Sinclair fans rejoice: ZX Spectrum Vega+ to launch October 20

Ageing fans of 1980s home computer games will soon be able to get their hands on Sir Clive Sinclair’s rebooted ZX Spectrum device, which is now set to be launched in October and available just in time for Christmas. The eagerly awaited Sinclair ZX Spectrum Vega+, which was bankrolled via crowdfunding site Indiegogo, is to get …

[bazza]

Excellent!

The return of proper games...

How things progress. I note that it supports SD cards, for storage. The micro controller in an SD card that does all the Flash wear levelling will have more grunt than the original Spectrum, probably.

[werdsmith]

Re: Excellent!

The micro controller in an SD card that does all the Flash wear levelling will have more grunt than the original Spectrum, probably.

In terms of clock speed it will have several times more grunt than an Clive's old Z80.

Will be an adapted ARM core or 8051.

[Mage]

Re: adapted ARM core or 8051 and increased clock speed

8051 is way below Z80 / 6502, it's a VERY limited micro-controller with Harvard architecture.

20MHz Z80 cores were available in SoC 20 years ago, so it's either an ASIC or FPGA with a Z80 core, or ARM with a Spectrum (and Z80) Emulator (available quite some time, 10 years?).

An 8051 doesn't even come close to Z80 or Cortex M0 ARM. It can't run anything other than 8051 code (which is nothing like 8080/Z80) and I don't think can run a Z80 emulator. They are still used in a Flash incarnation as legacy alternate to PIC16F or entry level Atmel AVR. Even the PIC 18F series is superior and wouldn't be used to emulate a Z80 either.

It would also have to run at the original clock speed (or simulate it in an Emulator) or many games wouldn't be compatible!

[/dev/null]

Re: adapted ARM core or 8051 and increased clock speed

Modern 8051-compatible soft cores run a lot faster than real 8051s - around 400MHz or so.

Anyway, wasn't the previous poster talking about the SDCard's Flash controller, not whatever is actually doing the Spectrum emulation?

[Flocke Kroes]

Re: adapted ARM core or 8051 and increased clock speed

The 8051 compatible core you are likely to find in a modern SDHC card will probably have a 32bit ALU, 24 bit address bus and run at several hundred MHz. The architecture has evolved massively beyond the device with 128 bytes of RAM that I programmed in hand-optimised assembly language when I was a PFY. I would expect a modern 8051 compatible to be able to compile Z80 machine code into native, keep track of the amount of time a 3.5MHz Z80 would take, execute the result and still have plenty of time to spare to emulate the minimal hardware in a Spectrum. People really have put a ton of lipstick on the old 8051 pig.

Apparently Mike put an entire Spectrum on an FPGA three years ago. Clock accurate emulation of a Spectrum dates back to 200MHz Pentiums, Acorn RISC, 68020 and DEC Alpha. Try playing with QEMU some time. I think you will be shocked at how good CPU emulation has become.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Excellent!

How things progress. I note that it supports SD cards, for storage

Does it emulate a ZX Microdrive?

One 8GB SD card would equate to a library of over 94,000 tapes :-)

[wolfetone]

I thought Sir Clive of Sinclair only gave his "blessing" to the project, and had no direct involvement in it?

[Sir Barry]

Retro Computers used to be called Sinclair Computers Limited and Companies House has Sinclair Research Limited listed in the Directors section.

[Andrew Moore]

Hmmmm...

"other 80s classics like Elite..."

You'd need a BBC Micro emulator to do that one justice.

[David Gosnell]

Re: Hmmmm...

And a full keyboard!

[Oh Matron!]

Re: Hmmmm...

Daly Thomson's Decathlon was best played by pulling up the rubber keyboard, wetting your finger and rubbing it across the membrane :-)

[Martin an gof]

Re: Hmmmm...

And a full keyboard!

And an analogue joystick - at least until you can afford a docking computer.

M.

[Peter Gathercole]

Re: Hmmmm...

If you've never played Elite on a BEEB with a Bitstik, then you've really missed out!

Excellent control, and the throttle on the twist joystick.

Oh, and a 6502 second processor helped (full screen in mode 1, all galaxies in memory, and smoother as well).

[SpeakerToAliens]

Re: Hmmmm...

