When I saw these were coming out decided to get one to relive the good old days of the Spectrum and happy to say I'm very impressed with the new version 😊
Here in Brazil a company called Microdigital cloned a whole bunch of Spectrum and Apple machines starting in 1981. Those were: TK80: A clone of the Sinclair ZX80, released in 1981. TK82: Based on the Sinclair ZX81, also introduced in 1981. TK82C: An enhanced version of the TK82, featuring improvements over the original ZX81 design. TK83: Another ZX81 clone, launched in October 1983. TK85: A more advanced ZX81 clone, released in March 1983. TK90X: A clone of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, introduced in 1985. TK95: An improved ZX Spectrum clone, released around 1986. TK2000: A semi-compatible clone of the Apple II+, launched in the mid-1980s. TK3000 IIe: A clone of the Apple IIe Enhanced, introduced in 1986. TK3000 IIe Compact: A more compact version of the TK3000 IIe, released in 1987. TK Portable: Released in 1989, it was the first portable IBM PC-compatible computer produced in Brazil.
One of the better reviews calling out flaws. I am really missing latency analysis from all reviews. I have a suspicion that it will be >3 frames even on a gaming monitor, which for me is a dealbreaker at the moment. I also wish they would add 9 pin joystick connector instead of one of the USBs.
Hi the Shack, Happy to see you back on the channel with a great review of a new built ZX Spectrum computer. It's still a delight to see your videos about retro computing. Though I had a few Amiga Axx when I was a teenager and less interested by 8 bits computer at that time, I feel now happy to learn more about these machines and the pioneers which built home computer such as Sir Sinclair. Many thanks, Lionel from southern France
You missed out on so much. They were not "just a game machine". Owners learned to write their own programs. It taught people to use really tight machine language coding. Educational and fun. 😊 The bible of the Spectrum at the time was "The Complete Spectrum ROM Disassembly"
Somebody was selling them in the US, my Dad gave us a Sinclair at one point. Was interesting because of its small size, in part explained by its horrible almost useless bubble keyboard. For some reason the price of one hundred dollars sticks in my head, that may have been the marketing angle at the time. Of course that was not including any peripherals, just the base unit.
@@Super_Bros. Yes, that was the one, timex, would have been OK if it wasn’t for that dreadful keyboard, like any other 8 bit computer of the day basically.
Not sure if i'm going to bother, i never could get used to the rubber keyboard, i preferred the 48k+ and the +2 keyboard. i do wonder if you could get this to work with a 48k+ keyboard as the connectors look the same. Can someone check if it works? If there was athe ability to run +3 and Sam Coupe then i would get it, otherwise i will be waiting to see what the modders come up with.
Mine didn’t have film. I was quite disappointed to realise that there is no USB stick in the box. Somehow I was under the impression that it will be included.
@@retroistaba the retail units are bare minimum! No charger (you have to buy it separately), no manual (you have to buy it separately), no game pad (you have to buy it separately), no USB stick (you have to buy it separately). So if you add al this the retail price for a complete config will be around 200 EUR. I connected mine to my monitor and I realized that it doesn't have any separate audio output and for this too you have to buy a separate box to extract audio from the HDMI.
So when the rubber keys wear away the underlay mesh can you still get a modern DK'Tronics keyboard with proper keys as a replacement and stick the motherboard in that?
On what model? The classic one or "this spectrum"? On the classic one there are lots of alternative keyboards available, rubber pad, membrane, pcb with microswitches membranes, chiclet hard keys and face plate replacements. Maybe you can replace on "the spectrum" the rubber mat and the face plate, but the membrane has all the connectors on one side and to this day there are no replacements. And I do not see anybody willing to made them for this emulation box with no value. I hope to be wrong on this, but time will tell.
I have a question, I don't if anyone in the comments can help. The manual and the back of the Spectrum says to use a 1amp power adapter but the update firmware page has a warning telling you to use a 2amp adapter, which is right? what are everyone else using?
I think it just needs 1 amp in normal operation with one or two controllers attached. But just to be on the safe side they recommend a 2 amp power supply when you're updating the firmware in case the power draw from that USB stick is a little more than the system usually handles. They don't want The Spectrum losing power during an update since that could brick it.
Where do you get a power supply? It seems stupid that a UK power supply is not included, because you can't use the machine without one! What type of power supply is needed? Most units I've seen have the old-style Spectrum connector, not USB-C. And how much does this add to the cost?
Bought one on release day on a whim, and I have to say I'm really pleased with it especially with my XBox controller plugged in. I never got on with joysticks and playing those old games with thumbsticks makes a huge difference for me. For 90 quid it was worth the gamble. The only negative I've found so far is I had to rummage around for a spare USB charger as they don't supply one.
@@raithrover1976 - I wouldn't be connecting it to a TV, I'd be connecting it to a monitor that doesn't have speakers (or any audio ports). So, I guess the question is: 1. Can it output audio via any of the USB ports (ex., to USB headphones)? 2. If not, is there a cheap way to get an audio output from the HDMI output (while still letting it pass through to the screen, of course)?
@RFC3514 What an interesting tone to thank. Sure. I have 5 monitors at home (all of which are younger than 20 years), and only 1 of them lacks this port. Moreover, just 2 days ago my wife brought from work a brand new monitor in unopened box, and guess what? Exactly, it has VGA port! It's Dell SE2425H, produced in June 2024. I have several PCs, all of which are younger than 20 years. At least half of them have this port. Even 3 miniPCs have both HDMI and VGA. I have Agon Light 2 - a retro-futuristic 8-bit computer released a couple of years ago. It has only VGA. I have MiSTer FPGA. It has VGA.
Does not bother me that there is no wall wart for the power as I have power extension leads with usb sockets on already, they are readily available these days, at worst you might need an adapter to standard usb from the Type C on a lot of these mini machines but they cost a pound or two from amazon.
