ZX Spectrum Next Discussion

[R-Tape]

Sorted! Thanks [mention]Seven.FFF[/mention]

Yep the difference was the formatter. I originally used the standard one that came with the PC. After using the one from here:

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

And doing the full format it works. Woot!

[R-Tape]

Next daft question. Multicolour and Bicolour aren't being emulated. GLUF, Buzzsaw+, Old Tower, they have normal attributes, and are playing slowly (Increasing the processer speed does speed up the game, but still doesn't show multicolour).

[Seven.FFF]

Multicolour/Nirvana only works in VGA or RGB timings at 50Hz.

The reason is that HDMI or 60Hz both necessitate different video timings, and without a scanbuffer to hold and resample the picture, the timings of the Next have to be bent to have a different number of Ts per line, lines per frame, and frames per second in order to get close enough to the HDMI spec for most displays to display them. The first buggers up multicolour programs expectations that they’re running at exact 48K or 128K timings. The second leaves significantly less Ts per frame. My Nirvana games all crash at 60Hz because they overrun the frame, but Stormfish was ok last time I tested it.

The reason the Next doesn’t have a scanbuffer is simply that there isn’t room for one in the FPGA chip. It takes quite a bit of circuitry and BRAM to implement one.

This is actually a common problem other retro systems have too, as not all of them have a hardware scanbuffer chip or a large enough FPGA.

In the future it will be possible to address this. One possibility is to have a separate standard Spectrum core, without the Next-specific features. This has room for a scanbuffer. This core already exists as a proof of concept and works great, but the multicore infrastructure is still being worked on, so isn’t quite ready for general use yet.

Another possibility is to split the core into separate cores for VGA and RGB, which will also free up some room in both, perhaps enough for a rolling partial-frame scanbuffer. This one also needs some new infrastructure to make it truly seamless to switch between them.

You can also use RGB timings with a SCART cable and a RGB-SCART/HDMI convertor, if you’re unlucky enough to have an HDMI-only display.

For now multicolour games (including Denis’s Pentagon Nirvana) do work great in VGA and RGB modes.

[PeterJ]

Sorted! Thanks @Seven.FFF

Yep the difference was the formatter. I originally used the standard one that came with the PC. After using the one from here:

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

And doing the full format it works. Woot!

I often used to have similar issues formatting SD Cards for the Raspberry Pi.

[uglifruit]

We hard the merit in the extra memory? I've ordered it because (well, you know ...) but it's there any software that makes use of it yet?

[Seven.FFF]

Not yet, but there are some games in progress which will need it. Mike Dailly's raycasting engine (at least two games planned) and Kev Brady's Ice World at least.

It's a possibility that Kickstarter 2 will be for 2MB machines to simplify the options and BOM, and reduce costs (particularly for the sockets), although a decision hasn't been made yet. If so, this will make developing for 2MB machines more attractive.

[Swainy]

So, everyone lucky enough to own a Spectrum Next can see what I’ve spent the last few days doing. Advanced Lawn Mower Simulator Next, it uses the original code and my messy bits: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M4iUPr ... 7uOY4/view unzip, place in your Next games folder and run the .bas file

[R-Tape]

Thanks for the answers [mention]Seven.FFF[/mention], you're a marvel.

I don't have BEEP since installing the latest build. BEEP 1,1 in basic just gives the pause and no noise, and games that I know use the beeper are silent. It was working in the old build. Any ideas?

[Seven.FFF]

[mention]R-Tape[/mention], how are you getting your sound? Through 3.5mm stereo socket, HDMI, or an internal speaker/piezo you've fitted yourself?

• If 3.5mm stereo socket, check you're still plugged into the correct socket (the one closest to the VGA socket). The other EAR/MIC socket doesn't have any audio on it. Also try turning your amp right up, as a couple of people have reported no sound that was actually just really quiet sound.
• If HDMI, what is the value of timing= in the machines/next/config.ini file. It has to be 7 for proper HDMI with audio. Many displays are capable of displaying the Next's VGA timings (0..6) over the HDMI cable, but the Next won't output HDMI audio unless it's in timing 7.
• If internal beeper, check the value of intsnd= in the machines/next/config.ini file. Sound is not sent to the beeper unless it is intsnd=1.

