| Hardware | | | | Europe) were the DISCiPLE and +D systems |
| ZX Spectrum 48K motherboard (Issue 3B 1983, | | | | released by Miles Gordon Technology in 1987 and |
| heat sink removed) | | | | 1988 respectively. Both systems had the ability to |
| The Spectrum is based on a Zilog Z80A CPU | | | | store memory images onto disk snapshots could |
| running at 3.5 MHz (or NEC D780C-1 clone). The | | | | later be used to restore the Spectrum to its |
| original model Spectrum has 16 KB (161024 | | | | exact previous state. They were also both |
| bytes) of ROM and either 16 KB or 48 KB of | | | | compatible with the Microdrive command syntax, |
| RAM. Hardware design was by Richard Altwasser | | | | which made porting existing software much |
| of Sinclair Research, and the machine's outward | | | | simpler. |
| appearance was designed by Sinclair's industrial | | | | During the mid-1980s, Telemap Group Ltd |
| designer Rick Dickinson. | | | | launched a fee-based service allowing users to |
| Video output is through an RF modulator and was | | | | connect their ZX Spectrums via a Prism Micro |
| designed for use with contemporary portable | | | | Products VTX5000 modem to a viewdata service |
| television sets, for a simple colour graphic display. | | | | known as Micronet 800, hosted by Prestel. This |
| Text can be displayed using 32 columns | | | | service pre-dated the web, but offered many of |
| 24 rows of characters from the ZX Spectrum | | | | the services now considered commonplace. |
| character set or from a set provided within an | | | | Software |
| application, from a palette of 15 shades: seven | | | | A screenshot from Rebelstar, a well-known |
| colours at two levels of brightness each, plus | | | | Spectrum game |
| black. The image resolution is 256192 with the | | | | Main article: ZX Spectrum software |
| same colour limitations. To conserve memory, | | | | The Spectrum enjoys a vibrant, dedicated |
| colour is stored separate from the pixel bitmap in | | | | fan-base. Since it was cheap and simple to learn |
| a low resolution, 3224 grid overlay, corresponding | | | | to use and program, the Spectrum was the |
| to the character cells. Altwasser received a | | | | starting point for many programmers. The |
| patent for this design. | | | | hardware limitations of the Spectrum imposed a |
| An "attribute" consists of a foreground and a | | | | special level of creativity on game designers, and |
| background colour, a brightness level (normal or | | | | so many Spectrum games are very creative and |
| bright) and a flashing "flag" which, when set, | | | | playable even by today's standards. The early |
| causes the two colours to swap at regular | | | | Spectrum models' great success as a games |
| intervals. Unfortunately, this scheme leads to what | | | | platform came in spite of its lack of built-in |
| was dubbed colour clash or attribute clash with | | | | joystick ports, primitive sound generation, and |
| some bizarre effects in the animated graphics of | | | | colour support that was optimised for text display. |
| arcade style games. This problem became a | | | | The Spectrum family enjoys a very large |
| distinctive feature of the Spectrum and an in-joke | | | | software library of more than 20,000 titles which |
| among Spectrum users, as well as a point of | | | | is still increasing. While most of these are games, |
| derision by advocates of other systems. Other | | | | the library is very diverse, including programming |
| machines available around the same time, for | | | | language implementations, databases (eg VU-File), |
| example the Amstrad CPC, did not suffer from | | | | word processors (eg Tasword II), spreadsheets |
| this limitation. The Commodore 64 used colour | | | | (eg VU-Calc), drawing and painting tools (eg OCP |
| attributes in a similar way, but a special multicolour | | | | Art Studio), and even 3D-modelling (e.g. VU-3D) as |
| mode, hardware sprites and scrolling were used | | | | well as astronomy and astrology programs and |
| to avoid attribute clash. | | | | archaeology software. |
