Welcome.
Let's explore the world of esxDOS software for ZX Spectrum 48KB, 128KB/+2A/+3 and Pentagon computers (+ compatibles, incl. eLeMeNt ZX,
Sizif-512, Omni128HQ and ZXDOS+/ZX-UNO+) with the MB03+ Ultimate interface or DivSD (DivIDE, DivMMC, DivCF) storage interfaces.
Download: 7zip archive (655.1 MiBytes, more than 16000 files), updated 2024-08-12
Copy the whole content, all directories and included files, to a FAT32 formatted CF, SD or MicroSD card. Every software package consists of single files with (or without) +3DOS FAT headers. You can copy and move these files both on your Linux, Windows or iMac computer as well as on the original ZX Spectrum and use same SD and CF cards between ZX and PC platforms.
NOTE:
There is the esxDOS v0.8.9 (SD) preinstalled on the card, in SYS and BIN directories. Do not copy (and use your own) SYS and BIN folders,
if you are using the CF-based divIDE or an older esxDOS version.
Retro-emulation files and old-storages legacy files, like TAPs or TRD images, are not needed at all, because the esxDOS supports LOAD/SAVE operations directly from/to SD and CF cards.
The HDF file is a SD card image, to be used with emulators with divSD/divIDE/esxDOS suppport:
LnxSpectrum .:.
Fuse .:.
ZEsarUX .:.
Retro Virtual Machine
HDF Tools: HDF Monkey (windows version)
The software archive consists of:
- full setup of the latest esxDOS v0.8.9 (with the auto-LOAD-colour-fix)
- 1000+ games
- demos, utilities and programs
- more DOT commands for esxDOS: OPEN, CLOSE, TAR, EXTRACT, PLAY, ...
- data files: pictures, character sets, system and game-roms, tunes etc.
- Bob Fossil´s LFN (long-filenames) Browser v1.0, 2browser and Fossimon
- extras for the eLeMeNt ZX and MB03+ Ultimate, incl. RTC.SYS file
Enhanced software for various HW add-ons (or a single MB03+ or an eLeMeNt ZX):
- Timex graphics modes (HiColor, Hires + up to 4 VideoRAMs on 128KB models)
- HiResColour graphics 512*192 pixels with 64*48 attributes
- Radastan graphics 128*96 with 16 colours from ULA+ palette
- HGFX planar and chunky graphics, HAM, SuperHiRes, PAL546 and FILL modes
- second VideoRAM on 48KB models
- ULA+ (color palette of 256 colors) and HiResindeXedColour palette (of 16777216 colours)
- enhanced GigaScreen without flickering! (also on 48KB models)
- KeyLayer: 2-screens-mix in any graphics mode via a transparent color
- ZX128 classic videoRAMs switchable from RAM pages 5&7 to pages 6&7
- COVOX, Soundrive, SpecDrum (stereo 4bit and 8bit sample based music)
- SoundDMA - 16bit and 8bit sample-based music up to 96 KHz
- General Sound (4channel stereo Amiga MOD music for ZX Spectrum)
- TurboSound AY/YM/FM chip (up to 3 sound chips and 9 channel music in total)
- Philips SAA1099 sound chip (6channel music compatible with SAM Coupe computer)
- Sound Interface Device (the fabulous SID of Commodore machines)
- CustomROM (ZXS+2A/+3 compatible ROM, also on 48KB models, 8x16KB ROM, 4x16KB + 1x64KB or 2x64KB)
- ZX128 memory, per 16KB, incl. Pentagon 128, 512, 1024 and 4096KB
- 512KB divide memory model for DivSD and DivCF
- second RAM bank of the Didaktik Gama 80KB
- smart 8KB paging system in lower RAM, 2, 4 or 16MB
- FastDMA accelerator and "legacy" Z80-DMA chip for data transfers speed-up
- 2x divSD slot, Z-Controller SD and IDE/CF slot
- support of K-Mouse, Kempston joystick with 3 buttons and Sega controlles with up to 8 buttons
- Real-Time-Clock (RTC) chip (on-line sync and times zones in firmware)
- WiFi ESP8266 module for internet connections, file transfers and printer connection
Games and programs with native esxDOS SAVE/LOAD support
esxDOS tips and hints
- alternative NMI menu: File Browser, with LFN support and plugins
- /SYS/CONFIG/ESXDOS.CFG: AutoBoot=1
loads /SYS/AUTOBOOT.BAS file only on cold start (set "2" for every warm start and "3" for both).
