I was always a Commodore computer fan, with a bit of a rivalry against the Spectrum users at the time. (Like how Americans war over NES and Genesis) But down the line I've grown an appreciation for the Spectrum. And I've been collecting tapes, and some games I've missed out. Its awesome that this device is coming out and can play original software as well!
I think most people were simply invested in the format they happened to have, most of the time that's all they had so they were literally invested in it! :D
I had a C64 at that time BUT of course I went to my friend's houses after school and played on their Speccy games, and they came to mine to play C64 stuff. We were interested in *GAMES* first and foremost, sure they looked different but that was half the fun when a programmer managed to make them do something new.
Yeh, I am a bloke in USA and all over and love the Sinclair computers. Most of my videos on my TH-cam channel is all about the Speccy and the Next. I own a Next and enjoy it very much. Looking forward to years and years of use from mine. I also pledged the 2nd kickstarter too.
I am glad TJ, I always ment you were "just" Amigan. I somehow love QL, even failing, its first 16 bit and last 8 bit style computer *SuperBASIC and full DOS in ROM. Amiga tried to continue that with amigaDOS in ROM but real thing would be 4MB WB in ROM, too bad even OS 3.2.2. dont use that
I'm British, and I got the gaming bug immediately. I built my first computer (with a lot of help) in the 1970s, as I used to mess around with electronics. By the time the Spectrum came out, I was well and truly in. Games got more complex and started to drift away from arcade style games. When that happened, I was at work in my first job after school (in a computer department). I'd come home, wait for my parents to go to bed, so I could pinch the one TV we had at the time, and play all night on the Spectrum, then get a coupld of hours sleep before going to work. How the hell I managed this I don't know, but those quiet early mornings getting a bit furhter on Jet Set Willy or Monty Mole was fabulous.
Atic Atac, Daley Thompson's Decathlon, Jet Set Willy 2' Chuckie Egg 2, Back to Skool, Robin of the Wood, Commando, Dizzy and the seminal 3D platformers Knight Lore, Batman and Head over Heels were amongst my favourite games on the Speccy. £1.99 cassette games from WH Smiths Newsagent, then we would share them with our friends. One of the best times ever for gaming.
@john hancock definitely try the 3d platformers batman and head over heals on the speccy, it just feels like it was made for isometric 3d imho!! the hobbit was a big hit (text adventure with some gfx) spy hunter was a fun port, jet set willy of course.. oh and brian bloodaxe!!! lol
Growing up in Scotland, I loved my Spectrum. It's a quintessentially British machine though, I can't imagine many of the games would have translated well in the USA at the time, probably why it never caught on there. Despite its limitations with colours and sound, there were so many great games made for it, like Jet Set Willy, Knight Lore, Skool Daze (credited as the first true sandbox game), Atic Atac etc etc etc. So many great text adventures for the machine as well. Will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly was the 'punk' to the C64's 'MOR rock'.
I was one of the lucky ones in Kickstarter #1 and appreciate the Next more and more. Just a few weeks ago I discovered to flash multiple cores in the Spectrum Next and now running Coleco and NES games and some arcade games, Galaga, Moon Cresta, and more. I love all retro gaming devices, Sega, Nintendo, C64, Atari ST, Atari Falcon, Amiga, and so on. And the Speccy as we call it was always close to my heart.
Good video! I was in on the first Kickstarter of the NEXT and got mine earlier this year. It is a good machine runs great, can play older games(Spectrum etc). I was amazed on how quick they were able to reach there goal, this time on Kickstarter!
I think everyone were blown away by the speed with which theiy reached the original goal of £250.000; they are pretty close to 5 times that amount at the time I type this, and after only 5 or 6 days. Truly a testament to the magic the old Speccy exerted on us all.
I am from the US and have loved the Spectrum 48K since 2000 when a neighbor of mine sold thiers to me for $40.00 USD at a yard, sale it came with football manager, chuckie egg, attic attack, jet set willy but they are cool games just need to get a few more for it. but yeah really great little computer for the money. and before you tell me it don't work in the US because of TV signal Diffs (UHF vs VHF) or Pal VS Ntsc. yes it does you just have to mod the hardware to make it compat found a lot of info online on how to do it and it was pretty simple I even got some help from a guy at Byte Delight who was able to sell me a genuine Speccy ULA to repair mine a week ago. I love Europe the people are always so nice to me and always willing to help me out with info.
I managed to back this 2nd run so look forward to getting it August 2021. Was my first computer back in 1983 here in the UK and still got mine in the loft. Alot of rivalry at school over the Spectrum and the C64 (I love both) Nice to see you talking about it on the channel mate 🕹
Sir Clive Sinclair a true british legend,the 48k was the first computer I ever owned ,heck you were even able to pirate games for it if you had a dual cassette deck with a record function lol I remember purchasing games from John Menzies and having to wait for them to copy it onto a cassette for me,last game I ever got for it was shadow dancer.
Thanks for the video John. I live in the UK and grew up with the ZX Spectrum. I have a lot of great memories with this machine. Games like Skool Daze offered originality and they just focused on the gameplay with very little power to play with. Take care. Steven.
Why I have a Next - I am a 60 year old recent retiree and bought mine as a retirement project. I was a big Spectrum user in my early 20’s. The ZX Spectrum was one of the first home computers accessible to those interested in understanding what this new machine “a computer” was. Although, as time progressed games began to dominate the software produced, the Spectrum was a home computer. I upgraded from my Spectrum to an IBM PC, not a games console! I used mainly educational and application software. Whilst I did not get deeply into programming, as many did, I learnt the concepts of key computer applications - e.g. word processors, spreadsheets and databases. The machine was a key factor in me having a life time career in the IT industry. My reason for buying the Next was to have a machine with modern electronics that would connect to a modern monitor with all the key Spectrum functionalities built in compactly. This would enable me to re-visit all my original Spectrum software and peripherals boxed up for over 35 years, without going to the trouble of getting my original machines recapped etc.. (which is a must if you want the electronics to be reliable after 35 years). On top of this, the Next casing, which captures the innovative and beautiful look of the original Sinclair branded Spectrums (thanks to its design by the original Spectrum designer Rick Dickinson), was irresistible. In practice, the Next offers both the ability to recreate the past, but also many new things created by the undying enthusiastic Spectrum community over all these years. Well done to those who made the NEXT happen. The machine is giving me great happiness. I do have one disappointment though, which was the result of me not understanding the technology. Making your old peripherals work is not typically “out of the box” For example, even to use your old Interface 1 and Microdrives, you must first run some pokes and (of course) have to be in 48k /128k (not Next) mode.
Great to see so many Americans interested in this. This machine was everything to us in Europe. It was my only computer from 1982 to 1991 and I have been a game developer for a long time, starting there. The Next community is so great and there is a ton of hype. Looking forwards to creating games for this 🙂
Speccy 48k was my very first computer and introduction to coding and computer graphics and art (at the tender age of 5!) Really great video and perspective from over seas, the system was such an integral part of the 80s over here in the UK. Thanks for a great vid!
