ZX Vega +

[codifies]

I especially loved the inkjet printed paper

yeah that one just got me, what class!

 

[TrashyMG]

Could this not have been added to the Vega+ thread rather than a whole new thread?

Yes it can!, Merged threads.

 

[harlequin]

What is puzzling for me is that Janko Mrsic-Flogel is also one of the Gemini Directors... and that one seems to have worked out...?

...and in the news, I've just bumped into him at Antibe's Carrefour in the south of France ( @ptitSeb has to know where, near Sophia Antipolis).
I should have asked him of this whole Vega situation, and if he would happen to have a spare Gemini with him too. For... science, and... reasons...!

 

[levi]

He was apparently in London today, in court along with other directors on the firm to settle court costs, or at least to delay that as far as possible, all while costing themselves more. Levy apparently tried to confuse matters by talking about trying to get some documents from their ex-solicitors, who've dumped the whole party, but beyond that I can't make much more out of this report.

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/08/17/retro_computers_ltd_scco_hearing_legal_costs/

 

[vcoleiro1]

There were email leaks not that long ago between RCL and their previous lawyers that said they were owed a huge amount of money that RCL didn't have. The leaks if believed showed RCL owed them over a 100K I think. And the emails were supposedly from their Lawyers trying to get the cash repeatedly over a period of time. In the end the final emails showed they gave up trying to get the cash and were then going to start proceedings against RCL.

This is prorobaly why they are not working with their preivous lawyer anymore and were basially forced to represent themselves in that hearing. Also why they are having trouble getting any docs from their old lawyers

In other news, a lawyer has offered to represent Vega+ backers in a no win , no fee class action against RCL. IT looks like it will probably go ahead.

Also, along with Sinclair's company (left a while ago), both Suzanne Martin and Janko have now resigned as being directors of RCL. The only director and active employee of RCL now is David Levy.

Let's not forget that IGG has started proceedings to get backers cash back from RCL.

Or that supposedly they have no cash left and owe a lot of people inclusing their ex lawyers lots of money. Those lawyers supposedly who are also now taking legal action to recoup that money.

Shit meet fan

 

[levi]

That elreg article notes at the end that two backers have won county court judgements to the value of about 250 quid each. I think that means they already won magistrates court judgements against them, and now went to the county court to obtain a warrant to enforce it.

 

[vcoleiro1]

The ZX Vega + saga has got to be the most dram filled story ever. Now the ex directors have re-registered themselves as directors of RCL

 

[pmprog]

I really don't get it. They resigned as directors, but didn't sell up their shares, and now trying to get back in? Why not just cut all ties and just be done with it? There'd have been nothing stopping them looking at making their own Spectrum handheld after the THEC64 saga had finished

 

[vcoleiro1]

And here's a statement by Paul Andrews on the matter:


Retro Computers Limited

In response to the inaccurate statement made yesterday by our fellow director of Retro Computers Limited (Dvaid Levy), we are compelled to issue a further company statement.

The shareholders meeting of all four shareholders in Retro Computers Limited (that being Sinclair Research Ltd, Paul Andrews, Chris Smith, and David Levy), took place on Friday the 2nd of November 2018. This meeting was recorded with the consent and knowledge of all parties. Mr Levy confirmed to the shareholders multiple issues with the company which meant we were compelled to act, (and as is our legal right) reinstall ourselves as directors in the company as Mr Levy was either unwilling or unable to carry out the tasks needed to be done unaided. We will now take all steps required under the law to deal with these company matters. These reappointments were done with the support of 75% of the shareholders (that being ourselves and Sinclair Research Ltd) and also on the basis of legal counsel being taken from multiple firms. For clarity Chris Smith did not repudiate the shareholders agreement, Mr Levy is referring to an IP issue, and neither Sinclair Research Ltd, nor Paul Andrews at any time repudiated the shareholders agreement, in fact it is the position of all shareholders and our legal counsel (other than David Levy) that the shareholders agreement has always been in force.

For further clarity David Levy did not found the company, Chris Smith did (as public records show), and David Levy has been making unproven claims of criminal investigations to the press for over two years.

We are unable to make any further comments on any related matters currently.

Paul Andrews and Chris Smith

[Directors - Retro Computers Limited]

 

[___]

wow... this whole drama is so ridiculous. Do they even expect anyone to buy this POS after all the embarrassment and laughable publicity?

 

[levi]

Let's not forget that IGG has started proceedings to get backers cash back from RCL.

And how's that going now?

 

[ZXDunny]

And how's that going now?

I don't think it can be "going" or Andrews/Smith wouldn't have put themselves in IGG's sights for reclaiming the money...

 

[vcoleiro1]

And now Paul Andrews and Chris Smith have been booted out as directors, seemingly on the same day they were appointed: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/...oBgBpT3DaAHHKKtQq8SW3KZJbVOc3ZzlpJhXobRdzBa80

The drama continues

 

[bluedeer]

I think what disturbs me more, is how this is going to affect TheC64 franchise. I own one of those units and I've been pretty happy with it for the most part, but I did not realize at the time that all of this was going on in relationship to Retro Computers Limited. As mentioned it seems like a large part of this drama is wrecking the company and their reputation as a whole, and what appears to be incompetence and infighting amongst the most senior management doesn't look good either. I strongly hope the lawyers figure this mess out and are able to chalk it up to incompetence and leave the company in the hands of the individuals who are /most/ likely able to carry the company on and not let it degenerate any further than it has to. I mean seriously, considering the simplicity of the device, the Vega+ shouldn't have been that complex when hobbists have been easily able to cobble together respectable and functional units with far less drama than this.

