Great news for Amstrad fans!! The team behind the ZX Spectrum Next has just announced that if their current Kickstarter campaign reaches £2.5 million, they will add full support for an Amstrad CPC core running on the FPGA.
For those unfamiliar, the ZX Spectrum Next is a modern, FPGA-based reimagining of the original ZX Spectrum. It doesn't just run Spectrum software, it can load cores for other 8-bit systems as well: includes the Spectrum core and the current campaign has already unlocked cores for the Commodore 64, Sinclair QL, SAM Coupé, and soon the ZX81. The CPC would be an amazing addition, bringing together the key 8-bit home computers of the era in one device!!
If you're into retro computing and want to see the CPC join the family, it might be worth keeping an eye on the campaign ;)
Link to the campaing: ZX Spectrum Next Issue 3 by Henrique Olifiers — Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spectrumnext/zx-spectrum-next-issue-3-0/description)
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Here the confirmation: ZX Spectrum Next | D'is the best we can do for now (https://www.facebook.com/groups/specnext/posts/2546826529007985/)
Great news! I'm a little bit afraid, that reaching the 2.5 million mark might be a close call. Now it all depends on whether or not enough new orders come in from the CPC side (only 9 days left). I highly recommend this amazing machine!
Yeah, I agree. It's going to be tight! But hopefully the CPC community will rally and push it over the line. It would be amazing to see the Amstrad join the other 8-bit systems on the Next. I'm spreading the word wherever I can. Fingers crossed for a strong finish!
Also, if anyone knows of any Spanish or French CPC communities or forums, it might be worth sharing the news there too. The Amstrad was especially popular in those countries.
Quote from: Prodatron on Today at 11:49Quote from: Prodatron on Today at 11:49Great news! I'm a little bit afraid, that reaching the 2.5 million mark might be a close call. Now it all depends on whether or not enough new orders come in from the CPC side (only 9 days left). I highly recommend this amazing machine!
Great news! I'm a little bit afraid, that reaching the 2.5 million mark might be a close call. Now it all depends on whether or not enough new orders come in from the CPC side (only 9 days left). I highly recommend this amazing machine!
Very true! I'm afraid that nearly half a million in a couple of days is very hard to reach.
Going to be honest, I've a sneaking suspicion the CPC core will surface anyway, but it doesn't help to nudge them into doing it (and there won't be another opportunity to buy one if it does come out)
Quote from: andycadley on Today at 17:47and there won't be another opportunity to buy one if it does come out
That's exactly how it is... Anyone who's ever seen the Spectrum Next knows that, in terms of design and quality, it's one of the best retro computer remakes. A CPC Core would, of course, be fantastic if it could also utilize the enhanced features; then we'd essentially have a CPC NG, except, of course, that the keyboard layout is a bit "different."
Any idea about the specs of a potential CPC core?
Will it have expanson RAM for SymbOS and FutureOS?
No official specs yet, but the FPGA has 2MB RAM, so it could be capable of supporting SymbOS or FutureOS.