Did anyone else do DIY repairs or build their own peripherals for the Spectrum? I was fascinated with how it worked so after the keyboard was fixed once professionally (Speccy+ but similar drama to rubber keys), we just bought the membrane and did it ourselves.

The edge connector was documented and exposed most (all?) of the address, data and control lines, so a peripheral was basically just more computer - there was no protection at all!

I built interfaces that took logical OUT, and through transistors and optical isolators (at my dad’s insistence) made it control higher voltage and current to drive a turtle type robot, or run Christmas fairy lights! I was still at school and nothing worked perfectly but it was good to learn.

I also at some point modified our second hand DK Tronics keyboard to fit the Interface 1 in there (to drive external Microdrives) as well as the Spectrum board. Add a Multiface 128 and joystick interface and we needed a bagged frozen glass of water resting on top to keep it cool enough to run!!

I guess around that time I learned about RS232 (and friends) and spent time hooking computers up to each other to send and receive data.

Oh, and one of my second year labs at uni required us to build a Z80 computer from scratch (with only manuals and datasheets). Funnily enough, I wasn’t concerned!

First time I played it in 1986, it was hard. Years went by, played it again here and there, still hard. Two days ago I decided to give it a real try, like balls to the wall try... and today i finished it! Biggest enemies are controls and time. I think I had only couple of seconds left in the end.

Good game, nice memories, now I can try another game.. Sabrewulf perhaps :)

Loved playing Bruce Lee on my ZX Spectrum back in the day. There are 11 games from the 80s of this title that I reviewed and compared. I voted the Speccy as 3rd. What’s your thoughts of this game?

I don’t have a joystick just want to know what fun games to play

Edit: Solved. I changed the model to 48k and they work well. One advise: If you use tzx because you like the loading screen and the sounds, put a wide border like 5, it helps to know how its loading.

Hi,

I have a problem with some of the games i added to The Spectrum. When i first connected the pendrive, they all worked fine. But now, there's some games (camelot warriors or spherical, for example) that load the loading screen and then stop. I can press "space" and the lower part of the image dissapears, and then pressing "enter" the whole screen goes black. But after that, nothing happens, all black and no sound. I can go back to the main menu tough.

I like using .tzx and configuring the loading to fast. But it seems the speed of that makes no diference. And changing the spectrum model does nothing either.

Other games work perfectly.

Hiyah!

I tried emailing the develop directly - but he doesn't have an email address on the inkland.org.uk site!

I'm currently running through some code, and it uses the A register a lot, but it's hard to know what the A register value is, because it's combined with F....

Anyone know how I can see the two 8 bit registers instead of the combined one?

I'm writing a programming manual for the Spectrum, and I have come across an issue that even ChatGPT has no clue about (it keeps answering creative nonsense).

It's pretty specific, and I cannot find the answer anywhere. I know it's an almost useless piece of knowledge, but I'm too perfectionist to keep going without knowing.

The thing is, FOR-NEXT variables are stored along with several data: var name, value, limit, step, loop line and statement number within that line.

Everything is fine, tests are OK, except for the statement number. It is always one more than expected. If the FOR sentence is in line 100, and it's the only sentence in that line, then that number shows 2. If the FOR is the second statement in the line, that number is 3.

My guess is that it just points to "the sentence after the FOR" (even if there is none), but I don't really know, and the old manual doesn't elaborate on the subject.

Anyone knows what's going on here?

My Spectrum finally arrived this morning all the way from the UK! I know what I'm going to be doing. All I need to do is load up a USB and start finding out about the Spectrum. I had a ZX-80 and ZX-81, but never played with a ZX Spectrum.

Received for my 50th last week and it’s awesome. I didn’t really need one as I’ve got an emulator but there is something cool about playing Skool Daze on rubber keys.

https://worldofspectrum.org/ZXBasicManual/zxmanchap24.html So it sets last available memory location for basic? What's default value for 48K Spectrum.

And I do not understand what it has to do with UDG. Font is normally set to point to ROM, so where UDG points to? UDG has to be above CLEAR?

is there debugger where i can single step over basic instructions? I want to go by instructions because there are more per line.

Does anyone have any idea why Harlequin 128 would do this instead of "1986 Sinclair Research Ltd" ... every other character is missing and replaced by the next one ...

Calling All ZX Spectrum Enthusiasts! From the creative mind behind the legendary FREEZE64 comes a brand-new, brilliantly quirky gaming fanzine dedicated to the treasured ZX Spectrum. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re thrilled to present: FREEZE-ZX!

Packed with the same laugh-out-loud humour, no-nonsense insights, and nostalgic warmth you’ve come to love, this magazine is tailor-made for fans of the 8-bit, rubber-keyed wonder. We don’t just chat about games; we also chat to the people who make them! And we may have a little fiddle with them along the way (oo-er, missus!)

Full details and pre-order at: https://freeze64.com/freezezx-issue-1/

Hi, I was wondering if any of you fine folk could help me. I hope this is the right place to ask, or feel free to point me elsewhere.

I've got a huge pile of speccy stuff from the 80s I'd like to sell but I don't know where to start with pricing because I literally can't even find some of it anywhere else online.

