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Thread: New ZX Spectrum

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    Hardware New ZX Spectrum

    So by now most of us will have heard of the various 'New' Spectrums, the Vega etc but this project is something very different! A new Spectrum, not just a clone, bluetooth keyboard or cut down version of the original.

    I've signed up for their newsletter so I can be notified of when the Crowdfunding campaign starts.

    Screenshot at 2016-10-03 10:05:25.png

    http://www.specnext.com/

    The Spectrum Next is fully implemented with FPGA technology, ensuring it can be upgraded and enhanced while remaining truly compatible with the original hardware by using special memory chips and clever design. Here’s what under the hood of the machine:



    • Processor: Z80 3.5Mhz and 7Mhz modes
    • Memory: 512Kb RAM
    • Video: ULAplus featuring expanded video modes and colours
    • Video Output: RGB, VGA, mini HDMI
    • Storage: SD Card slot, with DivMMC-compatible protocol
    • Audio: AY-3-8912 or FM2149 audio chips (selectable) with stereo output
    • Joystick: DB9 compatible with Cursor and Interface 2 protocols (selectable)
    • PS/2 port: Mouse with Kempston mode emulation or an external keyboard
    • Extras: Multiface functionality for memory access, savegames, cheats etc.
    • Tape support: Mic and Ear ports for tape loading and saving
    • Expansion: Original external bus expansion port and accelerator expansion port
    • Accelerator board: GPU / 1Ghz CPU / 512Mb RAM


    The machine has been designed by Rick Dickinson, and if you know your Sinclair history you will know he is a design genius and he was responsible for the design of the ZX80, ZX81, ZX Spectrum, Plus and QL. The rest of the team behind the project are an impressive bunch.

    http://www.specnext.com/
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    I love the look of this, very similar to the Spectrum+ that I had. I'll be honest though I can't see too many people spending around £100 on a new spectrum.
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    It's great that people still have the passion and will to do things like this. However, after many years of "going back to the classics" I've decided I can't stomach any games older than 1990.

    Controls, sound, graphics are just so bad that the nostalgia feeling quickly turns in to a, "WTF did I ever see in this?" feeling.

    It's like watching a re-run of your childhood cartoons. Unbearable!

    The one exception I make is Wonder Boy in Monster Land on MAME. I run through this game almost every day. Hard to believe it was first released on arcade in 1987!!

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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    This looks lovely. High quality build and looks like plenty of thought has gone into it... but... it's a ZX Spectrum. I can understand MAME because of it's flexibility but Speccy games were pretty bad and looking back at them now I recognize that without this generation of computers gaming would not be where it is now but I really don't want to be playing Horace goes Skiing or faffing around in such a low resolution with bad sound. It's the sort of thing I would use once and shove in the closet for the rest of eternity.

    I was/am a huge fan on the old Amiga computers and I've used UAE a few times over the years to have a blast on Xenon 2 and watching the old group demos etc but I can't really be bothered going to Spectrum/C64/Amstrad generation... I know people that lap this stuff up but it's not for me. I want holograms in my living room and full spatial Dolby Atmos audio with neural linked HID to control everything - not C15s with games that take 10 minutes to load with horrible whiny noises from the tape player
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by EvilBoB View Post
    This looks lovely. High quality build and looks like plenty of thought has gone into it... but... it's a ZX Spectrum. I can understand MAME because of it's flexibility but Speccy games were pretty bad and looking back at them now I recognize that without this generation of computers gaming would not be where it is now but I really don't want to be playing Horace goes Skiing or faffing around in such a low resolution with bad sound. It's the sort of thing I would use once and shove in the closet for the rest of eternity.

    I was/am a huge fan on the old Amiga computers and I've used UAE a few times over the years to have a blast on Xenon 2 and watching the old group demos etc but I can't really be bothered going to Spectrum/C64/Amstrad generation... I know people that lap this stuff up but it's not for me. I want holograms in my living room and full spatial Dolby Atmos audio with neural linked HID to control everything - not C15s with games that take 10 minutes to load with horrible whiny noises from the tape player
    Lol, that's exactly what I want.
    To be fair this has new sound chip and ULAplus meaning you have 260 colours with up to 64 on screen at once. New palette files are available for old games, so you can enhance the graphics.

    https://sites.google.com/site/ulaplus/home

    I think what made the Speccy so popular (apart from being cheap!) was the playability of games.
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    I just wanna play Ultimate games again! [emoji106]
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    I'd buy one no problem.