| Sound output is through a beeper on the machine | | | | Distribution |
| itself. This is capable of producing one channel with | | | | Most Spectrum software was originally distributed |
| 10 octaves. The machine also includes an | | | | on audio cassette tapes. The Spectrum was |
| expansion bus edge connector and audio in/out | | | | intended to work with a normal domestic |
| ports for the connection of a cassette recorder | | | | cassette recorder, and despite differences in |
| for loading and saving programs and data. | | | | audio reproduction fidelity, the software loading |
| The machine's Sinclair BASIC interpreter is stored | | | | process was quite reliable, if somewhat slow (by |
| in ROM (along with fundamental system-routines) | | | | today's standards). |
| and was written by Steve Vickers on contract | | | | Although the ZX Microdrive was initially greeted |
| from Nine Tiles Ltd. The Spectrum's chiclet | | | | with good reviews, it never took off as a |
| keyboard (on top of a membrane, similar to | | | | distribution method due to worries about the |
| calculator keys) is marked with BASIC keywords, | | | | quality of the cartridges and piracy. Hence the |
| so that, for example, pressing "G" when in | | | | main use became to complement tape releases, |
| programming mode would insert the BASIC | | | | usually utilities and niche products like the Tasword |
| command GO TO. | | | | word processing software and Trans Express, (a |
| Models | | | | tape to microdrive copying utility). No games are |
| Pre-production designs | | | | known to be exclusively released on Microdrive. |
| Rick Dickinson came up with a number of designs | | | | Despite the popularity of the DISCiPLE and +D |
| called the ZX82 before the finalised ZX Spectrum. | | | | systems, most software released for them took |
| A number of the keyboard legends changed | | | | the form of utility software. The ZX Spectrum |
| during the design phase including ARC becoming | | | | +3 enjoyed much more success when it came to |
| CIRCLE, FORE becoming INK and BACK becoming | | | | commercial software releases on floppy disk. |
| PAPER. | | | | More than 700 titles were released on 3-inch disk |
| Sinclair Research models | | | | from 1987 to 1997. |
| ZX Spectrum 16K/48K | | | | Software was also distributed through print media; |
| ZX Spectrum 16K/48K (Dimensions (mm): | | | | magazines and books. The reader would type the |
| 233x144x30 (WxHxD) @ ~552 grams). | | | | Sinclair BASIC program listing into the computer |
| The original ZX Spectrum is remembered for its | | | | by hand, run it, and could save it to tape for later |
| rubber keyboard, diminutive size and distinctive | | | | use. The software distributed in this way was in |
| rainbow motif. It was originally released in 1982 | | | | general simpler and slower than its assembly |
| with 16 KB of RAM for 125 Sterling or with 48 | | | | language counterparts. Magazines also printed long |
| KB for 175; these prices were later reduced to | | | | lists of checksummed hexadecimal digits with |
| 99 and 129 respectively. Owners of the 16 KB | | | | machine code games or tools. |
| model could purchase an internal 32 KB RAM | | | | Another software distribution method was to |
| upgrade, which for early "Issue 1" machines | | | | broadcast the audio stream from the cassette on |
| consisted of a daughterboard. Later issue | | | | another medium and have users record it onto an |
| machines required the fitting of 8 dynamic RAM | | | | audio cassette themselves. In radio or television |
| chips and a few TTL chips. Users could mail their | | | | shows in many European countries, the host |
| 16K Spectrums to Sinclair to be upgraded to 48 | | | | would describe a program, instruct the audience |
| KB versions. To reduce the price, the 32 KB | | | | to connect a cassette tape recorder to the radio |
| extension used eight faulty 64 kilobit chips with | | | | or TV and then broadcast the program over the |
| only one half of their capacity working and/or | | | | airwaves in audio format. Some magazines |
