--- title: Sinclair ZX SPECTRUM categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - United Kingdom years: - '1982' cpus: - Zilog Z80 A params: name: ZX SPECTRUM image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_3-4_2_hr_s.jpg company: /companies/sinclair company_name: Sinclair specs: - label: NAME value: ZX SPECTRUM - label: MANUFACTURER value: Sinclair - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: United Kingdom - label: YEAR value: April 1982 - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: '1984' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Sinclair Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: QWERTY rubber keyboard (40 keys) with up to 6 functions by keys ! - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80 A - label: SPEED value: 3.5 MHz - label: RAM value: 16k or 48k (42k left for programming) - label: ROM value: 16k (Basic & OS) - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 x 24 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 256 x 192 - label: COLORS value: 8 with two tones each (normal and bright) - label: SOUND value: 1 voice / 10 octaves (Beeper) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 23 x 14,4 x 3 cm / 550g - label: I/O PORTS value: Expansion port, tape-recorder (1200 bauds), RF video out - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External PSU, 9v DC, 1.4A (centre polarity = -ve) - label: PERIPHERALS value: ZX printer, ZX microdrives - label: PRICE value: |- 16k: 282 (France, 1983) - 48k: 365 (France, 1983)\ 16k: £99 (U.K. 1984) - 48k: £125 (U.K. 1984) tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - software - emulators - links - docs - videos forum_thread: 233 photos: - title: ZX SPECTRUM subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_3-4_2_hr.jpg - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_3-4_hr.jpg - title: FRONT subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_front_hr.jpg - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_left-side_hr.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_right-side_hr.jpg - title: UPSIDE DOWN subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_under_hr.jpg - title: KEYBOARD DETAIL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_keyboard-detail_hr.jpg - title: DETAIL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_keyboard-detail_2_hr.jpg - title: KEYBOARD PERSPECTIVE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_keyboard-detail_3_hr.jpg - title: KEYBOARD subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_keyboard_hr.jpg - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: This is the back of the Spectrum, with an expansion bus, tape-recorder sockets, power in and video output. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx-spectrum_rear_hr.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: This is a look inside an old French version (SECAM). The small board badly mounted on the motherboard is a special video card used to comply with the French video system. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_spectrum_opened_1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD EXPLAINED subtitle: '' text: |- The technical choices of Clive Sinclair follow the reasoning initiated by the ZX-81: one microprocessor, one ROM circuit for the integrated software, one chipset for the Inputs/Outputs, and one for the video, RAM memory and some logical chips. In fact, it is not so easy. Such a motherboard requires thousands of hours of research and tests in engineering and design departments, especially for the design and the mass production of the specialized integrated circuits. **(1)** TV aerial RF modulator.\ **(2)** Two input/output jacks for a standard cassette recorder.\ **(3)** Chipset in charge of Inputs/Outputs (cassette, keyboard and video display).\ **(4)** Universal connector for numerous peripherals.\ **(5)** Power plug. An external transformer supplies power.\ **(6)** Z80-A microprocessor.\ **(7)** ROM circuit holding the Basic interpreter and Input/Output routines.\ **(8)** Power regulator. Converts 9 volts power from the transformer into a 5 V. regulated tension.\ **(9)** Cooler.\ **(10)** Loudspeaker.\ **(11)** Keyboard connector.\ **(12)** User RAM memory chips.\ **(13)** Video RAM memory chips.\ **(14)** Chipset in charge of text and graphic display.