If I dare bore by half mentioning it again, I've written a ZX80/81 emulator that's accurate at the bus level (to the nearest half a cycle, anyway). In theory you could attach real hardware to that and it wouldn't know the difference. It's a heavy-handed approach versus something like an FPGA that extends the natural signals but that sort of approach could be a route to a commodity Sam-in-a-box that accepts almost all original hardware add-ons.
Anyone got any idea about how difficult it would be actually to engineer the break-out ports? I guess you'd just need to be able to get and set the signal at each pin, at least double the rate of the fastest exposed clock signal. On 13 Apr 2012, at 05:50, Stefan Drissen <[email protected]> wrote: > It may have been the result of running the Speccy emulator Fuse on the Pi at > the 30th birthday event of the BBC micro > (http://connecteddigitalworld.com/2012/03/26/a-slice-of-raspberry-pi-at-beeb > 30/). > > "We'll have no more of that then, go find yourself another project to do..." > ;-) > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of [email protected] > Sent: vrijdag 13 april 2012 14:24 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: ZX Spectrum 'relaunch' > > ahh, now if Simcoupe works on the Raspberry Pi... :-D sure, there's nothing > like using the real thing, but I'd definitely have to build myself a > mini-SAM emulator, even if only for portability! Hmmm... > visions of a SAMtop spring to mind... > > I keep checking those sites for the Pi, but to be honest, I'm starting to > wonder what's happening with it. It had great momentum, and then just when > things are about ready, the two companies who were to exclusively release it > stop things in their tracks? > > It's obviously just the conspiracy theorist in me, but I remember all the > mentions about how the Pi would be used in oppressed countries for cheap and > secure communications... And I can't help wondering if some 'behind the > scenes' pressure has been used to slow things down and make it lose the > momentum it had. Or even just from technology companies at the prospect of > something so cheap but effective that could potentially damage the market > for expensive lower end gadgets. > (I mean, picture how many extremely cheap home-made netbook kits could be > released on ebay, with Pi's at their core and cheap keyboards and > screens) Orrrr maybe I've just read too many conspiracy theory books lol! > > SimCoupe running on a 'sortof ZX Spectrum' would just be... well, surreal... > ;- > > Warren > > Quoting Simon Owen <[email protected]>: > >> Bonus points if you then run SimCoupe on it, to see if it still feels > wrong! >> >> I created a quick SimCoupe binary for the Raspberry Pi back in Feb, >> which I've tested in the development VM under QEMU. Still waiting for >> real hardware to see how well it runs though. I was kinda hoping I >> pre-registered early enough with RS, but I've not received one of the >> magic vouchers yet. I'll have to see if my Farnell order works out... >> >> Si >> >> >> On 13 Apr 2012, at 12:43, [email protected] wrote: >> >>> There's something very cool about seeing a spectrum do all that (Even >>> if it's really just the case with something else running emulation). >>> I hadn't thought too much about the keyboard, but I suppose that >>> would really be the major difficulty: Getting something that plays >>> exactly like the original but maps to PC keyboard types for the >>> emulator. >>> >>> In theory, you could get a cheap 2nd hand spectrum (even non-working >>> one), a rasberry pi or beagle, and it would come to, what, somewhere >>> under £50? And assuming some relatively easy method of fixing up the >>> keyboard, you could fairly easily create your own. >>> :-) (say's the person who knows nothing about it lol!) It'd be cool >>> if someone created a general guide for doing it cheaply that way, >>> with the appropriate software for the Pi or Beagle, and some extra >>> gadget for the keyboard hookup. Then it would make a nice pack to >>> sell to enthusiasts with little-to-no knowledge of hardware and >>> electronics. >>> >>> Graeme, it would be very cool to see where you get with that! >>> Definitely something you should get working. ;-) >>> >>> Warren >>> >>> Quoting Andrew Gillen <[email protected]>: >>> >>>> Hi Warren >>>> >>>> This idea