Elite Systems ltd announces the Bluetooth ZX Spectrum

[Neil79]

Elite Systems Ltd have announced through a Kickstarter, the Bluetooth® ZX Spectrum which is basically a recreated Sinclair ZX Spectrum as a Bluetooth keyboard. What's more when used in conjunction with the simultaneously released and separately sold Bluetooth ZX Spectrum apps and games, it will run just like the original system.

http://www.indieretronews.com/2014/0...ebirth-of.html

[necronom]

This is all kicking off! If you have funded this, you should read the comments on the Kickstarter page, and the WoS thread.

It seems that none of the programmers have been paid by Elite, and the company owes £81,000. I'd be VERY wary of giving any money to this. I doubt you'll get anything in return.

[alexh]

I wonder if you could make one from bits for under £50?

[TCMSLP]

I don't quite understand this. First I thought it was an FPGA based emulator which could connect to a display via bluetooth. However, having now read the Kickstarter, it seems to simply be a bluetooth keyboard which I'm assuming would talk to an emulator running under iOS/Android. The only difference here is the form factor / rubber keys.

Am I missing something?

[MrCheese]

Elite are getting battered for not paying royalties going back years:

http://www.merseyremakes.co.uk/gibbe...-the-problems/

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-zx-s/comments

[mark_k]

Originally Posted by TCMSLP

Am I missing something?

It's apparently not even guaranteed to work as a normal Bluetooth keyboard, meaning it might only work with the Elite Spectrum apps and nothing else.

Originally Posted by alexh

I wonder if you could make one from bits for under £50?

Some enterprising hardware person could probably make a Bluetooth device which goes between the keyboard connector of a real Spectrum and the Spectrum motherboard. That could be switchable between acting as a Bluetooth keyboard and a real Spectrum. Another possibility would be an expansion port device, containing Bluetooth hardware and a ROM with program to read the Spectrum keys. That could just plug into an unmodified Spectrum.

[ant512]

Aside from the disturbing royalties issue, it looks kinda neat.

Until you remember that everyone hated the dead flesh keyboard so much that Sinclair released the plastic-keyed 48K+ in its place.

[Dunny]

Originally Posted by ant512

Aside from the disturbing royalties issue, it looks kinda neat.

Until you remember that everyone hated the dead flesh keyboard so much that Sinclair released the plastic-keyed 48K+ in its place.

Not everyone - quite a lot of people preferred the rubbery keys.

D.

[SWIV]

Originally Posted by Dunny

Not everyone - quite a lot of people preferred the rubbery keys.

D.

yes I prefered the rubber keys on the original Zx speccy,lets face it they never fell off or stuck down lol.I am a member of WOS and have seen the comments about Elite systems,I have dealt with Elite Systems myself but not homebrew games as I doubt any of mine are worthy but I did purchase a signed Manic Miner print from them.