Spectrum Next

[joe34]

http://www.specnext.com/

joe342016-10-08 13:00:30

 

[big10p]

Sexy - although, I always preferred the original dead flesh keyboard, to that style. Good to see they're doing this in hardware rather than crappy emulation. Will it cost silly money? Also, how are they getting a poor, old Z80 to run at 7Mhz?!big10p2016-10-08 13:20:09

 

[cmonkey]

.... Also, how are they getting a poor, old Z80 to run at 7Mhz?!

It's a soft core running on the FPGA, not a real Z80.

 

[big10p]

.... Also, how are they getting a poor, old Z80 to run at 7Mhz?!

It's a soft core running on the FPGA, not a real Z80.

Ah, OK - I just scanned through the specs. When I read "Processor: Z80 3.5Mhz and 7Mhz modes" was "under the hood", I assumed it was an actual Z80...

 

[joe34]

i think they are trying to get it to cost under £100 but only time will tell if they can achieve that

 

[big10p]

If they manage it for under £100, I will be impressed.

 

[joe34]

me 2, i wasn't really impressed with previous stuff like the spectrum vega but this one doesnt look too bad

 

[virtvic]

Pointless. Just buy an original spectrum for a lot cheaper and add an SD card drive of some sort.
You can't get better than the real thing...

 

[andrewsm]

I remember years ago there was a Z80 that coulkd do up to 20Mhz. I safely got one running at 6MHz when I messed about with my own computer projects. Theres a Z80B and a C im sure

If they built it in China then prob be made for $10 lol. Have the CE sticker on it ... Chinese Export lol
andrewsm2016-10-08 22:25:45

 

[RolyRetro]

I've been looking for a "toast rack" 128 for the RGB out, but they are silly money. I like the look of this though.

 

[virtvic]

The +2 has RGB out and they aren't expensive. You can mod them to make them look a lot better, too...

 

[Hurray Banana]

But the +2 can't do this

[tube]kSWJffTPh5E[/tube]

or this

[tube]GOsMbV7Vj9Q[/tube]

Hurray Banana2016-10-09 19:34:29

 

[big10p]

RANDOMIZE USR 1331

There's a regular Speccy RGB intereface. I had one and sold it on ebay not so long ago.

 

[RygarR]

That is one sexy looking speccy. The extra connectivity and graphics modes look great too. If they can get the price down to 100 quid or less they're bound to sell loads.

 

[virtvic]

The reason the +2 can't do that is -

IT'S A SPECTRUM.

It wasn't designed to do that...

 

[joe34]

The +2 has RGB out and they aren't expensive. You can mod them to make them look a lot better, too...

ace mod that vic

.. so is the +2 happy with getting rid of the tape deck (ie. did u get any errors on powering on after the removal which u had to fix?); was there much else you had to do in order for it to accept that the tape deck wasnt attached anymore, or was it as easy as just 'unplugging it' (if that's the right term!)

 

[virtvic]

You do just pull an internal plug.
The only thing you need to replace is the crappy voltage regulator (and ugly, massive heat sink) with a nice switching voltage reg that doesn't need a heat sink.

 

[joe34]

thanks vic do u have a link for a suitable switching voltage reg, so i know for the future what i would need (im a bit clueless with those!)

 

[virtvic]

Traco power regulator

 

[joe34]

Traco power regulator

ace, cheers vic!