The Speccy had an enormous impact in Spain, Latin America and all of Eastern Europe. There were many (80+ at least) clones, Pentagon and Scorpion are two well known examples. I do not think that Sir Clive ever saw a penny for any of these inofficial clones. Fun fact: The ZX Spectrum 128 first appeared on the Spanish market.
I didnt grew up woth the machine, i was not even born, but as a huge fan of retro games I do love my Speccy ,) I have a 128+2B Model and loads of games. Really good stuff. There was a Timex Model in the US that used cartridges and fun fact, it was manufactured here in Portugal.
I love your positive energy about retrogaming. The fact that basic games will run so well on the next offers a real opportunity for coding to many who dabbled back then as well.
Missed KS 1 - gone for this one with the upgrades ( pi co-processor) 48k Speccy was my first computer and the first thing i coded on . Got a+3 eventually then went to a 486 sx 25 :) 30 years later im still working in IT and im still coding in my spare time mainly due to the speccy ( so thanks Sir Clive for my house etc. ). The games for the speccy are very english and have english humour and concepts but as it was the most popular device here a heck of a lot of people squeezed every ounce out of it - the games are really good - even with 8 bit graphics and a buzzer for a speaker :) - mainly because it was only 8 bit graphics and a silly buzzer so they couldn't hide behind flashy graphics or sound they HAD to make really good games ( try astro clone - or bored of the rings sometime )
Are you referring to the 2068? I have one of those. I guess kind of right but hard to count considering the incompatibility issues it had. I need to get mine modded.
I ordered my NEXT and am a fellow American looking forward to having my first hand taste of the Speccy. I been playing ZX games for about a year or so now and am highly impressed with a lot of the library. It's also going to knock out two birds with one computer for me as I was trying to obtain "PIE STARTER", a special BASIC card for Pie that comes with special printed keyboard for commands and characters and is from Japan (it's the same folks who made PetitCom for DS and 3DS), but only one store sells it and they don't do international shipping...and with NEXT's BASIC essentially identical to PIE STARTER, I get that as well, along with English speaking community! So it's just the right machine at the right time for me and I can't wait for it to arrive.
Born in the UK in the 70s, grew up in the 80s. This little rubber key microcomputer was the only thing that you could play games at home (on the spare black & white TV) at a price that many could afford. It really was cutting edge pocket money fun. Large stores like WHSmiths and Woolworths were selling games on cassette, along with independent retailers and market stalls filled with computer tapes from 99p & up. And obviously friends would copy tapes onto blank ones and pass on. At the same time the Nintendo Nes tried & failed to sell games at around £30 which just didn't take off here.
John, I'll (try to) keep this brief. Are there more things that you could have mentioned, that you didn't? Sure, but who cares - you blew me away with the insightful things that you *did* say. This kind of insight to the ZX Speccy (both parts, which you pronounced correctly ... which I can see MANY other people also commented on) was unexpected from an American ... and I love that. I absolutely feel like this was (to you) not a matter of doing some research into the Spectrum - you're a fan and you know your stuff and aren't just "painting by numbers". Awesome! I already have 2, may get another. Hope you do too. Enjoy.
imagine this become more popular as a retro casual games platform then Amico or VCS! it would be so cool, I would like to play again "head over heels" and "saboteur", brings so many memories
The second Kickstarter was so successful because they proved they could meet expectations by delivering the first wave. Irrespective of the fact that legends like Jim Bagley have been involved since the beginning I know plenty of people who held off backing it the first time round, thinking it was just too good to be true. Once we saw people actually getting functional products in their hands it stopped being just another campaign with lofty ambitions that would never be fully realised - they proved they had the skill and experience to pull it off.
Very true words there - I _would_ have joined the first kickstarter though, had it not taken place the very month I had a huge electricity bill due :( _sad onion_ but I'm definitely joining the fray this time 'round.
10 min load times? nope. I still have a working Spectrum +2 and most tape loading times were 2-3 mins with rare ones being a bit longer but not 10 mins. But these days I use an sdcard on it and load games in 2 secs . lol
I think you're thinking of the Timex Sinclair 2068? Unfortunately that machine could not run a lot of Speccy games if they used ROM routines. This was due to the fact that the Timex machines used a different ROM.
I missed the first Kickstarter but didn't want to miss this one. I have a remake of the Spectrum called the Omni. It is nice but I think the Next will be awesome. Now I just have to wait a year to get it!
When I bought the Timex Sinclair 2068 in 1983, other computers like the Commodore 64 cost 2 to 3 times as much. The $595 price of a Commodore 64 in 1982 is equivalent to $1580 today. It was cost-prohibitive. For $200 I could get a computer that didn't have as good graphics, but it had 16 colors, a 3.58 MHZ Z80, a great sound chip, a keyboard I liked, and a really nice BASIC. I had a great business selling software that I wrote for the Timex Sinclair 2068. BTW, I would love to find a copy of a videogame I wrote, called "Diamond Mike" which was a Boulder Dash clone. Maybe some collector out there has it?
John Coffey I recognize your name :) I was a kid growing up on the ts2068 and was into the programming and hardware as well but not on a commercial basis. There is some of the ts2068 in the Next too -- the timex hires mode, hi-colour mode, second d-file are all there. The native bankswitching is done on 8K pages. Unfortunately I don't think Diamond Mike has been archived anywhere. Most ts software is so far lost. There is a short history you wrote about yourself in 1984 on timexsinclair.com. If you didn't know about it, it might be good for a little nostalgiac value to look up.
I'm somehow more excited for this new Spctrum than the PS5. I reveived a ZX Spectrum 128k +2 for Christmas in 1985 when i was 7. I owned over 100 games on tapes including Ant Attack, Manic Miner, Ollie and Lisa, Super Robin Hood, Attic Attack and loads more great games. I used to loan games from the Library, copy them onto tapes and share or trade them with my friends. The UK didn't have a Video Game crash like the US did mainly due to the Spectrum (and other computers) being so popular among Bedroom Coders and Video Game players. Games were even given away with Video Game magazines, it was a great time for independant gaming too. I'd love to own this new Spectrum to relive the brilliant games i played back then and to discover the new titles being made today. Great video, very interesting, both contemporary and nostalgic 👍
Head over heels was my favorite game back then. There was a lot of excellent titles on the speccy, like gunrunner, exolon. To this day, I'm still playing speccy games in a regular basis (Wheelie among others). Eagerly waiting for my speccy next (will have to wait until August 2021 :().
From uk. Love your perspective on the spectrum. You totally get it! You get why its such a beloved computer. Also, you didnt need to constantly reference the c64. I grew up with the 48k then 128+, of all the games, I still think about Firelord to this day!
I've been curious about this system for years! This new version has my attention for sure, and of course I'll be looking for an update on it from the Immortal One! :)
Got a Next in the first Kickstarter and it’s a fantastic machine. Absolutely love mine but it’s definitely better with a Pi Zero installed to load tzx files.
The Speccy+2 was my first ever big purchase, we had a TI99 before it but this was to be MINE. I saved so hard and the day I got the bus to my nearest city to finally go and buy the thing was my most memorable purchase ever, so amazing! I was lucky and had a video library across the road from my house with tons of great Speccy games £1.99 and £2.99 a cassette, and some snacks with the change, hours of fun. I just bought a Next pre-owned and it's being out to one side for my birthday, so excited I swear I must be young again.
