I've installed the latest version of retropie with FUSE in order to test this keyboard. The recreated zx spectrum is connected via USB. It seems work fine in raspbian, every key works, but in FUSE I've noticed that symbol shift doesn't work. Also every time I hit the space key, the onscreen help rises. The keyboard is in QWERTY mode (unlocked). In game mode nothing works. Is there a way to make it works properly in FUSE?
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Thanks for your reply. actually I''ve tried both mode A and B. Only mode B works, at least in lr-fuse. In fuse nothing works. In B mode I am able to use emulationstation until I launch the zx game, even during the game I can reach the option menu by pressing both shift keys and 1 (F1) but no key press is detected in the game itself in fuse, while lr-fuse works better, except it doesn't "see" symbol shift, and I can't get rid off the on screen keyboard when I press the space key. If I do switch to mode A, no key press is detected in fuse, nor lr-fuse, not even in emulationstation. FUSE has been updated from source to the latest version, and the "recreated zx spectrum" option has been checked in the menu.
Thanks
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Well actually it seems that I've been finally able to fix the issue. My fault, I didn't realize that the keyboard was simply switched off. That may sound strange, but when it's connected via USB cable, apparently the keyboard works fine in QWERTY mode, the mode A/B switch has no effect. It's like it's alway struck in B mode. Now, after I turned on the keyboard I've been finally able to swtich to A mode and now everything works in FUSE, but at this point there's no way to control Emulationstation, nor FUSE itself without another USB keyboard or game pad. Uhm it seems to me that something still needs to be nailed. At this point the better option is to use lr-fuse, at least it works in QWERTY mode for games AND in emulationstation.
Last edit: Massimo 2017-08-21
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You're right Windale, but honestly it works fine as USB keyboard. The only missing thing seems to me the symbol shift, but if you only want to play some occasional game, it works fine, and at this point it works better than fuse from a general point of view
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Hi Massimo,
We are not involved with Emulationstation so can't really comment about that. For Fuse, the support for the Recreated ZX Spectrum keyboard in game mode does seem to be to be intended for use as a secondary controller rather than an exculsive keyboard (as you still need to use function keys for the widget UI or menus for one of the GUIs to control the emulator as you say).
I'm not sure that the other options would be as the recreated keyboard obviouly only has the same keys available as on a real Spectrum which are all required for use in the emulation - do you have any suggestions on how we could use it for exclusive control of the emulator?
lr-fuse wouldn't be doing anything different to Fuse with the keyboard in QWERTY mode and the game mode support turned off in the menus and I would expect them to work the same in that mode.
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well i don't know if there's any keys combos that's available, maybe a 3 keys combo (caps+symbol+space for instance) to call the fuse menu, and then support arrows keys and enter, or even single alphanumeric key for the menu. I don't know if this is something hard or impossible to implement, but that could help. Also I've noticed that switching from mode A to B some how creates problem, even getting back to A mode doesn't work anymore, and I've noticed the same behaviour trying to type on the secondary standard USB keyboard, and again I don't know if it's my installation, but I can't save same options in the menu. For instance I cannot disable the recreated zx spectrum support option. Even if I uncheck it, when I reopen the option menu, this voice is checked again.
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embarassing! Thanks windale, now everything works. Sometimes read the manual would help!! Anyway I've found an interesting article on how to fix these issues using an arduino between the recreated zx spectrum and the raspberry... sound interesting! I will try with this. It's a non destructive way after all, so I've got nothing to loose! My original goal was to put a raspberry inside this keyboard, so have it working like a standard keyboard would be a plus and great help.
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I've installed the latest version of retropie with FUSE in order to test this keyboard. The recreated zx spectrum is connected via USB. It seems work fine in raspbian, every key works, but in FUSE I've noticed that symbol shift doesn't work. Also every time I hit the space key, the onscreen help rises. The keyboard is in QWERTY mode (unlocked). In game mode nothing works. Is there a way to make it works properly in FUSE?
