(A bit Off-Topic) ZX Spectrum Next

[Steve Baines]

I wasn't sure whether to post this, since it's not directly related to the RC2014.
OTOH, I'm pretty sure that a lot of people on this group will be interested in it,
(especially those in the UK), since it's still Z80 retrocomputing goodness.

Short version: FPGA reimplementation of the ZX Spectra, and ZX81,
with some respectfully applied enhancements, in a nice new case designed
by the original ZX Spectrum designer (Rick Dickinson):
- Additional video modes
- Hardware sprites
- Better audio
- 7MHz mode (in addition to standard 3.5MHz) mode.
- More RAM
- HDMI, VGA, RGB
- SD Card support for load/save (but can still tape load if you want!)

BUT, most importantly, claimed to be fully compatible with the original hardware,
to the extent that all of the hard-core demos out there will run correctly.

Unlike the Vega, and the Bluetooth keyboard, this is a real computer that can be used
as it should, not a dumbed down 'console'.

The only thing about the project that (to me, at least) feels a little odd,
is that it can also talk to an _optional_ RPi Zero as a kind of coprocessor.
Personally, I can't see that I'll be bothering with that, but...

Anyway, I have no connection with the project other than being a keen backer.

Here's the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1835143999/zx-spectrum-next

[phillip.stevens]

Short version: FPGA reimplementation of the ZX Spectra, and ZX81,
with some respectfully applied enhancements, in a nice new case designed
by the original ZX Spectrum designer (Rick Dickinson):

BUT, most importantly, claimed to be fully compatible with the original hardware,
to the extent that all of the hard-core demos out there will run correctly.

The only thing about the project that (to me, at least) feels a little odd,
is that it can also talk to an _optional_ RPi Zero as a kind of coprocessor.
Personally, I can't see that I'll be bothering with that, but...

Yes, me either. I subscribed for the Plus version, with extra RAM, and realtime clock, but I don't see the point for a "bare metal" RasPi in this kind of environment.

I think that they originally had it there to provide the HDMI interface, but when the HDMI was moved to the FPGA it sort of became an interesting (but never the less irrelevant) option.

 

Anyway, I have no connection with the project other than being a keen backer.

Here's the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1835143999/zx-spectrum-next

Also, no connection, but I think it is great to have such a machine in the wild! Endorsed!

Although I do ask the question, why do it with a FPGA when Z80 chips are still being made?

Certainly I can see the need if you're recreating a 8080 or 8008 platform, but in this case... I'm undecided.

I guess the biggest motivation is to get the BOM cost down, and possibly also to make it reliable for many years.

I just hope the Spartan VI is produced for as long as the Z80.

[Steve Baines]

On Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 12:13:38 PM UTC+1, phillip.stevens wrote:

I think that they originally had it there to provide the HDMI interface, but when the HDMI was moved to the FPGA it sort of became an interesting (but never the less irrelevant) option.

Yeah, I get that impression too.  It used to be needed, now isn't but could be of use, so now it's left as an option.

Anyway, I have no connection with the project other than being a keen backer.
Here's the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1835143999/zx-spectrum-next

Also, no connection, but I think it is great to have such a machine in the wild! Endorsed!

 

Although I do ask the question, why do it with a FPGA when Z80 chips are still being made?

Certainly I can see the need if you're recreating a 8080 or 8008 platform, but in this case... I'm undecided.

Well, I suppose because it's not just the Z80, it's the ULA and other support chips as well.
If you need an FPGA to implement those anyway, and you can fit the Z80 on there as well, then why not?
 

I guess the biggest motivation is to get the BOM cost down, and possibly also to make it reliable for many years.

I'm guessing BOM is the main thing.  But going the FPGA route also means more flexibility in future.
Although it isn't the main aim of this project (and I'm glad that the focus is that this is a Spectrum, rather than a generic machine), I can easily see this being used for quite different purposes,
such as Arcade hardware simulation, etc.

That said, it would be nice to have a 'real' Z80 in there, at least as an option. :-)

Wonder if there's enough flexibility in the design to be able to repurpose the RPi connector to instead accept a Z80 daughterboard, and use that as the CPU instead of the FPGA one.
I'm going to have to ask now...
 

I just hope the Spartan VI is produced for as long as the Z80.

 Z80 will never die.  Simple is always useful.

[Spencer Owen]

Although I haven't back the Spectrum Next yet, it's the first "new Spectrum" that I've actually been excited about :D

(The Recreated Spectrum, the Vega and the Vega Plus didn't tick enough boxes for me to back them, which is probably just as well, as they've turned in to legal car wrecks!)

The "100% compatible" is the best thing about the Next as far as I'm concerned.  I've got a lot of Spectrum hardware, including things like the Prism VTX5000 modem and Interface 1 with Microdrives, so I'd love to know they would work.  Also, of course, there's the ZX SpectROM, which should work, and is also my ticket to buying a Next as a company expense (I need to test my products on ALL Spectrums, just to make sure they work!) :-)

Whilst having a real Z80 in there would be nice, I can totally understand why they put it in the FPGA.  If they had used a real one, though, I'm curious to know if that would wipe out current stocks everywhere, thus pushing the price of the Z80 (and RC2014) up, or if it would create enough demand that higher volumes are produced, and drive the price down.

The Pi expansion header is curious.  Like you guys, I can't see an obvious use for it.  However, the header pins cost nothing, and a Zero is only a few dollars, so if it can be added, then why not.  I'm sure someone sooner or later will come up with a great application for it.

The only thing that worries me at the moment is a lack of real physical cases.  The 3D renderings look awesome*, and the couple of 3D printed solid things look great, but I'll be much happier when I've seen an injection molded case with real keys and a PCB inside.  I know the PCB is designed to also fit (with modifications) inside a regular Spectrum case, so that might be the way I go.

Finally, I know this has been posted here by others, but there's an awesome YouTube video about the Sinclair Spectrum that seems relevant ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxnojyQSpCE

Cheers

Spener

* Rick Dickinson did similar concept renderings for the Sinclair QL a few years ago.  Take a look here and see if you can spot similarities https://www.flickr.com/photos/9574086@N02/15531344708 :-)

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[Stephen Kelly]

I'm a Spectrum Next backer, too.

I actually quite like the FPGA and Raspberry Pi interface.
Really, I'm hoping that whole thing will take off as a hacker/maker device that spawns the kind of interest the original Spectrum did.
Well, a fraction of that would be great!
Adding Pi connectivity could well help with that.

If you want a more authentic Z80 Spectrum experience, there is always the Harlequin Superfo boards based on Chris Smith's book about the Spectrum ULA.
I built one of these recently and it's a Spectrum with a Z80 but with some other modern chips in it replacing the original ULA.
Put the board in a RetroRadionics replica case and you've got a brand new ZX Spectrum 48k with an actual Z80 processor.

That was quite a fun thing to do, but I'm really looking forward to the Spectrum Next.
Lots more RC2014 stuff to do in the mean time.

Cheers,

Stephen

[David Hardingham]

I've backed the ZX Spectrum Next campaign. It looks very exciting.

David

[PianoMatt]

I like the look of it, but I'm still not sure I want one yet. I've already got rather a lot of Sinclair hardware (although not as much as Spencer!) so I'm not exactly short of ways to play my favourite old games.

This might be as good a place as any to post this actually - I recently repaired and refurbished one of my Spectrums (Spectra?) and posted about it on Imgur.

http://imgur.com/gallery/RwM5I

[Geoffrey Ellis]

If you're not keen on the new case, Retro Radionics is looking into modifying their replica Spectrum 16/48 cases for the Next, so you don't need to take a Dremel to an existing case.