Like it's obvious that it's a collectors piece and timely released the month before Christmas. Come February all stock will be gone in all probability. Maybe more stock will become available in the run up to next winter for a rinse and repeat cash grab. Same happened with the Amiga 500 mini. The Amiga mini currently isn't available anywhere outside of Amazon and CeX now like many other retro products of recent years.
Interesting to hear your views on it. I like the mix of classics and recent homebrew titles, and the overall package looks nice. I did notice there was something written on the inside of the shell when you opened it up? At Crash Live I managed to get one of the little Microdrives so that's cool.
The C64 and The Spectrum (which I have both) are certainly at the sweetspot of retro computing - that is, until they finally release The Amiga. Can't wait for it. Would love to see Atari ST and a full size PET as well 😊
I owned the later 128K +2 as a kid, which I loved, but picked up a rubber-key 48K edition later because I really wanted to get a hold of one from before the Amstrad takeover of Sinclair. This is so tempting, and I could really see myself acquiring one of these retro recreations. Plus, I'm drawn to The C64 too from playing on ones owned by my friends.
I've got the C64 and Atari 400 mini. But this is the one I was really praying for for years. So many good memories with my original. Really impressed with this recreation. Nice packaging and presentation in the box too. I still have my original in the loft along with all the cassette games. So I've added my favourites of those as ROMs via usb and it works great. If I wanted to try my original unit and games, I'd either have to buy an old TV for RF input, or mess about with add-ons on the back to convert to HDMI, which I simply don't want to do. I don't have a cassette player either. I also had an Atari 400 alongside my original Spectrum and I used to play the Spectrum games using one of the Atari joysticks plugged into a joystick interface. I'm now using one of my Atari 400 mini usb joysticks to play the games in the new Spectrum. So I've got a very close playing experience as I had originally. Absolutely loving it.
The RetroGames website doesn't list any north american stockists.The UK stores it does list are out of stock, but it looks like Amazon UK has supplies but I don't know if they ship to north american addresses. (maybe you can find someone in UK who can buy one and ship it to you or a proxy service ?) Amazon has sold 700+ so far, no idea how long existing stocks will last.
First at all, welcome back. Second, it's possible to buy the same reproduction case and retrofit a raspberry pi into it for a fraction of the price, as at least another youtuber pointed out.
Fair enough. If I was to be ultra picky it's a shame having gone to the trouble of including the same keyboard and connectors that you can't swap in an original lid, but that's just me being unfair. However I'll stick with my moded Harlequin as for me much of the satisfaction comes from tinkering.
I know that I am in the minority, but the thought of gaming on a zombie flesh keyboard again just gives me flashbacks to 1984 and using one of the most terrible keyboards ever made. Had they gone with the + style keyboard, I might have been interested, but for me this would end up just being another dust collector.
Ironic that everyone hated the spongy, rubber keys when it was originally released yet this is the version of the 48K spectrum they decided to recreate.
To think that they could get the copyright issues relating to The Hobbit passed considering the overblown I P that has become but they couldn't get or even necessarily try hard enough to get that all important Spectrum version of Chase H Q. Sloppy work there from those retro chaps.
Rumour is Amiga Maxi next….i would rather a BBC/Electron Maxi so I can die happy completing Quest for the Pork Sausage graphic adventure game I wrote…filled all ram on Electron….printed out in school (about 10 feet of printer paper) and got a B with in my O’level computer studies lesson back in 84ish. Saved on a Memorex C90 never to be seen again. Happy days.
Not that it really matters, but you say that size-wise, it's "spot on", while it appears clearly less wide than the original. (By probably about 2cm from what I can tell.) The height and depth look the same though.
The Clock Signal (CLK) emulator goes to such lengths that it also emulates video artefacts, actually modelling the video signal, going somewhat beyond the pretend CRT mode with fake scanlines that appears to be the limit of most emulators.
I just hope the Amiga "Maxi" is going to be just as good. If it's coming out at all. The release date seems to be escaping further and further into the future.
Can you plug in a tape recorder for a truly hardcore data transfer experience (or just for playing your own creations, which exist only on tapes)? As much as I do not have any nostalgia for this computer (some of the games aged very poorly, tbh...), I highly respect what they have done with the functioning keyboard, Basic and all that.❤
As you can see in the video (at 4:28) the back of the machine, no extension ports, no audio ports, nada! Only 4 USB ports. The only way you can simulate loading a tape is with the .TZX files.
Perhaps a usb to audio capture if drivers for such appear on GitHub. Ordered mine from game collection but seems they have issues with stock so having to wait and hope it turns up this year well before Christmas
I've always enjoyed your tone, knowledge and enthusiasm in your videos and it's great to see another. I haven't bought a unit myself, as I've many ways to play Speccy and Xmas is approaching. I think it's at a good price point and does the job. My only gripe, is that I'd like the carousel to be editable as you can with the c64 maxi tool. There's a few people who complain it doesn't do x, y, z. Granted, it's not perfect, but recreates the rubber keyed Speccy as it should, and will do the same when the Amiga maxi arrives in 2025. Retro Games are doing a great job, albeit I used the Amiga mini for pandora usb mod ( general retro gaming) as the games didn't appeal that much (wasn't much of an Amiga fanboy) and to be honest Amiga emulation on the PC can do a much better job. There's a ton of modern homebrew that can be played via USB, and as the device supports 128k, its better than the original, in that regards. A good 128k machine with sd card, scart or hdmi, would cost more than this offering from Retro Games UK. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
The 1st review that points out all the design quirks of this spectrum: weird cutouts, not using the same case cutouts as the original (how hard it can be to create a PCB that is aligned with the original case holes to place its connectors and buttons???), no standard membrane (like the one from the recreated zx spectrum bluetooth keyboard) with the connectors on the same side like the ZX81, no gamepad or joystick port (here is just like the original!), no internal storage, no SD card slot (the USB stick isn't so convenient), no composite or svideo out to connect it to a CRT, not all Spectrum models are emulated (missing the +3, Pentagon and I don't even speak about the NEXT), only .TAP, .TZX and .Z80 files are supported, no addons or peripherals emulated (like the microdrive), no possibility to use other ROMs (like GOSH WONDERFUL, the +3e)... It looks like a spectrum but it doesn't behave like a spectrum! This is the spectrum you never dreamed of! Should you buy it? The answer is so obvious: NO! For a hundred quids you get better alternatives out there like the XBerry PI, PICOZX, ZXZERO or even The Retro Shack Raspberry Pi baremetal emulator :) Frankly, if you really want an up to date ZX Spectrum, you double the price and get a Harlequin 128 (hardware clone), SiZif 512 (CPLD/hardware clone), N-GO (FPGA Spectrum NEXT clone), SiDi (FPGA multi platform) or a MIST (FPGA multi platform). Most of them you can lodge in a new ZX Spectrum case reproduction and you can even choose other color than black. I think that presenting all the ZX Spectrum clones, FPGA platforms and emulators is an excellent subject for a future video?
