| Developed by Romantic Robot, the Multiface Interface(s) connect to the edge connector of the ZX Spectrum, and provide a wide range of additional features, including a Kempston-compatible Joystick connector. Several different models were produced for use with different systems, as indicated by their names.
The Multiface requires no system memory; it has 8K EPROM and 8K RAM available on-board (Multiface 1 has 2K RAM only), and needs no software to operate. One of the most appealing features is the ability to transfer programs to Microdrive, Disk, Wafadrive or Tape easily and quickly; saved programs can be compressed, and can be re-loaded without a Multiface being attached. In addition, it is possible to read through the contents of memory at any time, making the Multiface popular with games players and developers alike.
At the push of a button it allows you to backup your programs to disc (Discovery One or Beta), microdrive, or Wafadrive, with other disc systems to follow. It also provides facilities to POKE areas of memory for high score POKEs or to see what is there. Multiface is so called because it can do more than just backup programs. It has a built-in Kempston compatible joystick port and a composite video monitor socket. Inside there is 8K of RAM which is available as, for example, a RAM disc or somewhere to keep a monitor or short machine code routines. Its main use, however, will be as a backup device and as such it is very successful. It cannot backup programs to hardware where the program specifically looks for that hardware and does not run properly if it is connected - such as Elite and the Beta Plus - but it can, for example, backup the same program to microdrive. To be able to get more programs onto one microdrive cartridge the Multiface uses some impressive compression techniques. Compression rates of over 50 per cent are possible with some programs. | 
Retro Computing
