vDrive ZX - Microdrive Hardware Emulator

The vDriveZX provides hardware emulation for up to eight microdrives and includes a comprehensive toolkit for managing microdrive cartridge images stored on the SD card. The vDriveZX simply connects to your Interface 1, either with your existing microdrives or alone. An existing Microdrive enclosure (not included) is used to house the vDriveZX (the installation manual can be downloaded)(https://vdrivezx.com/downloads)).

The SD card file system implementation is based on DOS and is compatible with systems that can read or write to FAT16 or FAT32 media. The vDriveZX supports SD cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB.

The vDriveZX adopts the MDR image format. This format is supported by popular emulators such as Spectaculator and FUSE and generally images created with these emulators are compatible with vDriveZX and vice versa. MDR images can be formatted, saved, read and deleted using standard Interface 1 commands on real Spectrum hardware. The write-protect flag is fully supported.

In addition to 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 (Gray) Standard and Spanish ROM

- ZX Interface 1 Version 1 and Version 2 ROM.

- Multiface Multiface 1 and Multiface 128

Any combination of Spectrum and Interface 1 ROM listed above is supported. For the 128K systems listed, both 128K and 48K base modes are supported.

The goal of the vDriveZX is to simplify the use of microdrives and reproduce what the original hardware was intended to do.

The vDriveZX also provides an easy way to preserve existing cartridge contents, ensuring future cartridge wear is kept to a minimum.

The result is a unique solution that will hopefully help deliver the original Microdrive experience to the Spectrum.