What a totally awesome effort. All new tech but compatible with the original down to the PCB form factor.
I was a bit too old for the original Speccy and C64 era. Was already at work with other machines all day long.
Might not be too old for this though. Always loved the style of the Speccy box. And it's an FPGA we can hack on!
Yep, same here, I was already working on minis etc. at the time (my first pre-work computer was a Nascom 1). And I've never been a gamer. But this does look interesting.
I had a Timex-Sinclair 1000 also, and the big drawback was the keyboard. I hope this new ZX Spectrum will be popular, like sold in a Sears or similar where more people know it exists. I always wanted to get into retro gaming, but was daunting to think of one platform at time. And who has room for all that hardware anymore. The whole idea sounds pretty cool, a retro design with modern technology. I want one.
Hey Doug, yeah we should have a catch-up, I'll see if I can drag Jim in too.
Still here in Prop land, I mainly use Prop in my business these days so it's all work and no play.
I keep an eye on the forums and I'll be hanging around to start using P2 when the design is finalised and you've all thrashed out the SPIN2 syntax stuff.
Processor: Z80 3.5Mhz and 7Mhz modes
Memory: 512Kb RAM (expandable to 1.5Mb internally and 2.5Mb externally)
Video: Hardware sprites, 256 colours mode, Timex 8x1 mode etc.
Video Output: RGB, VGA, HDMI
Storage: SD Card slot, with DivMMC-compatible protocol
Audio: 3x AY-3-8912 audio chips with stereo output + FM sound
Joystick: DB9 compatible with Cursor, Kempston and Interface 2 protocols (selectable)
PS/2 port: Mouse with Kempston mode emulation and an external keyboard
Special: Multiface functionality for memory access, savegames, cheats etc.
Tape support: Mic and Ear ports for tape loading and saving
Expansion: Original external bus expansion port and accelerator expansion port
Accelerator board (optional): GPU / 1Ghz CPU / 512Mb RAM
Network (optional): Wi Fi module
Extras: Real Time Clock (optional), internal speaker (optional)
hehe, look at that Accelerator board specs...
Anyone know how full that 9152 Cell FPGA is, doing the above ?
A bit small for P2 work, but could fit a P1V ?
I guess a P2 can emulate a 7MHz Z80 ?
What HDMI resolutions can they support ?
I see the renderings do not match the PCBs, wonder which is more up to date ?
Hey Doug, yeah we should have a catch-up, I'll see if I can drag Jim in too.
Still here in Prop land, I mainly use Prop in my business these days so it's all work and no play.
I keep an eye on the forums and I'll be hanging around to start using P2 when the design is finalised and you've all thrashed out the SPIN2 syntax stuff.
I have done some work with Props as well. Turns out hanging with everyone here taught me some stuff. Who knew? Of course, the Prop nailed it. Simple pimple. Made a couple of believers. Always good.
Awesome. I'll figure something out, ping you and let's do it. Damn, I might have to get a speccy. All I know are a couple game classics, and some pixel tricks Jim was showing off.
Hi guys, missed the forum but as you can see been far too busy I'll get back to the prop when I can!
Anyway, to answer some questions.
I'm not sure the 2040 printer was for the Timex 1000 ( ZX81 ) it's compatible with all of the original Spectrum add on hardware, so I'd guess no to the 2040 printer.
the FPGA is pretty full, going to add stretch goals for a larger FPGA cos there's still more I want to add, like multi channel audio samples for video playback and mod trackers, and a few other features.
Cheers guys, it's already totally funded after 34 hours of being live sadly for parallax this is what I was wanting to do with the Prop2 as Coley already knows, been wanting to do it for years, since PropGFX but needed the extra pins to handle the full bus. but these guys were already there and was on the final stretch, so I gave them a boost to give it that true Next feeling.
Thanks @erco, it was great fun making that video as you can probably tell hahaha.
Coley
Posts: 1,108
Comments
I was a bit too old for the original Speccy and C64 era. Was already at work with other machines all day long.
Might not be too old for this though. Always loved the style of the Speccy box. And it's an FPGA we can hack on!
The Timex Sinclair 1000 was my first computer and I also had a TS2068 (spectrum sorta clone).
Best of luck on the campaign...
Bean
Looking good! Wishing you all a very successful project.
I had a Timex-Sinclair 1000 also, and the big drawback was the keyboard. I hope this new ZX Spectrum will be popular, like sold in a Sears or similar where more people know it exists. I always wanted to get into retro gaming, but was daunting to think of one platform at time. And who has room for all that hardware anymore. The whole idea sounds pretty cool, a retro design with modern technology. I want one.
I knew it when Jim started sending me speccy tricks!
Still here in Prop land, I mainly use Prop in my business these days so it's all work and no play.
I keep an eye on the forums and I'll be hanging around to start using P2 when the design is finalised and you've all thrashed out the SPIN2 syntax stuff.
Looks like this FPGA
XC6SLX9-3FTG256CXilinx FPGA Spartan®-6 LX Family 9152 Cells 45nm (CMOS) Technology 1.2V 256-Pin FTBGA 1 $20.4428
Delivers this
Processor: Z80 3.5Mhz and 7Mhz modes
Memory: 512Kb RAM (expandable to 1.5Mb internally and 2.5Mb externally)
Video: Hardware sprites, 256 colours mode, Timex 8x1 mode etc.
Video Output: RGB, VGA, HDMI
Storage: SD Card slot, with DivMMC-compatible protocol
Audio: 3x AY-3-8912 audio chips with stereo output + FM sound
Joystick: DB9 compatible with Cursor, Kempston and Interface 2 protocols (selectable)
PS/2 port: Mouse with Kempston mode emulation and an external keyboard
Special: Multiface functionality for memory access, savegames, cheats etc.
Tape support: Mic and Ear ports for tape loading and saving
Expansion: Original external bus expansion port and accelerator expansion port
Accelerator board (optional): GPU / 1Ghz CPU / 512Mb RAM
Network (optional): Wi Fi module
Extras: Real Time Clock (optional), internal speaker (optional)
hehe, look at that Accelerator board specs...
Anyone know how full that 9152 Cell FPGA is, doing the above ?
A bit small for P2 work, but could fit a P1V ?
I guess a P2 can emulate a 7MHz Z80 ?
What HDMI resolutions can they support ?
I see the renderings do not match the PCBs, wonder which is more up to date ?
I have done some work with Props as well. Turns out hanging with everyone here taught me some stuff. Who knew? Of course, the Prop nailed it. Simple pimple. Made a couple of believers. Always good.
Awesome. I'll figure something out, ping you and let's do it. Damn, I might have to get a speccy. All I know are a couple game classics, and some pixel tricks Jim was showing off.
@Baggers good luck on the KS campaign
Anyway, to answer some questions.
I'm not sure the 2040 printer was for the Timex 1000 ( ZX81 ) it's compatible with all of the original Spectrum add on hardware, so I'd guess no to the 2040 printer.
the FPGA is pretty full, going to add stretch goals for a larger FPGA cos there's still more I want to add, like multi channel audio samples for video playback and mod trackers, and a few other features.
Cheers guys, it's already totally funded after 34 hours of being live
Thanks @erco, it was great fun making that video
Congrats for achieving the funding so quick!
Guess you will be too busy for a prop meet up late May to early June?
I will be in Guildford.
I love the stretch goal idea of bigger FPGA.
£723,390 raised, Not Chump Change.
Well done Baggers and company!
Congrats Jim & co.
This sounds like a great unit for general HDL experiments, never mind all that Speccy goodness.
Really looking forward to getting mine so I can play!