\ **(15)** Clocks (two quartz) for the microprocessor (3.5 Mhz.) and circuits' synchronization. image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_spectrum_motherboard_1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD ISSUES 1 & 2 subtitle: '' text: |- The Speccy was revised 3 times during its production run in this form. If you take the top cover off, you will see the words 'issue X' printed along the bottom edge. Thanks to Peter James for the issue 2 picture image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_spectrum_issues1-2_1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD ISSUES 3 & 4 subtitle: '' text: Thanks to Peter James for the pictures image: /media/museum/photos/sinclair_spectrum_issues3-4_1.jpg adverts: - title: FRENCH ADVERT. subtitle: '' text: '''''The Sinclair spirit is in him''''' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrum_pub_esprit-sinclair.jpg - title: 'FRENCH ADVERT #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_zx-sepctrum_advrte_sinclair-simpose.jpg - title: SPECTRUM+ FRENCH AD. subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrumplus_pub1.jpg - title: ITALIAN AD. subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **http://angelmemories.cjb.net/** image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrum_pubitalie_1.jpg - title: 'ITALIAN AD #2' subtitle: '' text: |- Special offer including italian books Courtesy of **http://angelmemories.cjb.net/** image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrum_pubitalie_2.jpg - title: 'ITALIAN AD #3' subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **http://angelmemories.cjb.net/** image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrump_aditaly_1.jpg - title: 'ITALIAN AD #4' subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **http://angelmemories.cjb.net/** image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrum_pubitalie_3.jpg - title: 'ITALIAN AD #5' subtitle: '' text: |- Upgrade kit to transform a Spectrum into a Spectrum + Courtesy of **http://angelmemories.cjb.net/** image: /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_spectrum_pubitalie_4.jpg - title: GREEK ADVERT (MARCH 1985) subtitle: '' text: '' image: null hardware: - title: PERIPHERALS SKETCH subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_zx-spectrum_peripheral_sketch.jpg - title: ROTRONICS WAFADRIVE subtitle: '' text: 'The Wafadrive principle is the same as that of Sinclair MicroDrive. An endless tape runs in a cassette and allows faster access to information than a standard cassette. The Wafadrive cartridges seem to be more reliable than those of Sinclair and offer 3 different storage capacities: 16, 64 or 128 Kb. On the other hand they are definitely slower (up to 10 times for a 128 Kb. cartridge). This is most probably why the Wafadrive didn''t meet a large success in spite of a very powerful word processor provided in the tools cartridge.' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_wafadrive_1.jpg - title: ORDIVIDUEL subtitle: '' text: 395fr (France, september 84) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_jstck4.jpg - title: STONECHIP subtitle: '' text: |- Stonechip programmable joystick interface. 395fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_jstck1.jpg - title: VTR subtitle: '' text: |- VTR programmable joystick interface 260fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_jstck2.jpg - title: VISMO subtitle: '' text: 250fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_jstck3.jpg - title: SPECTRAVIDEO QUICKSHOT JOYSTICK subtitle: '' text: |- About this joystick, Peter says:\ I think that just about everybody in the UK must remember this joystick! It was cheap and didn't last long but was the joystick most of us used until we could afford the Adonis of the joysticks, the Kempston Competition Pro, but until then this one had to do. The usual point of failure was that the metal contacts in the base would eventually snap off, having been bended backwards and forwards so much that the metal would fatigue and crack. Price: About £10 1983 onwards Thanks to Peter James for the picture image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_spectravideojoy_1.jpg - title: EMPEROR subtitle: '' text: |- SAGA1 Emperor Spectrum replacement keyboard. About this keyboard, Peter adds:\ I bought the Saga Emperor Spectrum replacement keyboard on it's looks and advertising ('Sheer elegance..'), which turned out to be a mistake, as it was not much better than the Speccy's original keyboard. The Saga was not a full-stroke keyboard as such, it used little rubber caps as its suspension for the keys instead of springs and this let you down quite a bit. Also the whole thing was a bit flimsy. It did offer extra keys to aid entering code, but was overall a disappointment, I should have saved my money and bought the plainer looking but much better DK'Tronics keyboard! Thanks to Peter James for the picture image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_emperorkeyb_1.jpg - title: STONECHIP KEYBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- A real (?) keyboard for the Spectrum ?