Bytedelight DivMMC Enjoy Black and DivMMC Enjoy Mini

Ben Versteeg from Bytedelight has sent me his new line of DivMMC products. Oryginal DivMMC was done by Mario Prato back in 2013, since then Ben made several versions of his DivMMC including these two newest: DivMMC Enjoy Black 2017 and DivMMC Enjoy Mini. Both units work under ESXDOS 0.8.5 – for full features see here. Maybe I will go for article about how to use more from the DivMMC and ESXDOS then just enter to load game form SD card.

Top of actual line product is dual slot DivMMC Enjoy Black 2017.2 which one has also switchable joystick interface able to work as Sinclar or more popular Kempston (so allowing to use any Atari Commodore, Amiga joystick) standards. For some of you that prefer SD over microSD – this one has regular size SD slot, so you can easy put the card into laptop SD reader port without any adapter that you have to remember about (but adapter is always included with microSD card so it’s just matter of having that around you).

I got Enjoy Black version in nice 3d printed case. It looks good with all ZX Spectrums, but best of all – works great with them. On the side we have set of dip switches allowing us to choose Spectrum model, switch off joystick port, or turn the DivMMC into flash mode (if we need to reprogram it). For so much options it could be mess to remember so Ben put a nice sticker with all dipswitch options described.

During last few days I have tried this unit with grey 128k +2, 128k +3, toastrack 128k, old rubber 16k issue 2, 48k issue 6a, so let’s say most of models that make difference when using with this kind of unit. None of my computers has problem with M1 line in Z80, so DivMMC Enjoy was working flawlessly. Switchable joystick port is nice addition, aspecially for computers without any joystick interface so, every before grey 128k +2. As mentioned in manual included with the unit – it won’t work with Investronica ZX Spectrum 128k.

Working with DivMMC Enjoy is really easy and painless: setup dipswitch up to your model, plugin this into nonworking computer (!!!) – so basically for 16k/48k and 128k +2 grey have switches 3-5 are off/top, toastrack has 4th switch on (down), +2a/3 models has 3rd switch on (down).

Two colour leds show unit status – lower one shows cards – red for card2, blue for card1, top one shows power on.

Basically using the unit looks like: after hooking it to your speccy, you gonna turn speccy on, the ESXDOS boots, recognizing the card(s) and you see copyright screen. This is user0 mode. 128k programs and games works, but it’s not working in 128k BASIC.

For playing around you will use two buttons on the unit: reset and NMI. Reset is what you are missing on your rubber 48k, NMI button invokes EXSDOS menu. I have switched to my card as I have more demos and software on the card over the card included with the unit. ESXDOS emulates tape and provides additional commands to use under BASIC, but one feature is really worth mentioning: snapshots of speccy’s memory. Imagine playing game and possibility to make save anytime, then continue from that point. In the past – Multiface interface have to be involted and these snapshots required to have multiface plugged. ESXDOS with DivMMC create .sna files that can be run on most of Speccy’s emulators like ZX Spin, Spectaculator or Fuse.

Still – has no idea of use of two slot cards, but it’s matter of time 🙂

2nd unit is small version of DivMMC Enjoy – called Mini, without any additional features from its big brother. No joystick, no case, no 2nd card slot. Simple small unit. Work as well as big brother, so when you will need this one against top model?

  • if you own 128k +2 or later model you already have joystick ports (Sinclair ones), so matter of converter Sinclar>Kempston, which is bargain cost like 5-9 EUR.
  • if you donot need two slots and bigger unit on back of your unit and you want to spend less for that kind of equipment for your retro ZX Spectrum
  • I have found that due to it’s size this one can be really nice to put inside the cut down mod of 128k +2 and have all-in-one.

When I have connected it to my black +2a unit first thought was: it will be pain to remove – that was my experience with other short vertical mount interfaces, but – surprisingly not. The connector is not working too hard when dismounting unit.

What can be problematic is the SD card is sticking out…

So I have picked up my Macbookpro SD adapter… and that’s it – if it’s problem – find cutdown SD card adapter like this one:

Summing up: unless M1 problem in your Z80 processor both models will play nice with your ZX Spectrum.

Actually played with both units during Warsaw Retro Meetup last saturday and had no single problem with them.

Both units has 128KB RAM inside, by per request Ben mentioned it can be raised to 512KB.

Bytedelight.com

DivMMC Enjoy Black 2017.2 in webshop

DivMMC Enjoy Mini in webshop

DivMMC Black Enjoy 2017.1 and Mini
  • 10/10
    compatibility - 10/10
  • 10/10
    additional features (switchable joystick port - 10/10
  • 10/10
    easy of use / need special skills at start - 10/10
  • 10/10
    support from producer / manual with the unit - 10/10
  • 8/10
    price - 8/10
9.6/10

Summary

Pros:
two slots SD cards
dual type (Sinclair and Kempston) joystick port! (actually first modern unit that has it)
easy config, easy using of dipswitch
sticker with all options over dipswitches on the side of unit
nice 3d printed case
dipswitches and printout of options on the unit

Minors:
lack of extension thru port, this is closed-end unit
SC card is sticking out maybe too much

Sending
User Review
9.5/10 (2 votes)