Every single con you’ve counted is completely irrelevant to someone who just wants a convenient way to hook up a Speccy to a modern telly and play some games they fondly remember from their childhood. This device is perfectly designed for that audience, which will be the majority of buyers. Price is reasonable as it comes with that authentic keyboard and a selection of decent games. The fact that it’s now sold out should give you a clue that plenty of people have bought it.
@@Florin76 Does it bother you? Okay, time for a longer answer then. The processor in this thing generates heat, which is why there is a heatsink on it. Then it's sensible to make ventilation holes right underneath it. To make it pretty, it was decided to make it look like the speaker holes instead of some generic slits. The PCB used is nearly identical to that of the Atari400 mini (and probably like the other minis too) and the only addition is the daughterboard for the keyboard. There is no sense in changing all that, just for the convenience of using a standard membrane. Much like the Samsung membranes, this one is likely to last for 40 years, no need to ever replace it. If you want (inferior) composite video, get the ZX Vega which got a bit of flack for using this outdated standard that's no longer found on modern tv's. The +3 is supported (choose +2A), Pentagon is only used for a handful of Russian demos and the Next is much too complex -- the pcb of a Next (clone) costs more than this whole device. Why should a Microdrive be emulated? I'm sure you can use Gosh Wonderful if you rename it to 48.rom and put it in the appropriate folder of your USB stick (11:29) but who would want to use that? The +3E rom is total nonsense as it's for support for a Compactflash card, which the USB stick does for you already. It's behaving much like a Spectrum I'd say. A standard Spectrum like 99.9% of people remember it. Not some fancy no-keyword-input ROM or Russian .TRD file that no one has heard of. An XBerry Pi and its friends don't look like a Spectrum at all, which is the point of the The Spectrum: it looks like a Spectrum instead of a stack of PCB's which you have to plug your PC keyboard into. In short: people don't want an updated all bells and whistles Spectrum, but a cheap look-a-like easy to use machine that relives their 40 year old memories, with some amenities like USB, HDMI, ULAplus and rewind--which I think are all more than they could've hoped for. (having said all this, I do have both KS1 and KS2 Nexts and every model Spectrum you can image, and then some. My The Spectrum will be delivered tomorrow by the way.)
@@MarcKloos Thank you mate for taking your time to elaborate a little more. In terms of gear I see we weight the same :) I understand the point of this machine, people that want to relive childhood memories with a thing that ressembles the ZX Spectrum on a modern TV... But, why were they waiting tens of years for this? It doesn't make sense for me as you have emulators and alternative solutions for years. What I was saying is that with all the experience Retro Games Ltd gathered with previous products failed completely with this spectrum. There are already of the shelf reproduction for all ZX Spectrum parts and technical solutions for a spot on product. How difficult would it be to rearrange the design of the XBerry Pi board is a form that will fit the original case? And use the already existing reproduction cases and match the board ports to the original case cutouts? This would allow people to buy different colors cases and use classic keyboard membranes alternatives. In the end it would be a Spectrum NEXT clone in a classic Speccy case and what is wrong with that? This would gave you access to entire ZX Spectrum catalogue, not only classic models. I think that it was not impossible to develop a carousel menu on a Spectrum NEXT core. There is already an existing application that catalog all the Spectrum games and apps in a database, so endless possibilities for the carousel mode. And the stars you gave to the game will profit to others users too because you can hook the Spectrum NEXT on a WiFi and connect it to the Internet. That would make the product a really community one with other lots of possibilities and commercial opportunities. I saw further in the manual that you can indeed add your own ROMs, but you are limited to three models: 48K, 128K and +2A for compatibility with the games that are not supported by "the spectrum" ROM. It's nice, but all this can be done only on the USB key as separate personal configuration, they separate the product's own configuration from the user's one, it's understandable. I do understand now why you are saying that I'm not the right demographic for this product, as you are a westerner and I was born in Eastern Europe and I grew up with Speccy clones from that countries and we used flippy discs and .TRD files. Yeah, we would love to see some compatibility with those models too.
Another straight-to-trash-bin case for a cheap emulator. As for an review I miss info about using disk images (like tr-dos), saving and loading programs, possibility of using mouse and external keyboard. Now it looks like it's just an expensive toy to play few games they choose for you.
It plays pretty much every Spectrum game out there. Games are "freely" available and are loaded from a USB memory stick plugged into one the four USB ports. It is primarily an emulator for playing Spectrum games as it has none of the Spectrum expansion ports. People, like me, who have the peripherals use a real Spectrum. This emulator is excellent if you just want to play the games. It makes them very easy to load and save and the rewind feature is great if you lose a life during a game. All in all, it is a great system that introduces people to the Spectrum, while also allowing us oldies to easily enjoy games from when we were younger. You can plug in a USB keyboard. No point in using a mouse as the Spectrum games never supported one.
@WoolyChewbakker What is easier than using pc emulator? Even online from web browser. Maybe this product will find its users... the ones who need fancy expensive box for an emulator. I use spectrum nowadays for drawing pictures and I definitely need a mose and disk drive. And you definitely need mouse to play games like Black Crow, Ufo and some modern ones.