| available. External 32 KB RAM packs that mounted | | | | distributed 7" 33 rpm flexidisc records, a variant |
| in the rear expansion slot were also available from | | | | of regular vinyl records which could be played on |
| third parties. Both machines had 16 KB of onboard | | | | a standard record player. These disks were |
| ROM. | | | | known as floppy ROMs. |
| About 60,000 "Issue 1" ZX Spectrums were | | | | Copying and backup software |
| manufactured; they can be distinguished from | | | | Many copierstilities to copy programs from audio |
| later models by the colour of the keys (light grey | | | | tape to another tape, microdrive tapes, and later |
| for Issue 1, blue-grey for later models). | | | | on diskettesere available for the Spectrum. As a |
| ZX Spectrum+ | | | | response to this, publishers introduced copy |
| ZX Spectrum+ (Dimensions (mm): 319x149x38 | | | | protection measures to their software, including |
| (WxHxD)) | | | | different loading schemes. Other methods for |
| Planning of the ZX Spectrum+ started in June | | | | copy prevention were also used including asking |
| 1984, and the machine was released in October | | | | for a particular word from the documentation |
| the same year. This 48 KB Spectrum | | | | included with the gameften a novella like in Silicon |
| (development code-name TB) introduced a new | | | | Dreams trilogyr another physical device distributed |
| QL-style case with an injection-moulded keyboard | | | | with the software.g. Lenslok as used in Elite. |
| and a reset button. Electronically, it was identical | | | | Special hardware, such as Romantic Robot's |
| to the previous 48 KB model. It retailed for | | | | Multiface, was able to dump a copy of the ZX |
| 179.95. A DIY conversion-kit for older machines | | | | Spectrum RAM to disk/tape at the press of a |
| was also available. Early on, the machine outsold | | | | button, entirely circumventing the copy protection |
| the rubber-key model 2:1; however, some | | | | systems. |
| retailers reported a failure rate of up to 30%, | | | | Most Spectrum software has, in recent years, |
| compared with a more usual 5-6%. | | | | been converted to current media and is available |
| ZX Spectrum 128 | | | | for download. One popular program for converting |
| ZX Spectrum 128 | | | | Spectrum files from tape is Taper; it allows |
| Sinclair developed the ZX Spectrum 128 | | | | connecting a cassette tape player to the line in |
| (code-named Derby) in conjunction with their | | | | port of a sound card, orhrough a simple |
| Spanish distributor Investrnica. Investrnica had | | | | home-built deviceo the parallel port of a PC. Once |
| helped adapt the ZX Spectrum+ to the Spanish | | | | in files on a host machine, the software can be |
| market after the Spanish government introduced | | | | executed on one of many emulators, on virtually |
| a special tax on all computers with 64 KB RAM | | | | any platform available today. |
| or less which did not support the Spanish alphabet | | | | The largest on-line archive of ZX Spectrum |
| (such as ) and show messages in Spanish. | | | | software is World of Spectrum, with more than |
| New features included 128 KB RAM, | | | | 18,000 titles. The legality of this practice is still in |
| three-channel audio via the AY-3-8912 chip, MIDI | | | | question and a number of copyright holders have |
| compatibility, an RS-232 serial port, an RGB | | | | explicitly objected to the posting of their |
| monitor port, 32 KB of ROM including an | | | | software, with which some Spectrum |
| improved BASIC editor, and an external keypad. | | | | abandonware sites have usually complied. |
| The machine was simultaneously presented for | | | | Notable developers |
| the first time and launched in September 1985 at | | | | A number of current leading games developers |
| the SIMO '85 trade show in Spain, with a price of | | | | and development companies began their careers |
| 44,250 pesetas. Because of the large number of | | | | on the ZX Spectrum, including David Perry of |
| unsold Spectrum+ models, Sinclair decided not to | | | | Shiny Entertainment, and Tim and Chris Stamper |
