ESP32-S3 ZX Spectrum - Full Color Silk Screen is really cool!

I wanted to try out the full color silk screen printing from www.PCBWay.com/?from=atomic and it's come out amazing.
I've made a fully functional ZX Spectrum emulator with a built in keyboard. And it works!
It's not quite ready for production yet, but if there's enough interest I will do a production run and put it on sale. If you're interested then sign up here to get progress updates:
atomic14.com/esp32spectrum
Here's the video on 1 bit sound - really interesting: • Understanding Computer...
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[@atomic14]

Latest update! esp32zx.substack.com/p/esp32-s3-zx-spectrum-update-22-06

[@NickReynolds]

I am expecting a lot of "shut up and take my money" about this very soon. As an owner of an original launch 16K I am very tempted.

[@atomic14]

Just need enough people interested to justify a full production run. It is easy to manufacture as it's just a PCB with SMD assembly along with a display - but for small runs it's still pretty expensive. Once you get into reasonable numbers the costs go right down - which then means it's just things like shipping, packaging and logistics that take up the most.

[@PsychogenicTechnologies]

That full colour silk screen looks *fantastic*, I'm really impressed--now I _have_ to try it.

[@atomic14]

For what they are calling a "beta" service, it works really well. And it's not that costly.

[@UhloMuhlo]

I love the middle finger at 3:16 😂😂😂

[@megazoid]

That silkscreen is glorious

[@etansivad]

Holy cow, this is just such a neat feat of engineering. I really love the idea of systems with built in BASIC. Grew up in the states, so never had a ZX spectrum, but I did grow up typing in programs that were printed in the back of Boys life magazine into the IBM computer at the library. Thank you for posting this.

[@jamesirvineuk76]

Would love to try this out! I'd certainly buy one! Takes me right back to my childhood! Well done!

[@atomic14]

Thanks! Takes me back as well. It was a big part of my childhood.

[@jimmy21584]

I’m a bit too young for the 8bit generation, but this looks like great bang for buck to build on a rainy weekend! And so pretty I’d be happy to have it hanging around my lab.

[@hstrinzel]

Pretty amazing work! Maaan!

[@tirsek]

That looks amazing, especially if you're able to hit the $50 price point you mentioned somewhere. A volume potentiometer would be great thoug, or at the very least a mute function like you mentioned :D

[@pavloskairis9994]

subbed -- I used to play Elite on my BBC model B. I will order when production starts.

[@SianaGearz]

I love that it continues the tradition of terrible keyboards!

[@atomic14]

Haha - yeah, I was debating - is this better or worse than the original keyboard. I think it might be a draw... I am pretty amazed at how well it does work though. I really thought this would be a video on how nice the full color printing was, and how the touch didn't really work.

[@petebowcott8348]

Brilliant! But where does the K7 (cassette) plug in? I’m sure I’ve got some tapes somewhere lol

[@SianaGearz]

@@petebowcott8348 Yeah i do think cassette compatibility would be a great feature.

[@atomic14]

It's possible - I'll have to look at a better/more accurate emulator as the tape loading is really time sensitive. Definitely doable - but probably for a future version.

[@SianaGearz]

@@atomic14 Mhm i do have an ESP32-S3 devboard, a recording Walkman, and some empty cassettes. Fundamentally the whole input routine can be asynchronous and just hook in right where TAP file loading lives.

[@dcallan812]

Really nice work 👍👍

[@richbuilds_com]

Lovely stuff!

[@JonMurray]

Really cool mate! New subscriber ✌🏻

[@richards7909]

That is very impressive!

[@jmongrut]

I want to cry, that was my second computer when I was 14, now I'm 53, the first was zx81, I'm learning z80 assembler and I'm making my first game on basic and then on full code machine. I cry, I cry, I cry, thank you.

[@Davedarko]

how did I miss this? o.O it's beautiful!

[@Colin_Ames]

Very nice indeed!

[@CallousCoder]

Bloody brilliant, and that coming from a commodore user ❤

[@ptonpc]

That is very cool :) Happy memories.

[@atomic14]

Definitely, there's something about loading up manic miner and hearing the music that just makes me feel happy.

[@Simon_Rafferty]

That's just awesome!

[@andymouse]

Squeaktasticaly Awesome !!.......cheers.

[@SojournerDidimus]

super neat!

[@ibisum]

Awesome project! Will be fun to get an Oric Atmos core on it .. ;)

[@PatriotOnTour]

Cool Project! A parallel port for connecting to outer space would be nice! 😎

[@PatriotOnTour]

Öhm, any other port will also be ok! 😃

[@robertrossi5363]

Very Cool!!!!

[@GnuReligion]

Yes, slick!

[@kastinkayak]

I really like this

[@TheTurmanDreams]

Great !!!! Thanks!!!!

[@flutte1974]

Cool as ice! Now, if only the "feature" of random reboots after it's gotten warm is added, too, then it's going to be a perfect recreation! 🤣 I dont know why, but I want one!

[@meneerjansen00]

You bet I want one if it ever will be for sale!

[@ChrisMcNeely]

fkn fantastic

[@Excalibur32]

I love your videos, thanks for sharing this! Quick question if you happen to see this comment - when you sell a product like this, do you have any consideration for FCC certification? Thanks again for all your great videos.

[@atomic14]

That is a very good question. The module is already FCC certified which makes things a little bit easier. It will probably still be sold as a partially assembled kit which I think removes some of the requirements. It's something that I will have to look into. It's also one of the reasons why it's only really worthwhile doing if enough people are interested.

