Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Pictures | Tech Specs
Launched in 1982, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum really started the home computer revolution, and was many peoples first experience of home compting.
Easily the most successful of Sinclair's computers, in its various revisions, the Spectrum sold in its millions.
The follow up to the ZX81, the Spectrum introduced colour graphics and sound, done before, but not on a computer at this price.
Originally with a huge 16KB of RAM and the infamous rubber keyboard, which although a great step up from the touch-sensative keyboards of the ZX80 & ZX81, it was still rather naff for typing on.
The things that could be done with a Spectrum were endless. It was also the easiest
machine to program (and there has probably never been an easier one since), and as such, everyone tried their hand at writing games,
and new software houses were popping up virtually every day.
Next was an upgraded rubber keyed Spectrum with 48K of RAM. This was followed in 1984 by the SPectrum+ which had a better and extended keyboard.
The next version of the Spectrum+ in 1985 had 128K of RAM, and dedicated three-channel sound chip rather than single beeps.
In 1986, Amstrad bought Sinclair's computer side of the business, and in 1987 released the Spectrum +2. For the first time a Sinclair computer had a proper keyboard, and also had a built in cassette recorder called a "datacorder"
Amstrad next released the Spectrum +3 with a 3" Floppy Disk Drive to replace the cassette recorder
I got my first 16KB Spectrum in 1982, and can still remember the day it arrived. Over the years due to breakdowns I had various models,
next was a 48KB Spectrum (I think I had a couple of those!) and ended up with a Spectrum+, never reaching the dizzy heights of 128KB!
Pictures
The ZX Spectrum in all its glory, complete with box, all leads, and instruction manuals.
All plugged in, and working.
ZX Spectrum+
ZX Spectrum +2A: 128K RAM with built in "datacorder"
ZX Spectrum +3: 128K RAM with built in 3" floppy disk drive
And a few games, these are actual shots using a Spectrum plugged into my TV card. Not an emulator in sight!
Lets test my programming skills...
Tech specs
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| Processor: |
Zilog Z80A (3.54 MHz) |
| Screen Resolution: |
32 columns by 22 rows text, 256 by 192 pixels |
| Memory: |
16K/48K/128K RAM |
| Colours: |
8: blue, red, magenta, green, cyan, yellow, white and black, each with 2 levels of brightness |
| Sound: |
16K/48K: 1 channel, 5 octaves from built in speaker
128K: 3 channel, 7 octaves from TV speaker |
| Storage: |
16K/48K/128K: External cassette recorder
+2/+2A: Internal cassette recorder
+3: Internal 3" 180KB floppy disk drive |
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^ top PlayRetro.co.uk © 2002-2007 Mike Beale
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