How to use the attached keyboard using ZX Spectrum emulator?

loetluemmel

Aficionados and dear ROM friends,

I‘ve installed a Retropie on an Odroid XU-4 and wanted to launch an old game on the ZX Spectrum emulation.

Well, I have got a Microsoft Keyboard attached to the USB-Port, could move the selector with the keyboard keys (left/right) in Retropi.

Emulator starts, game is there, but RETURN (to start the game or any other key) on the keyboard attached doesn‘t work. - No reaction and it seems like no keyboard is attached.

How can I activate the keyboard in the ZX Spectrum emulation?

Hint: Other Emulations like MAME or C64 have 2 USB controllers attached and here I was able to configure input keys.

Any help appreciated,
Loetluemmel

barbudreadmon

@loetluemmel assuming you are using a libretro core through retroarch, you might need to enable "game focus" to disable all the retroarch hotkeys and avoid conflicts. Game focus can be toggled by pressing a key, normally the "scroll lock" key by default.

loetluemmel

@barbudreadmon,

I've tried the 'Scroll Lock' key, have seen a confirmation appearing on the screen, but no change when I try keys on the connected USB keyboard.

Emulator: lb-fuse

The game starts OK and I can also get into the green setting dialog. Here I played with control and keyboard settings, but so far with zero keyboard reaction.

dmmarti

@loetluemmel For lr-fuse, try this:

After launching a game, go to the Retroarch quick menu settings (select+x usually on your controller) and navigate down to Controls.

Set port 1 = kempston joystick
Set port 2 = kemptsion joystick
Set port 3 = sinclair keyboard

That should enable your keyboard.

Floob

@loetluemmel
Following on from this:
https://retropie.org.uk/docs/ZX-Spectrum/#controls

the keyboard option should be:
input_libretro_device_p3 = "259"

loetluemmel

@dmmarti : Thank you for the hint, that was part of the solution that worked for me.

I did notice, that settings are not permanent and was in luck to find the entry „Update Input Remap File“ in the table „MANAGE REMAP FILES“.

@Floob : Thank you for the link to the documentation and mentioning necessary input_libretro_device_p3 settings.

In another libretro discussion I also found settings for _p1:

Input_libretro_device_p3 = „259“

Now I can also use my xbox controller.
For the „259“ setting, I couldn‘t find an explanation in the documentation. But now it works and I slowly start to understand what‘s necessary, to get other games running.

@ all : Many thanks for your instant support and helpful input!