The Spectrum Show EP140

[@robertoneill1979]

When a Monday suddenly looks a lot brighter 👍

[@AmbersKnight]

Excellent video as always Paul, thank you and I look forward to the new series when it comes. That ZX Touch does look tempting. I had wondered if at some point during the Vega+ debacle you would do some special feature or whole episode on the whole mess but I think highlighting positive products like this one is the better way to go, sending the positivity out there for people. I had never heard of the gameboard back in the day and it might have been nice but sadly my rubber keyed Spectrum died after a month and this was early 1985 and, although I didn;t know it then, Sinclair had discontinued the rubber keyed model and by the time I got my Spectrum back it was the Spectrum+. But the Gameboard certainly looks useful. The Spectrum+ thing does bring up something. When I sent my old Spectrum back when it died it was literally just the computer and the power unit, I still had the manuals and the Horizons tape. When I got my Spectrum+ it was new in box and came with its own manual and version of the introductory tape. I wonder if you would consider doing a feature on the original Horizons tape and the Spectrum+ replacement, especially the games as I have fond memories of Thro' the Wall but the Spectrum+ tape with its own breakout and chase progams were excellent for BASIC games.

[@bilbobaggings]

I really loved that rubber keyboard. It was great for typings. Mag in one hand and key tickling with the other hand. Great season ender.

[@stevesgaming7475]

Superb! OMG I got my wallet out when you showed the ZX Touch ..then I saw the price and ...ouch!! nope, can't stretch that far. but it looks very cool indeed.

[@t00ty_fru1ty]

How much is it?

[@stevesgaming7475]

@@t00ty_fru1ty £220

[@qwertzy121212]

@@t00ty_fru1ty looks like 219 pounds... feels quite excessive for what appears to be a slightly customized chinese emulation handheld!

[@DavidFalconer-np4bo]

I bought a ZX Touch a couple of months ago. It’s a huge upgrade from Emulators on Nintendo or PS Vita. It’s just so satisfyingly easy to use. I did baulk at cost originally but glad I bought one. Can’t recommend it enough, I’m now playing Spectrum games far more often.

[@t00ty_fru1ty]

I really like the DS. I got the XL cheap and it's great cos the stylus for keyboard works fine imo. Thanks to the Spectrum Show for showing me this method. Just add a rainbow sticker and JSW decal and complete:) if I didn't have that I would look at this.

[@stevenice8320]

Great show Paul, thank you for your efforts.

[@robm8809]

Thanks Paul!

[@phil1s]

Love the thought of a portable speccy that actually works and isn't a rip off

[@KillbarrackShoppingCentre]

works perfectly @1.25 speed :-) Great series, thanks Paul and Geoff.

[@gregoryoakman8639]

Thanks Paul, Enjoy your break. Look forward to seeing future episodes.

[@axelworfles]

I loved Beruska as a kid, it's engrained in my brain for all time!

[@JimmyCall]

Always love your episodes.

[@alphaeagle1999]

Another great show Paul.

[@robmies3257]

Great show, as always. I wonder (and hope) if the ZX Spectrum Next will get a thriving demo scene too.

[@aki_128]

And yes, thanks for including the Beruška demo. Beruško, zazpívej! (Berushka, let's sing!) was very popular back then.

[@pedroschurmann3345]

Just got my zx next ks2 and now thinking on a new speccy machine 😎👍

[@mark-andrews]

The point regarding the reset key, having played many hours on Atari VCS, it makes sense to me that a game restarts immediately at zero points, when practicing to increase the score, a handy option, if a life is lost carelessly, early, restart and try, try, try again! That keyboard overlay looks like a clever piece of kit, as long as it doesn't damage what's underneath?

[@michaelhill6453]

Wow...the ZXT is astonishing.

[@davidwhaite3330]

The ZX TOUCH seems brilliant although a bit pricey i'll be buying one before Xmas this year,

[@newsbender]

Price is outrageous. Include every Spectrum game ever released for 99 quid and I'd consider it.

[@peterblundell7808]

I wish adding the spectrum roms files to the touch was as easy as all these videos and guides make it look. I can't get mine to work.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Damn this thing is cool.

[@kristianTV1974]

1989 to 1990 using New Zealand Story tunes.

