ZX-HD From ByteDelight – HDMI for Sinclair Spectrum – Build, Usage & HONEST review!
Join me as I build and road test the ZX-HD from ByteDelight.com.
Honest review!
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About The Author
Mark Fixes Stuff
Just a geek, geeking about. Not a nerd.
73 Comments
Shouting out loud: “No, don’t put the micro SD card in yet!! ;)”
This looks amazing, given that is using a Raspberry Pi Zero for the HDMI is it possible to add filters or overlays to the picture? like Scanlines or Blurr ?
I’ll have to get one at some point… Is the source for the Pi software available? Would be an interesting exercise to see if I can add some/all of Prism’s screen modes too….
The source is not open no, sorry.
ah well
It’s a shame – would have been an easy way for people to try the new screen modes on original hardware 🙂
You can make one, Jeff.
I know you know FPGA stuff as well as Mr Versteeg does, so go for it. :p
Yeah maybe.. One day… Once I’ve finished the prototype, I’ll look at options. Maybe an Uno core.
Ash Evans I don’t! Imre Jakli does.
I thought you did a fair few projects with CPLDs / FPGAs though, Ben?
Or is it more the PCB / design side?
http://www.bytedelight.com/?page_id=1878
Just tested the code on a bare Pi Zero, and it boots to the nice test pattern. :p
Looks great but shame the sound doesn’t come through hdmi and having to buy the pi separate and put it all together may be a bit off putting for some people.
Yes, I wish I had a solution for that.
Always looking for options.
Hopefully you can work something out nice product though , how long is the hdmi cable Ben ?
Brian Dickinson I have had some 1m ones, but I want to use 1.8m from now on. Might have a few short ones left.
You must know it’s not easy to find working ones for a decent price, lots of rubbish out there.
Yes I can imagine and appreciate that all adds to the cost
Is there much logic left on the CPLD?
Should be able to add an ADC for sampling the audio from the Speccy?
Or, if it can be done with the bare-metal coding on the Pi, use a USB sound dongle with a Line-in, and then route that audio via the HDMI.
Or, hook up the ADC directly to the Pi?
Nice review, and very detailed assembly process. However, I miss some hardcore tests, so you could show:
– If the screen refresh rate matches the Spectrum, so soft scrolling effects, as shown in the second part of Shock Megademo, or the coloring pattern in Devotion demo, don’t jump or miss frames.
– If ULAplus implementation allows the palette to be changed while rastering the image, as shown in the HAM256 picture viewer
– If Timex HiColour/HiRes modes have been included.
– If the 128K shadow screen is properly implemented (I have a tech demo for that)
– If there is any noticeable lag, by putting a TV using RGB or composite, face to face with another TV using HDMI, and running some simple program that makes a beep and changes border or something like that.
The manual states that the timex modes and HAM aren’t implemented (at least not yet)
We do need more reviews for that Miguel. But Mark showed some mandatory things like unpacking, assembling, pixel quality and a camera with a mind of its own 😉
This is a little beyond my understanding as a generalist user Miguel. I am always happy to do these sorts of things if I know what they entail. Do you have a direct link to the shock Megademo for avoidance of doubt and me getting the wrong one (not my area of knowledge)? Or you can email the tap to me. I would be happy to post a video of it in here.
I’m not able to do a side by side TV test due to lack of TVs and space. I imagine there *must* me a delay, but in gameplay I cannot detect or “feel” it. If I use an upscaler on old games hardware I can often “feel” a tiny delay – not with this product.
Good reviews as always Mark Payne thank you 😊
Scanlines available then or no?
Nope. not. yet.
Not yet.. sounds promising 🙂
I really like it without.
There are no scanlines on the RGB SCART either of course.
Carlos Dean At this moment the ZX-HD is working at about it’s max because a single core Raspberry Pi Zero is used, the most affordable solution.
When a multicore solution of the Raspberry Pi Zero will be available, it must be possible to implement more features.
Mark, I use a hardware scanline generator on all my retro consoles, if it’s built in though it doesn’t introduce any unnecessary video lag.
Why would you even want scanlines on a Spectrum? They never showed scanlines, emulators did it wrong.
Shame about not having audio. At some point I’d like to see divmnc wrapped into the zxhd.
Yes both combined would be fantastic, Divmmc joy is really good 😊
Audio would be great with speakers if I had done the sound fix on my +3. The speakers are better than the ones in the TV, so I will be using that.
Thanks David, I will make sure it will be developed, but I need to clear out my backlog first 😉
Very nice bit of kit though.
Really? Thanks Ben. So kind of you.
😛
Did I give it? I didn’t 😉
I think I shouldn’t as I offered it for review and don’t want to mislead people.
But if it’s ok for everyone, I want to hand over the ZX-HD to Mark as a gift.
I am joking.
Mark Payne I’m not 😉
It’s yours!
Wow 😊👍🏻
I think we have lost Mark,? Has he fainted? 🙂
Wohoo
That looks amazing!
Looks great! Really clear! And I have a pi zero lying around….. mmmm
Just ordered mine!
It’s superb!
That really does look like a very good bit of kit. Very professional review 😉
Sarky sod 😛
I like it because it means no more reasons to ‘mod’ the spectrum 16/48K (bypass modulator). This is huge in itself. Second to that, living overseas in “NTSC” countries the Baseband PAL signal was never supported on composite input anyways, now with HDMI that is all irrelevant!
Exactly.
You have a woman’s hands my lord…
“shall I do your cuticles?”
He’s no gynaecologist….
No, but I’ll have a good look.
Those hands have seen many a lambing season I’ll wager…
“Sorry to ask mid examination, but you are qualified right?”
I bought one of.those tamiya radio controlled cars years back and the bloke asked if I wanted it built or in kit….’how difficult can it be…’ I thought. Very. Had about 20 bits left over.
they put extra pieces in everything as a reward for those who are brave enough to venture forward and fix it when broken.
Well it went. Round in circles.
Technology is about perseverance. I have a 3 hour tutorial of how to add music to Rex. I never succeeded but I carried on and on and on and on. Keep going till all the bits are gone or it just works! 😀
Oh! You have a woman’s mouth, my lord! I’ll wager that mouth never had to chew through the side of a ship to escape the dreadful spindly killer fish!
Or not.
I don’t feel so bad at games now 😄 surprise butt sex 😂😂
A fine video. Your “bastards” are getting a little George like 😂….but still a fine video
Ordered a ZX-HD and (finally) a DivMMC EnJoy on the strength of the review Mark Payne – I’ve wanted a Div for a while and the ZX-HD demo tipped me over into emptying the piggy bank. Good work Ben & Mark 😊
Not sure about this looks good but for me sound would be better through hdmi
Nice
Enjoyed that, one of those doobries is on the “to buy” list for sure now 🙂 I was really surprised by how much better the HDMI output was over RGB! Mark, any chance you could .Zip your “bulging” Ulaplus folder up and plonk it in files section?
There is much more ULAplus software found at the Software section at zx-hd.bytedelight.com
Thanks Ben – I’m after getting a folder together of all the Ulaplus games/demos I can find 🙂
Will Woodvine Hmmm, I have about half, not all downloaded yet.
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