Networking on the ZX Spectrum NEXT.

[MonkZy]

Recently I have been exploring the fabulous SpectraNet add-on. The socket library for this device is excellent and mirrors the standard socket library used in python, C++ and most other languages. The documentation for use in z80/Spectrum assembly is first rate.

My NEXT related question is, how is socket handling implemented on the NEXT?

It would be great if SpectraNet calls and ROM paging was part of the NEXT core, as this would allow the running of SpectraNet software without modification. I know there is not a huge amount of SpectraNet enabled software but keeping the NEXT in sync with classic hardware would be really good. The TNFS file system offers some great online resources.

I have saved a few quid for a retro computing purchase and am torn between a fully refurbished +2 with SpectraNet and waiting for the second NEXT kickstarter.

[Alcoholics Anonymous]

I do plan on writing a socket library for the Next so there will at least be compatibility at the api level. Underneath it all things are very different as the Next is using an ESP module connected to the machine via uart (up to 2Mbps) and the spectranet is using a wiz offload engine. Both devices expose a tcp/ip interface (plus other protocols) but the way they are interfaced at a low level is quite different.

[MonkZy]

I do plan on writing a socket library for the Next.

This is awesome news. I took a brief look at the AT codes for the ESP , and they were fairly complicated. A socket library would be great, it would making converting spectranet code over to NEXT pretty simple. Coding such a library seems, at first glance, to be beyond my skills. It would be great if you used a similar register and flag arrangement as the SpectraNet library

I have been hoping there would be a 2nd NEXT kickstarter for a long while, so I am pretty sure I will be backing if there is one. I also want a classic spectranet machine :roll

Best of luck with your endeavors!