>"You'd need a BBC Micro emulator to do that one justice."

No, you really wouldn't.

I played Elite on a BBC B, Spectrum, Amstrad 6128 and Atari ST. Each version was better than its predecessor.

[Dan 55]

Re: Hmmmm...

Archimedes Elite was the last, and therefore the best version.

[deshepherd]

Re: Hmmmm...

Elite, Eliter, Elitest?

[John 110]

Re: Hmmmm...

I'm sure all Elite fans have seen Oolite (http://www.oolite.org/). If not then you should.

It was gratifying to see that my computerless docking skills were still there!

[John G Imrie]

Re: Hmmmm...

How about Elite Plus on the PC

[David 132]

Re: Hmmmm...

To really do Elite justice, you need a Lenslok.

[0laf]

Where do I fit the poke box?

[wolfetone]

"Where do I fit the poke box?"

Around the back as usual. However, the hole might be a bit smaller than what you may be used to on this model.

[David Neil]

That's what she said

Yeah, the blue one, 3 back - ta

[Mage]

compatible with “every Spectrum game that exists,”

Not unless it optionally can have a keyboard, and possibly some sort of tape emulation. I'm sure some games needed text.

[Dan 55]

Re: compatible with “every Spectrum game that exists,”

You are in a comfortable tunnel like hall. To the east there is a round green door.

> UUDDLRLRBA

[Indolent Wretch]

Re: compatible with “every Spectrum game that exists,”

Proper gaming - PAH! Try playing "Halls of the Things" with only those keys

[I am the liquor]

some games needed text

Including the one in the picture. You had to write things on the blackboards.

[Anonymous Coward]

is it best to PEEK before you POKE?

[jb99]

I'm sorry

But without a keyboard what is the point of this? It's just a poor games console

[Robert Carnegie]

Keyboard

It says "Novel and easy-to-use virtual keyboard", and also external keyboard but without details, "specification to follow".

I know where I could get a rubber keyboard for PC - which may be the same as one that I once bought which stopped working rather soon. The idea is it's super portable - the one currently on sale rolls up and comes in a jar...

[WonkoTheSane]

Re: Keyboard

Didn't someone create a replica Spectrum as a bluetooth keyboard a while back?

Found it:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Recreated-Sinclair-ZX-Spectrum/dp/B00SXCJYYA

[Dan 55]

Re: Keyboard

Tempting but dodgy, look at the latest Amazon reviews for it. The apps and games have been taken down leaving you with a doorstop. You also need to activate standard Bluetooth keyboard mode using the app but again that's difficult unless you find it in archive.org due to the apps disappearing. Finally standard Bluetooth mode can't cope with games using Shift or Symbol Shift.

Why is he still selling it? That's Steve Wilcox for you.

[Mutton Jeff]

Return of the Living Dead

Flesh keyboard..

Awesome!

[Mandoscottie]

I know what im going to repeatedly hint to "santa" for this year :D

for Skool Daze and Turbo Esprit :D

[Anonymous Coward]

Keep your money in your pocket for now.

It's worth pointing out that this company have not actually manufactured anything yet and have refused to give a delivery date to backers - 20th October is just a "launch party".

They also announced that production had started in April, deleted concerned backers questions from their campaign page and claimed to be on schedule to release in September until yesterday.

[Simon Harris]

Re: Keep your money in your pocket for now.

To enhance the 'retro' feel of the Vega+, will they will also be emulating the Sinclair QL's rather elastic delivery schedule?

[Anonymous Coward]

Buttons

Buttons need to be labelled QAOP for perfection.

[Anonymous Coward]

What is the point?

Skool Daze requires more than four buttons on top of the cursors, how are they playing it in that screenshot? same for many other games, four buttons is not enough.

Best bet is avoid this overpriced device and get an emulator.

[Valeyard]

Re: What is the point?

I do in fact remember converting spectrum, NES etc games for my gameboy advance

so there, it's all done

might dig that bad boy out

[alexgl]

Re: What is the point?

torinak.com/qaop

[TheOtherHobbes]

Is that 2016 or 2017?

[Anonymous Coward]

Didn't happen

Launch party happened, demonstrating prototypes they've had for months. Although they claim to have been manufacturing since April, still no sign of a finished Vega+. You can still order one, though.