Up until now, I used a Commodore 64 -themed memory stick as the drive for Retro Games' The Spectrum. Obviously it sticks out like a sore thumb drive.
It took a while before I bothered to look for a better alternative. Eventually I ordered an "Eletra Nano" USB memory, 32GB (USB 2.0). The memory size is acceptable, and with this I mean it's not too much! I wouldn't want an overkill of space, as the emulator files tend to be 48K or less and I don't even want all of them on the stick.
I don't mind the 2.0 protocol because the drive doesn't have to shift large files.
Smaller, virtually invisible memory sticks exist, but this is still easy to pull out with fingers. The colour, shape and styling are quite compatible with the Sinclair.
Importantly, it works. Format with FAT32 and move all the files from the other stick to this drive. Then insert it in The Spectrum and go.
Previously, I've discussed the modification of a vintage Kempston/Sound interface to give a more full 1980s experience to The Spectrum. The sound interface side is still under consideration.
If I really wanted I could have created space under the "Kempston" interface, camouflaging the memory stick entirely. But I'd rather avoid any accidental physical contact with the memory stick, even if crashes related to extension wobble might be period authentic.
Heh. Yeah, nostalgia does have its limits. Though it approaches certainty that there'll never be a "The ZX-81" retro-release anyway -- the games were never there.
ReplyDeleteAlso recently dawned on me (after years of denial) that it was clearly the useless computer being used as a doorstop by the police in "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency". (Kind of a low blow by Adams, though; Sir Clive was one of his biggest fans.)