Why Modify the +2A/B or +3?

Why Modify the +2A/B or +3?

I recently noticed that even owners of these machines do not necessarily know the point of the modifications that people keep writing about. Therefore, I would like to outline the reasons in plain layman's terms:

First of all, a standard modification adapts the joystick ports back to the old Sinclair standard, as the newer machines feature their own proprietary pinout that only accepts dedicated joysticks. Once the modification is done, standard Atari-norm joysticks (such as the Quickshot II) can be plugged in again (this applies to the grey +2 as well, by the way).

Secondly, the expansion port was altered, meaning that all older interfaces can only be operated via an adapter, the so-called "Fixer" — and who actually has one of those besides Plus D owners? After the modification, this potential point of failure can be eliminated (the more connectors you stack, the higher the risk of loose contacts). I am not aware of any interface that actually requires the new pinout standard.

Thirdly, there are differences in the ROM which I don't know the exact details of, but which are explicitly pointed out in some demos. The mod brings this back up to the old standard as well.

Once all of this is done, you end up, in my opinion, with the Spectrum that has the best keyboard and the greatest capabilities. If anyone misses the old BASIC keywords on the keyboard, both Fred Dürkes (head of the SUC club) and I can offer adhesive overlays that bring all keywords back when applied to the keys (mine are slightly more expensive, but in full color).

I would also like to mention that another club member once bought a huge pile (around 25 units) of +2A/B machines at a computer flea market. They were sold as defective, but clearly had merely been used by misinformed owners. Every single one of these computers worked flawlessly! The only likely reason they were given away: people plugged in an old interface or a regular joystick and were baffled by the results.

Personally, I was surprised that none of the machines were actually destroyed, because if you connect something like a Plus D without an adapter, the ULA can easily go belly-up, as they say around here. And while the ULA in these computers is a reliable workhorse in normal operation, once it is blown, finding a replacement is nearly impossible.

To sum up: anyone who owns one of these models should not hesitate to have it modified (or do it themselves using club documentation), because it is only after the mod that the computer truly becomes usable.

— P.C.R.

Note by L.C.D.:

Many thanks, Peter. I completely share your opinion regarding the modification. I have already converted my own +2A as far as the expansion port is concerned. However, I didn't bother with the joystick rewiring or the ROM replacement, because I honestly prefer playing on the keyboard rather than with a joystick (at the times of day I usually play, microswitches are not advisable — they are far too loud!).

Besides, some games and demos only run on the +2A/+3 (I'll Die from Russia, for example). Whether that is due to the ROM or the ULA, I cannot say for sure. However, the Amstrad ULA does have one crucial advantage: the interrupt vector can be placed below 128 without corrupting the display, even though the ULA itself runs slightly slower. Another plus: both horizontal and vertical paging are possible — that is, mapping a RAM bank into the bottom 16K instead of the ROM.

Personally, though, I still prefer using the original 128k toastrack; it also fits so nicely inside a PC case. In the end, it's all a matter of taste.