Introduce yourself!

Introduce yourself. Pimp your website, competition, event or other activity here, as long as it's Spectrum related.
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777
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by 777 »

hi,

i started programming on the spectrum + when i was 8, mainly due to my mums tape recorder not working. then i tried machine code when i was 10 but didnt get very far. i then bought a spectrum +2. i also bought a sam coupe years later for £10, which i put a disk drive in and used.
i started programming the spectrum when i was 8 :-

1 plot rnd*255,rnd*175
2 goto 1
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cmal
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by cmal »

Welcome to SC, 777!
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stupidget
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by stupidget »

777 wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:14 am hi,

i started programming on the spectrum + when i was 8, mainly due to my mums tape recorder not working. then i tried machine code when i was 10 but didnt get very far. i then bought a spectrum +2. i also bought a sam coupe years later for £10, which i put a disk drive in and used.
Welcome aboard.

I was desperate to get a SAM Coupe 'back in the day' but never managed to find one. Was it actually any good? and do you think it would have been successful if had been released 12 months earlier?
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777
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by 777 »

stupidget wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 8:49 am
777 wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:14 am hi,

i started programming on the spectrum + when i was 8, mainly due to my mums tape recorder not working. then i tried machine code when i was 10 but didnt get very far. i then bought a spectrum +2. i also bought a sam coupe years later for £10, which i put a disk drive in and used.
Welcome aboard.

I was desperate to get a SAM Coupe 'back in the day' but never managed to find one. Was it actually any good? and do you think it would have been successful if had been released 12 months earlier?
yeah, it was pretty good. 16 colours on screen with no colour clash from a palette of 128, better sound, faster, etc. i used to subscribe to fred magazine, which had some good stuff on it. and yeah, i think it would have been.

i also had a plus d interface plugged into the spectrum +2 with 5 1/4 inch drive, housed in a huge old case. after that i connected a 3 1/2 inch drive aswell
i started programming the spectrum when i was 8 :-

1 plot rnd*255,rnd*175
2 goto 1
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retroscener
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by retroscener »

Hi from Northamptonshire, UK.

Always been a C= guy since I received a C16 Christmas 84, and a C64 just a few years later. Back then I used to laugh at you speccy owners but I’m all grown up now, lol :oops:

I have been thinking on buying a Spectrum 128 for a few years now and missed out on the original Next KS. So glad I waited now to back issue 2. I still own my C= machines as well as a bartop arcade cabinet, but soon I will also be able to enjoy the 1980’s all over again anew with all the speccy classics which I missed out on first time around, and I can also enjoy the Next’s new exclusive titles, as well as both the C= and ZX retrogaming communities also 8-)

Looking forward to finally catching up all on what I’ve missed out on for the last 40 odd years, and to the future :)
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777
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by 777 »

retroscener wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 12:36 am Hi from Northamptonshire, UK.

Always been a C= guy since I received a C16 Christmas 84, and a C64 just a few years later. Back then I used to laugh at you speccy owners but I’m all grown up now, lol :oops:

I have been thinking on buying a Spectrum 128 for a few years now and missed out on the original Next KS. So glad I waited now to back issue 2. I still own my C= machines as well as a bartop arcade cabinet, but soon I will also be able to enjoy the 1980’s all over again anew with all the speccy classics which I missed out on first time around, and I can also enjoy the Next’s new exclusive titles, as well as both the C= and ZX retrogaming communities also 8-)

Looking forward to finally catching up all on what I’ve missed out on for the last 40 odd years, and to the future :)
i also had a c16, which i got really cheap as it didnt work properly. it would cut out as soon as you used the tape deck. i found out it was the power supply, so i used the spectrum one on it and it worked
i started programming the spectrum when i was 8 :-

1 plot rnd*255,rnd*175
2 goto 1
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arjun
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by arjun »

Hello from India!

