Absolutely raging (re: Spectrum)

[madhair60]

Okay here's what I want, right. I want a device I can plug into my TV through HDMI, plug a keyboard into, and play fucking Speccy games via roms. You'd think this existed. It fucking well cunting doesn't. There's a tiny commodore 64, like any cunt gives a fuck, but there's no fucking tiny spectrum. Absolute piss fucking take.

I have money, I can afford it. Surely there's a Spectrum device thing. I don't care if its a Raspberry Pi or whatever, just dedicated to Speccy, pre set up. Does anyone know how I can make this happen? Cheers. I don't want to use my PC, I want to play on my fucking TV.

[beanheadmcginty]

Have you considered buying a Spectrum?

[Uncle TechTip]

The ZX Spectrum Next looks really nice - probably a bit expensive for your tastes though. But look at it https://hackaday.com/2020/02/27/the-zx-spectrum-next-arrives

[peanutbutter]

why does it have to be dedicated to Spectrum? Surely there's some dude selling raspberry pi zeros with a big bundle emulator thing on it that'll include ZX Spectrum if only so it can boast about emulating one extra shitty home computer?


What's the ZX stand for btw?

[peanutbutter]

And totally off topic, how hard would it be to code and output a Spectrum/Commodore tape in the modern day and verify it works?

I assume I'd need:
- the machine
- adapter for modern tv
- a tape cassette loader dealio that's reasonable reliable (i.e. with the counter guy on it)

Anything else?

[Cerys]

What's the ZX stand for btw?

Not sure about the 'Z', but the 'X' is there to represent the unknown, the mystery, the secret ingredient that the Z just didn't have on its own.  True story.

Edit - the 'Z' stands for 'Zilog'.  Another true story.

[Abnormal Palm]

You could probably programme them yourself by dinner hour.

Name one good Spactrum game?

[Cerys]

Elite

[Abnormal Palm]

Only played it on the BBC B but OK, I give you that one. I take it back.

[kalowski]

Manic Miner.

[madhair60]

Name one good Spactrum game?

Fantasy World Dizzy! But this isn't about them being good, it's about nostalgia!

[imitationleather]

I have money

This sort of flexing should be a bannable offence.

[seepage]

Legions of Death

[magval]

Will your PSXC not do this through Bleemsync madhair? Isn't something like Bleemsync set up to recognize a keyboard?

[hamfist]

Not sure about the 'Z', but the 'X' is there to represent the unknown, the mystery, the secret ingredient that the Z just didn't have on its own.  True story.

Edit - the 'Z' stands for 'Zilog'.  Another true story.

I used to work for a software house and we also had a product which ended in an X. When people asked what the X stood for we always said "X for Sexy"

[Cerys]

And was it sexy?  Because if it wasn't then that's false marketing, and Baby Jesus is crying at you.

[Famous Mortimer]

Retropie will play Spectrum games (cos I've done it). Get a Raspberry Pi and have away at it.

[PlanktonSideburns]

Why not just use a computer

[madhair60]

Retropie will play Spectrum games (cos I've done it). Get a Raspberry Pi and have away at it.

I've got a retropie but I can't make it work. Explain how to make it work

[PlanktonSideburns]

Why not just use a computer

[Famous Mortimer]

I've got a retropie but I can't make it work. Explain how to make it work

This video is 28 minutes long but it was so boring in the beginning I turned it off. He may get to the point and tell you how to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rs20bAy-sY

But I remember it being fairly obvious. I navigated through the "install other emulators" bit, found the Spectrum one, and installed it. Whack a few games on a memory stick, pop it in and you should be good to go. I'm sorry I can't be more help, I normally just mess about til I find the right method for doing something.

[PlanktonSideburns]

what about using a computer?

[madhair60]

what about using a computer?

I can already play Speccy games on PC/laptop but I specifically want it on TV to help recreate the experience; I find it a lot easier to engage with games when I'm not distracted by browser/tabs/other apps on computer etc. The purpose isn't just to play the games it's to have a dedicated thing for playing them so I can focus

[BlodwynPig]

When my spectrum 48k gave up the ghost, i buried it in the back garden

[JesusAndYourBush]

I can already play Speccy games on PC/laptop but I specifically want it on TV to help recreate the experience; I find it a lot easier to engage with games when I'm not distracted by browser/tabs/other apps on computer etc. The purpose isn't just to play the games it's to have a dedicated thing for playing them so I can focus

Have you played any Spectrum games on an emulator recently?  Some years ago I felt nostalgic for Spectrum games and spent a while finding a decent emulator and downloading the games that I remembered, but then when I actually started to play any of the games I was disappointed about how poor it looked and it spoilt that nostalgic feeling I had for it.

So if you haven't played any Spectrum games since the 80's I suggest you do so on an emulator first -  before spending time working out how to play it through a TV and then coming to the same realisation that I did.

[madhair60]

Have you played any Spectrum games on an emulator recently?  Some years ago I felt nostalgic for Spectrum games and spent a while finding a decent emulator and downloading the games that I remembered, but then when I actually started to play any of the games I was disappointed about how poor it looked and it spoilt that nostalgic feeling I had for it.

So if you haven't played any Spectrum games since the 80's I suggest you do so on an emulator first -  before spending time working out how to play it through a TV and then coming to the same realisation that I did.

I have yes. I still like them. I like old games

[Uncle TechTip]

The Next i linked above tackles this by providing HDMI and component out natively so the crap spectrum games don't look so crap on a big TV.

[madhair60]

costs infinite money tho

[petercussing]

I have yes. I still like them. I like old games

Me too, I think there's a specific look to them that's very cool still, like ive got brain switch that says this is acceptable cos it's from then and i appreciate how good this was then. I find more recent consoles more jarring, like playing on a N64 or something cos you 'member them being all slick and they look str8 polygon-y, son!

[Dewt]

Yeah I really hate the "these are obsolete and bad" takes on old games. Even if you don't enjoy them, surely playing them and soaking in all the culture around them and history embedded in them and artwork present in them is amazing