| start selling in the UK until January 1986 at a price | | | | (founders of Ultimate Play The Game, now |
| of 179.95. No external keypad was available for | | | | known as Rare, maker of many famous titles for |
| the UK release, although the ROM routines to use | | | | Nintendo and Microsoft game consoles). Other |
| it and the port itself, which was hastily renamed | | | | prominent games developers include Julian Gollop |
| "AUX", remained. | | | | (Chaos, Rebelstar, X-COM series), Matthew Smith |
| The Z80 processor used in the Spectrum has a | | | | (Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy), Jon Ritman (Match |
| 16-bit address bus, which means only 64 KB of | | | | Day, Head Over Heels), The Oliver Twins (the |
| memory can be directly addressed. To facilitate | | | | Dizzy series), Clive Townsend (Saboteur), Pete |
| the extra 80 KB of RAM the designers used | | | | Cooke (Tau Ceti), Mike Singleton (The Lords of |
| bank switching so that the new memory would | | | | Midnight,War In Middle Earth), and Alan Cox. |
| be available as eight pages of 16 KB at the top | | | | Although the Spectrum's audio hardware was not |
| of the address space. The same technique was | | | | as capable as that of the Commodore 64, |
| also used to page between the new 16 KB editor | | | | computer musicians David Whittaker and Tim |
| ROM and the original 16 KB BASIC ROM at the | | | | Follin produced notable multi-channel music for the |
| bottom of the address space. | | | | machine. |
| The new sound chip and MIDI out abilities were | | | | Jeff Minter ported some of his Commodore |
| exposed to the BASIC programming language | | | | VIC-20 games for the ZX Spectrum. |
| with the command PLAY and a new command | | | | Community |
| SPECTRUM was added to switch the machine into | | | | The ZX Spectrum enjoyed a very strong |
| 48K mode, keeping the current BASIC program | | | | community early on. Several dedicated magazines |
| intact (although there is no way to switch back to | | | | were released including Sinclair User (1982), Your |
| 128K mode). To enable BASIC programmers to | | | | Sinclair (1983) and CRASH (1984). Early on they |
| access the additional memory, a RAM disk was | | | | were very technically oriented with type-in |
| created where files could be stored in the | | | | programs and machine code tutorials. Later on |
| additional 80 KB of RAM. The new commands | | | | they became almost completely game-oriented. |
| took the place of two existing | | | | Several general contemporary computer |
| user-defined-character spaces causing compatibility | | | | magazines covered the ZX Spectrum in more or |
| problems with some BASIC programs. | | | | less detail. They included Computer Gamer, |
| The Spanish version had the "128K" logo in white | | | | Computer and Video Games, Computing Today, |
| while the English one had the same logo in red. | | | | Popular Computing Weekly, Your Computer and |
| Amstrad models | | | | The Games Machine. |
| ZX Spectrum +2 | | | | The Spectrum is affectionately known as the |
| ZX Spectrum +2 | | | | Speccy by elements of its fan following. |
| The ZX Spectrum +2 was Amstrad's first | | | | More than 80 electronic magazines existed, |
| Spectrum, coming shortly after their purchase of | | | | mostly in Russian. Most notable of them were |
| the Spectrum range and "Sinclair" brand in 1986. | | | | AlchNews (UK), ZX-Format (Russia), and |
| The machine featured an all-new grey case | | | | Spectrofon (Russia). |
| featuring a spring-loaded keyboard, dual joystick | | | | See also |
| ports, and a built-in cassette recorder dubbed the | | | | SAM Coup A Similar system, often considered a |
| "Datacorder" (like the Amstrad CPC 464), but | | | | clone of the ZX Spectrum. |
| was in most respects identical to the ZX | | | | ZX Spectrum graphic modes |
| Spectrum 128. The main menu screen lacked the | | | | List of ZX Spectrum games |
| Spectrum 128's "Tape Test" option, and the ROM | | | | List of ZX Spectrum clones |
| was altered to account for a new 1986 Amstrad | | | | History of computing hardware (1960s-present) |
