I'm working on a document that describes how to make a composite video output on the ZX Spectrum +2A / +2B / +3.

The document also describes how to enhance the composite video signal on the 128K heatsink model and grey +2.

Here's a half finished version: I hope to have the complete document ready next week.

Click here to download the document

Allthough this weblog is mainly for retro computer related things, once in a while I have something to report about modern computers ;)

This time about the mobile internet stick and subscription from Vodafone.


No Windows 7 support with Vodafone Mobile Connect 9.4.3 and the K3765 USB stick
I received the (as it seemed newest) USB stick with documentation last friday.
On the stick there is already some software that auto-starts when it's plugged in. So normally you should not need anything else except for the stick, to start surfing.



But, as you may know, I am already using Windows 7 on a lot of my machines, and also installed the retail version on various computers from others (I sell computers as one of my hobbies).

So the stick did not work on Windows7... :(


Calling the Vodafone helpdesk
After a few days of experimenting with various settings, and googling around, I decided to call the Vodafone helpdesk (I don't do that a lot, calling helpdesks ;) ).

The main anwser was that there is currently no support for Windows7 in combination with the stick I received, the blue K3765.
Support should arrive with Vodafone Mobile Connect software version 9.4.4, still unavailable.


Finding version 9.4.4
So I already had some scenario's in mind, installing XP on my netbook in the meantime, maybe a dualboot, you know what I mean.
But I thought: let's try once more to google for this new version, 9.4.4.
And to my surprise the Italian website from Vodafone already released this version!

Here's the URL (click on it):
http://www.areaprivati.vodafone.it/190/ ... ip_md=true

So I downloaded and installed that version, and voila, the K3765 is detected.


Getting rid of Ras-error 635
Still, when I tried to connect, I got a 'RAS-error 635' or something.
I called Vodafone once again, and the solution is:
1. Try to create a new mobile connection profile with default settings.
and / or:
2. Remove the installed network driver for the modem: the modem is installed as both modem and as network adapter. The Vodafone Mobile Connect software can only handle the modem-driver at the moment.
So I had to delete the network adapter, and after that I could connect to the internet with succes! And 3G!

Edit: Disabling the modem-driver should solve the problem once and for all, but you will have to disable the modem for each different USB port you connect the dongle to!!


So I'm a happy user of a netbook (MSI Wind U90, 80GB, 1GB, Atom 330) with Windows 7 (32 bit, Release Candidate) and fast mobile internet! What does a tweaker (Dutch word for computer nerd) as myself want more!


Not the best netbook to see, but for less than 150 euro and after installing Windows 7, I really like this little creature!

;)

Please let me know if this info helped you to solve your problem, by leaving a comment!

I did some Google Translate work on the DivIDE manual to please the German Sinclair users amongst us!

So here is the German version of the DivIDE manual !

Anyone who is willing to improve and correct this document, please do so and send it to me (ask for my email adress with the Contact Me form on the right please).

Just got an email from Pavel Urbancik from the Czech Republic, pointing me to his website about the development of a serial interface for the ZX Spectrum which also is able to connect a Ethernet module to.

Some software is already available, so check out the info:
http://sif.itherm.cz/

Because of the continuing interest in the DivIDE interface (and I must also note that the PC Keyboard interface and K-Mouse are also selling well!), I ordered parts for 50 more DivIDE interfaces!

The first 25 must be ready in a week or three, and my experience is that always something goes wrong, so please be a little patient.

In the meantime I've put another DivIDE offer on eBay, for the remaining interfaces that are on stock now:
http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 0423618129

Because of additional costs I had to make, I had to raise the prices a bit:
- DivIDE complete with 512MB card, adapter and cable: 45 GBP
- K-Mouse Interface: 32.50 GBP
- PC Keyboard Interface: 32.50 GBP
- K-Mouse + PC Keyboard Interface: 62.50 GBP
- DivIDE complete + K-Mouse Turbo interface: 75 GBP
- DivIDE complete + PC Keyboard Interface: 75 GBP
- DivIDE complete + K-Mouse Turbo (free mouse!) + PC Keyboard Interface: 105 GBP

Postage is still 8.5 GBP for Europe and 13 GBP for the rest of this little planet.

If you want to know the price in euro's, multiply the Pound amount by 1.10 please, or look up the eBay offers at your lokal eBay site: it will list the price in euro's.

To place an order directly without eBay, use the Contact Me form on the right of this weblog.
I prefer this, because it safes me money, and you can still use Paypal as safe payment method.