My first Game systems were a clonic pong and Game and watch... Then I got the zx spectrum 48k , rubber Keys, and from It moved to the Amiga 500, that was the biggest improvement un my whole gaming life
It has been estimated that the original ZX Spectrum had more than 25.000 unique titles published during its active life. This number includes all genres, not just games, but also utilities, programming languages, productivity software, and so on. The majority of this huge catalogue can be found on sites like www.worldofspectrum.org and www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk. Some software houses have requested/demanded that their titles NOT be distributed on the 'net, and these two sites respect that. Both sites also have active forums where for instance newbies can get help, as well as more accomplished people can share their knowledge. Highly recommendable. Finally, kudos to you, John Hancock, for pronouncing the name of the ZX Spectrum correctly.
I had the original ZX-80 when they first came out. Ordered it from an ad in Popular Science magazine I believe .. $99 USD. Had the ZX-81 too (never a Spectrum). Shocked to see there is still interest.
Lords of Midnight sounds really good! This was my childhood computer. I learned to program with Basic. I also used to read those Spectrum magazines. Other good games are Sabre Wulf, Hobbit, Knight Lore, Great Escape, Batman,...
In Chile we had three NTSC ZX Spectrum compatible micro computers in the 80s: ZX Spectrum NTSC model, Microdigital TK90x (Braziliian clone) and the Timex Computer 2048 (from Poland).
The +3 is a great machine indeed, and if you add Garry Lancaster's +3e ROM set it becomes even better; Not only will it enable you to add a hard disk, SD card, or other form of mass storage, but it also fixes many of the bugs that are in the original ROMs, as well as adding new features like windows, random access files, and much more.
hey John, if you missed out on the Next, you can get the clone (pcb made by permission) called N-GO. there's a guy in Spain that puts them inside a keyboard, the N-Go is made with the blessings of the Next team as they might not do another KS. only difference is, you don't get the box and the manual you have to print by yourself. cheers.
Great video, and agree with others, so good to hear an American pronounce the ZX like it should be in a British accent! Mine was ordered around the time of your video, but it's running late, but I'd rather have it perfect than one full of bugs... can't wait, I grew up with the ZX81, ZX Spectrum, and later revisions.. 128k, +2, before finally moving to the Commodore Amiga (which I still have).
Best of 🇬🇧... The man who invented the original machine Sir Clive Sinclair sold spectrum to Amstrad for only 5 million back in 86. He also married a lap dancer.
I actually bumped into him in Wolverhampton back in the 80s. He was with Carol Vorderman going to the Mensa buildings. He wasn't impressed that I played games on my speccy but I guess he got what he wanted since the speccy turned me into a programmer.
Hi John, great to hear you mention the ZX Spectrum Next. I think it’s been so successful because the original Spectrum (or Speccy) was the underdog. They were extremely cheap compared to the other systems and were the only way to get a computer for a lot of people. So the rich kid down the road had a C64 which had the better sound and colour but because they sold so many Speccys the programmers put a lot of effort in to get the best out of the system and sell more games. I would recommend you try Julian Gollops games - Chaos and Rebelstar. All the best!
The ZX Spectrum was huge part of our formative years here in the UK. I am mystified that young people don't know how to code these days; we all learnt on Sir Clive's little box of wonders!
Guys keep saying it didn't come to the States but it did. I still own a Timex Sinclair TS1000 and a TS2068. Launched a life-long engineering career at my house. Missed the first Kickstarter back a couple years ago, but backer 4774 on KS2. Looking forward to next summer!
The TS1000 which I did do a video about does not play spectrum games. The TS2068 can only play them with a very rare cart or mod. While technically you are right, as a whole most Americans did not get to experience spectrum gaming because of this.
@@johnhancockretro of course the TS1000 doesn't run Spectrum code. It's a ZX-81. The TS2068 however is a Spectrum with slight differences. In fact if you plug in a Spectrum ROM (which I have) it runs most Spectrum code. The point is that Sinclair technology did come to the US via Timex. Of course if you blinked you missed it ;) For me the nostalgia is for the technology, not the games. Since 1985, I've made a substantial living designing computing systems, because of that technology. The gaming part is cool too though.
Hi John, I think you'd like the audiobook "Electronic Dreams" by Tom Lean. It tells the story of gaming in the 80's (UK perspective). All about the Spectrum, C64, Acorn, Dragon32 etc etc.. It really takes me back, I wanted a Speccy or C64. I had a Vic20 and used to love typing in the games from C&VG mag or getting budget titles by Mastertronic.
The first computer I grew up with. 48k then the grey 128+2. Chuckie Egg, Project Future, Jack the nipper 2, Xenon 2. My favourite games. The new build is a great machine, I got torn between putting money down on this or the MiSTer. Clearly the design/keyboard of this speccy is much nicer, but the additional cores in MiSTer. Still undecided, will weigh it up until payday i reckon
The ZX story in the States is like the story of the Commodore Amiga. You guys missed 2 of the most iconic computers of all time. Its great that the ZX is "coming" back in a new computer. Hopefully, the people that have the Amiga copyrights will see this kickstarter and decide to make an Amiga 500/600/1200 and a mini cd32. :) I would be happy with just the mini cd32.
The ZX Spectrum had a very simple hardware layout. A Z80 CPU, some RAM, 16 kB ROM and a ULA chip which "just" contained some logic which could be built on the board - which some clones did. There is a plethoria of Spectrum clones out there and the Speccy was hugely popular in Spain, Latin America and especially in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe today is one of the major sources for the budding developer scene. E.g. Zosya really has a stellar range of games to offer. Much of the ZX Spectrum's impact and legacy is based on those numerous clones. Sadly, this wealth of clones means that there is no way of knowing just how many Spectrum compatible computers were built.
I'm in the UK; another reason why the Next is important for US users - Any 'proper' (rubber key) spectrum is now 35 years old and there's always a risk that components will die. Couple that with the cost and complexity of supporting 60Hz and NTSC and the Next is a no-brainer.
Someone that makes sense! - IF you chose to order one, be sure to shout and remind me for a small discount on the Blinkenator 2000 LED kits when i get them finished
* Yes, the ZX Spectrum was hugely popular in the UK, but also in East Europe/Soviet Union and in Brazil and Argentina! (TK90X, TK95, Czerweny Spectrum) where (illegal) Spectrum clones were the _only_ computers people buy * Not only can the Next run the software of the Spectrum but also the hardware! That's something an emulator (e.g. Raspberry Pi) can't do. * The 2nd Next is supposedly an upgrade but that's because Kickstarter doesn't allow to have an identical second run of a previous project. But all "upgrades" of this second Kickstarter were options of the first series, in hardware (memory, Clock, WiFi) or software (firmware) (14 and 28 MHz). Having said that, the hardware will be slightly changed: some components will be jumbled around as not to interfere with each other (WiFi v VGA) and no back power on the HDMI. Yep, I've backed both Kickstarters 😁
What is missing from this video is that it has a programmable FPGA, that can load virtually any retro OS, from C64, BBC Model B, Acorn, DOS, Sinclair QL (being written), Android, indeed I expect someone will add Linux and Windows, so its not just a ZX Sprectrum. It will have a 2MB RAM, 500MB Graphics (PI Zero Co-Processor), WiFi Networking, it even has its own website and repository where all the old games and applications are distributed free. The amount of things someone can do with this as a software developer and user is absolutely outstanding. As someone who has three old ZX Spectrums, 2x 48k Plus, and a 128k Plus, which already use either SD Cards for Storage AND have Network and Internet Capability, operated by ESXDOS, with its own online web repository for 48k/128k, I think that John might need to bring himself up to speed on what was capable by a rubber key 16k spectrum, because the hardware I use is easily plugged into one of those (I just never got used to the rubber key versions, so never bought one). In addition, I think they are writing a Core for the Next to run ZX-80 and ZX-81 Software. As I have 5x ZX-81s here, with Memotech Keyboards (x2) and between 16K and 64K Rampacks, with one running colour Chroma81 with re-written colour ZX-81 Software/Games, I'll be interested in this too, since they may just include an extension to allow SD Card Storage for these. This is a much bigger development or hardware and capability than many realise. You have about 3 weeks to pledge, so pull all your fingers out...
