--- title: Sinclair ZX 80 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - United Kingdom years: - '1980' cpus: - NEC 780C-1 params: name: ZX 80 company: /companies/sinclair company_name: Sinclair specs: - label: NAME value: ZX 80 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Sinclair - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: United Kingdom - label: YEAR value: February 1980 - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: '1981' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Sinclair Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: Membrane keyboard, 40 keys, 1 SHIFT key - label: CPU value: NEC 780C-1 (Z80 compatible) - label: SPEED value: 3.25 MHz - label: RAM value: 1 KB, 901 bytes available (upgradable to 64 KB) - label: ROM value: 4 KB. Can be expended to 8 KB, thereby making it almost a ZX81 - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 chars. x 22 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 64 x 44 dots - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: None - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 21,9 (W) x 17,5 (D) x 4 (H) cm / 375 gr - label: I/O PORTS value: Z80 Bus, tape, TV/RF video - label: POWER SUPPLY value: 9v DC, external PSU - label: PERIPHERALS value: 16 KB RAM extension - label: PRICE value: |- Kit model: £79.95 (UK, 1980) 255 (Germany, 1980)\ Assembled model : £99.95 (UK, 1980), 190 (France, 1980)\ 16K RAM module: 127 (Germany) tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - software - emulators - links - docs photos: - title: ZX-80 subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: FROM ABOVE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: FRONT VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: SIDE VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: FROM BELOW subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: The big black thing is the Z80 CPU of course. Then on the right, the big chip is the ROM of the ZX-80 made by Sinclair. The video modulator is easy to spot... image: null - title: THE KEYBOARD subtitle: '' text: The keyboard is quite minimalist ! Notice that for the first time Basic statements are written on the keys, and so will it be with the future ZX-81 and Spectrum... image: null - title: SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR subtitle: '' text: |- Sir Clive Sinclair presents his new child. Thanks to [ARRGH!](http://www.arrgh.demon.co.uk/) for this picture image: null - title: LEAFLET COVER subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: OPERATING MANUAL subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: TINTIN'S CASE subtitle: '' text: |- In 1980, Gerard TOUITOU was an Olivetti computer salesman in Belgium. He built probably the first portable computer in the world, before Osborne, Kaypro, IBM and others. It was a ZX-80 (then later a ZX-81) fitted into a briefcase, along with a printer and a tape recorder. The display was a mini-portable TV set. French magazines of the time called it 'Tintin's case' (as Tintin father, Hergé, was from Belgium too) image: null adverts: - title: UK ADVERT subtitle: '' text: Thanks to David Wilson for this picture image: null - title: PROMOTIONAL PICTURE (1980) subtitle: '' text: from Popular Science magazine image: null - title: STUPID SITUATION subtitle: '' text: |- A translation would be : "the 10 years old and more children appreciate quickly the computing principles and have a lot of fun with their ZX-80" So they say... image: null - title: 'ADVERT #1' subtitle: '' text: Picture courtesy of Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage. image: null - title: 'ADVERT #2' subtitle: '' text: Picture courtesy of Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage. image: null hardware: - title: 16K RAM EXTENSION subtitle: '' text: |- This RAM pack was dangerously top-heavy and had a habit of falling out of its socket, thus reseting the computer and destroying hours of work ! Most users solved the problem by using Blu-Tack or chewing-gums... £49.95 (UK, 1980)\ 650fr (France, 1980) image: null - title: 64 KB subtitle: from Suntroncis text: Suntronics T/S 1000 & ZX81 64K Memory Pack (Male Socket on Back, Female Socket on Front). image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_1000-suntronics-64k_1.jpg - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 1016 subtitle: 16k RAM extension text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_sinclair-1000_16kram-1016.jpg - title: ZX80 - 1-3K BYTE RAM PACK subtitle: from Sinclair text: '' image: null screenshots: - title: A BASIC LISTING subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: GRAPHICAL SCREEN subtitle: '' text: This example shows the extremly high resolution o the ZX-80 and its bright colors. Hmmm.... image: null 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: VB81 url: http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/vb81/ platform: Windows text: Sinclair ZX81 Emulator (with Visual Basic sources). Excellent emulator - title: X-Tender url: http://www.delhez.demon.nl/ platform: Windows text: The best ZX emulator for PC compatibles - title: ZX 81 Homepage url: http://www.maxon.de/homes/r_kurz/ platform: Windows text: '' - title: ZX 81 Homepage url: http://www.maxon.de/homes/r_kurz/ platform: Windows text: '' - title: ZX81 url: http://www.w-4.de/~kurz/ platform: Apple text: '' - title: ZX81 url: http://www.w-4.de/~kurz/ platform: Apple text: '' - title: XZ81 url: http://www.zx81.nl/ platform: Unix / Linux text: And other ZX-81 emulators there... - title: ZX-81 Emulator 2.1 url: http://www.hh.schule.de/hhs/mjaap/ftp/zx81_v21.zip platform: Atari text: '' - title: ZX-81 Emulator 2.1 url: http://www.hh.schule.de/hhs/mjaap/ftp/zx81_v21.zip platform: Atari text: '' - title: Java ZX81 Emulator url: http://home.clara.net/rsergeant/ platform: Other platform text: Java emulator - title: Timex/Sinclair 1000 Emulator (Java) url: http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/trs80.html#ts1000 platform: Other platform text: With this JAVA emulator, you'll be able to run a Timex/Sinclair 1000 in your browser window - title: zx81emu url: http://www.tlienhard.com/ap800.shtml platform: Other platform text: ZX-81 Emulator for the SonyEricsson P800 Smart Phone - title: MESS url: http://www.mess.org platform: Multiplatform text: MESS emulates the ZX-81, Lambda 8300, Power 3000 and other clones ! links: - title: Achromic's ZX81 Site url: http://zx81.achromic.co.uk/ text: A small, ZX81 fan site. With games and links to some emulators - title: DOCUMENTATION url: http://www.8bit.ht.st/ text: The Lil Old Sinclair Computer Technical Information Repository - title: DOCUMENTATION url: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sinclair.zx81/ text: ZX-81 on-line manual. Great work ! - title: How to build your own ZX80/ZX81! url: http://home.micros.users.btopenworld.com/zx80/zx80.html text: Yes, you can do it too - title: Jame's Sinclair ZX-81 Page url: http://james.istop.com/zx81/ text: Some technical infos and links - title: Planet Sinclair url: http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/zx81/zx81.htm text: Planet Sinclair has very interesting information on the ZX-81 - title: Planet Sinclair url: http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/zx80/zx80.htm text: ZX-80 page - title: Sinclair ZX Hardware Website url: http://www.xs4all.nl/~echorod/zx/index.htm text: Features designs to build your own Sinclair computer - title: The ZX81 Hardware and Software Collection url: http://zx81.atspace.com/ text: Online museum for ZX81 hardware, software and literature - title: TS1000.US url: http://www.ts1000.us/ text: Documentation, software, hardware tips and more - title: Zebra Systems, Inc. url: http://www.zebrasystems.com/zebrasystems/zx81/index.html text: Website where you can buy Timex/Sinclair products including ZX-81 kits ! - title: ZX80World.co.uk url: http://freespace.virgin.net/christopher.cox/zx80/index.htm text: Best ZX80 Site on the Web - title: ZX81 Collection url: http://www.zx81stuff.org.uk/ text: Online collection of ZX81 tapes, books and hardware - title: ZX-81 forum url: http://zx81.tlienhard.com/ text: A new ZX-81 forum. cool. - title: ZX81 Home Page url: http://www.honneamise.u-net.com/zx81/ text: FAQ and ZX81 Charts. - title: ZX-81 The Archive url: http://www.imarshall.karoo.net/zx81/zx81technical.htm text: Lot of info here - title: ZX-81 webring url: http://www.zx81.de/webring/index.htm text: Very useful to explore other ZX-81 related sites - title: ZX-Team Homepage url: http://www.zx81.de/ text: Quite a reference for the ZX-80, ZX-81, TS1000-1500, PC8300, Lambda and Jupiter Ace ! - title: ZX-TEAM-homepage & ZX-81 Web-Ring url: http://www.zx81.de/ text: Logically useful - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com text: Sinclair computers docs: - title: SINCLAIR ZX-81 BASIC PROGRAMMING url: ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/books/ZX81BASICProgramming.pdf cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx81_basic-programming.jpg text: |- [**SINCLAIR ZX-81 BASIC PROGRAMMING**](ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/books/ZX81BASICProgramming.pdf)written by Sinclair Research Limited / Steven Vickers  compiled/archived by Robin Stuart\  type of document : PDF\  size : 5,2 MB\  source : [www.worldofspectrum.org](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/) **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 1000 - USER MANUAL url: http://www.ts1000.us/usermanuals.