reminds me of the ZX Spectrum that was modded to run linux. >>>> >>>> Check out >>>> >>>> http://www.retrothing.com/2009/04/modding-a-sinclair-zx-spectrum-to- >>>> run-linux.html >>>> http://www.retrothing.com/2009/04/modding-a-sinclair-zx-spectrum-to- >>>> run-linux.html >>>> and >>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0qh7dvaH98 >>>> >>>> That Beagleboard solution isn't a cheap one, and it requires a fair >>>> bit of hackery to get the keyboard sorted, but it looks like a >>>> fantastic result. I'd like to try the PI out in a similar capacity, >>>> but I lack the degree of expertise in electrical hackery >>>> unfortunately to see it through with any confidence of success. If I >>>> can find a similar membranous keyboard to that which was used on >>>> that set up for a low enough price, it won't stop me trying, though. >>>> >>>> Much of the experience in playing old games is in using the old kit >>>> itself. No amount of PC emulation and full stroke keyboard use can >>>> replicate that ZX feel. >>>> >>>> SAMwise it is different, the keyboard is of a good enough standard >>>> for emulation to represent a pretty accurate experience for me. >>>> >>>> Cheers >>>> >>>> Andrew >>>> >>>> >>>> -------------------------------------------------- >>>> From: <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 11:18 AM >>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>> Subject: ZX Spectrum 'relaunch' >>>> >>>>> Off on a bit of a non-SAM tangent (but probably somewhat related >>>>> for most of us) I came across this the other day: >>>>> >>>>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/8304237/ZX-Spectr >>>>> um-relaunch-gaming-goes-back-to-the-future.html >>>>> >>>>> Lots of you have probably already heard this, but I don't remember >>>>> it being mentioned, so thought I would! ;-) >>>>> >>>>> Supposedly a company were going to relaunch the zx spectrum this >>>>> year (by the looks of it, as a 48k speccy keyboard that links up >>>>> to an iPhone or similar to run an emulator), to coincide with the >>>>> 30th anniversary, but it doesn't look like it's going to >>>>> materialise any time soon. I know something similar is/was being >>>>> planned for the C64? >>>>> >>>>> However, it got me thinking... Obviously in this day and age, many >>>>> of use want to enjoy the retro gaming experience, but we haven't >>>>> exactly got the space to keep things set up. I intend to have my >>>>> SAM set up permanently at some point, but I very much doubt I'd >>>>> ever get the space to dedicate to other systems, so clearly >>>>> something that pleasantly replicates the original experience >>>>> quickly and easily with modern advantages would be a pleasing >>>>> alternative. >>>>> >>>>> So I figured, what would make an easy to use 'spectrum' emulator >>>>> for playing all the old games? You'd want HDMI output for ease with >>>>> modern televisions, SD card storage, and have it all fit into one >>>>> of our old rubber keyed friends. How do you do this on a budget at >>>>> that size? The first thing that popped into my head, is the >>>>> Raspberry Pi (if it ever gets to selling!!). Small enough to >>>>> probably fit in a speccy case, with HDMI out and card reader. >>>>> Surely this could make for a fairly cheap and effective 48k >>>>> Spectrum emulation experience? >>>>> >>>>> I think the Speccy is particularly suited, because let's face it, >>>>> for most of us it was about the games more than anything. I don't >>>>> think anything similar would work for the SAM, because what makes >>>>> that such a unique experience (for me, anyway) is the original and >>>>> additional hardware in addition to the software. But for a speccy I >>>>> could see it being great fun, to play the games with ease on a >>>>> keyboard that replicates the old experience but with updated >>>>> advantages. (I think a SAM equivalent would have to be more along >>>>> the lines of Colin's 'SAM-in-a-can' projects, but rather than old >>>>> SAM parts, something that accurately replicates the original >>>>> hardware with modern additions) >>>>> >>>>> Not being much of a tech person I'm not sure about the feasibility, >>>>> but it seems like a wasted opportunity in todays market where >>>>> retro-gaming has had somewhat of a resurgence? >>>>> >>>>> Warren >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> >> > > >
