--- title: Sinclair ZX SPECTRUM+ categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - United Kingdom years: - '1984' cpus: - Zilog Z80A params: name: ZX SPECTRUM+ 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: '1984' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Sinclair Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: |- QWERTY simi-mechanical keyboard\ QL type keyboard - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80A - label: SPEED value: 3.5 MHz - label: RAM value: 48k - label: ROM value: 16k - 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: I/O PORTS value: Expansion port, tape-recorder (1200 bauds), RF video out - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External PSU, 9v DC, 1.4A - -o)- + tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware - software - emulators - links - docs photos: - title: ZX SPECTRUM+ subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: Power in, expansion port, tape-recorder, video out. image: null - title: 'REAR #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: FRONT subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: 'FRONT #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: DETAIL subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: KEYBOARD DETAIL subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: UPSIDE DOWN subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: The same motherboard as the original Spectrum. image: null - title: 'INSIDE #2' subtitle: '' text: |- **A successful new look but no technical improvement.** Inside a case, which might make one think of a major update of the Spectrum, one finds in fact version 3 of the Spectrum board marketed since August 1983, to which has been added a reset button. Although this choice is criticisable, it allows the Spectrum + to remain compatible with all the first Spectrum version peripherals and software. image: null - title: BOX subtitle: '' text: '' image: null adverts: - title: GREEK ADVERT (MARCH 1985) subtitle: '' text: '' image: null hardware: - 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: null - 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: null - 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: null - title: WAFADRIVE CARTRIDGE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: CHEETAH JOYSTICK INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: Thanks to Peter James for the picture image: null - 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: null - title: DK'TRONICS SPEECH SYNTHESIZER subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: MAGECO MONITOR subtitle: '' text: It cost 75fr in january 85 (France). image: null - title: VTR VOCAL SYNTHESIZER subtitle: '' text: 470fr (France, january 85) image: null - 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: null - 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: null - 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: null - 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: null - 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: null - title: ZX THERMAL PRINTER subtitle: Box text: '' image: null - 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: null - 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: null - 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: null - 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: null - title: ZX INTERFACE 2 subtitle: '' text: |- This interface offers 2 joystick plugs and 1 cartridge slot. It cost 351fr in june 84 (France). image: null - 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: null - title: NUMERIC KEYPAD subtitle: '' text: |- This numenic keypad can be used with the Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128. Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com** image: null screenshots: - title: ALIEN 8 subtitle: '' text: Excellent isometric game image: null - title: ANT ATTACK subtitle: '' text: Avoid the giant ants and save the girl in this 3D maze image: null - title: ARC OF YESOD subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: ATIC ATAC subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: BACK TO SKOOL subtitle: Skooldaze ? text: '' image: null - title: BOMBJACK subtitle: '' text: Classic game ! image: null - title: BRUCE LEE subtitle: '' text: One of the best game ever image: null - title: CHASE HQ subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: CHUCKIE EGG subtitle: '' text: Who never played this ?? image: null - title: COMMANDO subtitle: '' text: Excellent conversion image: null - title: DAILEY'S THOMPSON DECATHLON subtitle: '' text: The best olympic game on the Speccy image: null - title: DAN DARE III subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: DOUBLE DRAGON subtitle: '' text: A bit messy... image: null - title: DUN DARACH subtitle: '' text: The guys are walking so smoothly image: null - title: ELITE subtitle: '' text: The mythic space game ! The father of all other space-games such as Wing-Commander. image: null - title: FANTASY WORLD DIZZY subtitle: '' text: One of the many games based on the egg-man Dizzy. image: null - title: GAUNTLET subtitle: '' text: Conversion of the classic arcade game image: null - title: GUNFRIGHT subtitle: '' text: 3D isometric western game. A must-have ! image: null - title: IKARI WARRIORS subtitle: '' text: As good as Commando ! image: null - title: IK+ subtitle: International Karate + text: 3 players fight 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: 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: null 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: null 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: null 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/) comments: - author: Guest date: Tuesday 12th December 2017 text: |- There is a Sinclair ZX Spectrum archive out there... http://www.worldofspectrum.org - author: ZX User date: Saturday 23rd September 2017 text: |- Hi nikigre, on https://www.worldofspectrum.org/ you also get several programs that are able to play .tap or .tzx files. There are also several apps for smartphones that can "play" .tap or .tzx. - author: nikigre date: Sunday 12th February 2017 text: |- Hello!\ Does anyone know where I can get games and apps for this computer? Because on google a results are about emulated games and apps. But I need a copy of cassette sound.\ Please help! Thank you! - author: Colin (Leicester, England) date: Thursday 1st December 2011 text: Mauro, try www.retrospec.sgn.net - Not sure if they have "Antiriad" but it might help. Good luck - author: Tomasz (Swinoujscie, Poland) date: Thursday 2nd October 2003 text: |- It was my first computer back in the '85. It worked really cool. I don't know how just so many games were available on the pirate-market in a communist Poland. I used to have more than 500 games and other staff on my tapes (getting a good casette was really a great effort - tapes were under a regimentation and hard to get in Polish stores and they were low-quality like almost all in the communism)\ It was really cool forwarding the tape to the right moment and then waiting for the game to load. Tape-loading-errors were the worst moments like a bluescreen's of death. I had a second copy of each game on a separate casette and the screwdriver to adjust a head of my casette player, but some of them were lost too. - author: Kenneth Harper (Brittany, France) date: Thursday 27th February 2003 text: |- Could someone help me with the following?\ I want to start using my Spectrum+ again - it has a ZX Interface 1. Is it possible to connect a modern printer? If not, what kind of printer should I look for? Secondly, what peripherals can be used with this interface? - author: mauro (chile) date: Saturday 25th May 2002 text: |- any one knows where can i play on line olds games , i am searching "Antiriad\ " - author: Alejandro (Chile) date: Saturday 9th March 2002 text: |- Anyone knows where yo find a new keyboard membrane??? Mine is broken.\ I had look at http://www.sintech-shop.de/home/spectrum-products.htm but the store is in german, and the prices are a little high. related: - /museum/czerweny-cz-2000 - /museum/czerweny-spectrum - /museum/czerweny-spectrum-plus - /museum/elwro-800-junior - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-128 - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-2 - /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-3 oc_id: 480 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230121173245/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=480 date: '2023-01-21' --- In 1984, the Spectrum is already 2 years old and starts to look obsolete when compared to its competitors and the Commodore 64 in particular. That's why Sinclair launches a new-look version of the Spectrum : the Spectrum+ was born. In fact, it does not bring anything more apart from some cosmetic changes. Concerning the keyboard, the rubber keys are replaced with a better keyboard directly inspired by the keyboard of the QL, launched the same year. Though the keys are made of plastic this time, the touch is still a bit too soft. Fortunately, there are now a large spacebar, arrow keys and new editing keys. Also added are two small feet under the keyboard, making it possible to tilt the keyboard at a convenient angle for typing, a bit like on modern PCs. A small reset button was also added on the left-hand side of the case, thus making it harder to press it accidentally. In fact the Spectrum + largely adopts the look of the QL which is no coincidence at all, since apart from making the Sinclair product range more homogeneous aesthetically, it certainly represented advantages as far as the assembly lines were concerned.