use SD card storage while maintaining the authentic look and feel of the original system.
Why Choose the vDriveZX?
- Total Hardware Emulation: Unlike simple software loaders, the vDriveZX emulates the hardware timing and behaviour of a real Microdrive.
- Zero Mechanical Wear: No moving parts will mean no more stretched tapes, perished rollers, or failed read heads.
- Massive Library Access: Store your entire collection of .mdr and .mdv files on a single SD card and swap between up to eight virtual drives instantly.
- Interface 1 Ready: Designed to work perfectly with the Sinclair Interface 1, appearing to the system exactly like a bank of physical drives.
Kit Includes:
- vDriveZX Hardware Emulator unit.
- High-quality connection cable.
The vDriveZX delivers hardware emulation for up to eight Microdrives and includes a comprehensive toolkit for managing Microdrive Cartridge images which are stored on SD Card. The vDriveZX is simply connected to your Interface 1, either with your existing Microdrives or by itself. An existing Microdrive case (not included) is used to house the vDriveZX (the installation manual can be [downloaded]).
The SD Card file system implementation is DOS based and is compatible with systems which can read or write to FAT16 or FAT32 media. The vDriveZX supports SD Cards with a capacity of up to 32GB.
The vDriveZX adopts the MDR image format. This format is supported by popular emulators such as Spectaculator and FUSE, and in general, images created with these emulators will be compatible with the vDriveZX and vice versa. MDR images can be formatted, saved to, read from and erased by standard Interface 1 commands on real Spectrum hardware. The write protect flag is fully supported.
Works With:
As well as the standard 16K and 48K Spectrum ROM the vDriveZX supports the following:
– Spectrum 16K/48K standard, Gosh Wonderful and Beckman ROM
– Spectrum + standard and Spanish ROM
– 128K Spectrum (Toast rack) standard, Spanish and French ROM
– 128K Spectrum +2 (Grey) standard and Spanish ROM
– ZX Interface 1 version 1 and version 2 ROM.
– Multiface, Multiface 1 and Multiface 128.
In the 128K systems listed, both the 128K and 48K Basic modes are supported
The vDriveZX aims to take the hassle out using Microdrives and replicate what the original hardware set out to do.
vDriveZX can also provide a simple way of preserving existing cartridge contents, ensuring that future cartridge wear and tear is kept to a minimum.
The result is a unique solution that will hopefully go some way to provide the original Microdrive experience for the Spectrum.
- Note: Requires a Sinclair Interface 1 and an SD card (sold separately).
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