This is all assuming you are on core 3.01.00 and SD card contents from one of the zips in https://www.specnext.com/latestdistro/. There have been some recent changes in gitlab which affect the sound slightly, which haven't made it to the latest distro yet but will do so in due course.

[R-Tape]

I don't know where the beep was coming from when it worked on the old build. It must have been either via the HDMI telly, or the internal beeper.

This is core 3.01.00, and in the config file the values are correct: intsnd=1, Timings=7

I tried plugging some headphones into audio OUT, I could hear the keytap clicking of the next browser, but nothing in 48k basic (no BEEP, no key tapping sound). I tried turning the volume right up and still nothing.

[Seven.FFF]

There isn't an internal beeper as standard, so if you haven't fitted one yourself then it must have been via HDMI.

Hmm, I will have to have a think about this.

Are you using an HDMI switchbox or a direct connnection?

[R-Tape]

Nope, didn't fit an internal beeper (I like the idea though!). It's a direct connection, one lead with HDMI at each end. AY is working btw.

Cheers matey.

[Swainy]

On the latest software, you can switch the beeper to only play if you have an internal speaker fitted, even if you don’t have an external speaker fitted.

[Seven.FFF]

On the latest software, you can switch the beeper to only play if you have an internal speaker fitted, even if you don’t have an external speaker fitted.

Indeed you can, cheers Dean. I was assuming Dave doesn't have this option, as he hasn't installed anything from gitlab yet AFAIK. But it's definitely worth him confirming if he does or not.

The crazy part about this is that keyboard/menu clicks ARE beeps too - just very short ones! In fact you can extend the duration of them with this poke, so that they become beeps:

Code: Select all

POKE 23609,20

Can you try doing this in the same mode that you can hear the menu clicks, after confirming that you still here them? Once you are in NextBASIC or the command line, you can get back to a menu by doing EDIT+1.

[R-Tape]

[mention]Swainy[/mention] has cracked it. My settings screen looks a bit different to the picture, but int speaker was set to ON, I turn it off and beeper is now audible.

I'll fire up ALS on it later!

[mention]Seven.FFF[/mention] I did your poke and indeed, it did change the menu beeps.

[Swainy]

Here is a bit of footage of ALS Next, unfortunately it’s not in 4:3 ratio.

https://youtu.be/xF5O_pPJtNI

[DouglasReynholm]

Here is a bit of footage of ALS Next, unfortunately it’s not in 4:3 ratio.

https://youtu.be/xF5O_pPJtNI

I appreciate the homage to Operation Wolf!

[Swainy]

Well I thought that it’s a very similar game to Operation Wolf so hence the homage

[Morkin]

Nope, didn't fit an internal beeper (I like the idea though!). It's a direct connection, one lead with HDMI at each end. AY is working btw.

Cheers matey.

Sounds like your Next is faulty.

<sigh> Go on then, I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands for a tenner. Just pop it in the post. Ta.

[R-Tape]

<sigh> Go on then, I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands for a tenner. Just pop it in the post. Ta.

Swapsies for your SAGA.

[Morkin]

<sigh> Go on then, I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands for a tenner. Just pop it in the post. Ta.

Swapsies for your SAGA.

Which one - the keyboard or the holiday?

[R-Tape]

So, everyone lucky enough to own a Spectrum Next can see what I’ve spent the last few days doing. Advanced Lawn Mower Simulator Next

Good work. I'm not sure I'll ever get my head round running a BASIC file and getting graphics and sound like this (well, not including the in-game ones!).

BTW feel free to make new threads for stuff like this. There is a whole Next subforum in addition to this thread.

[DouglasReynholm]

Got my Yodel email this morning.. only 143 deliveries ahead of me! Sat by the front door like a dog waiting for its owner..

[R-Tape]

Got my Yodel email this morning.. only 143 deliveries ahead of me! Sat by the front door like a dog waiting for its owner..

Brilliant! The worst part is when the number goes to zero and you see the driver's dot moving away from your house on the map!

[DouglasReynholm]

Brilliant! The worst part is when the number goes to zero and you see the driver's dot moving away from your house on the map!

Well at least the buggers won't be able to claim I wasn't home. I haven't left the house in 3 weeks