| copyright message. These changes resulted in | | | | References |
| minor incompatibility problems with software that | | | | ^ a b c "How the Spectrum began a revolution". |
| accessed ROM routines at certain addresses. | | | | BBC. 2007-04-23. Retrieved 2007-06-05. |
| Production costs had been reduced and the retail | | | | ^ Dickinson, Rick. "specLOGO02". Sinclair |
| price dropped to 139149. | | | | Spectrum development. Retrieved 2007-07-24. |
| The new keyboard did not include the BASIC | | | | ^ Dickinson, Rick. "specModel01". Sinclair Spectrum |
| keyword markings that were found on earlier | | | | development. Retrieved 2007-07-24. |
| Spectrums, except for the keywords LOAD, | | | | ^ Klooster, Erik. "SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM : the |
| CODE and RUN which were useful for loading | | | | good, old 'speccy'". Computer Museum. Retrieved |
| software. This was not a major issue however, | | | | 2006-04-19. |
| as the +2 boasted a menu system, almost | | | | ^ a b Owen, Chris. "ZX Spectrum 16K/48K". |
| identical to the ZX Spectrum 128, where one | | | | Planet Sinclair. Retrieved 2008-09-14. |
| could switch between 48k BASIC programming | | | | ^ Williams, Chris (2007-04-23). "Sinclair ZX |
| with the keywords, and 128k BASIC | | | | Spectrum: 25 today". Register Hardware. Situation |
| programming in which all words (keywords and | | | | Publishing. Retrieved 2008-09-14. |
| otherwise) must be typed out in full (although the | | | | ^ Owen, Chris. "ZX Spectrum". Planet Sinclair. |
| keywords are still stored internally as one | | | | Retrieved 2008-09-14. |
| character each). Despite these changes, the | | | | ^ Vickers, Steven (1982). "Introduction". Sinclair |
| layout remained identical to that of the 128. | | | | ZX Spectrum BASIC Programming. Sinclair |
| ZX Spectrum +2A | | | | Research Ltd. Retrieved 2006-08-23. |
| ZX Spectrum +2A | | | | ^ a b Vickers, Steven (1982). "Colours". Sinclair |
| The ZX Spectrum +2A was produced to | | | | ZX Spectrum BASIC Programming. Sinclair |
| homogenise Amstrad's range in 1987. Although | | | | Research Ltd. Retrieved 2006-08-23. |
| the case reads "ZX Spectrum +2", the +2A/B is | | | | ^ EP patent 0107687, "Display for a computer", |
| easily distinguishable from the original +2 as the | | | | granted 1988-07-06 , assigned to Sinclair Research |
| case was restored to the standard Spectrum | | | | Ltd |
| black. | | | | ^ Vickers, Steven (1982). "Basic programming |
| The +2A was derived from Amstrad's +3 4.1 | | | | concepts". Sinclair ZX Spectrum BASIC |
| ROM model, using a new motherboard which | | | | Programming. Sinclair Research Ltd. Retrieved |
| vastly reduced the chip count, integrating many of | | | | 2006-09-19. |
| them into a new ASIC. The +2A replaced the | | | | ^ a b "The Machines". The Home Computers Hall |
| +3's disk drive and associated hardware with a | | | | of Fame. Retrieved 2007-05-20. |
| tape drive, as in the original +2. Originally, Amstrad | | | | ^ "The High Street Spectrum". ZX Computing: 43. |
| planned to introduce an additional disk interface, | | | | February 1983. Retrieved 2008-08-05. |
| but this never appeared. If an external disk drive | | | | ^ "News: Spectrum prices are slashed". Sinclair |
| was added, the "+2A" on the system OS menu | | | | User (15): 13. June 1983. Retrieved 2006-08-15. |
| would change to a +3. As with the ZX Spectrum | | | | ^ Goodwin, Simon (September 1984). "Suddenly, |
| +3, some older 48K, and a few older 128K, | | | | it's the 64K Spectrum!". Your Spectrum (7): 3334. |
| games were incompatible with the machine. | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-21. |
| ZX Spectrum +2B | | | | ^ Owen, Chris. "Spectrum 48K Versions". Planet |
| The ZX Spectrum +2B signified a manufacturing | | | | Sinclair. Retrieved 2006-04-24. |
| move from Hong Kong to Taiwan later in 1987. | | | | ^ a b c Denham, Sue (December 1984). "The |
| ZX Spectrum +3 | | | | Secret That Was Spectrum+". Your Spectrum |
| ZX Spectrum +3 | | | | (10): 104. Retrieved 2006-08-21. |
| The ZX Spectrum +3 looked similar to the +2 but | | | | ^ a b Owen, Chris. "ZX Spectrum+". Planet |
