Kobrasoft

Transfers most ZX Spectrum tapes to disc including fast loaders, pulsed, countdown and multi-block.

David Ledbury, Darren Blackburn

David Ledbury, Darren Blackburn

Darren Blackburn

ZAT (as in Z80) was originally a paper based magazine for the ZX Spectrum and Sam Coupé.

Created by David Ledbury, and Run by Darren Blackburn until Issue 15 where editorial dutes went fully to David Ledbury.

Contributers included Daniel Cannon, Mike AJ, Guy Middleton and Andy Davis.

SD Software

Nev Young

The Hard Disc OS for the SD IDE Interface.

Tragedy struck for HDOS when the source was lost in a drive crash on one of Nev’s machines:

Quote from Format Vol 12 No 2 (Jan 1999) from Bob Brenchley:

Nev Young wrote HDOS using a C compiler on the PC which was designed to produce Z80 object code as its output. This was by far the most efficient way to write the operating system, I know because Nev and I talked it over on the telephone and in person for many (many) hours. However, due to a faulty hard drive on the PC, the C source for HDOS no longer exists.

SD Software

Nev Young

The first IDE interface for the Coupé, ran under HDOS

All my SAM stuff may be freely downloaded and used.

Not entirely sure as to the copyright on Sophistry, since I programmed it but it was a port from the Speccy version. As far as I’m concerned, have it!

Paul Thomas

Reseller of Coupés and related hardware, member of Team Sam

Sam and ZX Spectrum utility software house.

Kobrasoft

DICE stands for Disk Information Copier Editor.

SAMDICE is a powerful yet easy to operate utility for use with the SAM Coupe disk system. It combines simple automatic operations for the novice with full analyser and editor facilities for the more experienced SAMDOS user.

Features:

Read Disk Sectors - Data displayed in Hex and ASCII with cursor readouts of byte (binary & decimal), word (decimal), line disassembly and BASIC token.
Modify Disk Sectors - Input in alphanumeric, decimal or hexadecimal
Supports most 3.5” Double Density Disk formats
Analyser to examine and edit non standard sectors
Access any part of the Disk - by Track and Sector or Cursor Keys
Back-up Disk Files - Copies all or selected files, unfragments files(unless copying to a fragmented target disk)
Full Directory Listing - including hidden and erased files
Automatically locates the start of a selected file’s data
Automatically follows file data via fragmented sectors
Automatically assesses whether an erased file can be recovered
Single key press to recover (unerase) files
Recover lost data from part files or disks with defective directories
Erase single or multiple files by cursor selection
Rename files (checks for duplicate filenames)
Set/cancel file attributes
Move files within the Directory
Read file headers and displays file type and details
Graphic and numeric display of file location and disk space used
Graphic and numeric display of overall disk space used
Print out of HEX/ASCII sector data
Fast disk search for a string of up to 10 bytes in length.
Format whole Disk and single Tracks
Displays DOS error warnings with permanent reminder
Check Disk with option to lock out defective sectors
Decimal/Hexadecimal convertor (0-65535 0000-FFFF)
Confirmation checks before writing to Disk
Easy single key selections from menus

PDF manual scan at http://www.samcoupe-pro-dos.co.uk

SD Software

Nev Young

Sam IBU (Incremental Backup Utility)

Disk backup program that kept a record of changed sectors (if memory serves) and backed up only the changing data, allowing a backup to be made incrementally from an initial first backup.

Big Nev.

Coder, Hardware Guru and a thoroughly nice chap.

First came into contact with MGT through Format after buying a DISCiPLE interface for my ZX Spectrum. As a software engineer and systems tester I used my knowledge to debug some of the many irritating bugs in the disciple, and later PlusD, ROMs.

Wrote a couple of simple utilities for my own benefit and was persuaded by Bob Brenchley to start SD Software (he thought of the name) to sell them. Later wrote the help page for Format for a couple of years. Nearly went bankrupt after funding the production of UNIDOS, written by Steve Warr, for the disciple and PlusD when a major flaw was found with the first shipping that required almost all ROMs to be replaced, free of charge, when a fix had been applied. SD Software supported several independent coders, on a royalty per sale basis, until it folded due to lack of sales, when it was sold to Format, who ran it until its demise.

Had some great times down at MGT in Swansea during the design and testing of SAM where I annoyed Dr Andy Wright by breaking his ROM as I tested them to try and debug them. I don’t think we did too badly. That’s how I got my hands on SAM #3.

Main contributions to the SAM were the design and production of the IDE hard drive interface, based on a design for the spectrum by (can’t remember). I wrote HDOS to drive the interface. Again almost went broke due to a recall required to have extra chips fitted. Never did manage to break even on that project. The SAM community preferred the ATOM and so when the sources for HDOS were lost due to a PC crash I just gave it up.