A downloadable tool

- Autoexec.bas 2001: HAL/SAL **DEMO**

for ZX Spectrum NEXT

Enhance your ZX Spectrum NEXT's startup process with this customised AUTOEXEC.BAS    Preview video best viewed at 1080p HD setting.

This is an enhanced version for 2025, featuring over 300 voice files with  separate HAL & SAL voices.  This DEMO version has a reduced number of voice files, so it will not say the date and time.  

Purchase the full version here  https://chucknz.itch.io/2001-hal-themed-autoexecbas-for-zx-spectrum-next

The on-screen layout has been improved, additional menu options added, shows Next Core version and NextZXOS version, Date & Time.  Common settings can be customised. Also includes ability to change your Basic Editor Colour Scheme to GREEN, AMBER or CYAN. Those colour schemes were created with my ECS Editor app, also available on itch.io.  You can also modify the voice settings so only the time is spoken, or just the date, or turn both on or off.  The README file has all the details of changing the various settings to suit your preferences.

Tested and working on NextZXOS 2.08 (uses new features from 2.08). If you are not running NextZXOS 2.08 or above, then this program will not run correctly.

Based around the movie 2001-A Space Odyssey, this "App" shows a HAL 9000 or SAL 9000 version on your screen while a voice relays information during the boot/startup sequence. It will access the NEXT's WiFi and attempt to update the Date and Time.  If it finds an error during that process it will bypass that (with a voice message) and continue on. Based on the time detected, it will greet you with a "Good Morning", "Good Afternoon" or "Good Evening" and introduce itself depending on the randomised HAL or SAL interface being used.

Will also tell you your current Joystick port settings, and set your "Preferred" folder and Browser preferences.

All files and Instructions are included.  Please read the "Readme" file, available as an Open Document Text or PDF file. Follow the Download & Installation instructions.

If you don't want to upset your personalised Autoexec.bas file, you can just run it manually as "Autoexec3.bas", or tack that on to the end of your Autoexec.bas.

** Note ** If you do not run this as the proper Autoexec.bas, then it will not take you to the main menu system of your Next. It will just erase itself when completed and leave you in the BASIC programming mode. This is not an error, as it is designed to become your Autoexec.bas file for correct use.

I hope you enjoy this software. 

Download

Download
2001-HAL.zip 1.8 MB

Install instructions

Download the "2001-HAL.ZIP" file.

Unzip the file and save it to your PC or direct to your ZX Spectrum NEXT. 

Place the folder "2001-HAL" into the  C:/HOME  directory of your NEXT SD card.  Please read the ReadMe file for additional details of changing settings if not placing the files into the C:/HOME directory.

*** This program requires NextZXOS 2.08 or above ***

The main folder is "2001-HAL" and that contains the following files:

AUTOEXEC3-demo.BAS    (the main app in NextBASIC. LOAD this file and follow instructions in the README file... RUN to start the app, GOTO 2500 to save the app if any changes have happened, GOTO 3000 to create the "autoexec.bas" file)

AUTOEXEC3-demo.TXT   (text version of the .BAS file to view on PC or NEXT)

HAL9000.PAL   (palette file for the Layer2 screens)

HAL9000.SL2   (Layer2 screen "HAL" variant) 

SAL9000.SL2   (Layer2 screen "SAL" variant"

Autoexec.bas 2001 HAL-SAL Edition app ver3 - README  ( .pdf, .odt  formats  )

2001-HAL Cover art.png  (Cover art from the YouTube video)

DEFAULT.FNT  (ZX Spectrum default font file)

AMBER.ECS , GREEN.ECS, CYAN.ECS   (editor colour scheme files)

"VOICE" folder  (contains a reduced set of voice files used for the DEMO) 

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