Jester ACE . . .

What is it?

The Jester Ace is the SD card reader add-on module for the Tynemouth Software Minstrel 4th. The Minstrel 4th is a clone of a Jupiter Ace; a 1980s 8-bit home computer using the Forth programming language. For the first time, the Jester Ace allows users of the Minstrel 4th to load and save programs super fast using SD cards. The Jester Ace is available as a kit which comes with everything needed to build the module and a full 29 page manual.

The manual describes the Jester Ace, includes a command reference and build instructions. All parts are *in production* and new through hole components. The kit comes will turned pin sockets for all ICs. You will need to be able to identify the components to build this kit. This video shows, in real time, the features of the Jester Ace from loading the driver, directory and file management, to loading up your favourite programs super quick.

Why did you make it?

If, like me (Ian Jonhson), you no longer own a cassette recorder, using old 8-bit computers from the 1980s, and their clones, can be a little frustrating if you want to load and save programs. Having bought a Tynemouth Software Minstrel 4th kit I wanted to learn to program using Forth and discover how this 8-bit computer works. In order to load and save my programs I decided to design and build an SD card module. The Jester Ace is the result of this project.

What makes it special?

This is the first SD card reader for the Minstrel 4th. The Jester Ace obviates the need for a cassette recorder, and allows users to quickly locate and access programs on the SD card. The effective baud rate of the Jester Ace is 40,000bps. This baud rate is around 30 times quicker than using a cassette.The Jester Ace uses the TAP file format to store Minstrel 4th programs. Tools are made available to all Jester Ace users that allow you to easily exchange programs from the Jester Ace to Jupiter Ace emulators and visa versa. The Jupiter Ace Archive is an awesome source for software.

The available tools include:-

Convert Jupiter Ace emulator TZX files to TAP files for use with the Jester Ace,
Convert Jester Ace TAP files to TZX files for use with Jupiter Ace emulators,
Multi-program TAP file splitting,TAP file content listing, and
Decompile TAP files to Forth source code.

A repository is also accessible for you to keep up-to-date with the latest improvements to the Jester Ace firmware.

Where to get one? Get in touch with Ian Johnson at Tindie.