🇺🇦 Славутич (Slavutich): Part 2 (Loading Cassette Software) [TCE #0493]
29This machine has a been a little neglected - it simply worked, but the pinouts for the cassette input were not obvious, so I never got that far. Time to do some work.
The membrane keyboard works nicely ... but is absolutely no good for arcade games, with my fingers constantly moving from the centre of the key. Definitely requires a joystick.
I tried out the following software:
16:40 ... Jetpack Jock (2020, cassette)
21:20 ... Rodmän (2018, cassette)
25:30 ... Rebelstar II (1988, cassette)
31:00 ... The Rocky Horror Show (1985, cassette)
38:20 ... Sanxion The Spectrum Remix (2023, WAV)
To get a WAV file to load via Audacity I had to set the gain to -6dB and the volume to 50%.
The 7-pin DIN pinout for the cassette (labelled "МАГ") seems to be:
Pin 1 = out (i.e. MIC)
Pin 2 = out
Pin 3 = in (i.e. EAR)
Pin 4 = GND
Pin 5 = in
Pin 6 = n/c
Pin 7 = n/c
I will next try to create a 7-pin DIN to DE9 converter cable so I can connect an Atari-style joystick.
Some troubleshooting videos (I think) on this machine (in Russian, I think) by@funoldgamer:
https://youtu.be/FyZvRF6kdrI
From Part 1 video:
This neat little видеоигра (video game), a.k.a. a Sinclair ZX Spectrum clone, is from Kyiv in post-Soviet/independent Ukraine, built in February 1993.
It features a good quality metal case and a membrane keyboard. It uses a genuine Zilog Z80 but otherwise has Soviet-era parts. They didn't skimp on decoupling capacitors in this build (they sometimes only have one for every two chips, for example).
Interestingly it uses 7-pin DIN sockets for everything, including the power supply which is simply +5VDC (no regulator required).
It has no internal speaker so an external one is required (output via the video output port).
The expansion port is implemented using a 2x32 pin connector (Soviet part СНП58-64).
On boot the machine's copyright message states:
"(c) 1993 SLAVUTICH Kiev KRZ"
The 7-pin DIN video pinout is similar to the Орель БК08 (Orel BK08):
Pin 1 = audio
Pin 2 = video (synch)
Pin 3 = blue
Pin 4 = green
Pin 5 = red
Pin 6 = ground
Pin 7 = n/c
The 7-pin power input (labelled "ПИТ"):
Pins 1/2/3 = ground
Pins 4/5 = +5VDC
Pins 6/7 = n/c
Manual for the machine:
http://retro-pc.net/computers/slavutuch/index.php
End screen song is "Calling You" from White Bat 37 by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio (@WhiteBatAudio):
https://karlcasey.bandcamp.com
https://www.youtube.com/whitebataudio