Long time WoSF member and author of a few games that can be found in the archive (both WoS and in here). I also seem to have written an emulator that some of you may possibly know about. What was it called now... some number I think. Hundred? Seventy Two? Strange, I seem to be coming up with zero here. My memory isn't what it used to be I suppose. I blame senility.

I've not been very active in the scene ever since WoSF went down and have wandered aimlessly through the halls of nostalgia. Recently, my interest has been rekindled and I returned to find a new hive has been established and it looks like it might just be another friendly place to show my mug in and spout eloquent nonsense. I hope WoSF and SCF can co-exist together and help each other grow in a friendly competitive manner. It's the best for the scene when there is healthy competition methinks. But that's just me.

Anyhow, glad to be here. Look forward to some great discussions on the forums!
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

[mention]arjun[/mention] ?... mmm, your name rings a bell! ;)

Welcome to SC!

And welcome to [mention]retroscener[/mention] and [mention]777[/mention] !
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RetroEnzo
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by RetroEnzo »

Hi everyone

I'm Geoff, a life-long Speccy user since the early 80s when I had a lovely 48k rubber keyed beauty for Christmas. Actually my love goes even further back because I remember playing Horace and the Spiders on a friend's computer. And while my gaming interest has expanded over the years to games on the Amiga, PS1, PS2, Xbox, Xbox360, Xbox One, Nintendo DS and Android, I am still fond of the Spectrum.

I've recently taken the plunge and contributed to the Next Issue 2 and can't wait for it, so in the meantime I've been catching up on recent games and I never realized there was such a vibrant homebrew scene for the machine.

Anyway, thanks for letting me into the forum and while I'm not sure what I can contribute, I look forward to sharing memories of the Speccy.
Geoff

Computer, disengage safety protocols

Program: Safety Protocols
Bytes: Disengaged
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Ast A. Moore
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Ast A. Moore »

Hi [mention]RetroEnzo[/mention],
And welcome to SC!
Every man should plant a tree, build a house, and write a ZX Spectrum game.

Author of A Yankee in Iraq, a 50 fps shoot-’em-up—the first game to utilize the floating bus on the +2A/+3,
and zasm Z80 Assembler syntax highlighter.
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Nitrowing
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Hello

Post by Nitrowing »

Hello all :D
I had the 48k when they came out.
Learned BASIC from copying pages of code from the magazines.
I still have a rubbery in front of the TV beside the Next but they're both purely decorative.

**Moved to Introduce Thread By ADMIN**
Audio-senpai
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Audio-senpai »

Hello there, I am Audio. I'm an aspiring writer from California looking to get into game development.

As an American, my introduction to the ZX Spectrum was through Rare when they put Jetpac as a bonus game into DK64. Of course what got me interested were prominent British youtubers like Guru Larry and DJ Slope who spoke passionately about it.

Right now I'm currently researching retro computers for a project idea I have. I have a story in mind involving a retro computer so I want to get as much info as I can to determine which kind it should be based off of.

I look forward to learning a lot from you guys.
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PeterJ
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by PeterJ »

Welcome [mention]Audio-senpai[/mention],

Feel free to ask any questions, and I'm sure we can help out.
Knighthawk
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Knighthawk »

Hello there,

I am Mike, I had the ZX Spectrum in the Day from WHSmiths, still have many, including clones, Next, Omni, Harlequin, Uno and Originals.

I create bespoke cases and setups to be able to carry a fully working machine and kit to play anywhere.

My latest project is getting the Ben Heck Show mini Spectrum up and running which is proving challenging.

Always nice to see everything Spectrum and the people who follow it.

Mike
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cmal
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by cmal »

Welcome Knighthawk! You have an interesting hobby.
I just finished something similar using the ZXBaremulator emulator. It's a bit bulky so not as portable.
Knighthawk
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Knighthawk »

Hi cmal,

Thank you, I will get some of my images together and post some builds.

