1. Introduction

ZxLink is a multipurpose utility for connecting your ZX Spectrum 48K/128K/+3 (8-bit home computers made by Sir Clive Sinclair) to computer running UNIX. It is intended for those who prefer "the real thing" instead of emulators. Exchange of Spectrum programs via Internet is easier today than on the ancient times. ZxLink will help some Speccy owners to enjoy these new resources.

1.1. Registration

ZxLink is free, but still copyrighted (see file COPYRIGHT). You can give it to anybody if you not change, or remove anything from the package. However, I spent a lot of my spare time on developing ZxLink and also money for buying Spectrums, so every donation is welcomed. If you like this program, you should at least send the author a postcard.

If you want to pay a desired value of money or send me spare Spectrum parts please contact me by email. At the moment of writing (June 2001) my email address is zxlink@zx-spectrum.net.

Future versions of ZxLink may not be free at all.

1.2. Distribution

The latest news and files are always available from ZxLink's homepage. This page gets updated at least every week, sometimes even every day.

http://www.zx-spectrum.net/zxlink/

Every version comes with a compiled in expiration date. If your version has expired get a new one (if available) or register your copy of ZxLink!

1.3. Reporting bugs

You are welcome to send notes/bug-reports to me. But please check if not already in the list (TODO), or if it was not just a misunderstanding - otherwise, I may probably not find time to do anything else than reading mails in the future :-)

To report a bug send a mail to zxlink-bug@zx-spectrum.net. Be sure to include a short description of your system together with the bug report itself.

1.4. Credits

Thanks are due to lots of people, including:

Tomaz Kac (tomaz.kac@uni-mb.si) for giving me the source of HypraLoader.

Staffan Kjerrstrom (skjerrst@senet.abb.se) for giving me permission to distribute parts of his MOY package (Revision 1.0 1994) along with ZxLink.

Tero Turtiainen for porting Tomaz Kac's PlayTZX to Linux.

Martijn van der Heide for the permission to use TAPER's snapshot-to-tape converter.

2. Using the program

2.1. Requirements

Spectrum 48K with Interface 1 or Spectrum 128K/+3.
Workstation/PC with UNIX/Linux.
Cable for RS232 link and/or cable for audio link.

2.2. Options

ZxLink accepts the following options:

-h, --help

Display the help message.

-v, --version

Display version number and expiration date.

-q, --quiet

        Quiet mode: don not print verbose messages.  Useful when using ZxLink
        in Shell scripts.

-d. --device

        ZxLink has been compiled to use '/dev/ttyS0' and '/dev/audio'.  However,
        if your devices are named different, use this option to specify the
        device name to use instead.

-s, --speed

Speed to use on serial device.

-c, --count

        Number of bytes to transfer over serial device.
        Default: all

-p, --put
-g, --get

        Specify direction of data transfer for serial transmission.
        Default: put

-a, --audio

        Transfer the file in Spectrum's tape format via audio device.  ZxLink
        uses the serial device for transmissions by default.

-m, --sample

Sample rate to use on audio device.

-f, --from
-t, --to

        Tape blocks (1...n) to transfer via audio device.
        Default: all

2.3. Serial transfer

To learn about serial transfer of programs and data to and from the Spectrum consult the Interface I manual at

http://www.madhippy.com/8-bit/sinclair/zxif1micro.html#chapter8

and the Spectrum +3 manual at

http://www.madhippy.com/8-bit/sinclair/zxspec3man/chapter8pt21.html

3. Serial cable

I use two serial cables because I connect either a Spectrum 48K with an Interface 1 or a Spectrum +3 to my PC. The first cable connects the Interface 1 with the PC. The second cable connects the Spectrum +3 to the first cable. Got the point?

+3 IF1 IF1 PC

  +12V (1)------(9)          RxD (2)------(2)  TxD
  DTR  (2)------(5)          TxD (3)------(3)  RxD
  CTS  (3)------(4)          CTS (4)------(20) DTR
  TxD  (4)------(3)          DTR (5)------(5)  CTS
  RxD  (5)------(2)          GND (7)------(7)  GND
  GND  (6)------(7)          +9V (9)------ n.c.

Don't comment to me if you find the names at the Interface I side funny. I didn't invent them, they come straight out of Clive's "Microdrive and Interface 1 manual" page 49.