@surfinbirdzx . You use a Spectrum Emulator on a PC for drawing pictures, LOL Using a PC based emulator of the Spectrum is a complete pain in the @ss when it comes to playing games that use the keyboard when overlays are used. It absolutely does not give the feel of a good hardware emulation system such as this one. Writing your own code using the built in BASIC programming language is extremely difficult using a PC emulator and a normal keyboard. £90 for this system with the support offered is not expensive. I really don't understand your issue, so I will desist arguing the point.
@@WoolyChewbakker Sometimes I use pc emul but when I feel like it I boot my ZX Evolution and enjoy using real hardware. Btw, writing BASIC programs on a classic rubber keyboard is not the best experience) And even if you do - how do you save your hard work on this thing?
Hey we don't use the word masochist here ;) We say that we want "the genuine experience" :D In all seriousness tho, cheers man, great video! Also got The Spectrum this weekend, and i've been having a lot of fun with it!
ZX Spectrum+, the one with normal keyboard was my first computer, and because of this retro device rubber keyboard I would not buy it. Why did the creators of this retro machine decided to go with a worse version of the keyboard? ZX Spectrum+, 128, +2 and +3 all had better keyboards. Only the base version had that frustrating rubber keyboard.
The original Spectrum+ / 128k keyboard was even worse; the keys kept getting stuck, and if you didn't press them perfectly vertically they wouldn't even go down smoothly. The original 48k keyboard was great for gaming (you could press the rubber keys harder to _feel_ like you were playing better) and it wasn't until the +2 that it got good for typing. The rubber keyboard is both more iconic _and_ better for gaming, so between those two it was the obvious choice.
@@RFC3514 Despite the Spectrum+ keys getting stuck, today they are a perfect fit for Cherry MX switches. A Toastrack 128K with a Cherry MX modded keyboard is the perfect classic model. There are few attempts to this mod, maybe one will succeed.
@@Florin76 - My point isn't that you can't make a *_similar_* keyboard that's better. I'm specifically addressing what the OP wrote (that the original Spectrum+ and 128 "had better keyboards" - they didn't, their original keyboards were absolutely horrible for both typing _and_ playing games).
For the simple reason that the rubber keyboard version was by far the best selling and most popular variant of the ZX Spectrum and what most of us had as kids. They’re trying to capture that feeling of nostalgia and this hits the spot.
@@RFC3514 Yes, you can. There are hard pcb membranes with micro-switches like 48K-KLDX or MechBoardZX. At least if they used standard membranes that would ease the job, but now if you want to do it you have or to modify either the pcb either to cut the case for the standard membrane ribbons. This exist also for the Spectrum+/128K keyboard, but even better, the key-caps fits perfectly in a Cherry MX switch and you can replace the membrane with a fully mechanical pcb.
Under 100 quid. Sir Clive would approve :)
When I saw these were coming out decided to get one to relive the good old days of the Spectrum and happy to say I'm very impressed with the new version 😊
Couldn't agree more!
Did anyone else notice Sir Clive on the underside of the keyboard? Nice touch!
I did!
How about the typo "Specturm" printed on the board inside? 😂
@@spidericemidasiosmusicprod1309 really?
it also mentions Rick Dickinson the original Spectrum designer
@@spidericemidasiosmusicprod1309 - Pre-emptive copyright infringement protection.
Here in Brazil a company called Microdigital cloned a whole bunch of Spectrum and Apple machines starting in 1981. Those were:
TK80: A clone of the Sinclair ZX80, released in 1981.
TK82: Based on the Sinclair ZX81, also introduced in 1981.
TK82C: An enhanced version of the TK82, featuring improvements over the original ZX81 design.
TK83: Another ZX81 clone, launched in October 1983.
TK85: A more advanced ZX81 clone, released in March 1983.
TK90X: A clone of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, introduced in 1985.
TK95: An improved ZX Spectrum clone, released around 1986.
TK2000: A semi-compatible clone of the Apple II+, launched in the mid-1980s.
TK3000 IIe: A clone of the Apple IIe Enhanced, introduced in 1986.
TK3000 IIe Compact: A more compact version of the TK3000 IIe, released in 1987.
TK Portable: Released in 1989, it was the first portable IBM PC-compatible computer produced in Brazil.
I only have a TK83, TK85, TK90X and TK95. Would really want a TK82C as well...
One of the better reviews calling out flaws. I am really missing latency analysis from all reviews. I have a suspicion that it will be >3 frames even on a gaming monitor, which for me is a dealbreaker at the moment. I also wish they would add 9 pin joystick connector instead of one of the USBs.
Nice that it emulates 128k too, good for starglider and carrier command!
Hi the Shack,
Happy to see you back on the channel with a great review of a new built ZX Spectrum computer.
It's still a delight to see your videos about retro computing. Though I had a few Amiga Axx when I was a teenager and less interested by 8 bits computer at that time, I feel now happy to learn more about these machines and the pioneers which built home computer such as Sir Sinclair.
Many thanks,
Lionel from southern France
When you opened it up, it says "Specturm" on the board 🤭🧐
Spectrum, Specturm. Still looks like a Specturd to me...😂
Spectacula!
@@valuemasterySpecdracula?
I really hope to get one of these especially being a US resident. We never got to experience this fantastic machine.
You missed out on so much. They were not "just a game machine". Owners learned to write their own programs. It taught people to use really tight machine language coding. Educational and fun. 😊
The bible of the Spectrum at the time was "The Complete Spectrum ROM Disassembly"
Would have been interesting to see what games people would have made if the speccy took off in the US
Somebody was selling them in the US, my Dad gave us a Sinclair at one point. Was interesting because of its small size, in part explained by its horrible almost useless bubble keyboard. For some reason the price of one hundred dollars sticks in my head, that may have been the marketing angle at the time. Of course that was not including any peripherals, just the base unit.
@@PRH123
We did get the Timex Sinclair but it wasn’t the Spectrum model which sucks.
@@Super_Bros. Yes, that was the one, timex, would have been OK if it wasn’t for that dreadful keyboard, like any other 8 bit computer of the day basically.
