ESPectrum 1.0rc3

[Eremus]

Hi there,

We've just published the latest release of our ESP32 SoC based emulator.

These are the release notes:

New features:

- New Spectrum model: Pentagon 128.
- Betadisk emulation with read/write TRD & read only SCL support. Available in all Spectrum models.
- Dual PS/2 keyboard support at both ports of Lilygo & Olimex board.
- New option to tell emulator if there is a device connected to first PS/2 port on ESPectrum board or second PS/2 on Lilygo and Olimex board. This is useful to speed up boot process. Before this if you didn't have a device connected to the port, there was a delay while emulator tried to reset it.
- New option to select if you want cursor keys act as Spectrum cursor keys or Joystick emulation. It can be selected in menu or switched using Scroll Lock key. Regardless of cursor keys mode selected, joystick emulation will be always available at keypad cursor keys.
- Support for second fire button in Kempston emulation. It is binded to Slash key or Right Gui key.

Changes:

- Boot speed optimizations: now emulator boots in less than two seconds.
- Sna and z80 files load optimized.
- Cursor joystick emulation now sends 5678 and 0 again.
- Help screen now shows keys for ESPectrum board if emulator is running on it.
- You can use CS+SS+P as pause on ZX Keyboard.
- Pause message will not stay fixed on screen.

Bugfixes:

-Solved some bugs in z80 load: wrong R register, writing in ROM pages and uncompressed block load in v2 y v3 not implemented. Now, many z80 that didn't work before now load perfectly.
- Solved OSD bug after hard reset.

Known issues:

- In rare cases, sound doesn't get initialized on emu start or gets corrupted or muted after sna, z80 or snapshot load. Restarting ESP32 (using F12 or powering off/on) solves it always.

As always, you can find source code at our github repo ( https://github.com/EremusOne/ZX-ESPectrum-IDF ) or download ready-to-flash binaries at the release page ( https://github.com/EremusOne/ZX-ESPectr ... g/v1.0.rc3 ).

We'll do a live stream in Youtube today at 20:30h. CEST at our Youtube channel



Enjoy it!

[highrise]

Great work, but this is not the same thing as es.pectrum is it? this one

https://www.habisoft.com/espectrum/EN.htm


because if they are different, I really think you should consider a different name to avoid confusion, this emulator has been around for a long time and is one of my favourites.

[Eremus]

Great work,

Tyvm

but this is not the same thing as es.pectrum is it?

That question was answered here, to an user with the same name as you, some time ago: viewtopic.php?p=120495#p120495

because if they are different, I really think you should consider a different name to avoid confusion, this emulator has been around for a long time and is one of my favourites.

Although we do not consider that the supposed similarity could lead to confusion (you are the only person in almost six months who has mentioned, twice, the matter), we have contacted the author of Es.pectrum and he will have the last word.

Kind Regards!

[Seven.FFF]

Maybe Espressif should be forced to change the name of the ESP32!

[Eremus]

Hi again,

Habi has told us that there is no problem on his part and has explained that when he named his emulator, he realized that there was already a website called espectrum.speccy.org.

Luckily, the owner of the website also had no issue with this coincidence.

Regards!

[Jbizzel]

Nice. Looks like fun. I just ordered a TTGo VGA32 for £6. I'll give it a go!

[Nitrowing]

Nice. Looks like fun. I just ordered a TTGo VGA32 for £6. I'll give it a go!

I've had one of those for ages but never plugged it in to see what it did

[Jbizzel]

Freedos looks interesting too. Some cool looking options.

[highrise]

yes, I admit it, it confused me twice. I was so happy to see there was an update for the Es.pectrum emulator I immediately clicked, only to face the crushing disappointment that it was a totally different program, although I'm sure it's one that involved just as much hard work and dedication which I applaud. I was clearly so badly affected by my confusion that it happened a second time a year later. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me as the saying goes

Keep up the great work!

[Jbizzel]

Just got this emulator working, it's excellent!

Thank you for making it.

[Eremus]

Just got this emulator working, it's excellent!

Thank you for making it.

Tyvm Jbizzel

There are nice improvements coming soon for version 1.0: folder support and real joystick support through Antonio Villena's ESPjoy board.

I'll update as soon as we publish new release

[hexaae]

What about adding keyboard to joystick remapping too? For games requiring extra keys like Z, X, for jump, grenade remappable to button 2, button 3 of modern arcade sticks like 8BitDo...

[Eremus]

What about adding keyboard to joystick remapping too? For games requiring extra keys like Z, X, for jump, grenade remappable to button 2, button 3 of modern arcade sticks like 8BitDo...

That's exactly what's on the roadmap as "Joystick revamp" for 1.0



Greetings!

[hexaae]

No stand alone emulator for Windows?

[Eremus]

No stand alone emulator for Windows?

There's a quick and dirty port to SDL done by David Crespo here: https://github.com/dcrespo3d/ZX-ESPectrum-SDL2

It' based on a now outdated version of ESPectrum and audio and video output and timings are not quite precise. It was made mainly to help with development of ESP32 ESPectrum version.

Regards