| featured a built-in 3-inch floppy disk drive (like the | | | | Sinclair. Retrieved 2006-08-21. |
| Amstrad CPC 6128) instead of the tape drive, | | | | ^ "News: New Spectrum launch". Sinclair User (33): |
| and was in a black case. It was launched in 1987, | | | | 11. December 1984. Retrieved 2006-08-19. |
| initially retailed for 249 and then later 199 and was | | | | ^ Bourne, Chris (November 1985). "News: Launch |
| the only Spectrum capable of running the CP/M | | | | of the Spectrum 128 in Spain". Sinclair User (44): |
| operating system without additional hardware. | | | | 5. Retrieved 2006-08-15. |
| The +3 saw the addition of two more 16 KB | | | | ^ Crookes, David. "Why QWERTY?". Micro Mart. |
| ROMs. One was home to the second part of the | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-15. |
| reorganised 128 ROM and the other hosted the | | | | ^ "Clive discovers games at last". Sinclair User |
| +3's disk operating system. This was a modified | | | | (49): 53. April 1985. Retrieved 2006-08-20. |
| version of Amstrad's AMSDOS, called +3DOS. | | | | ^ Phillips, Max (November 1986). "ZX Spectrum |
| These two new 16 KB ROMs and the original two | | | | +2". Your Sinclair (11): 47. Retrieved 2006-08-29. |
| 16 KB ROMs were now physically implemented | | | | ^ Kendall, Philip (2000-01-06). "Sinclair ZX |
| together as two 32 KB chips. To be able to run | | | | Spectrum FAQ: Question 14". Planet Sinclair. |
| CP/M, which requires RAM at the bottom of the | | | | Retrieved 2008-01-05. |
| address space, the bank-switching was further | | | | ^ South, Phil (July 1987). "It's here... the Spectrum |
| improved, allowing the ROM to be paged out for | | | | +3". Your Sinclair (17): 2223. Retrieved |
| another 16 KB of RAM. | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| Such core changes brought incompatibilities: | | | | ^ Amstrad (November 1987). "The new Sinclair |
| Removal of several lines on the expansion bus | | | | has one big disk advantage". Sinclair User (68): 23. |
| edge connector (video, power, and IORQGE); | | | | Retrieved 2008-08-05. |
| caused many external devices problems; some | | | | ^ Rupert Goodwins (2002-05-12). "Sinclair Loki |
| such as the VTX5000 modem could be used via | | | | Superspectrum". comp.sys.sinclair. (Web link). |
| the "FixIt" device | | | | Retrieved on 2006-11-08. |
| Dividing ROMCS into 2 lines, to disable both ROMs | | | | ^ Owen, Chris. "Clones and variants". Planet |
| Reading a non-existent I/O port no longer | | | | Sinclair. Retrieved 2006-10-26. |
| returned the last attribute; caused some games | | | | ^ Owen, Chris. "ZX Printer". Planet Sinclair. |
| such as Arkanoid to be unplayable | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-24. |
| Memory timing changes; some of the RAM banks | | | | ^ "News: Some surprises in the Microdrive". |
| were now contended causing high-speed | | | | Sinclair User (18): 15. September 1983. Retrieved |
| colour-changing effects to fail | | | | 2006-08-29. |
| The keypad scanning routines from the ROM | | | | ^ Adams, Stephen (October 1983). "Hardware |
| were removedmove 1 byte address in ROM | | | | World: Spectrum receives its biggest |
| Some older 48K, and a few older 128K, games | | | | improvement". Sinclair User (19): 2729. Retrieved |
| were incompatible with the machine. | | | | 2006-08-29. |
| The +3 was the final official model of the | | | | ^ "Hardware World: Sinclair cartridges may be out |
| Spectrum to be manufactured, remaining in | | | | of step". Sinclair User (21): 35. December 1983. |
| production until December 1990. Although still | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-29. |
| accounting for one third of all home computer | | | | ^ "Hardware World: Clear speech from Currah |
| sales in the UK at the time, production of the | | | | module". Sinclair User (21): 40. December 1983. |
| model was ceased by Amstrad at that point. | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-29. |
| Clones | | | | ^ Frey, Franco (February 1987). "Tech Niche: |