I got one and its very good!
Not sure if i'm going to bother, i never could get used to the rubber keyboard, i preferred the 48k+ and the +2 keyboard. i do wonder if you could get this to work with a 48k+ keyboard as the connectors look the same. Can someone check if it works? If there was athe ability to run +3 and Sam Coupe then i would get it, otherwise i will be waiting to see what the modders come up with.
I'm glad they've revamped the ZX SPectrum again. It looks so cool. I wish it had more wheels though.
Happy to see you posting again. Was hoping you'd cover this!
My spectrum did not have any film on the keyboard - it had a plastic shield on it. I wonder why they are not all the same ?
you got scamed =)
Only the review models got the film
Mine didn’t have film. I was quite disappointed to realise that there is no USB stick in the box. Somehow I was under the impression that it will be included.
@@retroistaba the retail units are bare minimum! No charger (you have to buy it separately), no manual (you have to buy it separately), no game pad (you have to buy it separately), no USB stick (you have to buy it separately). So if you add al this the retail price for a complete config will be around 200 EUR. I connected mine to my monitor and I realized that it doesn't have any separate audio output and for this too you have to buy a separate box to extract audio from the HDMI.
So, if it is the same membrane, what happens if the buttons stop working? You're screwed and have to find replacememnts? That kinda sucks...
Great to see another video from you, don’t leave it so long next time! As always, a good honest review.
Thanks Colin - video output should be getting back to a normal pace :)
Hi Please.is there a Link for the USB Micro Drive, I couldn't see it on the site ? thanks
So when the rubber keys wear away the underlay mesh can you still get a modern DK'Tronics keyboard with proper keys as a replacement and stick the motherboard in that?
Should be possible
I have an external usb keyboard connected to mine to preserve the rubber keys.
On what model? The classic one or "this spectrum"? On the classic one there are lots of alternative keyboards available, rubber pad, membrane, pcb with microswitches membranes, chiclet hard keys and face plate replacements. Maybe you can replace on "the spectrum" the rubber mat and the face plate, but the membrane has all the connectors on one side and to this day there are no replacements. And I do not see anybody willing to made them for this emulation box with no value. I hope to be wrong on this, but time will tell.
I have a question, I don't if anyone in the comments can help. The manual and the back of the Spectrum says to use a 1amp power adapter but the update firmware page has a warning telling you to use a 2amp adapter, which is right? what are everyone else using?
I think it just needs 1 amp in normal operation with one or two controllers attached. But just to be on the safe side they recommend a 2 amp power supply when you're updating the firmware in case the power draw from that USB stick is a little more than the system usually handles. They don't want The Spectrum losing power during an update since that could brick it.
@@YourTaciturnFriend Ok thankyou
Where do you get a power supply? It seems stupid that a UK power supply is not included, because you can't use the machine without one! What type of power supply is needed? Most units I've seen have the old-style Spectrum connector, not USB-C. And how much does this add to the cost?
It requires a standard minimum 1A USB C charger, so pretty much any mobile phone charge will do it.
Bought one on release day on a whim, and I have to say I'm really pleased with it especially with my XBox controller plugged in. I never got on with joysticks and playing those old games with thumbsticks makes a huge difference for me. For 90 quid it was worth the gamble. The only negative I've found so far is I had to rummage around for a spare USB charger as they don't supply one.
Your Xbox controller worked? It wouldn't recognise mine....
@@deadpan666trueProbably an Xbox 360 wired, rather than anything newer.
@@deadpan666true Yeah, worked straight away no problems. It is the wired 360 one though.
I personally think that the Superfo Spectrum boards are the best for retro nostalgia.
When will this be available to order in the US? I used one of these while in Germany back in the 80s.
Idea for next video: turn on ULAplus and try all 48 games. There are some Easter Eggs in there!
I wonder if you can place the boards into a spectrum plus case
Is it possible to use pokes on this machine
Is there a simple way to use it with headphones?
That will be down to your TV. Most TVs / soundbars will either have a headphones jack or Bluetooth that can pair will Bluetooth headphones.
@@raithrover1976 - I wouldn't be connecting it to a TV, I'd be connecting it to a monitor that doesn't have speakers (or any audio ports). So, I guess the question is:
1. Can it output audio via any of the USB ports (ex., to USB headphones)?
2. If not, is there a cheap way to get an audio output from the HDMI output (while still letting it pass through to the screen, of course)?
There are HDMI to VGA converters with audio jack port. You can use it if your monitor has VGA input.
@@saszab - Does anything made in the last 20 years have a VGA port?
@RFC3514 What an interesting tone to thank. Sure. I have 5 monitors at home (all of which are younger than 20 years), and only 1 of them lacks this port. Moreover, just 2 days ago my wife brought from work a brand new monitor in unopened box, and guess what? Exactly, it has VGA port! It's Dell SE2425H, produced in June 2024. I have several PCs, all of which are younger than 20 years. At least half of them have this port. Even 3 miniPCs have both HDMI and VGA. I have Agon Light 2 - a retro-futuristic 8-bit computer released a couple of years ago. It has only VGA. I have MiSTer FPGA. It has VGA.
Does not bother me that there is no wall wart for the power as I have power extension leads with usb sockets on already, they are readily available these days, at worst you might need an adapter to standard usb from the Type C on a lot of these mini machines but they cost a pound or two from amazon.
The speaker holes on The Spectrum appear to align up with the processer and heatsink on the MB, maybe it was a convenient way of adding an air vent?
Like it's obvious that it's a collectors piece and timely released the month before Christmas. Come February all stock will be gone in all probability. Maybe more stock will become available in the run up to next winter for a rinse and repeat cash grab. Same happened with the Amiga 500 mini. The Amiga mini currently isn't available anywhere outside of Amazon and CeX now like many other retro products of recent years.
Interesting to hear your views on it. I like the mix of classics and recent homebrew titles, and the overall package looks nice. I did notice there was something written on the inside of the shell when you opened it up? At Crash Live I managed to get one of the little Microdrives so that's cool.