The reason it is so very successful is that some genuinely clever guys are behind it, having put an awful lot of thought into it, and covering all the most important aspects of a successful product. - Officially Sinclair-branded, with the blessing and licence of the current brand propietors. - New and vastly, ridiculously improved technology. Check - Adds better graphics and sound capabilities. Check - Adds vastly more memory and processor speed. Check - Takes advantage of modern storage media. Check - The project remains faithful to the je ne sais quoi of ZX Spectrum culture, DIY and FOSS avant la lettre. Check - Remains faithful to the original ZX Spectrum design. - Plays all ancient software, of all previous models without modification. Check - Fosters a new generation of ZX Spectrum games and other software. Check - A number of old ZX Spectrum developers are giving their backing to the project, as well as countless hours of volunteer work. Check - It never was vapourware, it's always been very real from the very start. Check - The project plays nice with other Open hardware projects, like BBlue and N-GO. Check The reason it's so successful is because it's almost perfect.
For those debating whether this would be a great device, I have an issue 1. It is so much more and such a quality made product. It's hoped a new generation of gamers will learn to code on this and keep the 8 bit generation of gaming going for years to come. 5 days of Kickstarter left!!
I've got my original grey 128k+2 (built in datacorder) from 1986 and I'm awaiting delivery of .. KS2 Speccy NEXT :) I'm from the UK (England) ..oddly I started life out in 1983 on a Commodore Vic 20 which I still have with it's many games and a 16K RAM pack okay people made fun of me and others for having a Vic but there are some gems on that machine I had some good cartridge games on that as well (still have) I'm after getting another C64 an old breadbin version O owned a 64C slim case back in the day alongside my 128k Speccy the C64 had the best version of last Ninja and IK+ but the 128 speccy had the C64 beat on driving/racing games (Enduro Racer/Outrun/Chase HQ) and renegade +target renegade oh and Cobra was better even on the 48k Speccy I rec. you play these.... Ok I love the AY chip in the Spec 128 but the C64 has a wonderful sound chip (SID) I can listen to those Sid tunes forever ..and comig back to the Vic 20 it had a pretty good sound capability 3 channels and the demo scene and homebrew or kicking out some snazzy tunes on the Vic // Thanks for this video @ Mr Hancock it's given me as better insight into the American gamer and I love the fact you owned a Vic
Love your channel JH but I gotta post here about how Google has disabled the option to receive email notifications of new videos for subscriptions as of a few days ago. I'm missing out on tons of videos from my subs with no easy way to keep track of what I have/haven't watched. Going to be posting this on all my subs videos hoping people will realize how shitty this is and is going to end up costing views.
I just want cheap zx Spectrum mini one like the c64 mini since I missed out zx spectrum Vega which I loved but found out about it once they were no longer available hope someone makes it
IMO emulators packaged in nostalgia shaped boxes are more like quick cash grab products. The ZX Spectrum Next is an evolution of the original 8-bit hardware, you can even plug in the original peripherals to the expansion port..
BBC Micro version of Chuckie Egg is better. That said, the Speccy had so many awesome games and I have fond memories playing it around friends houses. I've backed the Kickstarter, looking forward to getting my hands on it.
Going to have all these features? It’s already got those features because the Spectrum Next has already been delivered. Also issue 2 is just a revised board. Issue 1 has all the same features 👍
I was always a Commodore computer fan, with a bit of a rivalry against the Spectrum users at the time. (Like how Americans war over NES and Genesis) But down the line I've grown an appreciation for the Spectrum. And I've been collecting tapes, and some games I've missed out. Its awesome that this device is coming out and can play original software as well!
"Rival" in the anime sense. "As expected of my rival"
Commodore was king as the Commodore 64 is the highest selling computer still to this day!
I think most people were simply invested in the format they happened to have, most of the time that's all they had so they were literally invested in it! :D
I had a C64 at that time BUT of course I went to my friend's houses after school and played on their Speccy games, and they came to mine to play C64 stuff. We were interested in *GAMES* first and foremost, sure they looked different but that was half the fun when a programmer managed to make them do something new.
@@SuperRetroid Well, that and most probably couldn't realistically have more than one.
Yeh, I am a bloke in USA and all over and love the Sinclair computers. Most of my videos on my TH-cam channel is all about the Speccy and the Next. I own a Next and enjoy it very much. Looking forward to years and years of use from mine. I also pledged the 2nd kickstarter too.
I am glad TJ, I always ment you were "just" Amigan. I somehow love QL, even failing, its first 16 bit and last 8 bit style computer *SuperBASIC and full DOS in ROM. Amiga tried to continue that with amigaDOS in ROM but real thing would be 4MB WB in ROM, too bad even OS 3.2.2. dont use that
The way you express yourself about our beloved Speccy almost makes you British. Well done Sir.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm British, and I got the gaming bug immediately. I built my first computer (with a lot of help) in the 1970s, as I used to mess around with electronics. By the time the Spectrum came out, I was well and truly in. Games got more complex and started to drift away from arcade style games. When that happened, I was at work in my first job after school (in a computer department). I'd come home, wait for my parents to go to bed, so I could pinch the one TV we had at the time, and play all night on the Spectrum, then get a coupld of hours sleep before going to work.
How the hell I managed this I don't know, but those quiet early mornings getting a bit furhter on Jet Set Willy or Monty Mole was fabulous.
Atic Atac, Daley Thompson's Decathlon, Jet Set Willy 2' Chuckie Egg 2, Back to Skool, Robin of the Wood, Commando, Dizzy and the seminal 3D platformers Knight Lore, Batman and Head over Heels were amongst my favourite games on the Speccy. £1.99 cassette games from WH Smiths Newsagent, then we would share them with our friends. One of the best times ever for gaming.
Atic Atac, Valhalla and Delta Wing were my picks.
@john hancock definitely try the 3d platformers batman and head over heals on the speccy, it just feels like it was made for isometric 3d imho!! the hobbit was a big hit (text adventure with some gfx) spy hunter was a fun port, jet set willy of course.. oh and brian bloodaxe!!! lol
The Great Escape for me.