\ br> 895fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_kbd1.jpg - title: VTR MODULATOR subtitle: '' text: |- VTR Black & White Modulator 195fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_mod_nb.jpg - title: BLACK AND WHITE MODULATOR subtitle: '' text: 190fr (France, june 84) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_mod_nb2.jpg - title: VISMO PARALLEL INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: 1095fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_paralel.jpg - title: VTR PARALLEL CENTRONICS INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: 790fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_paralel2.jpg - title: MODEM PRISM VTX-5000 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_vtx5000_1.jpg - title: CUSTOM CASES subtitle: '' text: Available for Sinclair Spectrum and ZX81 image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_customcase.jpg - title: DISCOVERY SYSTEM subtitle: '' text: 'The Discovery system uses the new Sony 3.5'''' diskette to save in full safety the programs and data of the Spectrum or Spectrum+. The diskette has a capacity of 180 KB and a second drive can be installed. The commands of the operating system are similar to those of Sinclair Microdrives. The case includes a power supply and various Spectrum expansion connectors. In short, a lot of hardware qualities, but an incomprehensible defect: the data transfer speed is slower than Microdrives, whereas a disk drive is able to be ten times faster than a tape reader. Discovery did not meet success, certainly for this reason, but also because of its high price, not compatible with the Spectrum''s young users'' purse.' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_fddiscovery_1.jpg - title: INSIDE DISCOVERY subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** Metallic case.\ **(2)** Centronics parallel printer connector.\ **(3)** Spectrum expansion connector.\ **(4)** Discovery to Spectrum connector.\ **(5)** EPROM memory chip holding drive management routines and OS commands.\ **(6)** Sony 3.5'' disc drive. A double side, single density version.\ **(7)** A strange location for the power transformer, under the disk drive and not protected against magnetic fields.\ **(8)** This empty socket receives a 2 Kb. RAM chip when a second disc drive is installed.\ **(9)** 6821 Circuit, in charge of disc drive control.\ **(10)** Each disc drive uses an internal RAM area to avoid using Spectrum RAM.\ **(11)** Atari standard joystick connector. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_fddiscovery_ins.jpg - title: INSIDE WAFADRIVE subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** The Wafadrive unit includes two specially designed cartridge drives.\ **(2)** Each cartridge drive has its own motor and electronic control system.\ **(3)** The Wafadrive offers three expansion ports. Unfortunately, they are not compatible with the Spectrum ones and need special cables.\ **(4)** Centronics parallel printer connector.\ **(5)** Spectrum expansion connector for additional peripherals.\ **(6)** 8 Kb. EPROM holding operating system and Basic drives commands.\ **(7)** The Wafadrive is connected to the Spectrum expansion port. It also uses the computer's power supply.\ **(8)** Power Leds. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_wafadrive_2.jpg - title: WAFADRIVE CARTRIDGE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_wafadrive_3.jpg - title: CHEETAH JOYSTICK INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: Thanks to Peter James for the picture image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_cheetahjoyinterf_1.jpg - title: KEMPSTON JOYSTICK INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: |- Peter says:\ I'm not sure if this was the first joystick interface for the Spectrum but it defined a standard that was never displaced. Most games carried the words 'Kempston joystick compatible' Says it all really! They later revised the interface to offer 2 joystick connectors Thanks to Peter James for the picture image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_kempstonjoyinterf_1.jpg - title: DK'TRONICS SPEECH SYNTHESIZER subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_zx-spectrum_dktronics-speech_synth_1.jpg - title: MAGECO MONITOR subtitle: '' text: It cost 75fr in january 85 (France). image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_dessas.jpg - title: VTR VOCAL SYNTHESIZER subtitle: '' text: 470fr (France, january 85) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_vocal.jpg - title: CURRAH SPEECH subtitle: Vocal synthesizer text: Just type on the keys and the Spectrum "speaks" with two tones, high and low. There is also a sofware support. