ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Swainy
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by Swainy »

No there is a version of Scramble written by Rusty Pixels that is pretty much arcade perfect.

Checkout https://www.specnext.com/software-directory/
Fallon
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by Fallon »

CartoonDonkey wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:06 am Giving scramble a try... What version? You don't mean on an original next flashing the Scramble arcade core do you?
It's Rusty Pixels' port to the Next:

https://www.rustypixels.uk/?p=238
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CartoonDonkey
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by CartoonDonkey »

Ah, just tried it. Great conversion. Buttery smooth on my end. No stuttering that I can see either on rgb out to the crt or hdmi.
I should note again, that I'm booting from the secondary microsd card on the analog i/o board, and I'm not using boot.vhd. I'm using my old spectrum next OS I copied over from the latest official.
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by Fallon »

CartoonDonkey wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 8:12 am Ah, just tried it. Great conversion. Buttery smooth on my end. No stuttering that I can see either on rgb out to the crt or hdmi.
I should note again, that I'm booting from the secondary microsd card on the analog i/o board, and I'm not using boot.vhd. I'm using my old spectrum next OS I copied over from the latest official.
Thanks.

I tried hooking up the Next to a VGA monitor via the HDMI connection with a convertor - Scramble is now really smooth with no jerky scrolling.

Thinking back, I'm sure there was some discussion about HDMI on real hardware having issues, with people recommending a VGA monitor.
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CartoonDonkey
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by CartoonDonkey »

So after some research, I think I've found the best method (with a pc) of getting files on and off of the Next core. This might be obvious, but I thought I'd write out the steps if it helps someone. I actually like the Mister core *better* than my old Spectrum Next N-Go clone if not only for the reason that I can now send things over to it via the network without having to physically move an SD card in and out of a machine.

1)Booting from a full install of the OS on the 2nd microsd, I renamed the used boot.vhd that lives in the ZXNext folder on the main Mister microsd, storage.vhd

2) Used Imdisk https://sourceforge.net/projects/imdisk-toolkit/ to mount the image over samba.
3) Fully deleted the contents of storage.vhd from Windows, in order to use it as storage. Moved any games etc, over to the mounted storage.vhd (I have mine as the x: drive on my PC)

4) Booted the Next core from the microsd card, and then used the Mister menu to mount that storage.vhd in the ZXNext folder on the main Mister microsd as the D: drive. Use M to mount or U to dismount the storage.vhd and refresh any changes. press D to switch drives. All my files are listed on that storage.vhd for use. Profit!

Yes, I used the image while never dismounting it from Windows. But as long as I'm not modifying it's contents while the Next is running that vhd won't get corrupted. If it did, I guess I'd make another 10gb vhd and move that over. No biggie. If while using the Next, I want to move new content over or delete and have those changes show up on the D: drive, I make those changes from windows and then just press f4 to reset the Next and things get refreshed. I've also got an Ultimate 64 Elite FPGA in a breadbin case and I don't know why the Next guys didn't just build in an ftp server into the core like Gideon did for the ultimate. It was the one thing that frustrated me about it. And now that's solved with the Mister. Yeah, the Mister Next core doesn't like tzx files but honestly, I just boot into the regular Spectrum core for those, and I really don't miss anything. No biggie.

End of rant. Game on!
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pgimeno
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by pgimeno »

CartoonDonkey wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:48 pm Yes, I used the image while never dismounting it from Windows. But as long as I'm not modifying it's contents while the Next is running that vhd won't get corrupted.
I wouldn't be so sure. The OS may keep a cache of some sectors and rely on them not having been modified. If the core modifies those sectors, you may easily get corruption due to a disagreement between what the core wrote and what the OS thinks those sectors contain.
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CartoonDonkey
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by CartoonDonkey »

Midi possible on this core, for NextDaw?
There's this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hun-0u9hslo
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by Fallon »

CartoonDonkey wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:32 pm Midi possible on this core, for NextDaw?
There's this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hun-0u9hslo
Next DAW requires mouse support, which I 'm not sure the Mister Next Core has?
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by CartoonDonkey »

It has mouse support. My bluetooth mouse works fine with it.
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by breiztiger »

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caffeinekid
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by caffeinekid »

Can the new distro be used on MiSTer?
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by Stinky »

caffeinekid wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 4:52 pm Can the new distro be used on MiSTer?
I can confirm it works on my setup.
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Re: ZX Spectrum Next Port to MiSTer

Unread post by rhester72 »

Stinky wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:32 am
caffeinekid wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 4:52 pm Can the new distro be used on MiSTer?
I can confirm it works on my setup.
Which archive is recommended for updating? Complete? Lightweight? Emulator?

Self-answering: NoSrc is what the "standard" VHD uses.
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