- /SYS/CONFIG/ESXDOS.CFG: DMA=1
speeds up data transfers on DivIDE, DivMMC and DataGear/ZX-Uno/MB03+
- TAR - fast and PC-compatible archiver for the esxDOS
- manual for the system text editor .TE
- alternative NMI menu: NMI handler and file navigator, with joystick navigation, POKE features and more
- patched, bugfixed and improved esxDOS-compatible ZX ROMs
esxDOS related webpages
DOT-commands of the esxDOS v.0.8.9
File handling
File handling 2
Media support
Emulation tools
Other commands
.CD ... change directory
.CP ... copy
.LS ... directory
.MKDIR ... make directory
.MV ... move/rename
.RM ... delete
.CHMOD ... set attributes
.FILE ... filetype info
.MORE ... view
.HEXDUMP
.HEXVIEW
.SERCP ... serial copy
.STRINGS
.TE ... text editor
.TAR ... archiver
.LAUNCHER ... links to BAS files
.PLAYPT3
.PLAYSQT
.PLAYSTC
.PLAYTFM
.PLAYWAV
.SPEAKCZ
.TSPLAY
.DIVIDEO ... divIDE only
.LSTAP
.MKTRD
.SCL2TRD
.SNAPLOAD
.TAPEIN
.TAPEOUT
.VDISK
.DSKPROBE
.LAUNCHER ... links to TAPs
.128
.CAL
.DATE
.DFWLOAD
.DRIVES
.DUMPMEM
.PARTINFO
.GRAMON
Unofficial DOT-commands for esxDOS
.CLOSE
.OPEN
.L ... smart loader
.BASINFO ... svars info
.EXTRACT
.LOAD ... BASIC in textfile
.SAVE ... BASIC in textfile
.MERGE ... BASIC in textfile
.EDIT ... hexadec. editor
.PLAY ... tunes as on the +3
.PLAYAY
.GSC ... MOD player
.TAP2MIC
.DZX7
.KZX ... view keyboard layout
.MON
.TESTRAM ... 48/128k ram tester
.ZXZVM ... z-machine player
DOT-commands for specific hardware
ZX-UNO
.MBJOY ... Kempston switch
.MBROM ... set customROM
.MBRTC ... in development
.MBSAA ... SAA1099 switch
.MBTMX ... Timex Gfx switch
.MBULA ... ULA+ switch
.TFTP
ZXDIR ROM
helps you work more comfortably in ZX BASIC and esxDOS, using these enhancements:
- DIR (renamed CAT) at the place of the COPY keyword
- tilda sign at the place of the pound sign
- abbreviated keywords (RAND, CONT, GOTO, SCR$ etc.)
- cursor movements in EDIT zone up and down
- INPUT, LET, PRINT, OUT, IN hexadecimal numbers, up to &FFFF
- several small bugs in original ROM repaired
It is a slightly patched version of the ZX Spectrum ROM and all its improvements are very small and hardly interfere with the old ZX ROM code at all, thus guarantee (unlike most modified sophisticated ROMs) a high compatibility with ZX Spectrum software.
ZXDIR ROM does not contain modified BASIC commands. Nowadays new cmds can be performed otherwise, by the esxDOS "DOT-commands" stored in the BIN system folder.
esxDOS-compatible patched ZX ROMs
Speed test (esxDOS v0.8.7): Try the HQ Digital Audio Player demo by LMN128 in the AUDIO/LMNHQDAP folder. It takes only 1:27 minutes to load 15 megabytes of data into the MB03+ in the DivMMC mode. A direct access to files stored on FAT formatted SD cards is super-fast.
Data flow with depacking (esxDOS v0.8.9): Try the This is World of Warcraft demo by Lanex in the GRAPHICS/HIRESC/WOW folder. A direct access to a 27.4 MB file stored on FAT formatted SD card makes a dataflow of about 36 KB/s (on the +2A with the MB03+) and 175 KB/s on the eLeMeNt ZX.
! comments ? questions :
8bit # samcoupe * cz