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_vocal2.jpg - title: CHEETAH SPECDRUM subtitle: '' text: |- About the Specdrum, Peter says:\ This was the most fun add-on I ever bought for the Spectrum. You had to connect it to a phono input on a stereo amp, load up the software and away you went. You could enter the rhythm in real time or step time and it had 8 sounds it could play at once. The sound was perfect and still sounds good today. They released some extra drum kit sounds to expand the Specdrum's sound library, Afro Kit and Electro Kit are the ones I remember and purchased. I don’t think any Spectrum should be without this Add-on, it rocks!! Price: About £30 around 85-86 Thanks to Peter James for the picture image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_specdrum_1.jpg - title: ALPHACOM 32 subtitle: '' text: 'Alphacom 32 is the well-known and the cheaper printer for the Spectrum, offering exactly the same features as the ZX Printer : full Spectrum characters set, 32 char. / line and silver plated thermal paper. Alphacom 32 uses its own power supply. june 84 price : 181 -E- (France).' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_alphacom.jpg - title: FLOYD 40 subtitle: '' text: 'Floyd 40, from the manufacturer Shiva Marketing, doesn''t seem to be very reliable with its very thin plastic case and its wooden paper axis ! However Floyd features are better than Alphacom ones: use of white thermal paper more readable and less expensive, only one cable to connect it to the Spectrum (power and data) and better printing quality. Moreover, Floyd 40 has larger characters set and printing options : double height and width, text printing in the four directions and more advanced and accurate graphic abilities (5 x 7 dots head). On the other hand, the printing is rather slow and the print width doesn''t exceed 8 cm.' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_floyd40_1.jpg - title: ZX-81 THERMAL PRINTER subtitle: '' text: |- This is a small thermal printer (of very poor quality !). It can print all the graphical characters of the Spectrum and can print 9 lines of text per inch. It was possible to make a hard copy of the screen thanks to the "Copy" command. This tiny thermal printer can also be used with the ZX-Spectrum. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_zx81_printer.jpg - title: ZX THERMAL PRINTER subtitle: Box text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_zx81_zx-printer_box_1.jpg - title: ZX INTERFACE 1 subtitle: '' text: |- This interface offers an RS232 connector, a Microdrive connector and a network socket to connect up to 64 Spectrums ! This marvel cost 895fr in june 84 (France). image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_intrfc1.jpg - title: MICRODRIVES subtitle: '' text: |- Sinclair Microdrives for use with the ZX Interface 1. Up to 8 microdrives can be connected. Micro-tape Capacity: 80k\ Speed: 5k/s\ Average access time: 3,5s\ Integrated power supply (through computer)\ Micro-tape price: 79fr 940fr (June 84) image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_microdrive.jpg - title: INSIDE A MICRODRIVE subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** Tape driving roller.\ **(2)** Read/write magnetic head, basically the same as a standard tape recorder.\ **(3)** Read/write protection switch.\ **(4)** Cartridge housing.\ **(5)** Power led.\ **(6)** Extension connector allowing up to 8 microdrives to be serial connected. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_insidemdv_1.jpg - title: INSIDE A MICRODRIVE CARTRIDGE subtitle: '' text: The support used in the cartridge is a videotape of 2 mm in width, and 8 meters in length. The video support was chosen for its biggest mechanical resistance. In running mode, the full tape length is covered in about 7 seconds and the information is transferred at 6 Kb. per second (1.5 Kb./sec. for a standard cassette). The recording is made simultaneously on two parallel tracks with a density of 200 bytes per centimeter. The information is organized in sectors of 512 bytes. Any program can be stored or loaded in 15 sec. Maximum. Each cartridge can store up to 100 Kb, but only 85 - 90 are available for the user. image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_insidecartmdv_1.jpg - title: ZX INTERFACE 2 subtitle: '' text: |- This interface offers 2 joystick plugs and 1 cartridge slot. It cost 351fr in june 84 (France). image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_intrfc2.jpg - title: CARTRIDGE subtitle: '' text: |- Sinclair Cartridge for use with the ZX Interface 2. Very few cartridges were produced (less than 10). It cost 185fr in june 84 (France). image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum_cartridge.jpg - title: NUMERIC KEYPAD subtitle: '' text: |- This numenic keypad can be used with the Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128. Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com** image: /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_spectrum128_keypad_2.jpg screenshots: - title: ALIEN 8 subtitle: '' text: Excellent isometric game image: /media/museum/software/alien8.gif - title: ANT ATTACK subtitle: '' text: Avoid the giant ants and save the girl in this 3D maze image: /media/museum/software/antattack.gif - title: ARC OF YESOD subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/arcofyesod.gif - title: ATIC ATAC subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/aticatac.gif - title: BACK TO SKOOL subtitle: Skooldaze ? text: '' image: /media/museum/software/backtoskool.gif - title: BOMBJACK subtitle: '' text: Classic game ! image: /media/museum/software/bombjack.gif - title: BRUCE LEE subtitle: '' text: One of the best game ever image: /media/museum/software/brucelee.gif - title: CHASE HQ subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/chasehq.gif - title: CHUCKIE EGG subtitle: '' text: Who never played this ?? image: /media/museum/software/chuckie-egg.gif - title: COMMANDO subtitle: '' text: Excellent conversion image: /media/museum/software/commando.gif - title: DAILEY'S THOMPSON DECATHLON subtitle: '' text: The best olympic game on the Speccy image: /media/museum/software/dailey-thompson-decathlon.gif - title: DAN DARE III subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/dandare3.gif - title: DOUBLE DRAGON subtitle: '' text: A bit messy... image: /media/museum/software/doubledragon.gif - title: DUN DARACH subtitle: '' text: The guys are walking so smoothly image: /media/museum/software/dundarch.gif - title: ELITE subtitle: '' text: The mythic space game ! The father of all other space-games such as Wing-Commander. image: /media/museum/software/elite.gif - title: FANTASY WORLD DIZZY subtitle: '' text: One of the many games based on the egg-man Dizzy. image: /media/museum/software/fantasy-world-dizzy.gif - title: GAUNTLET subtitle: '' text: Conversion of the classic arcade game image: /media/museum/software/gauntlet.gif - title: GUNFRIGHT subtitle: '' text: 3D isometric western game. A must-have ! image: /media/museum/software/gunfright.gif - title: IKARI WARRIORS subtitle: '' text: As good as Commando ! image: /media/museum/software/ikari-warriors.gif - title: IK+ subtitle: International Karate + text: 3 players fight image: /media/museum/software/ikplus.gif emulators: - title: EightyOne url: http://www.chuntey.com/eightyone/ platform: Windows text: Excellent emulator emulating nearly all ZX computers (80, 81, Spectrums, Timex, etc.). As well as emulating the machines themselves, numerous addon cards are supported, including hi-res graphics, custom character sets, sound and colour cards. - title: GLECK url: HTTP://GLECK.EMUUNLIM.COM platform: Windows text: Spectrum emulator. Runs on Windows 95 and up, and requires DirectX. Includes a debugger, and emulates also some Southamerican clones - title: RealSpectrum url: http://www.ramsoft.bbk.org/realspec.html platform: Windows text: complete and innovative Spectrum emulator for DOS and Windows - title: Spectaculator url: http://WWW.SPECTACULATOR.COM/ platform: Windows text: Spectaculator emulates the 16K/48K/128/+2/+2A Spectrums and some additional hardware. - title: SPIN url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/emulators.html platform: Windows text: Spectrum emulator running on any version of Windows from '95 onward up to and including XP - title: Warajavo url: http://www.void.jump.org/warajevo/ platform: Windows text: an excellent bosnian emulator for PC compatibles by Zeljko Juric (DOS) - title: X128 url: http://www.void.jump.org/x128/ platform: Windows text: Spectrum 48 / 128 / +2 / +3 Emulator - title: ZX-32 url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/9932/ platform: Windows text: Great Win32 Emulator. Very stable, very fast. - title: MacSpectacle url: http://little-bat.de/zxsp/download/mac_spectacle/manual.html platform: Apple text: One of the most powerful Spectrum emulator - title: ZXSP url: http://little-bat.de/zxsp/download/zxsp_mac/zxsp_mac.html platform: Apple text: Emulator for PowerMac - title: Ian's ZX Spectrum page url: http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oucl/users/ian.collier/Spectrum/ platform: Unix / Linux text: the official page of xz80, the emulator