Who still uses original hardware

[Juan F. Ramirez]

They are expensive, but you could use one of these @Juan F. Ramirez:

https://www.bytedelight.com/?product=zx ... mplete-set

You wouldn't then need to do the composite modification.

Yes, I've always considered an option, a bit expensive, though (even I need the rasperry-pi set version, which raises the price)

[uglifruit]

I'm Omni 128HQ-ing quite a bit. Does that count? (I don't think it does).

If I do another performance of my music though (not that it's likely to happen any time soon), I'll be using my original 48K ones again.

[p13z]

Me.
Use a Plus 3 - with CRT. Never feels like a real old computer without CRT.
Using Spectranet, it is pretty much as convenient / easy as using emulation.

[5MinuteRetro]

I often wonder how many people have access to the real thing?

I have all the bits for a half-decent hardware Speccy setup -- including a 128K toastrack -- and actually some spare room in my office, but I've just never got around to bothering, despite best intentions. I guess emulation is just too convenient.

I feel particularly ashamed that the toastrack is sitting in its box, in a box, under a bunch of other old hardware. I keep thinking I should sell it on to someone that might actually make use of it, not least because toastracks seem to go for a small fortune, but I have too much of an emotional attachment to it -- it was my first and only Spectrum, and I wanted it sooooo bad. My old mum, who was a single parent on a very limited income as a cleaner, surprised me with it at Christmas, having got it on the 'never never'. Best present ever.

[PeterJ]

Don't ever get rid of it [mention]5MinuteRetro[/mention]! I wish I had kept my childhood Spectrum.

[MrClump]

Does using a Next count? My 48k doesn't really get any use now other than to use when repairing other 48ks, and my lovely +3 lives in the loft! The Next is just so convenient, and for me still has that real Speccy feel.

[Morkin]

I noticed during the recent high score comp shenanigans a lot of participants using flaunting their shiny new Next.

Would definitely be interested to know if anyone who has one is still using their old hardware.

[jojo]

what is more fun than spending a rainy day behind an old 8-bitter or even an QL .................

got several oldies , and the collection is growing .

[PeterJ]

Would definitely be interested to know if anyone who has one is still using their old hardware.

I've got a Next, but far prefer using my Toastrack when not using an emulator.

[PaulJ]

As you can guess doing the show - I have a load of hardware and use it almost daily. Too much to list really - about 4 x 48k rubber keyed, 3 Plus models, a Plus 2, Plus 3 and toastrack.. I have a few in different keyboards etc.. love using them all. I do have days off from time to time.. but at the moment working from home with Speccies everywhere
Must resist.. must resist...

[PeterJ]

Must resist.. must resist...

I had to put all mine in boxes for the duration of home working!

[akeley]

I only got into real hardware about a year ago. Got a +2A & DIV first, because of RGB capability. Then a bit later decided to buy a 48K, seeing as I have never used this iconic machine before. Fell in love with it, +2A got shelved, but I couldn't bear the composite (I'm a CRT fanatic) and so bought the Spektra RGB interface. Then I got into mild-level tape collecting, and seeing as Spektra does not work with my DIV I bought a tape deck too. So now that 48K is the main fixture on my retro desk - even though I have some other micros too, they only appear as guests on rotation. I try to load a tape a day to keep the ol' boy (girl?) happy. I know it's silly but I do like to think that these old Machines have some sort of a Ghost in them and appreciate being used still

I have a MiSTer as well, and use it for majority of my normal ZX gaming, since it handles roms, gamepads and outputs perfect RGB, with 0 latency. Sometimes I also use emulation to check some things on the QT: my favourite recently is the Retro Virtual Machine, at fist it seemed gimmicky but I must say they did a stellar job of replicating the retro feel, what with the CRT filters, no fuss, and the tape deck sounds & sights.

[5MinuteRetro]

Don't ever get rid of it @5MinuteRetro! I wish I had kept my childhood Spectrum.

Well... I'm not actually sure this one is my original.

