ZX Spectrum Next - Kickstarter goes live

[robcfg]

The case is certainly important, but is completely another problem.


The problem, of course, is that it's very expensive to produce cases.


I know that the ZX-Uno team is working on CPC6128 support, which is a good thing 

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

Real ZX or not!! It's a bit academic! ... I think the ZX Spectrum Next will keep the legacy of the original ZX alive....

I wonder how difficult/expensive (Based on the design of the current ZX Spectrum Next) it would be to make a CPC Next??

The ZXSN supports other FPGA cores. I think it comes with ZX81, Jupiter Ace and Spectrum (standard/enhanced) cores. It should be possible to integrate one of the CPC cores, as everything system-specific should be within the FPGA. Whether the Spectrum expansion port would be adapted to the CPC pinout is an issue. And then there are the ROM hacks required.


The ZXSN sprite/scrolling support looks a bit like the Plus implementation, but they will look very odd next to the attributey Speccy graphics.


I wonder why they've only gone for a 7MHz turbo option on the Z80 core?

[||C|-|E||]

Then the original CPC is not real either as instead of a lot of discrete components, it has a Gate Array (the GA part in FPGA) which perform the same function...


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Still different from this machine, since it was designed like that in the beginning and lacks the very important FP . In any case, I am not saying that the computer is not cool or anything like that, just that I would much prefer to see a reborn 8 bit computer using discrete components and as close as the original as possible, not in a FPGA core  .

[robcfg]

Well, whatever...


I don't follow your logic, but fine.

[CraigsBar]

The apollo-core team have the same CONVERSATION over the vampire accelerators for the amiga. The traditionalists hate them because of the fpga core but users love them lol.

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[Bryce]

Then the original CPC is not real either as instead of a lot of discrete components, it has a Gate Array (the GA part in FPGA) which perform the same function...


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There's a massive difference between a GA and an FPGA. A GA is a matrix of gates that gets a fixed function during the manufacturing process and can never be changed. An FPGA is an array of gates that is (and needs to be) programmed each time you power it up.
To put it in very very basic terms, it's Playmobil vs. Lego

Bryce.

[||C|-|E||]

Well, whatever...


I don't follow your logic, but fine.

I stopped being logic the same moment I decided to keep using a 30 year old machine plugged to a CRT screen 

[Swainy]

£350,869 pledged of £250,000! Which means the NEXT will have a bigger FPGA now.

[||C|-|E||]

Maybe the Z80 will be at 24 Mhz 

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

TBH there shouldn't be much limiting the Z80 speed in a modern FPGA. I guess they don't want to overpromise, and maybe it's not the development priority.


The larger FPGA however should make other system cores more viable.