 

[levi]

Technically, TheC64 is sold by Retro Games limited. Now, on the board of that company is a certain Chris Smith and a Paul Andrews all registered at Andrews Ltd. offices. On the board of Retro Computers there's also a Paul Andrews at Andrews Ltd. previously registered as a director, but technically that's a different company.

The bad news is according to the last submitted account for retro games Ltd their reserves amounted to about minus 50k GBP as of Dec 31st last year, but most of that is due to significant negative 'accruals and deferred income' and I don't know what they mean by that to be fair. In comparison, Retro Computers Ltd (the bad guys) claimed to have around a positive 450k as of March 2017 (they haven't submitted accounts for the last tax year yet).

 

[vcoleiro1]

An here is Paul Andrews response to the termination notice:

 

[vcoleiro1]

Looks like David Levy copped a ton of abuse at the ACE 2018 conference. He beacme a member of ACE a little while ago


http://ace2018.info/?fbclid=IwAR1u0uDHWH1YpBXNuLTxyRjbbmUywelmfZrCh8CBB3rQA2NjlwR3jyza1BY

 

[darkborn]

Technically, TheC64 is sold by Retro Games limited. Now, on the board of that company is a certain Chris Smith and a Paul Andrews all registered at Andrews Ltd. offices. On the board of Retro Computers there's also a Paul Andrews at Andrews Ltd. previously registered as a director, but technically that's a different company.

What is problem with that?
One company is Retro Games LTD, other is Retro Computers LTD. RGL != RCL.
Chris Smith is founder of RCL. Smith, Andrews, Levy and Sinclair Research Ltd are 4 shareholders, each having 25%.
Smith and Andrews resigned as directors of RCL few years ago, but are still shareholders.
After Levy's debacle, majority of shareholders (75%, 3/4) agreed that Levy has to resign, new directors are Mr. Smith and Mr. Andrews.

The bad news is according to the last submitted account for retro games Ltd their reserves amounted to about minus 50k GBP as of Dec 31st last year, but most of that is due to significant negative 'accruals and deferred income' and I don't know what they mean by that to be fair. In comparison, Retro Computers Ltd (the bad guys) claimed to have around a positive 450k as of March 2017 (they haven't submitted accounts for the last tax year yet).

^ this is very, very old information.
TheC64 Mini is selling like hot cakes at USA and Canada, they are in process of making big version right now (announced last week).
FYI: Amazon had to pull Minnis from EU storage to USA, because of demand (US version of Mini is mostly sold out, they are selling EU version now in USA afaik).
I bet that RGL is in plus now, however, there could be loans and other investors money.

On the contrary, Levy is lying for months / years of RCL balance. Money is lost and it is well known fact that RCL is indebted of over 300K GBP just to solicitors.

Looks like David Levy cpped a ton of abuse at the ACE 2018 conference. He beacme a member of ACE a little hile ago
http://ace2018.info/?fbclid=IwAR1u0uDHWH1YpBXNuLTxyRjbbmUywelmfZrCh8CBB3rQA2NjlwR3jyza1BY

Well, this is hilarious.
Yoram Chisik and Leif Oppermann are accused of “fascist style mob” and "hate filled anti-Zionist attack" against - Breitbart's Steve Bannon (and "Sex with Robots" Levy).

https://www.wired.com/story/steve-bannon-gaming-conference-saga/
"just 17 people showed up to see Bannon speak." Wonder why?

 

[levi]

What is problem with that?
One company is Retro Games LTD, other is Retro Computers LTD. RGL != RCL.
Chris Smith is founder of RCL. Smith, Andrews, Levy and Sinclair Research Ltd are 4 shareholders, each having 25%.
Smith and Andrews resigned as directors of RCL few years ago, but are still shareholders.

In my opinion, this whole debacle doesn't exactly paint anyone in an especially positive light, but as you say RGL is not RCL, and critically the former has nothing to do with either Levy or Sinclair's company.

^ this is very, very old information.
TheC64 Mini is selling like hot cakes at USA and Canada, they are in process of making big version right now (announced last week).

I only reported on the publicly available information, and gave the dates didn't I?

Still, if it's selling well enough to offset any debts they're carrying over, that's good news in terms of the future of the company.

FYI: Amazon had to pull Minnis from EU storage to USA, because of demand (US version of Mini is mostly sold out, they are selling EU version now in USA afaik).

Erk, does that still mean 50fps versus 60fps speed downs, or do all TheC64s run at one speed or the other?

 

[darkborn]

Erk, does that still mean 50fps versus 60fps speed downs, or do all TheC64s run at one speed or the other?

https://thec64.com/faq/
There are six different display modes available on THEC64 Mini. Pixel perfect, European 4:3 and North American 4:3. Each mode can then have a CRT filter applied, to match how the C64 games displayed on older TVs. You don’t have to adjust any settings on your HD TV or Monitor when switching between these display modes.

Speeds are different (on same machine), same as in VICE (because down there is VICE, slightly modded v2.4), according to PAL/NTSC settings.
Just game list is slightly different (few more games at USA version iirc).
But it might be I'm missing something.