    I'm sure there's a similar project about that also uses this sort of architecture (without the nice box) but can't remember what it's called...

    **edit** found it ... http://zxuno.speccy.org
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    Default New ZX Spectrum

    After reading about this yesterday I ended up playing Manic Miner on the PSP for about ten minutes and then got bored. Fuse is a pretty decent Speccy emulator if you have a PSP and because of the screen size the low resolution isn't an issue.

    When I first got it one of the first games I downloaded for it was Head Over Heels and played it to completion. I think this is one game that still stands up playability wise.
    For me the PSP handles most of my 8-bit emulation needs,
    I ended up playing Zelda DX after my dabble with Manic Miner for a good hour yesterday and I'll be carrying on with it later today.

    It will certainly be interesting to see the recoloured games that they mention but even though it's only £100 I couldn't justify it to myself. It's 'only' a spectrum!
    Last edited by funkyg; 4th October 2016 at 09:09 AM.
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    £100 for a spectrum is cheap! Even back in the day they were more than that.

    I might be up for it, only thing puts me off is I don't have time to play games of any nature. Or read a book, have a wank or much else these days lol.


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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    I like this. I've spent last Sunday trawling my local boot fair hoping some mug would have one for a fiver...Fuckers didn't have anything.

    Only usefull thing I saw was an original NES, but it was a bare console and felt rather light. Not held a real one so don't know what they'd weigh but this felt empty.

    My interest is mainly from a programming point of view. But a little manic miner/jet set willy wouldn't go amiss

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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    I'll defo be buying one, it would be rude not to add to the collection of Spectrum's I already have.

    This is next on my list of games to play:

    https://plus.google.com/+Villordsutch/posts/bchPrDCcVC7
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Fancy a bit of the old mono 3D puzzlers myself. Knightlore, Alien 8, Batman, Head Over Heels etc. Also Magic Knight series, and actually the more I think about it, loads more....


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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by doughboy View Post
    I like this. I've spent last Sunday trawling my local boot fair hoping some mug would have one for a fiver...Fuckers didn't have anything.

    Only usefull thing I saw was an original NES, but it was a bare console and felt rather light. Not held a real one so don't know what they'd weigh but this felt empty.

    My interest is mainly from a programming point of view. But a little manic miner/jet set willy wouldn't go amiss
    yeah a NES weighs practically nothing, and inside theirs not a lot


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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by DJ Overdose View Post
    Fancy a bit of the old mono 3D puzzlers myself. Knightlore, Alien 8, Batman, Head Over Heels etc. Also Magic Knight series, and actually the more I think about it, loads more....


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    Jeez I'd forgotten all about Alien8. Ultimate at their best imo.
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by funkyg View Post
    Jeez I'd forgotten all about Alien8. Ultimate at their best imo.
    Knight Lore was the original - always remember the first time I saw that!
    Even the loading screens gave me an orgasm! [emoji23][emoji23]
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Knight lore was the first isometric ultimate game but I'd agree Alien8 or perhaps Nightshade were the best. The best isometric game imo was head over heels with an honourable mention for sweevo's world
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by maltloaf View Post
    Knight lore was the first isometric ultimate game but I'd agree Alien8 or perhaps Nightshade were the best. The best isometric game imo was head over heels with an honourable mention for sweevo's world
    My long time memory of the Ultimate games was the size of the sodding box the tape came in. Totally messed up my shelf
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by Mystical_2K View Post
    yeah a NES weighs practically nothing, and inside theirs not a lot

    Nintendo combatted piracy but putting half the console in the cartridge. This is why the games cost so much. I remembering buying SF2 for £70! crazy prices even by today's standards. About 2 weeks later I bought a Super Wild Card from a chap called Nikki Lee in China and saved myself a fortune
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Quote Originally Posted by EvilBoB View Post
    My long time memory of the Ultimate games was the size of the sodding box the tape came in. Totally messed up my shelf
    Brilliant - the subliminal advertising too for weeks beforehand
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    Default Re: New ZX Spectrum

    Gauntlet was epic as well on the speccy. Had extra tapes with extra levels as well.


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