I’m guessing many of us have been exploring The Spectrum lately. I picked one up, not primarily for gaming (though I have played a few), but to write quirky little programs like I used to about 40 odd years ago. However, I’ve been struggling to figure out how saving to USB works—even after reading Chapter 11.

If you’ve been having similar issues, I’ve finally managed to get it working and wanted to share my approach. The key point of confusion for me was understanding how TAP files are created. The file that gets saved takes the name of your program, but it isn’t actually the program itself just a virtual tape.

Here’s how I’ve made sense of it and kept my sanity:

1. Switch to Classic Mode: Start by switching your Spectrum into Classic Mode.
2. Create an Empty Tape File: Immediately save an empty file with a name like Tape-1. This will generate a Tape-1_WR file on your USB drive.
3. Select the Tape as Current Media:
   • Press the Home button.
   • Highlight the Tape-1_WR file and press M. This action sets Tape-1_WR as the current media.
4. Return to Classic Mode:
   • Either press Home again or Enter. You’ll drop back into Classic Mode with a message like Program: Tape-1.
5. Start Coding Away
6. Saving Your Program: When you're ready to save:
   • Use the command SAVE "Program" (or any name you prefer). This saves your code into the Tape-1_WR file.
   • If you create a second program, use SAVE "NewProg", and it will save sequentially in the same tape file.
7. Loading Your Program:
   • To load your saved work, go to Media Select, choose the Tape-1_WR file, and hit Return. You’ll see the Program: Tape-1 message again.
   • Then type LOAD "NewProg" (or the name of your program) to retrieve it.
8. Overwriting and Sequential Saves:

   • If you save programs using the same file name they’ll save sequentially.

   • To skip over unwanted copies when loading, use LOAD "" to cycle through them.

This might have just been me struggling but thought I would share.

... because it's easy to imagine the numbers '6, 7, 8 and 9' printed on top, making it exactly the layout that years of being too lazy to figure out the real keyboard controls got me used to.

Does anyone remember an adventure game that was included on the cover tape of either Sinclair User or Your Sinclair? The game started with you trapped inside a phone box and you had to get the fire brigade to come and rescue you. There were definite Alice in Wonderland themes - you could eat things to make you grow and shrink, there was a weirdo that you defeated by showing them a mirror. You got hints for the game by typing 'clue'. One of the clues was "Clue for Sherlock, Phipps did it".

I'd love to be able to play this again when Santa brings my new toy.

Like I said, massive long shot, but Reddit is the land of obscure knowledge!

Hello everybody, I have been given a damaged spectrum +2 (grey). I have changed some capacitors and it starts perfectly, but the main menu looks like a white rectangle and without the letters. However, it works without problem and I can open the calculator or I can run BASIC programs. Could it be a ROM error?

Ok, so my Spectrum arrived and my intention is to connect it to one of my monitors on my desk. I can use HDMI so that’s cool, but I hadn’t thought about audio.

My monitors don’t have speakers, so, any ideas?

USB audio perhaps from the spectrum?
USB audio for the monitor?

Hi. I am getting the new - The Spectrum for xmas. Will a PS4 controller work. I also have a old PS3 controller and a Saturn Retro Wireless one that can be wired via usb. Not sure how fussy the new machine is when it comes to inputs / controllers! Cheers

The GameSir T4Pro. It works out of the box with The Spectrum, both with a USB C to A lead (included) or with the included 2.4Ghz Wireless USB dongle.

Now it is also a Bluetooth controller, so will also work with iOS devices, Android and Switch too.

They have added a nice little touch, on the label on the back there are the hotkeys for connection to different devices. Like Home + X = 2.4GHz Wireless and B+Home for iOS. It also has little led lights that shows which system is active.

I had bought it in 2022 to use with the iPad and it worked well, but tonight thought I'd try it with the Spectrum and must say I'm impressed. It is very responsive. The first time ever I managed to score any hits against an opponent in Way of The Exploding Fist. And JetPac, wow, very responsive. Does anyone else remember this game being this fast? (I am using 50Hz mode - and it also feels fast on Retroarch on a handheld, but the Spectrum feels much more responsive with the GameSir).

I see it is currently on Amazon for £24 - I guess with the Black Friday sales - so would recommend it to anyone looking for a great controller.

Oh and using it with the carousel is quite nice, pressing up on a game, shows the controller mapping with a picture that looks a bit like the controller (and not like the gamepad) - a nice touch.

Until this evening I have played games on The Spectrum just using the keyboard and it is great, but wow the GameSir definitely takes game play to the next level.

I'm thinking about getting the "The spectrum" but I will connect it to my PC monitor. Is it possible to use USB Headphones with the The spectrum?

Thanks in advance!

Just got my spectrum(in Usa.from amazon). My unit came with version 1.0 firmware. I see 1.02 is now available. I downloaded it to a 32g flash drive formatted.fat32, mbr but the spectrum doesn't seem it. I've tried a few.flash drives. Any ideas? Thanks

Does The Spectrum (RGL) support usr0 mode?

it didn't Come with one and need a compatible one, tried to order the one they advise on retrogames.biz but out of stock

I've just started with zesarux and I can't find any options to load .tzx, tap, etc. in a quick way. It always starts the usual slow loading from tape (with all the fantastic sounds it produces :)).

Is there any way to load this files in a faster way?

Thanks in advance.