[@frankowalker4662]

Beruska is brilliant. I got it on a YS cover tape.

[@markthintie5132]

I like the ZX Touch and i would like to buy one, but i am hoping that the ZX Spectrum Next team will create their own Handheld device.

[@bryanbridgwood6923]

Thank you

[@MarcKloos]

Enjoy your break!

[@Jamesalec63]

Brill and were wondering what about music creation and games back in the day there were some software packages available on ZX computers though some required an upgrade to run them but I am sure they would work now. Is there any basis for writing instructions or programming on this device it was a good thing just to have a bit of programming a game or making ZX play much which could be programmed by fingers and hand and ZX had a basis Office program to which would be a fun thing to have ago at again. Games and fun and fantastic retro pleasure of revisiting daily. Classic software not just games would be interesting too.

[@GadgetUK164]

That ZXT looks cool! I wonder if its a generic linux based tablet or custom hardware...

[@FBIofUVS]

All hardware and software is self developed. This is no tablet you can buy elsewhere.

[@andypyne]

The Marvic Keyboard could no doubt be recreated - maybe even bettered - by someone with a 3D Printer and the time/inclination 😁

[@chrisshaw451]

When you look at other handhelds that can emulate many many other devices and the ZXT is just a Spectrum emulater I assume, and because of that I feel it is overpriced and sadly I will not be purchasing one.

[@JennyTheNerdBat]

Pretty much my thoughts. For a Spectrum-specific handheld it seems so over-engineered (with analogue stick and HD touch display) that you may as well just throw in some more emulators to fully use that potential, and there are a lot of handhelds that can do just that for a similar price tag.

[@thepenultimateninja5797]

I agree. It looks like it's just a generic Android gaming tablet with a custom emulator (or maybe even just a custom frontend for an existing emulator). That would explain the odd choice of controls. A Spectrum handheld should ideally have a D-pad rather than separate buttons, and the analog stick doesn't really make sense. I guess devices like this are intended for people who are only interested in the Spectrum, and aren't tech savvy enough to set up a handheld by themselves. That would be fine, but it looks like getting it set up with all the right files isn't really any easier. Seems like an answer to a question nobody was asking.

[@t00ty_fru1ty]

​@@thepenultimateninja5797just had a look. £200+!? I would love to support the team but that is steep!

[@TheStuffMade]

The ZX Touch looks really nice, but it's probably going to be a hard sell to many of us who already own several handheld emulation devices like the Steam Deck etc. But sure I can understand that some want something dedicated that is fully pre configures and just works. I have quite a lot of original hardware, but to be honest when I crave some 8 bit gaming I usually just run emulators on my laptop or Steam Deck.

[@FBIofUVS]

Other devices run emulators. No emulator can run tap, trd, Z80 and Sna, can emulate ULA+, can configure all joysticks with just few touchs. If you want have easy access to the full range of Spectrum gaming, there is definately no better handheld than the ZX Touch. But it isn‘t cheap. The best never is cheap.

[@GilbertoPaulo1970]

I find the software to be a bit crude, it needs a lot of upgrades, for example the ability to download the games from the SD card all at once instead of having to add one by one. But what I really believe to be a bad choice its the left buttons instead of a D-pad. I've been playing speccy games on android and Linux based handhelds and the D-pad works really great. Those buttons look really stiff and with little travel. And considering that its a machine that emulates only one system, the price will seem quite steep for those that are not buying for the nostalgia, like I will. But I'm considering waiting for better firmwares and the desirable D-pad...

[@kins749]

I am liking the ZX Touch, although with a Gamesboard on my 48k maybe I won't need one. No, seriously, very tempting.

[@newmediadenmark_]

I emulate ZX Spectrum on Nintendo 2DS via R4 card.

[@robm8809]

Having the full keyboard on the lower screen is excellent.

[@TomMannCenturia]

ZXT looks nifty, just too pricey for me unfortunately, and ZXDS is so good, I don't think it can be beaten.

[@Theoriginalborgy]

The same here and I can't see the value of the ZX Touch for £219 maybe if it had the ZX Next built in it might be worth it .

