ZX Spectrum Next Issue 3 Kickstarter

[Steve Elliott]

ZX Spectrum Next Kickstarter

I already have a couple of Issue 2's so I went with the 'ZX Spectrum Next Upgrade Board'. I'll swap the board on one of them.

[Jackdaw]

For me it's sod's law. Every time the ZX Spectrum Next kick starter kicks off, money is always tight. And by the time I have the cash spare, they are out of stock in the online shop.

[Steve Elliott]

Aw that's a shame. I was actually going to sell one of my Spectrum Next's, but they now have an option to replace the board with the latest revision so I'll do that instead. Plus there's always Ebay and I imagine the prices of versions 1 and 2 will now come down in price.

There's the N-Go ZX Spectrum Next clone too, and you can get a case and mechanical keyboard for it.

After I receive and install the latest board I will ofcourse have a spare board, but unlike the N-Go there's a main board and a daughter board so if you're interested in that option, getting a case might be tricky.

[Steve Elliott]

So it got funded in 7 minutes beating all records! 

The stretch goals were hit quickly so 3 free games, Deathchase Next, Captain Square Jaw and Target Renegade.

[Baggey]

@Steve Elliot, I suppose i could look but what have they done different to make you part wifths Ze cash!? An issue 3, for me maybe they fixed the HDMI and using the rubber keyed membrane issue after all.

[Steve Elliott]

Because I have a back-up Next v2 and this time they're offering cheaper board only options. The new board has a more powerful chip to deal with the QL and enhanced C64 cores. And because of a stretch goal a Sam Coupe core too.

So I'll swap out the previous board and then have all 3 board revisions in my 3 Nexts.

[Baggey]

There seems to be an added C programming language for the next!?

Be nice to have that booting straight out of the box!

Thats interesting as the Basic they bundled the Next with is hard to get on with 

[Baggey]

As much as i love Sinclair, Next etc.. Its fully capable already to run the so called cores there entising you into. Its just a money spinner now they got on a band wagon that there now going to milk!  Just saying Like!

[Steve Elliott]

Heaven forbid people actually make money on their hard work for the computer they produced and selling software for that computer.  🙄

But they might be thinking of the future! New cores that require the extra power. Plus there is clearly a demand for the (final) ZX Spectrum Next Kickstarter as it's looking like the most successful of the 3 Kickstarter Campaigns.

Designed by the original designer now sadly passed (Rick Dickinson) it's a lovely sleek looking machine with a very comprehensive manual and a very nice looking box and built-in support for several languages out of that lovely box.

Plus if you're natively coding C and Assembly Language on the Next then you're gonna need a bigger boat, I mean a more powerful chip.

[Steve Elliott]

@Baggey regards HDMI I don't use it. I can use RGB either through that cable or like me I use a Scart connector to my Checkmate Monitor:

Monitor

[Steve Elliott]

Do I need a few more monitor input options lol? The top 'podule' was going to be a MiSTer FPGA for arcade 'cores'.

Yes that input above the Scart input is RF, it has a built-in tuner as in the 80's tv's lol. The middle section has a built-in scaler (the resolution of the monitor goes up to 1280 x 1024) so 80's/90's computer resolutions need to be upscaled or you'd have a tiny picture.

@Dabz, this 1200px image should be bigger than twice the size of a postage stamp when clicked on!

[Steve Elliott]

Front of the monitor:

[MikeHart]

Steve, you said final Kickstarter? There won't be another one?

[Steve Elliott]

Yes Mike, the team have said that this will be the last kickstarter.

[MikeHart]

Sad, but it is what it is.