| Didaktik M | | | | Videoface to Face". CRASH (37): 8687. Retrieved |
| See also: list of ZX Spectrum clones | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| Sinclair licensed the Spectrum design to Timex | | | | ^ Bates, Jon (April 1986). "Tech Niche: SpecDrum". |
| Corporation in the United States. An enhanced | | | | CRASH (27): 100. Retrieved 2007-08-09. |
| version of the Spectrum with better sound, | | | | ^ Frey, Franco (March 1986). "Tech Niche: |
| graphics and other modifications was marketed in | | | | Multifaceted device". CRASH (36): 86. Retrieved |
| the USA by Timex as the Timex Sinclair 2068. | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| Timex's derivatives were largely incompatible with | | | | ^ "Hardware World: Emperor Looks Good". Sinclair |
| Sinclair systems. However, some of the Timex | | | | User (31): 31. October 1984. Retrieved |
| innovations were later adopted by Sinclair | | | | 2007-10-30. |
| Research. A case in point was the abortive | | | | ^ Frey, Franco (March 1987). "Tech Niche: Pure |
| Pandora portable Spectrum, whose ULA had the | | | | Gospel". CRASH (38): 8283. Retrieved |
| high resolution video mode pioneered in the | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| TS2068. Pandora had a flat-screen monitor and | | | | ^ Heide, Martijn van der. "What's new". World of |
| Microdrives and was intended to be Sinclair's | | | | Spectrum. Retrieved 2006-08-19. |
| business portable. When Alan Sugar bought the | | | | ^ "raww.org :: zx spectrum demoscene news". |
| computer side of Sinclair it got ditched (a | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-19. |
| conversation with UK computer journalist Guy | | | | ^ McCandless, David (1998-09-17), |
| Kewney went thus: AS: "Have you seen it?" GK: | | | | "Retrospectrum", Daily Telegraph, |
| "Yes" AS: "Well then."). | | | | ^ Adamson, Ian; Richard Kennedy (1986-10-30). |
| In the UK, Spectrum peripheral vendor Miles | | | | Sinclair and the "Sunrise" Technology: The |
| Gordon Technology (MGT) released the SAM | | | | Deconstruction of a Myth. Penguin Books Ltd. |
| Coup as a potential successor with some | | | | ISBN 0140087745. |
| Spectrum compatibility. However, by this point, | | | | ^ a b Heide, Martijn van der. "Archive!". World of |
| the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST had taken | | | | Spectrum. Retrieved 2006-08-11. |
| hold of the market, leaving MGT in eventual | | | | ^ a b Pearce, Nick (October/November 1982). |
| receivership. | | | | "Zap! Pow! Boom!". ZX Computing: 75. Retrieved |
| Many unofficial Spectrum clones were produced, | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| especially in the former Eastern Bloc countries | | | | ^ Wetherill, Steven (June 1984). "Tasword Two: |
| (e.g. in Romania, several models were produced | | | | The Word Processor". CRASH! (5): 126. Retrieved |
| (Tim-S, HC85, HC91, Cobra, Junior, CIP, CIP 3, | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| Jet) , some featuring CP/M and a 5.25"/3.5" floppy | | | | ^ Gilbert, John (October 1985). "Art Studio". |
| disk) and South America (e.g. Microdigital TK 90X | | | | Sinclair User (43): 28. Retrieved 2007-01-18. |
| and TK 95). In the Soviet Union, ZX Spectrum | | | | ^ Carter, Alasdair (October/November 1983). |
| clones were assembled by thousands of small | | | | "VU-3D". ZX Computing: 7677. Retrieved |
| start-ups and distributed though poster ads and | | | | 2008-08-05. |
| street stalls. Over 50 such clone models existed. | | | | ^ "Psion Vu-3D". Retrieved 2007-01-18. |
| Some of them are still being produced, such as | | | | ^ Heide, Martijn van der. "World of Spectrum". |
| the Pentagon and ATM Turbo. In India, Decibells | | | | Retrieved 2008-09-16. |
| Electronics introduced a licensed version of the | | | | ^ Brown, Paul N.. "Pitcalc simple interactive |
| Spectrum+ in 1986. Dubbed the "db Spectrum+", | | | | coordinate & trigonometric calculation |
| it did reasonably well in the Indian market and sold | | | | software". Retrieved 2008-09-16. |
| quite a few thousand until 1990 when the market | | | | ^ Vickers, Steven; and Bradbeer, Robin (1982). "6. |