[@aki_128]

Speaking of the ZXT, it really isn't perfect. It has certain issues playing AY hardware envelopes correctly or it doesn't play them at all in some cases. Also running demos what require the usr0 mode or Pentagon settings isn't an easy task. The virtual keyboard doesn't respond well on key combinations placed close to each other, like Caps Shift + A, etc. The side menus appearance could be optional, they're irritating in some cases. Using AY + 48K mode is not possible. The timing of the 48/128 models isn't just perfect, some multicolours aren't perfect. The digital music played on AY is muted for some reason. I have tried classic demos like NMI2, NMI3, The Lyra 2, etc. as well as new demos. Some of them work, some not or they have issues. The cons are definitely the 50Hz pixel perfect screen, so scrolling is smooth almost like on a CRT monitor, interlaced 25Hz graphics and the multichrome mode look perfect. Despite the issues I mentioned it is probably worth the money, if the authors of the firmware improve the issues.

[@FBIofUVS]

Did you get in touch with Elmar? Main task was get all games running, but it is true that some special effect demos are not running properly. However, they will sort that out in the next update.

[@aki_128]

@@FBIofUVS Sounds great, Thomas! Thanks for the info. No haven't contacted him. Should I? Looking forward to the fw update, tho🙂

[@FBIofUVS]

@@aki_128Goran is happy for every feedback and usually improve the firmware due to any problem. It might be not perfect now, but it will be perfect. BTW: Aki, please contact me as well. I don‘t have your email.

[@theeggman4806]

Zx touch looks ok but doesnt seem to really offer anything I cant do on my steamdeck..thanks for a another great series Paul...

[@snufkinmatt162]

I like the look of the ZX Touch but I'll probably wait to see if they'll add support for TZX files. It's hard to tell but I don't think it has an IPS display - does anyone know? Also, if they were to release the software for something like the Steam Deck, that would be a nice option.

[@sambagogo777]

Website states: "Display: 7" LCD IPS display 1024 x 600 px with 50 Hz and touchscreen"

[@illgottengains1314]

Hey Paul, I have one of the old ‘Arcade Professional’ big box joysticks in my cupboard. Did you ever have one?

[@joerhorton]

Nice device, but since I got a Steam Deck OLED, Spectrum and other emulations are amazing on it.

[@jimmelton5846]

Same, no need for anything else.

[@geoffneil5073]

Great show as always Paul, that keyboard looked like a cheep knock off from Ali Express :)

[@mr.y.mysterious.video1]

It pleases me that somewhere in the world is a spectrum game called jonathan trick or treat

[@markenetube]

I never understood Sinclairs logic for not putting a "propper" keyboard on the the speccy, or offering it as an option. It could have been marketed for business them. I loved my Speccy but it looked like a toy.

[@jimhize]

The 128k versions came with plastic keyboards, and then the QL was aimed at business users

[@illusions2142]

1990 I was turning 20 year old

[@alanreader4815]

Hello Paul can we buy the ZX Touch.

[@BuckingTheTrend2008]

Yes, look in the episode description for link.

[@alanreader4815]

@@BuckingTheTrend2008 Hey Paul Looks interesing from another review website. So i've decided to buy one. I'll let you know when i've got it.

[@alanreader4815]

hey paul i finally brought one and now also buying zx onmi laptop.

[@8-bitsteve500]

ZX Touch looks superb but way too expensive. if it was under £100 they'd sell 50x more.

[@FBIofUVS]

The idea was to create the device for just under 100 GBP, however, it become impossible. Remember, only transport + import fees to UK are about 30% of the price. As it have batteries, it is a „dangerous goods“-transport.

[@davidwhaite3330]

@@FBIofUVS could you not import maybe 500 units at a time to the UK this would reduce the price down surely ?

[@FBIofUVS]

@@davidwhaite3330The price in EU is 238 Euro which is about 209 GBP. So the import costs do make a difference of about 10 GBP. I doubt that additional sales would be such a difference if we would be be in the position to lower the price 8 GBP because of lowered import costs. But if you have the funds, you can try. Send us an order for 100 pcs. and we lower the price for you.

[@BongWeasle]

I got a Zx touch but found it disappointing. The stick is vague and the buttons hit or miss. It’s also a nightmare to set up and use .The speaker is below your right hand so is muffled. It’s a real faff to use. If you have plenty time to search the internet for help setting it up I would just use a phone and an emulator.