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/timex-sinclair_1000_user-manual.jpg text: |- [**TIMEX SINCLAIR 1000 - USER MANUAL**](http://www.ts1000.us/usermanuals.htm)written by Timex / Sinclair / Steven Vickers  compiled/archived by Bill Hicks\  type of document : PDF\  size : 3.5 MB\  source : [www.ts1000.us](http://www.ts1000.us/) **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** - title: THE COMPLETE TIMEX TS1000 & SINCLAIR ZX81 ROM DISASSEMBLY url: null cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx81_rom-disasembly.jpg text: |- **THE COMPLETE TIMEX TS1000 & SINCLAIR ZX81 ROM DISASSEMBLY**\ written by Dr. Ian Logan & Dr. Frank O'Hara  compiled/archived by Bill Hicks\  type of document : PDF\  size : 5 MB\  source : [www.ts1000.us](http://www.ts1000.us/) **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 2020 COMPUTER PROGRAM RECORDER url: null cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/ts2020_tape-recorder_manual.jpg text: |- **TIMEX SINCLAIR 2020 COMPUTER PROGRAM RECORDER**\ written by Timex Computer Corporation  compiled/archived by Bill Hicks / www.ts1000.us\  type of document : Online reader **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** comments: - author: steve date: Tuesday 18th October 2022 text: You can run the same Basic programs in ZX81 and Spectrum but ... there will be slower! ZX80 Basic was faster and not only because of the FAST mode, but also because of integer variables and less tokens! $) - author: Nick Blackburn (Isle of Man, UK) date: Monday 11th October 2021 text: David W. from Ithaca - best to keep your mouth shut and let others believe you are an idiot, than open it and confirm their assumptions. Sir Clive was a visionary, way ahead of his time and only stymied by the technology and attitudes available in the early eighties. - author: Wim Holland (Netherlands) date: Tuesday 6th December 2011 text: |- I bought a new ZX81 in 1983 and it started my interest in computing. Sir Sinclair was the man who gave a lot of people the possiblilty of using and learning a computer.\ I still own the ZX81, the ZX Spectrum and the Sinclair QL and they are still in working condition ! - author: rj (ulster uk) date: Tuesday 22nd November 2011 text: |- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v$EmwW_6kUdHw please post this link to youtube\ hope yu can find your way to the real great sam sites on the net - author: Jim Schifalacqua (Virginia, USA) date: Wednesday 6th July 2011 text: I bought the ZX-80 from an advertisement in Popular Science. It was great for writing/testing BASIC programs. You could then hear the processor chunk through the code by the loud interference that came through the TV speaker! - author: David W. (Ithaca, NY) date: Thursday 1st November 2007 text: |- I completely fail to understand the adoration of Sinclair. I read a detailed history of his business, and even though it was actively skewed in his favor I can't see him as anything other than a low-rent shyster. The ZX80 is a good example - the adverts claim that it's the "most powerful personal computer ever produced". This is, of course, utter and complete bollocks. Even assuming it had a Z80a in it as claimed (which I don't believe it really did), at the time it was released it was up against the 68000 and the 8086. And it was, if I recall correctly from my ZX81, abysmally slow even by Z80 standard - almost remarkably so. This, though, is not surprising from a man who sold things he knew were broken, usually had a 30% failure rate, specified things so tightly that his audio equipment usually had a lifetime of 8 to 12 hours, and even dug up rejected ICs from TI's driveway and used them in his products! To describe him as anything other than a criminal is charitable. That he was knighted based on success in selling equipment that doesn't work based on lies is truly amazing - and it would be nice if sites like this didn't gloss over the truth behind a con-man. - author: Adrian McMenamin (UK) date: Monday 24th September 2007 text: Actually, it was possible to get a ZX80 to run in "slow" mode if you installed your own interrupt handler. Z80 machine code for that was widely published. - author: Marcus Misiukiewicz (Luxembourg) date: Wednesday 2nd May 2007 text: |- I originally bought a ZX-80 