Growing up in Scotland, I loved my Spectrum. It's a quintessentially British machine though, I can't imagine many of the games would have translated well in the USA at the time, probably why it never caught on there. Despite its limitations with colours and sound, there were so many great games made for it, like Jet Set Willy, Knight Lore, Skool Daze (credited as the first true sandbox game), Atic Atac etc etc etc. So many great text adventures for the machine as well. Will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly was the 'punk' to the C64's 'MOR rock'.
I was one of the lucky ones in Kickstarter #1 and appreciate the Next more and more. Just a few weeks ago I discovered to flash multiple cores in the Spectrum Next and now running Coleco and NES games and some arcade games, Galaga, Moon Cresta, and more. I love all retro gaming devices, Sega, Nintendo, C64, Atari ST, Atari Falcon, Amiga, and so on. And the Speccy as we call it was always close to my heart.
Good video! I was in on the first Kickstarter of the NEXT and got mine earlier this year. It is a good machine runs great, can play older games(Spectrum etc). I was amazed on how quick they were able to reach there goal, this time on Kickstarter!
I think everyone were blown away by the speed with which theiy reached the original goal of £250.000; they are pretty close to 5 times that amount at the time I type this, and after only 5 or 6 days. Truly a testament to the magic the old Speccy exerted on us all.
I am from the US and have loved the Spectrum 48K since 2000 when a neighbor of mine sold thiers to me for $40.00 USD at a yard, sale it came with football manager, chuckie egg, attic attack, jet set willy but they are cool games just need to get a few more for it. but yeah really great little computer for the money. and before you tell me it don't work in the US because of TV signal Diffs (UHF vs VHF) or Pal VS Ntsc. yes it does you just have to mod the hardware to make it compat found a lot of info online on how to do it and it was pretty simple I even got some help from a guy at Byte Delight who was able to sell me a genuine Speccy ULA to repair mine a week ago. I love Europe the people are always so nice to me and always willing to help me out with info.
I managed to back this 2nd run so look forward to getting it August 2021. Was my first computer back in 1983 here in the UK and still got mine in the loft. Alot of rivalry at school over the Spectrum and the C64 (I love both) Nice to see you talking about it on the channel mate 🕹
@Darth Wheezius 😂 yep when I see toxic comments on different channels about PlayStation vs Xbox I smile and think seen this all before ☺
Sir Clive Sinclair a true british legend,the 48k was the first computer I ever owned ,heck you were even able to pirate games for it if you had a dual cassette deck with a record function lol I remember purchasing games from John Menzies and having to wait for them to copy it onto a cassette for me,last game I ever got for it was shadow dancer.
Thanks for the video John. I live in the UK and grew up with the ZX Spectrum. I have a lot of great memories with this machine. Games like Skool Daze offered originality and they just focused on the gameplay with very little power to play with. Take care. Steven.
Why I have a Next - I am a 60 year old recent retiree and bought mine as a retirement project. I was a big Spectrum user in my early 20’s. The ZX Spectrum was one of the first home computers accessible to those interested in understanding what this new machine “a computer” was. Although, as time progressed games began to dominate the software produced, the Spectrum was a home computer. I upgraded from my Spectrum to an IBM PC, not a games console! I used mainly educational and application software. Whilst I did not get deeply into programming, as many did, I learnt the concepts of key computer applications - e.g. word processors, spreadsheets and databases. The machine was a key factor in me having a life time career in the IT industry. My reason for buying the Next was to have a machine with modern electronics that would connect to a modern monitor with all the key Spectrum functionalities built in compactly. This would enable me to re-visit all my original Spectrum software and peripherals boxed up for over 35 years, without going to the trouble of getting my original machines recapped etc.. (which is a must if you want the electronics to be reliable after 35 years). On top of this, the Next casing, which captures the innovative and beautiful look of the original Sinclair branded Spectrums (thanks to its design by the original Spectrum designer Rick Dickinson), was irresistible. In practice, the Next offers both the ability to recreate the past, but also many new things created by the undying enthusiastic Spectrum community over all these years. Well done to those who made the NEXT happen. The machine is giving me great happiness. I do have one disappointment though, which was the result of me not understanding the technology. Making your old peripherals work is not typically “out of the box” For example, even to use your old Interface 1 and Microdrives, you must first run some pokes and (of course) have to be in 48k /128k (not Next) mode.
Great to see so many Americans interested in this. This machine was everything to us in Europe. It was my only computer from 1982 to 1991 and I have been a game developer for a long time, starting there. The Next community is so great and there is a ton of hype. Looking forwards to creating games for this 🙂
Speccy 48k was my very first computer and introduction to coding and computer graphics and art (at the tender age of 5!) Really great video and perspective from over seas, the system was such an integral part of the 80s over here in the UK. Thanks for a great vid!
You are most welcome!
The Speccy had an enormous impact in Spain, Latin America and all of Eastern Europe. There were many (80+ at least) clones, Pentagon and Scorpion are two well known examples.
I do not think that Sir Clive ever saw a penny for any of these inofficial clones.
Fun fact: The ZX Spectrum 128 first appeared on the Spanish market.
Great video John, thanks for bringing the project to a wider audience. I really hope it can make the 1.5million goal.
I didnt grew up woth the machine, i was not even born, but as a huge fan of retro games I do love my Speccy ,)
I have a 128+2B Model and loads of games. Really good stuff.
There was a Timex Model in the US that used cartridges and fun fact, it was manufactured here in Portugal.
I love your positive energy about retrogaming. The fact that basic games will run so well on the next offers a real opportunity for coding to many who dabbled back then as well.
Missed KS 1 - gone for this one with the upgrades ( pi co-processor) 48k Speccy was my first computer and the first thing i coded on . Got a+3 eventually then went to a 486 sx 25 :) 30 years later im still working in IT and im still coding in my spare time mainly due to the speccy ( so thanks Sir Clive for my house etc. ). The games for the speccy are very english and have english humour and concepts but as it was the most popular device here a heck of a lot of people squeezed every ounce out of it - the games are really good - even with 8 bit graphics and a buzzer for a speaker :) - mainly because it was only 8 bit graphics and a silly buzzer so they couldn't hide behind flashy graphics or sound they HAD to make really good games ( try astro clone - or bored of the rings sometime )
the spectrum did come to the US, Timex released it there albeit in limited quantities.
Are you referring to the 2068? I have one of those. I guess kind of right but hard to count considering the incompatibility issues it had. I need to get mine modded.
the "mod" it seems a simple chip swap
(plug and play) increases compatibility w/ ZX software
however finding a working unit will take some time haha
This guy gets a like and a sub just for pronouncing "z" as "zed" rather than "zee"
I prefer zed because it is also the french pronunciation.
Took the words outa my mouth
There are two ways to pronounce "Z." One by those who played Jetpac, and one by those who walked on the Moon! 😛
Same from me!
@@MarquisDeSang As it happens, it's also the way we danes pronounce that letter.
