Spectrum Computing

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 12:44 pm It would seem I'm at the hands of the curse of Apple again as it seems I need a PC to convert .scr to .tzx.

There’s always WineBottler, which is what I use.

As you can see I'm having so much fun with the gif creation. Because I cannot use Photoshop anymore I'm struggling to change the resulting .gifs that zxsp makes for my usage.

I big issue I still have is how to convert .scr files to .txt files that I can then load via zxsp to produce what I've done above. While doing these it got me thinking about how difficult it would be to convert a .scr file to a loading screen file WITH alternative loader-code like the 'alcatraz' one. Is this possible? I've tried with no luck to work this out so I thought it was about time I asked the experts


Having these display (randomly) as intended, one at a time full screen on my Mac as a screensaver really makes me smile big-time, a real goosebump maker! So any help would be immensely appreciated!

I did try to WineBottler working, but just haven't the brain-beans to make the magic happen. Sorry

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:58 am...While doing these it got me thinking about how difficult it would be to convert a .scr file to a loading screen file WITH alternative loader-code like the 'alcatraz' one. Is this possible? I've tried with no luck to work this out so I thought it was about time I asked the experts

It's definitely possible, and you can do it yourself - with the original tools

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIvt8c ... Mlnl2Ev0tR

Here's a write up on how to use the Alkatraz Protection System

It's a bit involved, but essentially you can define and render a loading screen exactly as you like and capture that

Thanks jpnz for giving me directions I'll try to follow your videos and convert some of the .scr files from http://zxart.ee
Sorry I cannot promise I'll not message you soon about this stuff

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:58 am Because I cannot use Photoshop anymore I'm struggling to change the resulting .gifs that zxsp makes for my usage.

What do you intend to change them to? Preview will open any GIF file. If you want a more refined tool, then https://ezgif.com/maker is a good start.

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:58 am I big issue I still have is how to convert .scr files to .txt files that I can then load via zxsp to produce what I've done above.

Well, a SCR file is just raw data. You could use zasm (link in my signature) and create a simple wrapper for SCR files. I could easily write one for you.

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 1:49 pm Thanks jpnz for giving me directions I'll try to follow your videos and convert some of the .scr files from http://zxart.ee
Sorry I cannot promise I'll not message you soon about this stuff

Apologies, I pasted the wrong link to the write up - it's here

Slowly chipping away at creating a whole bunch of these using ZXSP's gif creation tool. VERY cool

Just a quick question.. (didn't want to start another topic to add clutter)
When I load a .tzx using ZXSP, for example Saboteur (1986), the emulator loads it automatically and skips the loading screen altogether. Sometimes it does this when loading a .tap file as well. Could someone explain the reason for this? I'm sure its because how the .tzx is created in the first place but wondered how I can get around this and record the loading of the screen.

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:52 am When I load a .tzx using ZXSP, for example Saboteur (1986), the emulator loads it automatically and skips the loading screen altogether.

Since a TZX is a perfect representation of a tape, it can very well be a tape that uses bog-standard ROM loading routines. Then it’s no different than a TAP file. Most emulators can detect standard tape loaders and load them into RAM virtually instantly.

zxsp doesn’t seem to respect its own “Instant load/save standard tape blocks” setting, unfortunately. Sometimes, however, it can be tricked by opening the tape recorder window (Command-T) and pressing the “Open/Eject” button. Then you “load” a tape file and type LOAD “”. They tape player will start playing the tape automatically and (normally) won’t skip standard block. Doesn’t work every time, I’m afraid.

Wow.. thanks Ast A. Moore! will try your tips of getting some of this stuff to work on certain .tzx files. Oh and its you find some spare brain cells lying around PM them to me so I can easily work out how do the other things you suggested but without having to buy a PC to run that software you mentioned.

'Somehow' I've managed to get a Mac program called PlayOnMac to work and successfully ran bmp2scr exp_2.11a.exe to convert a .scr to a loading screen that I can then load and convert to a gif (using ZXSP)

Only problem is, I think I'm going about this wrong. I thought I needed to convert each .scr file to a .tzx so that it would 'run' - ie load like a normal loading screen would load. You know, typically in 3 parts then the colour is washed in at the end.

Like so..


My head hurts now. I'd just like a way of converting .scr files to a file type I can then covert the process of it 'loading' via ZXSP, and converting this process as an animated gif. Hopefully all this hasn't hurt your heads too much for you to help me fix the last piece of this puzzle so I can nail down a new process to do this.

Again, I appreciate your patience my friends

ZXnibbs wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:58 am As you can see I'm having so much fun with the gif creation.

...Loving that big .gif gallery..!

Yeah massive credit to the amazing artists that make em!