With today’s release of “The Spectrum” from RLG we’ve been keen to put together an FAQ to help new owners with their issues and offer help / advice on using these new little machines. We’ll continue to update it as things progress and do our best to help our fellow “The Spectrum” enthusiasts.
Essential Links
The most important link is the support page on the Retro Games Ltd website. You can access it below
https://retrogames.biz/support/thespectrum/
It features
- The Spectrum User manual
- The Spectrum Frequently asked questions
- Update The Spectrum firmware
- Using a pre-prepared USB stick image
- Custom controller configurations
The site provides an essential guide to getting started with the mini. We’d recommend checking it out to ensure you’re making the most of your new machine.
We’ve also got a copy of the manual linked below
Where to buy “The Spectrum”
As expected the machine has been in high demand. For those in the UK here are some links to help quicken up your search for them. They maybe out of stock on these pages but I hope it helps you check for stock
- Amazon – https://amzn.to/49avziZ
- Argos – https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4095774?msockid=36f4487590fd6b811f3d58ad91e36adb
- Smyths Toys – https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4095774?msockid=36f4487590fd6b811f3d58ad91e36adb
- Currys – https://www.currys.co.uk/products/retro-games-the-spectrum-10270730.html?msockid=36f4487590fd6b811f3d58ad91e36adb
- Men Kind – https://www.menkind.co.uk/the-spectrum-home-computer
Do not buy from scalpers on eBay. We have seen a lot of new stock hitting Argos and Smyths over the last week. Many people also have had a lot of luck with just popping into stores and finding them on the shelf.
Firmware update!
Firmware Version 1.0.2 has been releases after the untimely pulling of 1.0.1. It’s been reported by “Dan” that the latest firmware helps with Joystick compatibility when loading games from USB – Thanks Dan!
Simply pop it on a USB stick (fat32) go to Options > Advanced options > System information – if you’ve done it right it will prompt you to update the firmware. Click Update (see below)
Note that we have zipped it to offer it as a download. You will need to unzip / extract is before you put it on a USB stick
The original firmware update for was initially removed after just one day of release. This was the message
Firmware 1.0.1 has been temporarily removed as some users have experienced compatibility issues. We will release an update in due course.
What Power Supply should I use?
Like the A500 Mini, the PSU or power supply is vital the surval of your machine. We’ve seen many instances where a poor power supply causes instability and even the untimely demise of a mini console. We would suggest (and use) a Raspberry Pi 4 USB-C Power supply rated at 5v 3amps. This is perfect for mini consoles especially if you are using other peripherals like USB adapters, USB sticks or even USB hubs. Note that the Pi4 charger is not a PD / Fast charger.
You can not use a fast / PD charger as per the RGL website. This is due to the machine not handshaking to confirm the power.
Fast chargers, typically with a USB-C output, will negotiate with the device being powered to determine what voltage level to supply. The Spectrum is only compatible with standard chargers that have a USB-A output and provide a fixed 5v at 1A or more, If you use a fast charger, The Spectrum will not power on, so please switch to a standard charger.
Taken from https://retrogames.biz/support/thespectrum/faq/fast-charger/
Click here for for Raspberry Pi 4 PSUs on Amazon – https://amzn.to/3Z5gz0
USB Hubs
If you’re going to use a USB hub make sure it’s powered. Like poor power supplies, using an unpowered unit can cause instability or death!
Click here for USB powered hubs on Amazon https://amzn.to/3V3zic6
Facebook groups
With nearly 4,000 members already, “The Spectrum” Facebook group is a great place to also get help and advice on the system. We’ll be very active on the group to help further improve this guide and also offer our help to others.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1705033550328291
Download Games
We’re not brave enough to host the download files for the Spectrum but please see the link below to the Tosec download on Archive.org
We have tested the torrent and confirm that it is being seeded and is a legitimate download. At the point of publishing there were 86 seeds. It’ll be interesting to see how that increases over the next few days.
https://archive.org/details/zx_spectrum_tosec_set_september_2023
This 4.0GB file contains
- Applications
- Books
- Compilations
- Covertapes
- Demos
- Documentation
- Educational
- Firmware
- Games
- Magazines
- Music
The tosec contains multiple versions of the games. The formats will be in either TZX or TAP. TZX is like loading from a tape, in this format you will hear the audio much like using an original, so grab a coffee. TAP files will load instantly.
The games may also show different file names with suffixes such as h for hacked, cr for cracked, tr for translated into some other language.
We understand that some people may not be able to download and extract the files at home, we do offer this as a writing service. You can pick up your pre-installed USB stick using the link below
https://www.retro32.com/product/the-spectrum-pre-loaded-usb-drive-64gb
https://www.retro32.com/product/the-spectrum-pre-loaded-usb-drive-64gb
What games are in the tosec?
You can get a full list here
https://www.retro32.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Spectrum-Tosec-Games-list.txt
How to load and play games from USB
NOTE!
When using a USB stick the Spectrum will ONLY be able to display 256 files in a single folder. If you have more than that you will need to split them up! This isn’t a limitation on the disk formatting being used, it’s an issue with the UI on the spectrum. FAT32 supports 65,534 files in a directory.
Loading Games
When you pop a USB stick an icon will appear on the carosel. Then use O or P to neigate left or right (or use the gamepad). Note that when a joystick is detected you will not see the keyboard hints.
Highlight the USB icon and press M. Use O / P for left and right and Q / A for up and down. Pressing M is used for select. Note that keyboard hints are shown at the bottom of the window.