| died away. | | | | Using the cassette recorder". Sinclair ZX |
| Peripherals | | | | Spectrum: Introduction. Sinclair Research Ltd. |
| Several peripherals for the Spectrum were | | | | p. 21. Retrieved 2007-08-10. |
| marketed by Sinclair: the ZX Printer was already | | | | ^ Frey, Franco (May 1984). "Epicventuring and |
| on the market, as the ZX Spectrum expansion | | | | Multiplayer Networking". CRASH (4): 4647. |
| bus was backwards-compatible with that of the | | | | Retrieved 2007-08-11. |
| ZX81. | | | | ^ Foot, Cathy (November 1985). "Microdrive |
| The ZX Interface 1 add-on module included 8 KB | | | | revisited". CRASH (22): 8. Retrieved 2006-08-10. |
| of ROM, an RS-232 serial port, a proprietary LAN | | | | ^ Grimwood, Jim. "The Type Fantastic". Retrieved |
| interface (called ZX Net), and an interface for the | | | | 2008-09-16. |
| connection of up to eight ZX Microdrives | | | | ^ Heide, Martijn van der. "Books". World of |
| somewhat unreliable but speedy tape-loop | | | | Spectrum. Retrieved 2008-09-17. |
| cartridge storage devices released in July 1983. | | | | ^ "News". Sinclair User (16): 17. July 1983. |
| These were later used in a revised version on the | | | | Retrieved 2006-08-19. |
| Sinclair QL, whose storage format was electrically | | | | ^ Collins, Paul Equinox. "Spectrum references in |
| compatible but logically incompatible with the | | | | popular music". Retrieved 2008-09-16. |
| Spectrum's. Sinclair also released the ZX Interface | | | | ^ Heide, Martijn van der. "Sinclair Inforseek". World |
| 2 which added two joystick ports and a ROM | | | | of Spectrum. Retrieved 20080918. |
| cartridge port. | | | | ^ Barker, Andy. "ZX Spectrum Loading Schemes". |
| There were also a plethora of third-party | | | | Retrieved 20080918. |
| hardware addons. The better known of these | | | | ^ Heide, Martijn van der. "Taper". World of |
| included the Kempston joystick interface, the | | | | Spectrum. Retrieved 2008-09-12. |
| Morex Peripherals Centronics/RS-232 interface, | | | | ^ Heide, Martijn van der. "World of Spectrum |
| the Currah Microspeech unit (speech synthesis), | | | | Software Copyrights and Distribution |
| Videoface Digitiser, RAM pack, the Cheetah | | | | Permissions". World of Spectrum. Retrieved |
| Marketing SpecDrum, a drum machine, and the | | | | 2008-09-12. |
| Multiface, a snapshot and disassembly tool from | | | | ^ Bezroukov, Nikolai. "Alan Cox: and the Art of |
| Romantic Robot. Keyboards were especially | | | | Making Beta Code Work". Portraits of Open |
| popular in view of the original's notorious "dead | | | | Source Pioneers. Retrieved 2007-01-18. |
| flesh" feel. | | | | ^ Minter, Jeff. "Llamasoft History Part 8 - The |
| ZX Printer | | | | Dawn of Llamasoft". Retrieved 2007-09-26. |
| ZX Interface 1 | | | | ^ "The Top Shelf magazines, comics and papers |
| ZX Interface 2 | | | | of the near past.". TV Cream's Top Shelf. |
| ZX Microdrive | | | | Retrieved 2008-09-10. |
| Kempston joystick interface | | | | ^ "The YS Top 100 Speccy Games Of All Time |
| There were numerous disk drive interfaces, | | | | (Ever!)". Your Sinclair (70): 31. October 1991. |
| including the Abbeydale Designers/Watford | | | | Retrieved 2007-06-13. |
| Electronics SPDOS, Abbeydale Designers | | | | External links |
| Kempston KDOS and Opus Discovery. The | | | | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sinclair |
| SPDOS and KDOS interfaces were the first to | | | | ZX Spectrum |
| come bundled with Office productivity software | | | | World of Spectrum Fan site officially endorsed |
| (Tasword Word Processor, Masterfile database | | | | by Amstrad |
| and OmniCalc spreadsheet). This bundle, together | | | | Planet Sinclair Spectrum pages |
| with OCP's Stock Control, Finance and Payroll | | | | ZX Spectrum at the Open Directory Project |
| systems, introduced many small businesses to a | | | | ZXF magazine |
| streamlined, computerised operation. The most | | | | The Incomplete Spectrum ROM Assembly and |
| popular floppy disk systems (except in East | | | | actual assembly listingcomp.sys. |