Compatible with BX-24

[kurakaira]

I was just wondering if anyone uses the reset and unregulated voltage input ?
I have used more than 25x ZX-24's without ever using reset or the unregulated input .
Is the compatibility with BX-24 necessary these days ?
I would like to see 2 more I/O pins in the future ...

[dkinzer]

I was just wondering if anyone uses the reset and unregulated voltage input ?

In my applications, I often use the reset input connected to a momentary switch. Simple applications often use the unregulated input while more complex applications with external chips that also need +5V are probably more likely to power the ZX with regulated voltage.

Is the compatibility with BX-24 necessary these days ?

The 24-pin format was originally introduced by Parallax for the BS-2. There are probably more BS-2 devices in the field than BX-24 and there is some value in maintaining pin compatibility.

If you need more pins, moving to a 40-pin device (e.g. ZX-40n) would be a bigger gain (30 I/O pins) and would cost less, too. The additional circuitry required for the 40-pin devices is inexpensive and not particularly complicated. Further, the ZX-40 Interface Kit is a convenient way to implement the external circuitry.

Another alternative would be the ZX-328n which offers 18 I/O pins. You could also consider the Oak Micros devices.