in bare component form. It took around 3 hours to put together - soldering in the components and sockets, plugging in the IC chips. It worked first time. I later upgraded it with the ZX-81 ROM, there was also a new keyboard overlay provided. To my knowledge it is still operational, as it is in storage. - author: Rasher (USA) date: Friday 19th May 2006 text: I remember one sunday spending about 6 hours writing code on my trusty ZX80 only to experience a power-cut before I had saved anything. (onto magnetic tape I might add!) That was a valuable lesson which stands me in good stead to this very day! BACKUP YOUR VALUABLE FILES! - author: Andy Heath (Sheffield) date: Wednesday 15th January 2003 text: I was sure that the ZX80 I had when I was younger used the language FORTH and not BASIC! Perhaps I am confusing it with the Jupiter Ace which I also had. I never really used them though so cant be sure. I bought both computers around 1984-85 with the intention of collecting old computers. I think I paid a couple of pounds for each. Unfortunately I allowed my mother to throw them out a few years later with all the other junk from the attic! If only I still had them. \*sigh\* related: - /museum/czerweny-cz-1000 - /museum/czerweny-cz-1000-plus - /museum/lambda-electronics-ltd-pc-8300 - /museum/microace - /museum/sinclair-zx-81 - /museum/timex-sinclair-1000 - /museum/tonel-pc oc_id: 262 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230328190356/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=262 date: '2023-03-28' --- After the modest but encouraging success of the MK-14 (initiation board with hexadecimal keyboard), Sinclair (at the time Sciences of Cambridge) decided to develop a slightly more advanced computer. The ZX-80 is regarded as a pioneer system in micro-computing as at the time the only available computers were kits for hobbyists like the MK-14 or more expensive systems intended for education or research such as the [Tandy TRS-80](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-i/) or the [Commodore PET](/museum/commodore-pet-2001/). The ZX-80 inaugurated the transition between the hobbyist world and the consumer electronics by proposing a true computer in its case for less than £100. Technically, the ZX-80 is not a revolutionary system but is rather the result of a search for economy through the choice of the components, starting with the membrane keyboard, or the RAM memory limited to 1kb. The operating system, the editor and the Basic interpreter fit into the 4kb of the ROM ! The ZX-80 met some success with nearly 70.000 machines sold in less than one year, announcing the future success of the [ZX-81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/) and at the same time the birth of a new major actor in the micro-computers world : Sinclair Computers Ltd. --- **Malcolm Ramage** adds:\ The rom in the ZX80 was the basis for the ROM of the ZX81, with a few new commands and enhancements. The Spectrum ROM was based on the ZX81 ROM, with extra commands for colour in basic and new routines in ROM for the new colour screen modes.\ Almost all ZX80 BASIC programs can be run on a ZX81 or Spectrum without any modification. Further information from **Watz** (Germany):\ it was possible to buy a new ROM (50 EUR) and replace it with the old ZX 80's. You got all the function of the ZX 81 - exept the SLOW mode. Everytime something ZX 80/81 moved the screen went black for a moment... Very nasty... Pain for the eyes...\ The ZX 81 uses the TV blanking interval for the calculation (so the speed goes down to ca. 25% FAST).\ All peripherals must have a very special Sinclair interface, Joystick, printers... I bought a Seikosha GP 50 (unihammer - means one needle making awful noise when printing), and 10 cm broad normal paper, for 204 EUR) with this special interface. **Marty Quire** remenbers:\ I remember buying the ZX-80 for $99 in "kit" form. When it arrived I put the circuit board into the case & snapped the cover on...that assembled the kit!\ One visionary thing about this computer was that keywords of the BASIC interpreter were assigned to the keyboard. It was essentially impossible to type a syntax error, since the keywords wouldn't be added unless they were in the right order.\ There were no graphics modes on the ZX-80, but it had graphics characters on the keyboard, displayable with the print command. The character set included a square made up of all 16 combinations of 2x2 fat pixels. This could be used to form a low resolution graphics mode. This character graphics mode formed the basis of the plot commands supported in the ZX-81.