any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
- gabriele amore
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any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
I don't want to spend more than 30-40 euros... any suggestion?
Get my AY games here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tfo83j5lzwmh ... Kkk7a?dl=0
- PROSM
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Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
If you can get hold of one for a good price, then something from the Nintendo DS range would make a decent little console, when paired with an inexpensive flashcart and Patrik Rak's ZXDS emulator. Flashcarts tend to cost about £9 on the UK market, and you'll need a microSD card to store its data on too - any card will likely be big enough for your needs.
The advantage of ZXDS over emulators for other platforms is that, through some software trickery, the DS is coaxed into refreshing its LCD screen at the Spectrum's native 50Hz, giving a smooth and jitter-free display.
The advantage of ZXDS over emulators for other platforms is that, through some software trickery, the DS is coaxed into refreshing its LCD screen at the Spectrum's native 50Hz, giving a smooth and jitter-free display.
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Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
Yes, an early DS is a good bet. Which model is not quite so easy to decide, as each has strengths and weaknesses.
The original DS doesn't have a particularly bright screen, but can play GBA games as well as DS ones, if that's remotely interesting.
The DS-Lite is smaller and has brighter screens, but the lid hinge is weaker and can crack easily, leaving it to fall open rather than stay at a fixed angle. It can also play GBA games, but the cartridges will stick out at the front.
The DSi is the first where downloads could update the firmware, so began a tit-for-tat match with trying to block the R4 Flash cards, but these days the R4 cards should be sophisticated enough to get round any security updates that may remain in a second-hand DSi. But the DSi can't play GBA cartridges.
There's a DSi-XL that has larger screens, although still the same 256x192 pixels resolution. That has the best display, but again, only a DS slot, no GBA cartridge slot.
Probably best not to try a 3DS as then you have to check closely which version of firmware it has compared to what version of R4 card you're using, as it's smarter at blocking attempts to hack it. And they're not as cheap as an old DS anyway. And the 3DS-XL has a different resolution on the top screen, so it's not such a good emulation.
The original DS doesn't have a particularly bright screen, but can play GBA games as well as DS ones, if that's remotely interesting.
The DS-Lite is smaller and has brighter screens, but the lid hinge is weaker and can crack easily, leaving it to fall open rather than stay at a fixed angle. It can also play GBA games, but the cartridges will stick out at the front.
The DSi is the first where downloads could update the firmware, so began a tit-for-tat match with trying to block the R4 Flash cards, but these days the R4 cards should be sophisticated enough to get round any security updates that may remain in a second-hand DSi. But the DSi can't play GBA cartridges.
There's a DSi-XL that has larger screens, although still the same 256x192 pixels resolution. That has the best display, but again, only a DS slot, no GBA cartridge slot.
Probably best not to try a 3DS as then you have to check closely which version of firmware it has compared to what version of R4 card you're using, as it's smarter at blocking attempts to hack it. And they're not as cheap as an old DS anyway. And the 3DS-XL has a different resolution on the top screen, so it's not such a good emulation.
Last edited by Joefish on Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- gabriele amore
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Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
tnx so much
Get my AY games here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tfo83j5lzwmh ... Kkk7a?dl=0
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Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
I agree that using a 3DS with a DS version via the R4 or similar card is suboptimal for the reasons you mention. BUT there is now a native 3DS version with unique features such as border emulation, RZX recording and, most importantly, rollback. The last one alone is IMO worth it. And you don't even have to have a flash card, it all runs from the builtin SD card. So IMO the 2DS XL or New 3DS XL is the way to go nowadays (albeit at a higher price, that's for sure).Joefish wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:15 pm Probably best not to try a 3DS as then you have to check closely which version of firmware it has compared to what version of R4 card you're using, as it's smarter at blocking attempts to hack it. And they're not as cheap as an old DS anyway. And the 3DS-XL has a different resolution on the top screen, so it's not such a good emulation.
Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
I use Fuse on my old jailbroken Playstation Portable it's great, but obviously it's no good for text adventures as it only has an on-screen keyboard.
Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
I fancy trying one of the new budget handhelds, good video on them here
The R36S uses ArkOS which has a Spectrum emulator, the others probably do as well but not checked.
TomD
The R36S uses ArkOS which has a Spectrum emulator, the others probably do as well but not checked.
TomD
Retro enthusiast and author of Flynn's Adventure in Bombland, The Order of Mazes & Maze Death Rally-X. Check them out at http://tomdalby.com
Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
Guessing you need to homebrew crack your 3DS for that to work though. Whereas an R4 card can boot on a standard handheld.Patrik Rak wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 1:20 pm I agree that using a 3DS with a DS version via the R4 or similar card is suboptimal for the reasons you mention. BUT there is now a native 3DS version with unique features such as border emulation, RZX recording and, most importantly, rollback. The last one alone is IMO worth it. And you don't even have to have a flash card, it all runs from the builtin SD card. So IMO the 2DS XL or New 3DS XL is the way to go nowadays (albeit at a higher price, that's for sure).
Although at some point in the future I'm going to have to set the date on the DS back as for some annoying reason the authors of the R4i firmware seem to have added a date timeout to it, to force you to update to a version that they've never delivered.
- PROSM
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Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
Yes, you do need to mod the 3DS, but it seems to be quite easy these days - there's a comprehensive website which guides you steo-by-step (not linking directly to it due to forum rules, but it's near the top of the Google listings).
As an aside, with the DSi, you might not need a flashcard there either, as you can mod it to run applications straight from the SD card (again, there's a modding guide quite high in the Google listings). I've not tried it with ZXDS, but I don't see why it wouldn't work that way.
You could try replacing the stock firmware with YSMenu (specifically "RGF's YSMenu Fork") - that's what I use with my R4i to get around the timeout.
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Working on something, as always.
Working on something, as always.
Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
I could not get ZXDS to work from the SD card slot on the DSi. After much tinkering and frustration I bought an R4 card and it worked flawlessly.PROSM wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 4:29 pm As an aside, with the DSi, you might not need a flashcard there either, as you can mod it to run applications straight from the SD card (again, there's a modding guide quite high in the Google listings). I've not tried it with ZXDS, but I don't see why it wouldn't work that way.
Re: any suggestion for a good portable device that can play zx spectrum games?
The 3DS is pricey but it's such a great bit of kit and you don't need an R4. Just an SD card and the instructions to do it.Joefish wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:15 pm
Probably best not to try a 3DS as then you have to check closely which version of firmware it has compared to what version of R4 card you're using, as it's smarter at blocking attempts to hack it. And they're not as cheap as an old DS anyway. And the 3DS-XL has a different resolution on the top screen, so it's not such a good emulation.
I've got ZXDS on mine.