On the hunt for a monitor, the internet is awash with Black Friday deals and I cannot see the wood for the trees!

im looking for a New Monitor with HDMi and VGA, preferably with the ability to output 50hz over VGA for the VGA-0 preferred display setting on the next. Can anyone offer any advise or recommendations?

ZX SPECTRUM - IT LIVES!!! New Blog post:

Old vs. New:  The letter Y Yie Ar Kung Fu II vs. Yokai Monk Which will win?

https://zxspectrumitlives.wixsite.com/home/post/old-vs-new-the-letter-y

Have my original 48k spectrum. If I stick the horizons tape in my stereo and connect to the ear socket on the speccy I can load the tape, so I know it is working.

I want to be able to load games via audio lead from an mp3 file but cannot get anything to work - I have tried my iPod and also my MacBook, both via audio lead to the ear socket. But there is no audio noise on the spectrum like you get, the borders aren't flashing etc. it just sits there on a blank screen, so I am guessing no audio is going in.

any ideas? I have tried a few leads with no difference. I don't want to have to spend money on an sd card system as I may as well buy a The Spectrum if im going to do that...

Well I am raging tonight. Was on the SpecNext store at 8pm exactly to buy one of the KS2s going up for sale. Site crashed for 3+ hours. When it finally comes back up - out of stock! WTF. Yet another poor Spec Next experience. Dunno why I even bother.

Hi I was wondering if it was possible to enter cheat POKES on the pre-installed games and any extra games on the USB? Back in the day you’d enter your POKE and then load your game, but now there’s a GUI

Ignoring stock availability and price, which should I get? Is one 'better'? I still have my learning programming magazines, all my old tapes, the original manual and a probably still working + but no cassette player or ancient TV to plug it into. And it seems like a lot of unstable effort. There might even be a Kempston but I'm not holding my hopes too high

From the latest Kickstarter email:

A bunch of previously stored KS2 ZX Spectrum Nexts are for sale. These will appear exactly at 20:00 GMT on the site’s shop; and it’s on a first-come, first-served basis. www.specnext.com/shop

When comparing binaries of different versions of the same program, analyzing differences can be difficult because when new instructions are inserted/delete all subsequent addresses in the binary to shift. This makes direct binary comparisons produce numerous spurious differences that are not meaningful. Even disassembling and comparing the resulting code with standard diff tools also yields poor results, as the automatically generated labels depend on specific addresses and do not align across versions.

I developed this tool
https://github.com/dlyesteryear/z80cmp
that generates disassembly with consistent labels shared across multiple files. By harmonizing the labels this utility allows meaningful diffs that highlight only actual changes in the code logic or structure, ignoring irrelevant differences like address shifts.

Like many of you, I missed the chance to get the Microdrive USB, but I still want one badly. Since producing just one would be prohibitively expensive, I obtained a quote for a one-time production run of 250 units. I’ll be keeping two for myself and am happy to sell and ship the remaining 248 units to fellow Speccy fans to help cover the costs.

https://preview.redd.it/vqqxf9gdpf4e1.png?width=4222&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e17d0991b036e6fbfda8a0eaff72434f313bc82

This project is NOT affiliated with Sinclair Research in any way and is not a commercial venture. It’s purely a community-driven effort and a one-time project. Once the stock is sold out, that will be it.

The cost will be 9 € + postage, which includes materials, production, redundancy units, postal packaging, and logistics.

For postage, orders of more than one unit will likely have the same shipping cost depending on the total weight:

Europe:

| >20g - 100g = 2,35 €
| >100g - 250g = 3,85 €
| >250g - 500g = 6,40 €

Outside Europe:

| >20g - 100g = 3,15 €
| >100g - 250g = 5,32 €
| >250g - 500g = 9,70 €

USA:

| >20g - 100g = 3,38 €
| >100g - 250g = 6,20 €
| >250g - 500g = 11,25 €

If you’re interested, please send me a DM with your name and the number of units you’d like. If at least 100 people confirm interest now, I will cover the upfront costs and proceed with production. Payment will be accepted via Revolut and/or PayPal.

Amazon UK to US.

woot!

Hi everyone, I heard earlier that customers in the USA who have tried to order The Spectrum at Amazon UK had their orders cancelled. I know it is a UK product, but as of yesterday Amazon UK was still showing The Spectrum as available for about 90 pounds, shipped. Now orders are not even allowed.

Are there any other options to order the system without having to go through EBay or other high-markup places?

I have read of mail proxy places, but I am only aware of that for Japan, not the UK. Do you know of any recommended options for those of us in the States?

Thank you so much in advance! I do appreciate it! I’ve wanted to try out the Speccy for many years. 😊

Leaving aside that there is an official gamepad that is impossible to get (I don't understand how a non-stock release is made), I can't get any gamepad, and I have a few of them, to work properly with The Spectrum:

+ PS5, Xbox One : some buttons work, but not all.

+8bitdo SN30: Works up and down, but not left and right.

+8bitdo Ultimate: Does not work

+Gamepad Buffalo: works perfectly in menus, all buttons, but A,B,X,Y don't work in games. Update: Now works with new firmware.

+Chinese gamepad: only some buttons.

It doesn't seem normal to me, I'm starting to think that something is wrong with my Spectrum....

Can anyone tell me any gamepad that work 100% in menus and games? Thanks!

UPDATE: I have installed the 1.02 firmware that just came out, and the Buffalo gamepad is now fully functional. I have not tested the others yet.