I meant more than I have an emotional attachment to the Spectrum 128, rather than this specific physical item, because how much the Spectrum 128 meant to me at the time. I'm 50 now, and my memory is terrible. A part of me believes this is my original unit (and I have a sizeable collection of other stuff, like game tapes and joysticks and so on, that are *definitely* my originals, replete with my teenage scribbles) but a part of me thinks I might've ditched my original Spectrum 128 in the late 80s and then picked this one up at a car-boot sale in the late 1990s (I bought a lot of soon-to-be-retro stuff around about then). I guess I'll never know!

[Hedge1970]

Wow this is great, I mean I check eBay a lot and there is a ton of stuff sold almost daily so I guess someone has to be using it.

I have most of what I want and a few modern bits to help. Just had the urge to do this

[TMD2003]

I noticed during the recent high score comp shenanigans a lot of participants using flaunting their shiny new Next.
Would definitely be interested to know if anyone who has one is still using their old hardware.

Come next August, I will be able to answer that question. I might just have had all the hardware out for a quick photo session, but for the most part it's all living in three huge boxes until I've moved house. That'll be around January/February, I would estimate.

So, provided that doesn't all fall through, and provided I'm still alive (there's never any guarantee of that, though right now the chances of me being run over by a bus are zero, which is a good thing, I suppose...), I'll still use my old equipment when the Next arrives.

[Crafty88]

Alternate between 48K with composite mod and a Grey +2.
may get original 48k repaired as that died before I got my 128K+

Threw out my old Tandy plotter a few years ago that I made printer cable up for 128K+ as thought could no longer get the pens for it. Found out the other week pens are still available. Doh!

Next year got a Next arriving

[payty]

I prefer using the real hardware for vintage games (except for arcade machines where I use MAME -> I would not afford spending the money and space to buy the real machine ).


Most of the time I use a ZX Spectrum 128k Toastrack, but my collection includes a ZX80, several ZX81, ZX Spectrum and Spectrum+, 128k Toastracks, microdrives and interfaces.


A ZX81 is waiting for the modern ULA replacement for more often usage.

I also have some ZX Spectrum clones but do not use them anymore.

[PeterJ]

and so bought the Spektra RGB interface.

Where did you buy your Spektra RGB interface from [mention]akeley[/mention]

[zx64]

I still have and use my original 48k one. With composite out mod and nothing else.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

and so bought the Spektra RGB interface.

Where did you buy your Spektra RGB interface from @akeley

I haven't heard of it before and it seems another interesting option.

[cha05e90]

Here a ZX Spectrum+ 128K and a ZX Spectrum Next Acc. are fully operational and on stand-by. Maybe I'm a little bit strange, but using a ZX Spectrum emulator is not really convenient:

1. Clean up the desk
2. Roll over to the cupboard, where my Windows 10 laptop collects dust
3. Carry it over to the desk, connect it to the mains
4. Boot into Windows 10 (dumdidum)
5. Start Fuse/Spectaculator/...

It's way faster to just switch on the ZXs.

But - of course - I use emulation for my Z80-C-experiments using Microsofts VSCode and z88dk.

[akeley]

[mention]PeterJ[/mention] , [mention]Juan F. Ramirez[/mention] Sorry, it's actually called "Spectra". It's a bit pricey (~70GBP) but far as I know the only way to get RGB out of the humble Rubber One. It also has some other functions but they are way over my head.

http://www.fruitcake.plus.com/Sinclair/ ... erface.htm

[ianace]

I still use a lot, a rubber key, +3 and and grey+2 at home. As well as a vega 1 and the recreated ZX Spectrum . At work in my classroom at have a black +2 Spectrum (for after school clubs)and a ZX81 hooked up to a Timed 2040 printer to print name labels on! Much to the amazement of my pupils!

[Morkin]

Nice..!

I'm guessing you didn't go for a ZX Printer in case it set the fire alarms off..

[Hedge1970]

@PeterJ , @Juan F. Ramirez Sorry, it's actually called "Spectra". It's a bit pricey (~70GBP) but far as I know the only way to get RGB out of the humble Rubber One. It also has some other functions but they are way over my head.

http://www.fruitcake.plus.com/Sinclair/ ... erface.htm

I use this as well the colours are rock solid plus it does a whole lot more than just output Scart. Its a Reset Switch, Kempston Joystick, Serial Port, ROM drive and Expansion port all in a nice 3D printed case. There are full and solid instructions and it just works