Nice one John. Love how you pronounced ZX Spectrum correctly.🙌
I ordered my NEXT and am a fellow American looking forward to having my first hand taste of the Speccy. I been playing ZX games for about a year or so now and am highly impressed with a lot of the library. It's also going to knock out two birds with one computer for me as I was trying to obtain "PIE STARTER", a special BASIC card for Pie that comes with special printed keyboard for commands and characters and is from Japan (it's the same folks who made PetitCom for DS and 3DS), but only one store sells it and they don't do international shipping...and with NEXT's BASIC essentially identical to PIE STARTER, I get that as well, along with English speaking community!
So it's just the right machine at the right time for me and I can't wait for it to arrive.
Born in the UK in the 70s, grew up in the 80s.
This little rubber key microcomputer was the only thing that you could play games at home (on the spare black & white TV) at a price that many could afford.
It really was cutting edge pocket money fun.
Large stores like WHSmiths and Woolworths were selling games on cassette, along with independent retailers and market stalls filled with computer tapes from 99p & up.
And obviously friends would copy tapes onto blank ones and pass on.
At the same time the Nintendo Nes tried & failed to sell games at around £30 which just didn't take off here.
I have been without internet for a week and it is really good to see a John Hancock video! Glad to have my new and faster internet today!
John, I'll (try to) keep this brief. Are there more things that you could have mentioned, that you didn't? Sure, but who cares - you blew me away with the insightful things that you *did* say. This kind of insight to the ZX Speccy (both parts, which you pronounced correctly ... which I can see MANY other people also commented on) was unexpected from an American ... and I love that. I absolutely feel like this was (to you) not a matter of doing some research into the Spectrum - you're a fan and you know your stuff and aren't just "painting by numbers". Awesome! I already have 2, may get another. Hope you do too. Enjoy.
the great zx specturm used to play it for hours and hours back in the 80s , good old times indeed
imagine this become more popular as a retro casual games platform then Amico or VCS! it would be so cool, I would like to play again "head over heels" and "saboteur", brings so many memories
The second Kickstarter was so successful because they proved they could meet expectations by delivering the first wave. Irrespective of the fact that legends like Jim Bagley have been involved since the beginning I know plenty of people who held off backing it the first time round, thinking it was just too good to be true. Once we saw people actually getting functional products in their hands it stopped being just another campaign with lofty ambitions that would never be fully realised - they proved they had the skill and experience to pull it off.
Very true words there - I _would_ have joined the first kickstarter though, had it not taken place the very month I had a huge electricity bill due :( _sad onion_ but I'm definitely joining the fray this time 'round.
Jim Bagley, legend!!
I had a zx spectrum 128 as a kid. Those 10 minute load times. Loved it though
10 min load times? nope. I still have a working Spectrum +2 and most tape loading times were 2-3 mins with rare ones being a bit longer but not 10 mins. But these days I use an sdcard on it and load games in 2 secs . lol
@@stephenthornber1961 lolz. I probably just remember it as 10 mins! The impatient child that I was back then.
I got a Timex Sinclair 1000 back then. I had lots of fun on it. The ZX Spectrum was very similar.
James Dye nor really. The zx81 was the same computer. The Spectrum was a lot more advanced. Think vic20 vs c64.
I think you're thinking of the Timex Sinclair 2068? Unfortunately that machine could not run a lot of Speccy games if they used ROM routines. This was due to the fact that the Timex machines used a different ROM.
@@memsom I stand corrected, apparently I had no fun whatsoever on my computer. Thanks for reminding me.
I missed the first Kickstarter but didn't want to miss this one. I have a remake of the Spectrum called the Omni. It is nice but I think the Next will be awesome. Now I just have to wait a year to get it!
When I bought the Timex Sinclair 2068 in 1983, other computers like the Commodore 64 cost 2 to 3 times as much. The $595 price of a Commodore 64 in 1982 is equivalent to $1580 today. It was cost-prohibitive. For $200 I could get a computer that didn't have as good graphics, but it had 16 colors, a 3.58 MHZ Z80, a great sound chip, a keyboard I liked, and a really nice BASIC. I had a great business selling software that I wrote for the Timex Sinclair 2068.
BTW, I would love to find a copy of a videogame I wrote, called "Diamond Mike" which was a Boulder Dash clone. Maybe some collector out there has it?
John Coffey I recognize your name :) I was a kid growing up on the ts2068 and was into the programming and hardware as well but not on a commercial basis. There is some of the ts2068 in the Next too -- the timex hires mode, hi-colour mode, second d-file are all there. The native bankswitching is done on 8K pages. Unfortunately I don't think Diamond Mike has been archived anywhere. Most ts software is so far lost. There is a short history you wrote about yourself in 1984 on timexsinclair.com. If you didn't know about it, it might be good for a little nostalgiac value to look up.
Massive Specy fan! Great video 👍😀
I'm somehow more excited for this new Spctrum than the PS5.
I reveived a ZX Spectrum 128k +2 for Christmas in 1985 when i was 7. I owned over 100 games on tapes including Ant Attack, Manic Miner, Ollie and Lisa, Super Robin Hood, Attic Attack and loads more great games.
I used to loan games from the Library, copy them onto tapes and share or trade them with my friends. The UK didn't have a Video Game crash like the US did mainly due to the Spectrum (and other computers) being so popular among Bedroom Coders and Video Game players.
Games were even given away with Video Game magazines, it was a great time for independant gaming too.
I'd love to own this new Spectrum to relive the brilliant games i played back then and to discover the new titles being made today.
Great video, very interesting, both contemporary and nostalgic 👍
RIP Sir Clive Sinclair.
Head over heels was my favorite game back then. There was a lot of excellent titles on the speccy, like gunrunner, exolon. To this day, I'm still playing speccy games in a regular basis (Wheelie among others).
Eagerly waiting for my speccy next (will have to wait until August 2021 :().
From uk. Love your perspective on the spectrum. You totally get it! You get why its such a beloved computer. Also, you didnt need to constantly reference the c64. I grew up with the 48k then 128+, of all the games, I still think about Firelord to this day!
I've been curious about this system for years! This new version has my attention for sure, and of course I'll be looking for an update on it from the Immortal One! :)
Got a Next in the first Kickstarter and it’s a fantastic machine. Absolutely love mine but it’s definitely better with a Pi Zero installed to load tzx files.
I have been waiting for this, and I have ordered mine!
Love my ZX Spectrum. Got original 48 and 128K, with tonnes of original cassettes. You always remember your first 😉
The Speccy+2 was my first ever big purchase, we had a TI99 before it but this was to be MINE. I saved so hard and the day I got the bus to my nearest city to finally go and buy the thing was my most memorable purchase ever, so amazing! I was lucky and had a video library across the road from my house with tons of great Speccy games £1.99 and £2.99 a cassette, and some snacks with the change, hours of fun. I just bought a Next pre-owned and it's being out to one side for my birthday, so excited I swear I must be young again.
My first Game systems were a clonic pong and Game and watch... Then I got the zx spectrum 48k , rubber Keys, and from It moved to the Amiga 500, that was the biggest improvement un my whole gaming life
It has been estimated that the original ZX Spectrum had more than 25.000 unique titles published during its active life. This number includes all genres, not just games, but also utilities, programming languages, productivity software, and so on. The majority of this huge catalogue can be found on sites like www.worldofspectrum.org and www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk. Some software houses have requested/demanded that their titles NOT be distributed on the 'net, and these two sites respect that. Both sites also have active forums where for instance newbies can get help, as well as more accomplished people can share their knowledge. Highly recommendable.
