Spectravideo will not be precisely essentially the most well-known microcomputer firm, however they have been however considerably energetic within the US market from 1981 to 1988. Their computer systems nonetheless have a fanbase of customers and modders. Now, as demonstrated by [electricadventures], you possibly can really improve your historical Spectravideo machine with some trendy {hardware}.
The improve in query is the SVI-3×8 PicoExpander from [fitch]. It’s primarily based on a Raspberry Pi Pico 2W, and is constructed to work with the Spectravideo 318 and 328 machines. When you’re operating a 328, it should provide a full 96kB of extra RAM, whereas in the event you’re operating a 318, it should add 144 kB extra RAM and successfully push the system as much as 328 spec. It’s additionally able to emulating a pair of disk drives or a cassette drive, with saving and loading pictures potential over Wi-Fi.
It’s value noting, although, that the PicoExpander pushes the Pico 2W effectively past design limits, overclocking it to 300 MHz (versus the unique 150 MHz clock pace). The makers observe it’s “bleeding edge” {hardware} and that it could not final so long as the Spectravideo machines themselves.
Design recordsdata can be found on Github if you wish to spin up your individual PicoExpander, or you possibly can simply order an assembled model. We’ve seen plenty of different neat retrocomputer upgrades constructed round trendy {hardware}, too. Video after the break.
[Thanks to Stephen Walters for the tip!]