Mike
HullSpecMan
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by HullSpecMan »

Hello my names Nigel

I have been a Sinclair fan since my dad bought a ZX81 in 1982 (never owned a ZX80). My mum bought me a 48k Spectrum when the price dropped and then Interface One a year later. I still have all of the microdrives but can't use them until they get re-felted! I moved on to a QL towards the end of 1990's and have different memory expansions and variations both hardware and software. With the exception of the +2A/B have several of each model. I haven't been on any original hardware for a while due to using ZX81, Spectrum and QL emulators. What with all of the recent advances it is so much easier to transfer files to and from each system.
studio_lowfi
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by studio_lowfi »

Hi, Iain here!

Had a Spectrum as a young kid, but then (shock, horror!) by dad upgraded to a BBC Micro. However, over the years I've accumulated a small collection of spectrums and a ZX81 from jumble sales and car boot sales. Of course, with lockdown, I got them all down from the loft, switched them on and only two of them worked. So, now I have the task of refurbishing them.

Have re-capped my first motherboard and magically it all seemed to work. Now to try the others...
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R-Tape
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by R-Tape »

Welcome [mention]studio_lowfi[/mention]

There's an impressive number of people on here that can casually say they "re-capped" the motherboard. Speaking as a hardware duffer, it sounds as distant as building your own mars lander!
Starquack
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Starquack »

Hi, I'm Starquack. Bought my first computer , a Mattel Aquarius , with money from my paperrounds back in 1982. After that I bought an Oric Atmos a good looking keyboard but no games! 84 bought a spectrum, bought first game Booty and kept going with Spectrums until 1992 ish when I got hold of an Amiga with tons of discs but it wasn't the same.

The Spectrum reminds me of being 15,teenage problems, having homework to do, avoiding family ,avoiding bullies at school and just wanting to play computers. Did write some programs in Basic, machine code was just a little too much for my brain. Now I'm 51 and still enjoying spec games and chat.
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TMD2003
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by TMD2003 »

Starquack wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 12:12 pmDid write some programs in Basic, machine code was just a little too much for my brain. Now I'm 51 and still enjoying spec games and chat.
You're never too old and it's never too late. I won't be 51 for another decade - providing I make it that far, which I probably won't - and I'm only just looking into machine code now. I'm kicking myself that I never gave it a shot earlier.
Spectribution: Dr. Jim's Sinclair computing pages.
Features my own programs, modified type-ins, RZXs, character sets & UDGs, and QL type-ins... so far!
Starquack
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Starquack »

Machine code would involve having to get hold of a spectrum again, relearning all the quirky keyboard set-up etc., I couldn't do it on an emulator.
If I did do something , it would be on AGD
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TMD2003
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by TMD2003 »

Starquack wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 1:52 pm Machine code would involve having to get hold of a spectrum again, relearning all the quirky keyboard set-up etc., I couldn't do it on an emulator.
You can if you've got a working copy of Spin (0.666, 0.7Q or 0.7S - I'm using 0.7Q), as it has a built-in Z80 assembler.

I am making heavy use of that now, and I'm even correcting Toni Baker with it. Yes, you heard that right!
Spectribution: Dr. Jim's Sinclair computing pages.
Features my own programs, modified type-ins, RZXs, character sets & UDGs, and QL type-ins... so far!
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Pegaz
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Pegaz »

We are waiting for the thousandth member... :)
Starquack
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Re: Introduce yourself!

Post by Starquack »

TMD2003 wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:19 pm
Starquack wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 1:52 pm Machine code would involve having to get hold of a spectrum again, relearning all the quirky keyboard set-up etc., I couldn't do it on an emulator.
You can if you've got a working copy of Spin (0.666, 0.7Q or 0.7S - I'm using 0.7Q), as it has a built-in Z80 assembler.

I am making heavy use of that now, and I'm even correcting Toni Baker with it. Yes, you heard that right!
I have Zx Spectrum4 download which has an assembler and some other bits and bobs that I haven't used. I only bought it for the library of games,some obscure.
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