for XWindows - title: xzx url: http://www.zx-spectrum.net/xzx/ platform: Unix / Linux text: an other emulator for Linux computers - title: ASp url: http://www.greew.freeserve.co.uk/ASp.html platform: Amiga OS text: '' - title: Spec128 url: http://members.tripod.com/~JoeKelleher/Spec128/ platform: RISC OS text: Emulates a Spectrum 128 for the Acorn - title: HOB Java Spectrum emulator url: http://www.twinbee.org/hob/ platform: Other platform text: Fascinate yourself for hours with this portable Java Spectrum Emulator. - title: Java On-Line Emulator url: http://www.zxspec.freeserve.co.uk/java.html platform: Other platform text: Plays games on-line ! - title: PocketClive url: http://pocketclive.emuunlim.com/ platform: Other platform text: Spectrum 48k and 128k emulator for PocketPC ! - title: QAOP url: http://wizard.ae.krakow.pl/~jb/qaop/ platform: Other platform text: Qaop is a ZX Spectrum emulator Java applet - title: Sinclair Spectrum Emulator 1.1 url: http://www.palmtop.nl/ce/hpc_spectrum.html platform: Other platform text: Handheld PCs and Palm-size PCs running Windows CE 2.0 or higher - title: TEZXAS url: http://tezxas.ticalc.org/ platform: Other platform text: ZX Spectrum emulator for TI 89 and 92 calculators ! - title: ZX68 url: http://zx68.8k.com platform: Other platform text: Emulator for various 68000 based machines. First version is released for PalmOS - title: FUSE url: http://fuse-emulator.sourceforge.net/ platform: Multiplatform text: Fuse (the Free Unix Spectrum Emulator) is a ZX Spectrum emulator for Unix and MacOS X - title: SPEC url: http://WWW.METHEDRINE.DEMON.CO.UK/spec.html platform: Multiplatform text: Spec is a Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k emulator for the PC. There are two different versions, Spec (freeware for DOS) and SpecX (Shareware for Windows 95/98/NT4). links: - title: CRASH, the on-line edition url: http://www.crashonline.org.uk/ text: Site dedicated to the old well-known magazine - title: DOCUMENTATION url: http://www.madhippy.com/8-bit/index.php?machine=sinclair text: Classic 8-bit Computers / lot of on-line documentations for Sinclair computers. USEFUL ! - title: DOCUMENTATION url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/documentation.html#manuals text: World of Spectrum's documentation page - title: Good Old Games url: http://speccy.altervista.org/ text: ZX games and screenshots - title: Las Spectrum y TK en el Uruguay url: http://WWW.Z80.UY.TC text: The story of the ZX Spectrum line and TK line in Uruguay, South America - title: Number Cruncher url: http://www.8bit-museum.de/ text: This german website has an excellent Sinclair section - title: Planet Sinclair url: http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/ text: THE site to visit ! Everything you need. - title: Sinclair Nostalgia Products url: http://surf.to/zx text: Lot of speccy stuff here and long list of clones - title: Sinclair ZX Hardware Website url: http://www.xs4all.nl/~echorod/zx/index.htm text: Features designs to build your own Sinclair computer - title: Software Records on Vinyl url: 'http://www.kempa.com/blog/archives/000053.html ' text: These records contained computer programs as part of the audio. - title: Speccy.com.ar url: http://www.speccy.com.ar/ text: Argentine blog dedicated to the Spectrum - title: Speccyalista url: HTTP://WWW.SINCLAIR.HU text: Hungarian Sinclair page - title: Spectrum Screenshot Heaven url: http://members.tripod.com/ssh_web/ text: Excellent ! Plenty of speccy screenshots here. - title: Speecy.CZ url: http://www.speccy.cz/ text: Nice site with a lot of games, demos, maps, screenshots, cover arts, music, etc... - title: Steve's Spectrum Page url: http://ireland.iol.ie/~sjones/ text: Steve collects speccy games and accept requests - title: Tape Loader Home Page url: http://perso.club-internet.fr/jgibart/spectl/spectl.html text: Utility to transfer your zx tapes to the PC - title: The Incomplete Spectrum ROM Assembly url: http://www.wearmouth.demon.co.uk/ text: Spectrum ROM assembly text file. Very useful if you want to create your version of the Spectrum Operating System - title: The Ocean Experience url: http://www.theoceanexperience.cjb.net/ text: A look into one of the biggest games developers of the 80's and 90's - title: The Tipshop url: http://www.the-tipshop.co.uk/ text: A central archive for all Spectrum and SAM games hints, tips, cheats, maps, hacks and pokes. Impressive! - title: The World of ZX-Spectrum url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ text: This is it. The site you MUST visit first :-) - title: Virtual TR-DOS url: HTTP://ZX.DA.RU text: Belarussian ZX-soft archive (in Russian) - title: Your Sinclair, a celebration