When you see the icons for the game files they will have an icon next to them. They will show either TZX or TAP. TZX is like loading from a tape, this is the preferred method for me as it’s more like the original experience, and yes, you will have to wait a while for your game. TAP files will load instantly but where is the fun of that?!
TAP / TZX files shown
If you quit a game by pressing the button on the back of the Spectrum you will go back to the menu. If you see this icon at the top right you can press enter to jump back into the game.
There are also game settings that can be selected by pressing SPACE
This was one of my first games as a kid when Jimmy Saville wasn’t known to be the monster he was. This game started my love affair with isometric games. Damn I loved Super Trolley.
Playing Games
Unlike the Amiga a500 Mini, the Spectrum doesn’t come with a controller. You can pick up “The Gamepad” or even worse – the abomination that is “The C64 Joystick”. Both are crap. We’d recommend you pick up an Immortal Jotsticks USB adapter and either use one of their epic sticks or an original zipstick / Competition Pro. We cover using their USB joystick adapter later in this article.
If you are using a keyboard the keys are usually
- Q – UP
- A – Down
- O – Left
- P Right
- Enter / SPACE
- Plus any keys defined in the game.
Support Developers, buy games
Top new Spectrum Games
What’s inside?
A fitting tribute to Sir Clive on the inside case as a little easter egg for those willing to get out a screwdriver. Although, it’s somewhat disappointing that it wasn’t on the base. I doubt many people would open theirs up to see it.
PCB Spelling Error!
It;’s just been pointed out to us that they have misspelt Spectrum on the PCB. OH MY DAYS 😀 – to be fair we didn’t notice!
Can you turn it into the best USB keyboard ever?
Ever one to tinker, this evening we tried to jump a USB cable to the USB controller hub that connects the keyboard and some of the USB ports. The ribbon cable from the hub to the mainboard is labelled as you would expect a USB cable however we also measured the voltages for the other pins.
We can confirm that the voltages labelled on the board are correct – 5v / GND however H (pin 7) was 0.25v and Key was 3.2v.
Well, we tried and we failed. Confirming voltage and the data lines all we got was a very hot KB controller chip. What a shame that was. It would have made the coolest USB keyboard, we were also going to rip out the mainboard and put in a PiZero!
** Update ** We also tried jacking the d+ and d- signals straight from a powered-up board and to a USB. Unfortunately, the keyboard did not register. We’re at the infancy of the Spectrum hacking so hopefully some of the more capable hardware gurus will lead us to the promised land and open the door to putting a PiZero 2 inside it together with an internal battery 😉
We’ve discussed it here – https://www.facebook.com/groups/zxspectrumplus/permalink/2697016830505017/ – you’ll need to be a member of the FB group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/zxspectrumplus/
How does it compare to the original 48K?
Apart from the questionable “Retro” branding on “The Spectrum” there’s not a lot of difference between the two machines. We had them both on the scales and the original 48K comes in at 555 grams and “The Spectrum” at just 515 grams. Add a couple of Amiga floppy disks and you’re about there.
On the rear and sides it’s much the same… but different as you can see. The ports required by a modern console mean the IO is very different.
The key thing is here that pathetically, they feel very similar. The keyboard feels very similar but the newer machine has a little firmer feel however you’d have to use them both side by side to really notice the difference.
Common Questions
I can’t see all the games on my USB stick
What size USB stick does it support
Can I use an Amiga / DB9 Atari joystick?
Common Issues
Close-up PCB photos
As you can see, some of the chips have been milled during production to hide the chip details. Interesting!
Thanks for the guide. Great work!
It might also be worth mentioning the need for alternative BASIC ROMs (e.g. 48 + 128) when loading your own games via USB.
I used the ROMs uploaded to the Facebook group “The Spectrum from Retro Games Ltd.”
The unmodified 48 BASIC ROM resolved all of the compatibility issues that I had when trying to play my favorite games from Ultimate Play the Game.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1705033550328291/posts/1778870709611241
Also the CPU is a ALLWINNER TECH H3
Agreed, really useful guide! I couldn’t find roms on that FB group however they do come installed with Fuse emulator in its roms subfolder.
Hello, great review. What about the space key feeling? It seems you need to press it in the middle to ger contact and the feeling compared with the original Spectrum machine is too light. Did you find this behavior in your unit? Regards.
Hello. Thanks for the guide, it’s excellent. I’ve been trying to make use of the two internal USB ports without connectors on the left side of the PCB, and this is what I’ve found.
I started with the top one since the bottom one collides with the support for one of the case screws. After attaching a female USB connector, I noticed that if I connect the flash drive with games on it, the machine starts up but doesn’t work properly (the startup sound doesn’t play, and I can’t navigate the game carousel with a USB controller). After investigating a bit, I found that this USB port is the same one used to link with the daughterboard that contains the USB hub and the membrane keyboard reader. So, it can’t be used if the daughterboard is connected.
Therefore, I moved on to test the bottom connector. On this one, it’s not possible to mount a female USB connector due to the aforementioned collision issue with the case. I soldered an aerial female USB connector. It works, but only if I plug in the flash drive after The Spectrum has started. If it’s connected before powering on, the screen stays black. It seems like this is a special port that is checked during boot for firmware updates or to enable an alternative USB boot. Therefore, I can’t achieve my idea of having a flash drive permanently installed inside The Spectrum.
Regards…
ALLWINNER TECH H3, Aww man! That means our z80 machine code programmes won’t work.
Ahh well. Time doesn’t go backwards.