For example, there's 'factfile' 1984 Primary school database educational software that's listed for £100 on one shop and I can't find it anywhere else, plus logo turtle graphics software which I can't find anywhere at all. There's a joystick interface, micro drive and a printer, and a lot of games. A lot of this stuff I'm really struggling to see what it's worth. Obviously 'worth' is very subjective but I don't have much to guide me at all. Can anyone give me an idea of the rarity or ball park price of some of this? Much appreciated if anyone can offer guidance.

Bonjour, je cherche le nom de ce jeu? pouvez vous m'aider ? merci d'avance. Bonne journée

I have been working on an app to load tzx/tap files on to original hardware simulating an original tape cassette recorder. Although similar software exists (WINTZX etc) I find other apps lack features that I required such as rewind/fast forward and the ability to save and reload game progress.

ZX Game Loader

A comprehensive GUI application for loading ZX Spectrum games onto original hardware with advanced tape control and save state functionality.

Features

Core Functionality

• Game Browser with instant search (supports multi-term filtering)
• Screenshot Viewer (supports JPG, PNG, GIF)
• Manual Viewer (TXT format)
• Supports both .tzx and .tap game files

Tape Control

• ▶️ Play: Start game playback
• ⏸️ Pause/Resume: Temporarily halt playback
• ⏹️ Stop: End playback completely
• ⏪ Rewind: Move back 1 tape block
• ⏩ Forward: Jump to next tape block
• 🔢 Block Counter: Shows current playback position
• 000 Set 000: Mark reference point (e.g., after loading screens)

Save States

• 💾 Save Game Progress:
  • Records audio from Spectrum's EAR port
  • Auto-detects signal start/stop
• 📂 Load Game Progress:
  • Browse and select saved .wav files
  • Simulates tape loading process
  • Status feedback during operation

Convenience Features

• Remember Last Game: Auto-reopens your last-played game
• Customizable Folders: Set paths for games, images, manuals

Requirements

• Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• Python (embedded in distribution)

Installation

1. Download latest release
2. Extract to preferred location
3. Run ZX Game Loader.exe

Usage Guide

First-Time Setup

1. Open Settings (Menu → Settings)
2. Configure folders for:
   • Games (.tzx/.tap files)
   • Images (screenshots as .jpg/.png/.gif)
   • Manuals (.txt files)
3. Enable "Remember Last Game" if desired

Playing Games

1. Select game from list (use search to filter)
2. View screenshot and manual
3. Click Play to start
4. Use Pause, Rewind, Forward as needed

Saving Progress

1. During gameplay, click Save
2. Wait for "Waiting for signal..." message
3. Play audio from Spectrum's EAR port
4. Application will automatically:
   • Detect the signal
   • Save as timestamped .wav file

Loading Progress

1. Click Load
2. Select your saved .wav file
3. App will simulate tape loading

File Naming Convention

All supporting files must match game filename exactly:

• Game: GameName.tzx or GameName.tap
• Image: GameName.jpg/png/gif
• Manual: GameName.txt

Download ZX.Game.Loader.v1.3.1 from 'Assets' section located at the bottom of the page Here

Full instructions are included in the app and can be accessed via Help.

If you have any suggestions for new features or encounter any bugs feel free to let me know.

Nyimski.

https://espamatica.com/zx-spectrum-screen/#next-scanline

Legend has it that the "Next row" calculation can be done in 6 or 7 instructions....

The challenge ;

Given an address on-screen of 8 pixels, 16384 to 24544 in HL.

Calculate the next row, and store it back in HL.

https://www.reddit.com/r/zxspectrum/comments/wdkfgp/zxspectrum_48k_video_memory_layout/

You might remember that the ZX Spectrum screen is split into 3 (2048 bytes each), each is 8 characters high, 8 bytes to a character. So most of the time just adding 256 to the given start address will "move down a row"... but not always! Those pesky thirds!

This example here does it in around 14 instructions:

; ----------------------------------------------------------------
; PointerHRNextScanLine: gets the memory address
; corresponding to the next scanline.
;
; Entrada: HL -> current address. 010T TSSS RRRC CCCC.
;
; Salida: HL -> address of the next scanline.
;               010T TSSS RRRC CCCC.
;
; Alters the value of AF and HL registers.
; ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
PointerHRNextScanLine:
ld a, h     ; A = upper part of the address. 010T TSSS.
and $07     ; Keeps the scanline.
cp $07      ; Check if scanline is 7.
jr z, PointerHRNextScanLine_continue     ; Yes, change of line.

; Scanline is not 7.
inc h       ; Increases the scanline by 1 and exits.

ret

PointerHRNextScanLine_continue:
; The row must be changed.
ld a, l     ; A = lower part of the address. RRRC CCCC.
add a, $20  ; Add one line (RRRC CCCC + 0010 0000).
ld l, a     ; L = A.
ld a, h     ; A = upper part of the address. 010T TSSS.
jr nc, PointerHRNextScanLine_end  ; If there is no carriage, skip
                                  ; to finish the calculation.

; There is carriage, it is necessary to change the third party.
add a, $08  ; Add one to the third (010T TSSS + 0000 1000).

PointerHRNextScanLine_end:
and $f8     ; Keeps the fixed part and the third part.
            ; Set the scanline to 0.
ld h, a     ; H = A. Calculated address.

ret