[@johnlshere]

Great, i would buy one 👍

[@atomic14]

Awesome - make sure you sign up for updates - it will take a couple of months to get ready for production, but I'm feeling confident we could be easily in time for Christmas!

[@dopierrexzx6956]

Full colour silk screen printing is a nice touch!! Which emulator and code is going to run on? That is the most important thing for people wanting one! 😊

[@jonathanpeace3167]

Hi Chris, JLCPCB also have colour silkscreen now, and they do great quality assembly very cost effectively, esp as looks like most of these components are in LCSC...

[@atomic14]

Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with the current low component count. And everything is pretty standard widely available. The keyboard enhancement does need some extra ICs - but the ones I'm looking at seem to be available from a whole bunch of manufacturers as well. It's looking really promising!

[@TimberRough]

I really like this decision, it’s like I’m back in childhood. ❤ I always look forward to new projects from you. BTW , Who remembers the name of the coolest graphics editor for the ZX Spectrum?

[@atomic14]

I wrote a sprite editor for my ZX Spectrum for my Computer Science project at School. Did it all in Z80 assembly and the buggers only gave me a B!

[@TimberRough]

Wow. Sounds really interesting. I colul imagine how it was cool by looking to your current prjojects.. I’ve remember that I made morse simulator on my ZX Spectrum. But what I will never not forget, is Radio-86RK Mikrosha, when I was 8 years old. It was needed to enter memory addreess to run program after it was loaded)) This decided my future fate, I am software engeneere)) Best wishes from Ukraine, you making really interesting projects and overviews!

[@atomic14]

Thanks! I think a lot of us ended up as software engineers from having these computers.

[@hanslepoeter5167]

Good sound. And if you want more voices you have to sing it yourself. That's a quote from the original manual.

[@lumsdot]

so how do the keys work is it some sort of capacitor switch, with some copper contacts under the silk screen?

[@atomic14]

It’s using the capacitive touch pins of the ESP32. So just needs a copper pad on the PCB.

[@Evilslayer73]

Very interresting and cool project which size of screen it can support?i imagine a beautifull 3d printed case to go with your project!

[@atomic14]

The main limitation is pushing pixels to the display. So the 320x280 is quite a nice resolution as it’s not a massive amount of pixels and it comes in quite nice sizes - 3.2-3.5 inch feels like a decent size - it’s readable and not massive. But any size is really possible.

[@andriygolovnya]

joystick support? and usb protection ic is needed.

[@Semaze]

Any chance of the community being able to get their hands on some code for DIY versions?

[@atomic14]

Yes - everything will be open sourced - it’s just not quite ready yet. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

[@peterhurn4045]

Take my money !

[@poepflater]

I walked miles as an 8-year-old to go play anywhere the kids had one of these.

[@cthoadmin7458]

Excuse my ignorance but how is the keyboard made? I get that it's a silk screen printed PCB, but how to the keys work? Microswitches beneath the keys? Sorry if his is blindingly obvious...

[@atomic14]

Not blindingly obvious at all. It’s used capacitive touch sensors. This is built into the ESP32 microcontroller - there are a set of pins that can be setup to measure capacitance - these are then hooked up to copper pads on the PCB. The ESP32 detects the change in capacitance caused by a finger being near the pad.

[@cthoadmin7458]

@@atomic14 Thanks. I'd love to order one of these boards when they become available. A simply brilliant project.

[@DaveVW]

How about a Sunton ESP32 7" LCD version? Move the processing to the LCD ESP32-S3 with SPRAM and either connect wirelessly or I2c or such for just the keyboard?

[@atomic14]

Have been thinking about a separate keyboard. But for this first iteration I'm going to stick with the fully integrated single board. It's a nice standalone thing that will just work out of the box - much less to go wrong or mess up.

[@DaveVW]

@@atomic14 makes a lot of sense!

[@EnglishLaw]

It would be nice in a +2 case replacing the tape deck with a screen.

[@CliveMcCabe]

Could you make it have composite out or hdmi out. I'd Def want one

[@atomic14]

For this project I really wanted to have the display integrated and I don’t have enough pins for video output as well.

[@knoxieman]

Love this, super slim spectrum laptop with screen anybody?

[@atomic14]

i might try and make a super small credit card sized version. Though I need to focus on the normal size one first and not get distracted...

[@Evilslayer73]

3d printed case and this thing gonna sell a lot :)

[@docteurzoidberg]

wow

[@fastbeta]

Cool. But HDMI / VGA output will be better

[@tobiasgugger-haslerrail5914]

Can It read program from tapes

[@atomic14]

At the moment it loads snapshot files from the SD Card. But in theory there's no reason why you couldn't connect a tape recorder up to some GPIO pins and run the tape loading code. At the moment my emulator might not work as the timings are not perfect, but there are emulators that can do that.

[@hanslepoeter5167]

It took me some time to realise your not on an original spectrum.

[@lumsdot]

I though pcb was a real case, and is that pcb sitting ontop of a membrane keyboard my nead hurts

[@atomic14]

Nope - it's just a PCB - I should have made that much more clear in the video.

[@techtinkerin]

Yeah its pretty cool, but it needs to be done as a laptop with a big screen that folds up. Get cracking 🤭😎👍

[@-Error99]

Why include the display? It's just a gimmick and it will make the board much more expensive

[@atomic14]

For this project I want to have the display integrated. Sounds like you are looking for something else.