Finally, kudos to you, John Hancock, for pronouncing the name of the ZX Spectrum correctly.
I had the original ZX-80 when they first came out. Ordered it from an ad in Popular Science magazine I believe .. $99 USD. Had the ZX-81 too (never a Spectrum). Shocked to see there is still interest.
Lords of Midnight sounds really good! This was my childhood computer. I learned to program with Basic. I also used to read those Spectrum magazines. Other good games are Sabre Wulf, Hobbit, Knight Lore, Great Escape, Batman,...
In Chile we had three NTSC ZX Spectrum compatible micro computers in the 80s: ZX Spectrum NTSC model, Microdigital TK90x (Braziliian clone) and the Timex Computer 2048 (from Poland).
I've still got a 128k zx spectrum +3 floppy disc version. Games load so much quicker than the tapes. I loved playing Switch Blade on it.
The +3 is a great machine indeed, and if you add Garry Lancaster's +3e ROM set it becomes even better; Not only will it enable you to add a hard disk, SD card, or other form of mass storage, but it also fixes many of the bugs that are in the original ROMs, as well as adding new features like windows, random access files, and much more.
@@BertGrink niiiiiiiice 👍
hey John, if you missed out on the Next, you can get the clone (pcb made by permission) called N-GO. there's a guy in Spain that puts them inside a keyboard, the N-Go is made with the blessings of the Next team as they might not do another KS. only difference is, you don't get the box and the manual you have to print by yourself. cheers.
Great video, and agree with others, so good to hear an American pronounce the ZX like it should be in a British accent! Mine was ordered around the time of your video, but it's running late, but I'd rather have it perfect than one full of bugs... can't wait, I grew up with the ZX81, ZX Spectrum, and later revisions.. 128k, +2, before finally moving to the Commodore Amiga (which I still have).
Best of 🇬🇧... The man who invented the original machine Sir Clive Sinclair sold spectrum to Amstrad for only 5 million back in 86. He also married a lap dancer.
I actually bumped into him in Wolverhampton back in the 80s. He was with Carol Vorderman going to the Mensa buildings. He wasn't impressed that I played games on my speccy but I guess he got what he wanted since the speccy turned me into a programmer.
I saw reviews of the first batch and they were very positive!
Hi John, great to hear you mention the ZX Spectrum Next. I think it’s been so successful because the original Spectrum (or Speccy) was the underdog. They were extremely cheap compared to the other systems and were the only way to get a computer for a lot of people. So the rich kid down the road had a C64 which had the better sound and colour but because they sold so many Speccys the programmers put a lot of effort in to get the best out of the system and sell more games. I would recommend you try Julian Gollops games - Chaos and Rebelstar. All the best!
Chaos is great. But Laser Squad was my favourite of his. All forerunners to X-Com.
Yes - all fine games. In the recent Xcom games they call the psychic training room the Gollop Chamber - nice touch!
The ZX Spectrum was huge part of our formative years here in the UK. I am mystified that young people don't know how to code these days; we all learnt on Sir Clive's little box of wonders!
Guys keep saying it didn't come to the States but it did. I still own a Timex Sinclair TS1000 and a TS2068. Launched a life-long engineering career at my house. Missed the first Kickstarter back a couple years ago, but backer 4774 on KS2. Looking forward to next summer!
The TS1000 which I did do a video about does not play spectrum games. The TS2068 can only play them with a very rare cart or mod. While technically you are right, as a whole most Americans did not get to experience spectrum gaming because of this.
@@johnhancockretro of course the TS1000 doesn't run Spectrum code. It's a ZX-81. The TS2068 however is a Spectrum with slight differences. In fact if you plug in a Spectrum ROM (which I have) it runs most Spectrum code. The point is that Sinclair technology did come to the US via Timex. Of course if you blinked you missed it ;) For me the nostalgia is for the technology, not the games. Since 1985, I've made a substantial living designing computing systems, because of that technology. The gaming part is cool too though.
The speccy was the first household computer that we had I had to share it but it had loads of great games.
Hi John, I think you'd like the audiobook "Electronic Dreams" by Tom Lean. It tells the story of gaming in the 80's (UK perspective). All about the Spectrum, C64, Acorn, Dragon32 etc etc..
It really takes me back, I wanted a Speccy or C64. I had a Vic20 and used to love typing in the games from C&VG mag or getting budget titles by Mastertronic.
The picture with 1884 on the door, looks like Marvin the Martian there. 6:04
The first computer I grew up with.
48k then the grey 128+2.
Chuckie Egg, Project Future, Jack the nipper 2, Xenon 2.
My favourite games.
The new build is a great machine, I got torn between putting money down on this or the MiSTer.
Clearly the design/keyboard of this speccy is much nicer, but the additional cores in MiSTer.
Still undecided, will weigh it up until payday i reckon
I just put in my pledge! Can't wait to get it!
The ZX story in the States is like the story of the Commodore Amiga. You guys missed 2 of the most iconic computers of all time. Its great that the ZX is "coming" back in a new computer.
Hopefully, the people that have the Amiga copyrights will see this kickstarter and decide to make an Amiga 500/600/1200 and a mini cd32. :) I would be happy with just the mini cd32.
Because its made right way, compatibile, expanded, modern usable, exchangeable cores
I'm definitely buying this.
The ZX Spectrum had a very simple hardware layout. A Z80 CPU, some RAM, 16 kB ROM and a ULA chip which "just" contained some logic which could be built on the board - which some clones did.
There is a plethoria of Spectrum clones out there and the Speccy was hugely popular in Spain, Latin America and especially in Eastern Europe.
Eastern Europe today is one of the major sources for the budding developer scene. E.g. Zosya really has a stellar range of games to offer.
Much of the ZX Spectrum's impact and legacy is based on those numerous clones.
Sadly, this wealth of clones means that there is no way of knowing just how many Spectrum compatible computers were built.
Some of my mates had the ZX Spectrum but I had my first luv the Commodore 64😊
I'm in the UK; another reason why the Next is important for US users - Any 'proper' (rubber key) spectrum is now 35 years old and there's always a risk that components will die. Couple that with the cost and complexity of supporting 60Hz and NTSC and the Next is a no-brainer.
Wish they could do the same for the MSX range of computers.
Oh yes that is begging to be consolized. But the nostalgia for it may be too spread out to make a similarly powerful push to get it made.
They did, I'm pretty sure, reproduce an MSX-on-a-chip.
I backed the second wave. I've been waiting 30 years for a 16bit Spectrum, better late than never. 😊
Someone that makes sense! - IF you chose to order one, be sure to shout and remind me for a small discount on the Blinkenator 2000 LED kits when i get them finished
Ah is it you that is making those? Been following that with interest.
* Yes, the ZX Spectrum was hugely popular in the UK, but also in East Europe/Soviet Union and in Brazil and Argentina! (TK90X, TK95, Czerweny Spectrum) where (illegal) Spectrum clones were the _only_ computers people buy
* Not only can the Next run the software of the Spectrum but also the hardware! That's something an emulator (e.g. Raspberry Pi) can't do.
