System/Next 24.11

Off Downloads, Firmware, General, Happening, Hero Article, News,

Here comes a Sinclair QL!

This page (https://www.specnext.com/latestdistro/) is where the latest distribution is always found. Distributions are now named by the year and month of their release (eg 24.11 was released in November 2024).

If you would like access to new “bleeding-edge” features not yet released as part of the official distribution, please visit our gitlab repository here: https://gitlab.com/thesmog358/tbblue. This also includes tracking of any known current issues.

Table of contents

What’s new

System/Next 24.11 contains the following enhancements:

  • NextZXOS v2.09:
  • MenuEdit to edit NextZXOS menus
  • Warhawk new edition
  • BBC Basic / Next: v.0.16
  • .ASM dot command to embed assembly code in NextBASIC programs
  • Core versions: 3.02.01 (Issue 4), 3.02.00 (Issue 2)
  • Multicore support for KS2 via provisional FW v.1.44db
  • Official additional core for Issue 2 and Issue 4: Sinclair QL

As always, full details can be found in the docs directory of the distribution (for reading on a PC or Mac). Additionally, guides detailing many of the NextZXOS features can now be accessed directly from the menu system.

Distribution downloads

Distribution notes

NOTES

  • This version due to the installation of the QL core and the QL hard drive file cannot be updated deferentially so the Update menu cannot be used.
  • A brand new SDHC Card is recommended at a minimum and it’s a must for reading the virtual QL hard drive!

Full distribution downloads

These downloads contain all files in the distribution, suitable for writing to a newly-formatted SD card, or an old card that has not been recently updated.

Other downloads

  • System/Next distribution for emulators (1GB image) (does NOT include QXL.WIN – QL Core example 30 Meg virtual hd file or core files): sn-emulator-24.11.zip
  • NextPi/2 distribution for Raspberry Pi accelerator (NOTES: this has not changed and doesn’t require updating if you have an Issue 4 machine; it is a must update for people with Issue 2 machines and for users that are just getting a Pi0 or require to rebuild their cards – You will need a 16Gb microSD card): NextPi/2

How to update

  1. Feel free to watch this video showing the process in full (optional but handy).
  2. Download the latest complete distribution above. If your card already contains the previous distribution, you can download the appropriate distribution update, which has just the changes (Doesn’t apply for v. 24/11 – see below-).
  3. Before plugging in your Next, get the Next SD Card (see the image below for how the Next Distribution SD card should look like) and insert it to your PC (or Mac). You will need an SD card reader; many laptops/notebooks have one built-in.
  4. If your Next is brand new out of the box, first re-format the card using the tool provided by the SD Association which you can find here: https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/
    (WARNING: This will completely erase the contents of the SD card, so make sure you have backed up anything you have previously added to it especially the KS2Extras folder you may have if you have an Issue 4 machine).
  5. Navigate to the place you downloaded the distribution and double-click it to unzip.
  6. Make sure your card is completely EMPTY then first select the file named QXL.WIN in the distribution and copy it to the root folder of your Next SD Card. Then select ALL REMAINING files in the distribution except QXL.WIN and copy them to the root folder of your Next SD Card. If you’re installing any or all BBC cores, you can add any virtual hard disk files right after the QL ones and before any other file is copied onto the card. Macintosh Users are strongly advised to use an external utility to wipe their cards off the unnecessary files MacOS places on the card after formatting as they may stop the QL’s virtual hard drive from operating
  7. Using your PC or Mac’s EJECT option, make sure you EJECT the card before removing it from the reader.
  8. Insert the card in your Next. Normally you can wait until the TestCard appears like the picture below but it’s recommended that you force the selection of display after you power up by pressing D for Digital (if you have a DVI or HDMI display), V for VGA or R for RGB (RGB requires an aftermarket SCART Cable):
  9. Select a mode that suits your display by pressing Enter and IF your core is too old, your screen will change to the following:
  10. Press U, until you see a prompt asking you to proceed. Type Y then wait until you’re told to power off your machine.
  11. Power off, disconnect all cables, wait a bit, then reconnect all cables and power on the machine again. That’s it, you are DONE!

Special alternative core boot considerations

Step 6 above is imperative for the proper operation of the QL core (and the BBC core); this is due to the requirement by the QL core to position the virtual hard drive image in the first 16 locations of the SD Card’s FAT table. This happens ONLY during the card preparation and the process will not need to happen again.

Note for PS/2 keyboard users

If you are a board-only Next owner and only use a PS/2 keyboard, you may find that the keyboard doesn’t work after booting into NextZXOS (or one of the other Spectrum personalities). This is because the distribution assumes only a mouse will be plugged into the PS/2 port. To fix this, allowing a keyboard instead (or a splitter with both keyboard and mouse), follow these steps:

  1. Power-off the Next completely.
  2. Power on again, and press SPACE when the firmware selection screen (with the Sinclair Spectrum Next logo) appears.
  3. Press SPACE again to enter the firmware options editor.
  4. Press SPACE with the flashing highlight on the PS/2 option, to change it from “Mouse” to “Keyb.”.
  5. Press ENTER to save the change.
  6. Press ENTER to start the currently-selected personality.

NOTE: If you have a joystick or controller with at least 2 different fire buttons, you can use the main fire button (or controller button B) instead of SPACE, and the secondary fire button (or controller button C) instead of ENTER.