url: http://www.yoursinclair.co.uk/ text: Tribute to one of the best Spectrum dedicated magazine - title: z00m's Speccy corner url: http://zoom.czweb.org/ text: DOCUMENTATION, PICTURES, emulators, AY CHIP - title: ZX Download page url: http://zxfiles.hut2.ru/ text: The very best of new ZX Spectrum games both Europe and ex-USSR - title: ZX Forever url: http://www.zx-f.ru/ text: Full with new Russian ZX Spectrum games (lots of them are in English language) - title: ZX Spectrum Games after 1993 url: http://tarjan.uw.hu/zx_gamez_after_93_en.htm text: Nice article referencing ZX Spectrum games released after 1993! - title: ZX Spectrum in the 21st Century url: http://tarjan.uw.hu/zxclones_en.htm text: Nice info about a lot of ZX Spectrum clones and hardware - title: ZXSPECTICLE url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/zxspecticle/ text: News, Reviews, Interviews and the A to Z top ten games - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com text: Sinclair computers docs: - title: ZX SPECTRUM BASIC PROGRAMMING url: http://www.1000bit.it/support/manuali/sinclair/zxspectrum/start.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx-specrtum_basic-programming.jpg text: |- [**ZX SPECTRUM BASIC PROGRAMMING**](http://www.1000bit.it/support/manuali/sinclair/zxspectrum/start.htm)written by Steven Vickers  compiled/archived by Chris Owen / Tiziano Garuti\  type of document : HTML\  source : [1000Bit](http://www.1000bit.net/) - title: ZX SPECTRUM INTRODUCTORY MANUAL url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ZXSpectrumIntroduction/ cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx_spectrum_introductory-manual.jpg text: |- [**ZX SPECTRUM INTRODUCTORY MANUAL**](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ZXSpectrumIntroduction/)written by Steven Vickers and Robin Bradbeer  compiled/archived by Colin Woodcock\  type of document : HTML\  source : [www.worldofspectrum.org](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/faq/resources/documents.htm) - title: ZX SPECTRUM SERVICE MANUAL url: http://members.lycos.co.uk/eightbitula/48kinfo.html cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx-specrtum_service-manual.jpg text: |- [**ZX SPECTRUM SERVICE MANUAL**](http://members.lycos.co.uk/eightbitula/48kinfo.html)written by Sinclair Research Limited  type of document : HTML\  source : [The Lil Old Sinclair Computer Technical Information Repository](http://members.lycos.co.uk/eightbitula/) videos: - title: ZX Spectrum 80's advert url: http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=4202568674798941434&hl=fr text: 'Length: 40 s' - title: Italian advert url: http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-435007321076423838&hl=fr text: 'Length: 16 s' - title: White Spectrum url: http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-5726764159018822451&hl=fr text: 'Length: 57 s' - title: The Your Sinclair Rock'n'Roll years url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCuXC0UgKlc text: 'Length: 6 min 34 s' related: - /museum/czerweny-cz-2000 - /museum/czerweny-spectrum - /museum/czerweny-spectrum-plus - /museum/elwro-800-junior - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-128 - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-2 - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-3 - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-480 oc_id: 223 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230602045153/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=223 date: '2023-06-02' --- The Sinclair ZX Spectrum was one of the most popular European computers of the 80's. Two models were launched: one with 16 kb RAM and one with 48 kb RAM. One of its most "interesting" characteristics is its keyboard! Some keys have more than five (!) functions! It is impossible to type BASIC keywords letter by letter, instead you have to use function keys. A lot of peripherals and programs were developed for this computer. It seems that several models of this computers were launched (at least 3), but I've no technical details about them. It was replaced in 1984 by the Spectrum + and in 1985 by the [Spectrum 128](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-128/). Alan Wilson reports to us : The 16K version of the computer had only the 16K ram chips loaded, while the 48K version had both banks full. To keep the prices down Sinclair used faulty 64K chips (internally 2 X 32K). All the chips in the 32K bank of RAM had to have the same half of the 64K chips working. A link was fitted on the pcb in order to choose the first half or the second half. It was possible with a few logic chips for the experimenter to have access to the faulty 32K bank.