Just posted a picture of the inside of the shell to the community space on the channel :)
Seems like a good job by Retrogames and at a good price. I'm going to stick with my Spectrum Next however.
Wise choice. Do you have a N-GO clone?
@@Florin76 KS2 origninal
As usual una producto de qualidad, bravo, caballero.
Warmly welcome BACK!
Thanks - it's good to be back!
The C64 and The Spectrum (which I have both) are certainly at the sweetspot of retro computing - that is, until they finally release The Amiga. Can't wait for it. Would love to see Atari ST and a full size PET as well 😊
I'd instantly buy a full size Atari ST!
Welcome back! I do love your channel.
Super no bs review 👍🏼
Got one….its smashing.
I would get one of these if I could buy it direct from Retro. I refuse to use Amazon.
There are more websites than just Amazon that sell these.
I owned the later 128K +2 as a kid, which I loved, but picked up a rubber-key 48K edition later because I really wanted to get a hold of one from before the Amstrad takeover of Sinclair. This is so tempting, and I could really see myself acquiring one of these retro recreations. Plus, I'm drawn to The C64 too from playing on ones owned by my friends.
Long time no see! Did your downsizing go ok?
I've got the C64 and Atari 400 mini. But this is the one I was really praying for for years. So many good memories with my original. Really impressed with this recreation. Nice packaging and presentation in the box too.
I still have my original in the loft along with all the cassette games. So I've added my favourites of those as ROMs via usb and it works great.
If I wanted to try my original unit and games, I'd either have to buy an old TV for RF input, or mess about with add-ons on the back to convert to HDMI, which I simply don't want to do.
I don't have a cassette player either.
I also had an Atari 400 alongside my original Spectrum and I used to play the Spectrum games using one of the Atari joysticks plugged into a joystick interface. I'm now using one of my Atari 400 mini usb joysticks to play the games in the new Spectrum. So I've got a very close playing experience as I had originally.
Absolutely loving it.
Can you get one of these "across the pond"?
I sure hope so, I’ve always wanted to own a Speccy. ❤
I have never understood this phrase, where "pond" refers to the goddamn Atlantic ocean.😂
The RetroGames website doesn't list any north american stockists.The UK stores it does list are out of stock, but it looks like Amazon UK has supplies but I don't know if they ship to north american addresses. (maybe you can find someone in UK who can buy one and ship it to you or a proxy service ?) Amazon has sold 700+ so far, no idea how long existing stocks will last.
@@CZpersi It is a play on words. Something we do a lot in England.
@CZpersi yeah exactly it's the opposite of a pond
First at all, welcome back.
Second, it's possible to buy the same reproduction case and retrofit a raspberry pi into it for a fraction of the price, as at least another youtuber pointed out.
I doubt it, I would imagine most of the money is in the case and keyboard anyway. I wouldn't expect to pay much less for it without the internals.
If you haven't already got your hands on one of these, be ready to wait until February or so.
There are still available if you look around. Picked up two from two different Argos stores within a 20 mile Radius yesterday 29/11
It's a nice way of experiencing the good old ZX Spectrum!
Glad to see you back 🙂
Welcome back!
Fair enough.
If I was to be ultra picky it's a shame having gone to the trouble of including the same keyboard and connectors that you can't swap in an original lid, but that's just me being unfair. However I'll stick with my moded Harlequin as for me much of the satisfaction comes from tinkering.
I know that I am in the minority, but the thought of gaming on a zombie flesh keyboard again just gives me flashbacks to 1984 and using one of the most terrible keyboards ever made.
Had they gone with the + style keyboard, I might have been interested, but for me this would end up just being another dust collector.
Bring back the Amiga ! I want one of them!
I think I'd rather use your PCB design since I like the Raspberry Pi and appreciate the DB9 ports.
Ironic that everyone hated the spongy, rubber keys when it was originally released yet this is the version of the 48K spectrum they decided to recreate.
I had one and I didn't 'hate' it. Quite the opposite in fact.
@@deanjames232 Yes, exactly how I felt too.
I never hated it, I moved up from the zx81, so the rubber keyed speccy was a dream…
I’d rather Shack than Fleetwood Mac
Wait they sent you one for review, but not a VIP pack like most others have been showing off with the big manual etc.... how very dare they!
Yep, I got the VIP pack but wanted to review what you’d actually get if you bought one :)
@@TheRetroShack Good to know that all this fame and fortune hasn't gone to your head!
Mine is arriving probably tomorrow. Don't know why I bought it as I also have an original, a Plus, a +2 and a next... But couldn't resist.
You've caught the "collectionite" my friend! Very severe illness 🙃
To think that they could get the copyright issues relating to The Hobbit passed considering the overblown I P that has become but they couldn't get or even necessarily try hard enough to get that all important Spectrum version of Chase H Q. Sloppy work there from those retro chaps.
Rumour is Amiga Maxi next….i would rather a BBC/Electron Maxi so I can die happy completing Quest for the Pork Sausage graphic adventure game I wrote…filled all ram on Electron….printed out in school (about 10 feet of printer paper) and got a B with in my O’level computer studies lesson back in 84ish. Saved on a Memorex C90 never to be seen again. Happy days.
Not that it really matters, but you say that size-wise, it's "spot on", while it appears clearly less wide than the original. (By probably about 2cm from what I can tell.) The height and depth look the same though.
Got to admit I miss the dot crawl you got with an original spectrum.
The Clock Signal (CLK) emulator goes to such lengths that it also emulates video artefacts, actually modelling the video signal, going somewhat beyond the pretend CRT mode with fake scanlines that appears to be the limit of most emulators.
@@paul_boddie So does this have dot crawl?
Really missed hearing that opening theme ❤
Aint no copyright laws in China bro.
No Atari joystick port/s, largely incompatible with regular USB joysticks and no proprietary joystick/s included in the box. Oh dear.
Great review, thanks! New subscriber.
Thanks for the sub!
