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The ZX Spectrum Next - Kickstarter Now Live! : Now Funded!

Robo_1

By Robo_1
in Retro & Arcade Gaming

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luth714

luth714

Posted
Posted

Mine all loaded with a variety of games now - thanks so much for your help! Been trying a few out tonight speeded up - was interesting playing The Muncher and Don Priestley's Popeye running in a less than treacle state (though maybe I made Popeye a bit too fast)

 

Worked my may through Chapter 4 of the manual - I think some things are sinking in a bit, I get the wax on wax off nature of the manual but would have been good to something to apply each chapter to....or maybe it will all come together later....fingers crossed :)

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AceGrace

AceGrace

Posted
Posted
On 12/04/2020 at 21:25, Swainy said:

You could try playing a .sid file as I think the pi is needed to play those.

 

Thanks Swainy. I tried that and it works although not by following the manual. In the end I just double clicked the sid file and it loaded the player and played.

 

I still can't seem to get tzx files to load though. Must be doing it wrong.

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AceGrace

AceGrace

Posted
Posted

I'm finding it quite difficult to use the keyboard. All the keys seem to be offset slightly for my fingers.

 

I might consider buying a PS2 adapter and using a normal keyboard if I am going to be typing a lot.

 

Also found out that 0.7mm is best to use with the RTC kit so will be opening it up again to fit it. The other stuff, Pi, RAM etc.. went like a dream although I did buy a piZero with the connector already fitted.

 

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Swainy

Swainy

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, AceGrace said:

 

Thanks Swainy. I tried that and it works although not by following the manual. In the end I just double clicked the sid file and it loaded the player and played.

 

I still can't seem to get tzx files to load though. Must be doing it wrong.


What games are you trying? I can test them on mine if you like?

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gone fishin

gone fishin

Posted
Posted

I don't have a Pi in my Next, but I believe that if you're trying to load games faster than the standard speed (3.5Mhz), a lot of protective loaders (which Knight Lore and Driller have, can't remember which ones) won't work. I think you need to go into the settings and set it to just 3.5MHz. Then go and make a cup of tea while the game is loading.

 

Personally, I think just loading the tap file and setting the autoexec file to "wait" at the loading screen gives you enough of an experience of what it's like loading a game! You can also set it to load the tap file as if it's a real tap (so you can go and make that cup of tea), but try it once and you probably won't try it again.

 

The TZX loader, however, would be a good option to get a working snapshot of a game that doesn't like loading into the Next.

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redballoon

redballoon

Posted
Posted

I've just tried loading both my Knight Lore and Driller TZXs in my Accelerated Next at 28MHz and both loaded fine (in seconds). I also tried my Deathchase, Maziacs and Feud TZXs at 28MHz. These 3 have no custom loader and Deathchase and Maziacs both loaded OK but Feud produced an "R tape loading error", though it loaded fine at 14MHz. The next test was to try Skool Daze and Daley Thompson's Decathlon. Both were an absolute nosebleed to load back in the day due to their custom speed loaders, DTD, sepecially. Both TZXs also loaded fine at 28MHz.

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AceGrace

AceGrace

Posted
Posted

I was trying to load at 3.5mhz.

 

I can play sid files so assume the Pi is working. I will have to try some more.

 

As I said, after selecting the file, It loads the chunks at first, then when the loading colours appear, nothing happens.

 

I have an sd card in the pi with nextpi installed so assume that is OK.

 

I have been loading tap files but just want to make sure the pi is working correctly.

 

What is meant to hapen after selecting  tzx file? 

 

Is it as I described (loading chunks, then the tape loader?)

 

 

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redballoon

redballoon

Posted
Posted

It does seem like something isn’t right if it the game doesn’t start loading. You can see from my video it takes a good 10 seconds from preparing the TZX to actually start the loading. I doubt it’ll be the TZX files themselves. Are you getting them from World of Spectrum? 

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Swainy

Swainy

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, AceGrace said:

Looking at the video, it doesn't start the loading lines at all.

 

I wonder if it is the tzx files that I have tried?

 

It does do the first part i.e. loading the "chunks". Does that at least mean the pi is working?

Are you able to post a video so we can see exactly what it happens?

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AceGrace

AceGrace

Posted
Posted (edited)

OK, here is the video below (can't work out how to embed youtube videos)

 

TZX problems

 

As I said before, I can play sid files perfectly so I believe the pi is working correctly. I have an 8gb micro sd card in it with next pi installed.

 

Is there anyway else to tell if it is all hunky dory?

 

Perhaps I have got a load of bad tzx files.

Edited by AceGrace
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Swainy

Swainy

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, AceGrace said:

OK, here is the video below (can't work out how to embed youtube videos)

 

TZX problems

 

As I said before, I can play sid files perfectly so I believe the pi is working correctly. I have an 8gb micro sd card in it with next pi installed.

 

Is there anyway else to tell if it is all hunky dory?

 

Perhaps I have got a load of bad tzx files.


I would check your soldiering. Also try loading the games in 128k mode (although to be honest they should still start loading in 48k mode).

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AceGrace

AceGrace

Posted
Posted

Thanks guys.  That's a good link. Have you all updated the files from the github page?

 

I haven't I just wrote NextPi to the SD card and inserted it.

 

I'll download those files to the Spectrum next SD card and give it another try. 

 

As I said I can load sid files so would that be an indication that the Pi is OK?

 

I did connect to the term program as well.

 

I'll report back.

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AceGrace

AceGrace

Posted
Posted

Success. Downloaded the latest version from the gitlab link, updated the firmware and bingo. All working.

 

I stupidly though that any updates would be on the news page.  I didn't figure that you need to keep looking at the gitlab page for updates.

 

Tzx loading - fixed.

 

Thanks guys. I should have known that there would be an update. I had a basic next, and updated it with the accelerator, wifi, RAM and RTC.

 

All seems to be working.

 

 

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