* The 2nd Next is supposedly an upgrade but that's because Kickstarter doesn't allow to have an identical second run of a previous project. But all "upgrades" of this second Kickstarter were options of the first series, in hardware (memory, Clock, WiFi) or software (firmware) (14 and 28 MHz).
Having said that, the hardware will be slightly changed: some components will be jumbled around as not to interfere with each other (WiFi v VGA) and no back power on the HDMI.
Yep, I've backed both Kickstarters 😁
I used to play zx spectrum's "saboteur" game back then, great console better than Atari, but even close to a Nintendo console
Calling the Spectrum a "console" is a real insult. I know you didn't mean it that way so I'll let you off this time ;)
Lots of classic ZX Spectrum games on Rare Replay for Xbox One !
Yep mention that in the video.
What is missing from this video is that it has a programmable FPGA, that can load virtually any retro OS, from C64, BBC Model B, Acorn, DOS, Sinclair QL (being written), Android, indeed I expect someone will add Linux and Windows, so its not just a ZX Sprectrum.
It will have a 2MB RAM, 500MB Graphics (PI Zero Co-Processor), WiFi Networking, it even has its own website and repository where all the old games and applications are distributed free.
The amount of things someone can do with this as a software developer and user is absolutely outstanding.
As someone who has three old ZX Spectrums, 2x 48k Plus, and a 128k Plus, which already use either SD Cards for Storage AND have Network and Internet Capability, operated by ESXDOS, with its own online web repository for 48k/128k, I think that John might need to bring himself up to speed on what was capable by a rubber key 16k spectrum, because the hardware I use is easily plugged into one of those (I just never got used to the rubber key versions, so never bought one).
In addition, I think they are writing a Core for the Next to run ZX-80 and ZX-81 Software.
As I have 5x ZX-81s here, with Memotech Keyboards (x2) and between 16K and 64K Rampacks, with one running colour Chroma81 with re-written colour ZX-81 Software/Games, I'll be interested in this too, since they may just include an extension to allow SD Card Storage for these.
This is a much bigger development or hardware and capability than many realise.
You have about 3 weeks to pledge, so pull all your fingers out...
Thanks for the additional info!
The reason it is so very successful is that some genuinely clever guys are behind it, having put an awful lot of thought into it, and covering all the most important aspects of a successful product.
- Officially Sinclair-branded, with the blessing and licence of the current brand propietors.
- New and vastly, ridiculously improved technology. Check
- Adds better graphics and sound capabilities. Check
- Adds vastly more memory and processor speed. Check
- Takes advantage of modern storage media. Check
- The project remains faithful to the je ne sais quoi of ZX Spectrum culture, DIY and FOSS avant la lettre. Check
- Remains faithful to the original ZX Spectrum design.
- Plays all ancient software, of all previous models without modification. Check
- Fosters a new generation of ZX Spectrum games and other software. Check
- A number of old ZX Spectrum developers are giving their backing to the project, as well as countless hours of volunteer work. Check
- It never was vapourware, it's always been very real from the very start. Check
- The project plays nice with other Open hardware projects, like BBlue and N-GO. Check
The reason it's so successful is because it's almost perfect.
Chase HQ 128k!
If the speccy did well imagine what would happen if they did the Commodore Amiga 500 ... a extremely popular computer in the UK
The 8-bit guy would know a lot about this ZX Spectrum ask him about it
Wish the same for the MSX range of computers.
What do you think about Delta's Shadow and upcoming Xeno Brigade & No Mercy games?
I would like to play them myself.
For those debating whether this would be a great device, I have an issue 1. It is so much more and such a quality made product. It's hoped a new generation of gamers will learn to code on this and keep the 8 bit generation of gaming going for years to come. 5 days of Kickstarter left!!
Lawnmower simulator is a classic.
lol Bosconians is the one Speccy tape i still own
The elephant in the room; are you considering a pledge to KS2? :) No pressure either way!
I've got my original grey 128k+2 (built in datacorder) from 1986 and I'm awaiting delivery of .. KS2 Speccy NEXT :) I'm from the UK (England) ..oddly I started life out in 1983 on a Commodore Vic 20 which I still have with it's many games and a 16K RAM pack okay people made fun of me and others for having a Vic but there are some gems on that machine I had some good cartridge games on that as well (still have) I'm after getting another C64 an old breadbin version O owned a 64C slim case back in the day alongside my 128k Speccy the C64 had the best version of last Ninja and IK+ but the 128 speccy had the C64 beat on driving/racing games (Enduro Racer/Outrun/Chase HQ) and renegade +target renegade oh and Cobra was better even on the 48k Speccy I rec. you play these.... Ok I love the AY chip in the Spec 128 but the C64 has a wonderful sound chip (SID) I can listen to those Sid tunes forever ..and comig back to the Vic 20 it had a pretty good sound capability 3 channels and the demo scene and homebrew or kicking out some snazzy tunes on the Vic // Thanks for this video @ Mr Hancock it's given me as better insight into the American gamer and I love the fact you owned a Vic
I really like this.
Can you please do something on the Timex Sinclair 1000? Love your content.
Try to finish Atic Atac. Actually, there is even a port of it on c64 (since 2019/2020), finally.
Speccy forever!!
Love your channel JH but I gotta post here about how Google has disabled the option to receive email notifications of new videos for subscriptions as of a few days ago. I'm missing out on tons of videos from my subs with no easy way to keep track of what I have/haven't watched. Going to be posting this on all my subs videos hoping people will realize how shitty this is and is going to end up costing views.
Wow you said it correct zed ex
I just want cheap zx Spectrum mini one like the c64 mini since I missed out zx spectrum Vega which I loved but found out about it once they were no longer available hope someone makes it
IMO emulators packaged in nostalgia shaped boxes are more like quick cash grab products. The ZX Spectrum Next is an evolution of the original 8-bit hardware, you can even plug in the original peripherals to the expansion port..
Want one
33 Commodore 64 fans downvoted this. Enjoy your brown chunky sprites C64'ers. lol
how do you play games now it's to hot ,i have to wait to play games till september?
I don't think most Americans would have liked the Spectrum - it's just not slick enough. I think it's hard for them to enjoy
John is there a place where i can buy that hat. It's fantastic!
Numbskull.com
@@johnhancockretro Thank you sir
Best versions are better than arcade like Bomb jack, other best version like chuckie egg.
I recently just played Bomb Jack and you are right, great port.
BBC Micro version of Chuckie Egg is better. That said, the Speccy had so many awesome games and I have fond memories playing it around friends houses. I've backed the Kickstarter, looking forward to getting my hands on it.
Speccy's Chase HQ is one of the best ports and it runs great at 7Mhz on the Next.
Going to have all these features? It’s already got those features because the Spectrum Next has already been delivered. Also issue 2 is just a revised board. Issue 1 has all the same features 👍
That's a point that's totally missed with all the articles coming out (like BBC and the register).
Matt Davies Yeah it’s annoying, it’s something that I tried to address in the latest episode of Retro Asylum.
I loved match day and match day 2 as a kid, real football, not like fifa rubbish.