And It’s Good Buy From Him.
No Bomb Jack either.
And no Sea Dragon - one of my favorites among the new homebrew games.
I just hope the Amiga "Maxi" is going to be just as good. If it's coming out at all. The release date seems to be escaping further and further into the future.
Arra várok évek óta én is!
Can you plug in a tape recorder for a truly hardcore data transfer experience (or just for playing your own creations, which exist only on tapes)?
As much as I do not have any nostalgia for this computer (some of the games aged very poorly, tbh...), I highly respect what they have done with the functioning keyboard, Basic and all that.❤
As you can see in the video (at 4:28) the back of the machine, no extension ports, no audio ports, nada! Only 4 USB ports. The only way you can simulate loading a tape is with the .TZX files.
... and set the speed of the tape loading to "normal" and the border width to maximum
Perhaps a usb to audio capture if drivers for such appear on GitHub. Ordered mine from game collection but seems they have issues with stock so having to wait and hope it turns up this year well before Christmas
If you want real spectrum connectivity (and more) you need a Spectrum Next, can also use tapes, microdrives...
@@sonic2000gr. Or a real Spectrum 😀
Just got this
I've always enjoyed your tone, knowledge and enthusiasm in your videos and it's great to see another.
I haven't bought a unit myself, as I've many ways to play Speccy and Xmas is approaching. I think it's at a good price point and does the job. My only gripe, is that I'd like the carousel to be editable as you can with the c64 maxi tool.
There's a few people who complain it doesn't do x, y, z. Granted, it's not perfect, but recreates the rubber keyed Speccy as it should, and will do the same when the Amiga maxi arrives in 2025.
Retro Games are doing a great job, albeit I used the Amiga mini for pandora usb mod ( general retro gaming) as the games didn't appeal that much (wasn't much of an Amiga fanboy) and to be honest Amiga emulation on the PC can do a much better job.
There's a ton of modern homebrew that can be played via USB, and as the device supports 128k, its better than the original, in that regards.
A good 128k machine with sd card, scart or hdmi, would cost more than this offering from Retro Games UK.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Amazing
The 1st review that points out all the design quirks of this spectrum: weird cutouts, not using the same case cutouts as the original (how hard it can be to create a PCB that is aligned with the original case holes to place its connectors and buttons???), no standard membrane (like the one from the recreated zx spectrum bluetooth keyboard) with the connectors on the same side like the ZX81, no gamepad or joystick port (here is just like the original!), no internal storage, no SD card slot (the USB stick isn't so convenient), no composite or svideo out to connect it to a CRT, not all Spectrum models are emulated (missing the +3, Pentagon and I don't even speak about the NEXT), only .TAP, .TZX and .Z80 files are supported, no addons or peripherals emulated (like the microdrive), no possibility to use other ROMs (like GOSH WONDERFUL, the +3e)... It looks like a spectrum but it doesn't behave like a spectrum! This is the spectrum you never dreamed of! Should you buy it? The answer is so obvious: NO! For a hundred quids you get better alternatives out there like the XBerry PI, PICOZX, ZXZERO or even The Retro Shack Raspberry Pi baremetal emulator :)
Frankly, if you really want an up to date ZX Spectrum, you double the price and get a Harlequin 128 (hardware clone), SiZif 512 (CPLD/hardware clone), N-GO (FPGA Spectrum NEXT clone), SiDi (FPGA multi platform) or a MIST (FPGA multi platform). Most of them you can lodge in a new ZX Spectrum case reproduction and you can even choose other color than black. I think that presenting all the ZX Spectrum clones, FPGA platforms and emulators is an excellent subject for a future video?
You're not the target audience for this device
@@MarcKloos What are you mate, an automatic answering machine?
Every single con you’ve counted is completely irrelevant to someone who just wants a convenient way to hook up a Speccy to a modern telly and play some games they fondly remember from their childhood. This device is perfectly designed for that audience, which will be the majority of buyers. Price is reasonable as it comes with that authentic keyboard and a selection of decent games. The fact that it’s now sold out should give you a clue that plenty of people have bought it.
@@Florin76 Does it bother you? Okay, time for a longer answer then.
The processor in this thing generates heat, which is why there is a heatsink on it. Then it's sensible to make ventilation holes right underneath it. To make it pretty, it was decided to make it look like the speaker holes instead of some generic slits. The PCB used is nearly identical to that of the Atari400 mini (and probably like the other minis too) and the only addition is the daughterboard for the keyboard. There is no sense in changing all that, just for the convenience of using a standard membrane. Much like the Samsung membranes, this one is likely to last for 40 years, no need to ever replace it. If you want (inferior) composite video, get the ZX Vega which got a bit of flack for using this outdated standard that's no longer found on modern tv's. The +3 is supported (choose +2A), Pentagon is only used for a handful of Russian demos and the Next is much too complex -- the pcb of a Next (clone) costs more than this whole device. Why should a Microdrive be emulated? I'm sure you can use Gosh Wonderful if you rename it to 48.rom and put it in the appropriate folder of your USB stick (11:29) but who would want to use that? The +3E rom is total nonsense as it's for support for a Compactflash card, which the USB stick does for you already. It's behaving much like a Spectrum I'd say. A standard Spectrum like 99.9% of people remember it. Not some fancy no-keyword-input ROM or Russian .TRD file that no one has heard of. An XBerry Pi and its friends don't look like a Spectrum at all, which is the point of the The Spectrum: it looks like a Spectrum instead of a stack of PCB's which you have to plug your PC keyboard into. In short: people don't want an updated all bells and whistles Spectrum, but a cheap look-a-like easy to use machine that relives their 40 year old memories, with some amenities like USB, HDMI, ULAplus and rewind--which I think are all more than they could've hoped for.
(having said all this, I do have both KS1 and KS2 Nexts and every model Spectrum you can image, and then some. My The Spectrum will be delivered tomorrow by the way.)