HI Massimo,
Sounds like your keyboard may be in QWERTY mode to me?
You can find some tips on using the Recreated ZX Spectrum keyboard successfully here:
http://www.shadowmagic.org.uk/spectrum/recreated-zx-spectrum-faq.html
Let us know your results with these hints.
Thanks for your reply. actually I''ve tried both mode A and B. Only mode B works, at least in lr-fuse. In fuse nothing works. In B mode I am able to use emulationstation until I launch the zx game, even during the game I can reach the option menu by pressing both shift keys and 1 (F1) but no key press is detected in the game itself in fuse, while lr-fuse works better, except it doesn't "see" symbol shift, and I can't get rid off the on screen keyboard when I press the space key. If I do switch to mode A, no key press is detected in fuse, nor lr-fuse, not even in emulationstation. FUSE has been updated from source to the latest version, and the "recreated zx spectrum" option has been checked in the menu.
Thanks
Well actually it seems that I've been finally able to fix the issue. My fault, I didn't realize that the keyboard was simply switched off. That may sound strange, but when it's connected via USB cable, apparently the keyboard works fine in QWERTY mode, the mode A/B switch has no effect. It's like it's alway struck in B mode. Now, after I turned on the keyboard I've been finally able to swtich to A mode and now everything works in FUSE, but at this point there's no way to control Emulationstation, nor FUSE itself without another USB keyboard or game pad. Uhm it seems to me that something still needs to be nailed. At this point the better option is to use lr-fuse, at least it works in QWERTY mode for games AND in emulationstation.
Last edit: Massimo 2017-08-21
@Massimo
Just a note, 'lr-fuse' (Libretro version) is a very old version and doesn't even have the 'Recreated ZX Spectrum' patch.
You're right Windale, but honestly it works fine as USB keyboard. The only missing thing seems to me the symbol shift, but if you only want to play some occasional game, it works fine, and at this point it works better than fuse from a general point of view
Hi Massimo,
We are not involved with Emulationstation so can't really comment about that. For Fuse, the support for the Recreated ZX Spectrum keyboard in game mode does seem to be to be intended for use as a secondary controller rather than an exculsive keyboard (as you still need to use function keys for the widget UI or menus for one of the GUIs to control the emulator as you say).
I'm not sure that the other options would be as the recreated keyboard obviouly only has the same keys available as on a real Spectrum which are all required for use in the emulation - do you have any suggestions on how we could use it for exclusive control of the emulator?
lr-fuse wouldn't be doing anything different to Fuse with the keyboard in QWERTY mode and the game mode support turned off in the menus and I would expect them to work the same in that mode.
well i don't know if there's any keys combos that's available, maybe a 3 keys combo (caps+symbol+space for instance) to call the fuse menu, and then support arrows keys and enter, or even single alphanumeric key for the menu. I don't know if this is something hard or impossible to implement, but that could help. Also I've noticed that switching from mode A to B some how creates problem, even getting back to A mode doesn't work anymore, and I've noticed the same behaviour trying to type on the secondary standard USB keyboard, and again I don't know if it's my installation, but I can't save same options in the menu. For instance I cannot disable the recreated zx spectrum support option. Even if I uncheck it, when I reopen the option menu, this voice is checked again.
The problem with any particular key combination is that there may be some Spectrum game that needs all those keys to be used as part of the controls.
When selecting/deselecting options, you need to press Space to tick/untick the option but then you have to press Enter to confirm it.
embarassing! Thanks windale, now everything works. Sometimes read the manual would help!! Anyway I've found an interesting article on how to fix these issues using an arduino between the recreated zx spectrum and the raspberry... sound interesting! I will try with this. It's a non destructive way after all, so I've got nothing to loose! My original goal was to put a raspberry inside this keyboard, so have it working like a standard keyboard would be a plus and great help.