Troubleshooting tips

  1. Users of FlashAir cards are advised to perform ALL file copy operations locally on their PC/MAC and NOT over the air.
  2. If your current core is older than v1.10.10 you may experience issues with your keyboard and/or display. Please follow the expanded instructions in the previous versions of the TBBLUE distributions and the Quick Start guide here to flash your core.
  3. At the testcard screen, you are strongly advised to experiment with different settings to achieve the best results for your display. For optimum results, use a VGA cable and ensure you select a VGA mode (0 to 6) and 50Hz frequency; this will ensure the Next display is perfectly timing-accurate. Selecting HDMI timing (mode 7) or 60Hz frequency may cause inaccurate displays with some standard Spectrum software (particular demos/games with special multi-colour effects).

Credits

Core 2010-2018: Victor Trucco
Core 2019-2024: Allen Albright
Contributors: Charlie Ingley, Jim Bagley, Fabio Belavenuto…, Garry Lancaster, Mark Smith, David Banks

QL Core 2015-2019: Victor Trucco, Till Harbaum
QL Core 2024- : Theodoulos Liontakis (Leon)
QL and Next hardware adaptations: Theodoulos Liontakis.

NextPi, NextPi/2: D. Rimron-Soutter
Next CP/M BIOS: Garry Lancaster

Dreamworld Pogie: Lyndon J Sharp/Phoebus Dokos (WASP –  http://www.wearespectrumprogrammers.com/) / Distributed under License
Orb Run: Matt Davies (https://github.com/next-dev/nx)/ Distributed under License
Spectron 2084: Robin Verhagen-Guest / Distributed under License
Nxtel2: Robin Verhagen-Guest / Distributed under License
nextDAW: Gari Biasillo (http://nextdaw.biasillo.com)
Warhawk: Michael Ware, Jim Bagley, Lobo Trans, Space Fractal / Distributed under License
Nextoid!: Lampros Potamianos  (WASP –  http://www.wearespectrumprogrammers.com/) / Distributed under License
Angry Bloaters!: Lampros Potamianos  (WASP –  http://www.wearespectrumprogrammers.com/) / Distributed under License
3D Monster Maze, 3D Defender, Trashman: Malcolm Evans / Distributed under License
Hibernated1: Stefan Vogt (http://8-bit.info/) / Distributed under License
cave81: Marco Varesio / Distributed under License
Knight Night: David Saphier / Distributed under License
Halls of The Things: Simon Brattel / Distributed under License
ZX80 Shop Steward: Simon N Goodwin / Distributed under License (http://simon.mooli.org.uk)
baSnake: Marco Varesio / Distributed under License
Santa’s Chimney Challenge: Paradise Games / Distributed under License
Mouse driver: Tim Gilberts and Chris Cowley
UART driver: Tim Gilberts
RTC driver: Tim Gilberts
PAW (Disk version): Tim Gilberts / Distributed under License
ZEUS Assembler: Neil Mottershead and Simon Brattel (modified by Jim Bagley) / Distributed under License
SPED: César Hernández Bañó (with Tim Gilberts) / Distributed under License
Nextramon: Simon N Goodwin / Distributed under License (http://simon.mooli.org.uk)
NextBASIC Profiler: Simon N Goodwin / Distributed under License (http://simon.mooli.org.uk)
PS/2 keymap: Phoebus Dokos  (WASP –  http://www.wearespectrumprogrammers.com/)
NextZXOS: Garry Lancaster (http://www.worldofspectrum.net/zxplus3e/)
NextZXOS keyboard map screens: Richard Hallas
Looking Glass: Geoff Wearmouth (https://twitter.com/warmtoffee)
ZX80/81 Emulators: Paul Farrow (http://www.fruitcake.plus.com)
NextGuide: Matt Davies
MenuEdit: David Saphier
ZXDB-dl: David Saphier, D. Rimron-Soutter, Remy Sharp
Demos: David Saphier (http://zxbasic.uk/), Geoff Wearmouth, Michael Ware, Gari Biasillo, Robin Verhagen-Guest, D. Rimron-Soutter, Mike Dailly (http://www.cspect.org)
Utilities: Jim Bagley, Geoff Wearmouth, John M Kerr,(http://mycodehere.blogspot.com), Kev Brady, César Hernández Bañó, D. Rimron-Soutter, David Saphier, Simon Brattel, Robin Verhagen-Guest, Simon N. Goodwin, Rusty Pixels, Peter Ped Helcmanovsky, Matt Davies
BBC BASIC for Spectrum Next: Core BASIC interpreter by R.T.Russell with Spectrum Next implementation by Dean Belfield, Distributed under License
Dot Commands: Allen Albright, Jim Bagley, Gari Biasillo, Matt Davies, Johan Engdahl, Tim Gilberts, Garry Lancaster, Peter Ped Helcmanovsky, D. Rimron-Soutter, David Saphier, Einar Saukas, Remy Sharp, Victor Trucco, Marco Varesio, Robin Verhagen-Guest, Chris Taylor, Janko Stamenović

QL (non exhaustive) Software credits and Hardware Credits

Turbo Toolkit by George Gwilt, Mark Knight and David Gilham. Originally written by Simon N Goodwin
Turbo by George Gwilt. Originally written by Simon N Goodwin
XChange by PSION Software
Toolkit 2 by QJump/Tony Tebby and Marcel Kilgus
The Shell by Adrian Ives
QLCommander by Andrei Tenu
Matchpoint/Chess by PSION Software
DJToolkit by Dilwyn Jones
For more QL software head to: https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/
Portions Hardware and Software copyrights: Peter Graf, Tobias Gubener, Davor Jadrijevic, Marcel Kilgus, Wolfgang Lenerz, Theodoulos Liontakis, Alexey Spirkov. All other copyrights are of their respective owners; check the core’s source for an exhaustive list

Tags: , , , , , ,

Related posts

  • Contest Time!

  • White Nexts Auction started