@@MarcKloos Thank you mate for taking your time to elaborate a little more. In terms of gear I see we weight the same :) I understand the point of this machine, people that want to relive childhood memories with a thing that ressembles the ZX Spectrum on a modern TV... But, why were they waiting tens of years for this? It doesn't make sense for me as you have emulators and alternative solutions for years. What I was saying is that with all the experience Retro Games Ltd gathered with previous products failed completely with this spectrum. There are already of the shelf reproduction for all ZX Spectrum parts and technical solutions for a spot on product. How difficult would it be to rearrange the design of the XBerry Pi board is a form that will fit the original case? And use the already existing reproduction cases and match the board ports to the original case cutouts? This would allow people to buy different colors cases and use classic keyboard membranes alternatives. In the end it would be a Spectrum NEXT clone in a classic Speccy case and what is wrong with that? This would gave you access to entire ZX Spectrum catalogue, not only classic models. I think that it was not impossible to develop a carousel menu on a Spectrum NEXT core. There is already an existing application that catalog all the Spectrum games and apps in a database, so endless possibilities for the carousel mode. And the stars you gave to the game will profit to others users too because you can hook the Spectrum NEXT on a WiFi and connect it to the Internet. That would make the product a really community one with other lots of possibilities and commercial opportunities.
I saw further in the manual that you can indeed add your own ROMs, but you are limited to three models: 48K, 128K and +2A for compatibility with the games that are not supported by "the spectrum" ROM. It's nice, but all this can be done only on the USB key as separate personal configuration, they separate the product's own configuration from the user's one, it's understandable.
I do understand now why you are saying that I'm not the right demographic for this product, as you are a westerner and I was born in Eastern Europe and I grew up with Speccy clones from that countries and we used flippy discs and .TRD files. Yeah, we would love to see some compatibility with those models too.
Another straight-to-trash-bin case for a cheap emulator.
As for an review I miss info about using disk images (like tr-dos), saving and loading programs, possibility of using mouse and external keyboard. Now it looks like it's just an expensive toy to play few games they choose for you.
It plays pretty much every Spectrum game out there. Games are "freely" available and are loaded from a USB memory stick plugged into one the four USB ports. It is primarily an emulator for playing Spectrum games as it has none of the Spectrum expansion ports. People, like me, who have the peripherals use a real Spectrum. This emulator is excellent if you just want to play the games. It makes them very easy to load and save and the rewind feature is great if you lose a life during a game. All in all, it is a great system that introduces people to the Spectrum, while also allowing us oldies to easily enjoy games from when we were younger.
You can plug in a USB keyboard. No point in using a mouse as the Spectrum games never supported one.
@WoolyChewbakker What is easier than using pc emulator? Even online from web browser.
Maybe this product will find its users... the ones who need fancy expensive box for an emulator.
I use spectrum nowadays for drawing pictures and I definitely need a mose and disk drive.
And you definitely need mouse to play games like Black Crow, Ufo and some modern ones.
@surfinbirdzx . You use a Spectrum Emulator on a PC for drawing pictures, LOL
Using a PC based emulator of the Spectrum is a complete pain in the @ss when it comes to playing games that use the keyboard when overlays are used. It absolutely does not give the feel of a good hardware emulation system such as this one.
Writing your own code using the built in BASIC programming language is extremely difficult using a PC emulator and a normal keyboard.
£90 for this system with the support offered is not expensive.
I really don't understand your issue, so I will desist arguing the point.
@@WoolyChewbakker Sometimes I use pc emul but when I feel like it I boot my ZX Evolution and enjoy using real hardware.
Btw, writing BASIC programs on a classic rubber keyboard is not the best experience) And even if you do - how do you save your hard work on this thing?
@surfinbirdzx it saves to USB memory stick 😀
You're late to the party there are 1002 unboxing videos already 🤣🤣. Great review :)
My life in a nutshell at the moment :)
Awww, you still living on the road 🛣️ dude or back in a house 🏠?..
And only this one I found it fair and interesting. All the others are the same.
Hey we don't use the word masochist here ;) We say that we want "the genuine experience" :D In all seriousness tho, cheers man, great video! Also got The Spectrum this weekend, and i've been having a lot of fun with it!
nah id rather have the ral thing and not emulators
No.
ZX Spectrum+, the one with normal keyboard was my first computer, and because of this retro device rubber keyboard I would not buy it. Why did the creators of this retro machine decided to go with a worse version of the keyboard? ZX Spectrum+, 128, +2 and +3 all had better keyboards. Only the base version had that frustrating rubber keyboard.
The original Spectrum+ / 128k keyboard was even worse; the keys kept getting stuck, and if you didn't press them perfectly vertically they wouldn't even go down smoothly. The original 48k keyboard was great for gaming (you could press the rubber keys harder to _feel_ like you were playing better) and it wasn't until the +2 that it got good for typing.
The rubber keyboard is both more iconic _and_ better for gaming, so between those two it was the obvious choice.
@@RFC3514 Despite the Spectrum+ keys getting stuck, today they are a perfect fit for Cherry MX switches. A Toastrack 128K with a Cherry MX modded keyboard is the perfect classic model. There are few attempts to this mod, maybe one will succeed.
@@Florin76 - My point isn't that you can't make a *_similar_* keyboard that's better. I'm specifically addressing what the OP wrote (that the original Spectrum+ and 128 "had better keyboards" - they didn't, their original keyboards were absolutely horrible for both typing _and_ playing games).
For the simple reason that the rubber keyboard version was by far the best selling and most popular variant of the ZX Spectrum and what most of us had as kids. They’re trying to capture that feeling of nostalgia and this hits the spot.
@@RFC3514 Yes, you can. There are hard pcb membranes with micro-switches like 48K-KLDX or MechBoardZX. At least if they used standard membranes that would ease the job, but now if you want to do it you have or to modify either the pcb either to cut the case for the standard membrane ribbons. This exist also for the Spectrum+/128K keyboard, but even better, the key-caps fits perfectly in a Cherry MX switch and you can replace the membrane with a fully mechanical pcb.
Your intro is too long
Hell to the copyright rules there a joke