website/content/museum/sinclair-zx-80.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Sinclair ZX 80	Computers	Home Computer	United Kingdom	1980	NEC 780C-1	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware screenshots emulators links docs related oc_id source ZX 80 /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_hr_1s.jpg /companies/sinclair Sinclair label value NAME ZX 80 label value MANUFACTURER Sinclair label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN United Kingdom label value YEAR February 1980 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1981 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Sinclair Basic label value KEYBOARD Membrane keyboard, 40 keys, 1 SHIFT key label value CPU NEC 780C-1 (Z80 compatible) label value SPEED 3.25 MHz label value RAM 1 KB, 901 bytes available (upgradable to 64 KB) label value ROM 4 KB. Can be expended to 8 KB, thereby making it almost a ZX81 label value TEXT MODES 32 chars. x 22 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 64 x 44 dots label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND None label value SIZE / WEIGHT 21,9 (W) x 17,5 (D) x 4 (H) cm / 375 gr label value I/O PORTS Z80 Bus, tape, TV/RF video label value POWER SUPPLY 9v DC, external PSU label value PERIPHERALS 16 KB RAM extension label value PRICE Kit model: £79.95 (UK, 1980) 255 (Germany, 1980)\ Assembled model : £99.95 (UK, 1980), 190 (France, 1980)\ 16K RAM module: 127 (Germany) photos adverts hardware software emulators links docs 272 title subtitle text image ZX-80 /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_hr_1.jpg title subtitle text image FROM ABOVE /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_up.jpg title subtitle text image FRONT VIEW /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_face.jpg title subtitle text image SIDE VIEW /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_side.jpg title subtitle text image FROM BELOW /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_under.jpg title subtitle text image REAR /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_rear.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE 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... /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_inside.jpg title subtitle text image THE KEYBOARD 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... /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_keyboard.jpg title subtitle text image SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR Sir Clive Sinclair presents his new child. Thanks to [ARRGH!](http://www.arrgh.demon.co.uk/) for this picture /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_clive.jpg title subtitle text image LEAFLET COVER /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_leaflet-cover.jpg title subtitle text image OPERATING MANUAL /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx80_operating-manual_1.jpg title subtitle text image TINTIN'S CASE 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) /media/museum/photos/sinclair_zx81_tintincase.jpg title subtitle text image UK ADVERT Thanks to David Wilson for this picture /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_zx80_uk-pub_wilson.jpg title subtitle text image PROMOTIONAL PICTURE (1980) from Popular Science magazine /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_zx80_prm-picture_popscience_1980.jpg title subtitle text image STUPID SITUATION 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... /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_zx80_ad1.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #1 Picture courtesy of Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage. /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_zx80_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #2 Picture courtesy of Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage. /media/museum/pubs/sinclair_zx80_pub_2.jpg title subtitle text image 16K RAM EXTENSION 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) /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_zx80_16kram.jpg title subtitle text image 64 KB from Suntroncis Suntronics T/S 1000 & ZX81 64K Memory Pack (Male Socket on Back, Female Socket on Front). /media/museum/hardware/timex_1000-suntronics-64k_1.jpg title subtitle text image TIMEX SINCLAIR 1016 16k RAM extension /media/museum/hardware/timex_sinclair-1000_16kram-1016.jpg title subtitle text image ZX80 - 1-3K BYTE RAM PACK from Sinclair /media/museum/hardware/sinclair_zx80_1-3kb-ram-expansion_1.jpg title subtitle text image A BASIC LISTING /media/museum/software/sinclair_zx80_ss1.jpg title subtitle text image GRAPHICAL SCREEN This example shows the extremly high resolution o the ZX-80 and its bright colors. Hmmm.... /media/museum/software/sinclair_zx80_ss2.jpg title url platform text EightyOne http://www.chuntey.com/eightyone/ Windows 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 url platform text VB81 http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/vb81/ Windows Sinclair ZX81 Emulator (with Visual Basic sources). Excellent emulator title url platform text X-Tender http://www.delhez.demon.nl/ Windows The best ZX emulator for PC compatibles title url platform text ZX 81 Homepage http://www.maxon.de/homes/r_kurz/ Windows title url platform text ZX 81 Homepage http://www.maxon.de/homes/r_kurz/ Windows title url platform text ZX81 http://www.w-4.de/~kurz/ Apple title url platform text ZX81 http://www.w-4.de/~kurz/ Apple title url platform text XZ81 http://www.zx81.nl/ Unix / Linux And other ZX-81 emulators there... title url platform text ZX-81 Emulator 2.1 http://www.hh.schule.de/hhs/mjaap/ftp/zx81_v21.zip Atari title url platform text ZX-81 Emulator 2.1 http://www.hh.schule.de/hhs/mjaap/ftp/zx81_v21.zip Atari title url platform text Java ZX81 Emulator http://home.clara.net/rsergeant/ Other platform Java emulator title url platform text Timex/Sinclair 1000 Emulator (Java) http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/trs80.html#ts1000 Other platform With this JAVA emulator, you'll be able to run a Timex/Sinclair 1000 in your browser window title url platform text zx81emu http://www.tlienhard.com/ap800.shtml Other platform ZX-81 Emulator for the SonyEricsson P800 Smart Phone title url platform text MESS http://www.mess.org Multiplatform MESS emulates the ZX-81, Lambda 8300, Power 3000 and other clones ! title url text Achromic's ZX81 Site http://zx81.achromic.co.uk/ A small, ZX81 fan site. With games and links to some emulators title url text DOCUMENTATION http://www.8bit.ht.st/ The Lil Old Sinclair Computer Technical Information Repository title url text DOCUMENTATION http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sinclair.zx81/ ZX-81 on-line manual. Great work ! title url text How to build your own ZX80/ZX81! http://home.micros.users.btopenworld.com/zx80/zx80.html Yes, you can do it too title url text Jame's Sinclair ZX-81 Page http://james.istop.com/zx81/ Some technical infos and links title url text Planet Sinclair http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/zx81/zx81.htm Planet Sinclair has very interesting information on the ZX-81 title url text Planet Sinclair http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/zx80/zx80.htm ZX-80 page title url text Sinclair ZX Hardware Website http://www.xs4all.nl/~echorod/zx/index.htm Features designs to build your own Sinclair computer title url text The ZX81 Hardware and Software Collection http://zx81.atspace.com/ Online museum for ZX81 hardware, software and literature title url text TS1000.US http://www.ts1000.us/ Documentation, software, hardware tips and more title url text Zebra Systems, Inc. http://www.zebrasystems.com/zebrasystems/zx81/index.html Website where you can buy Timex/Sinclair products including ZX-81 kits ! title url text ZX80World.co.uk http://freespace.virgin.net/christopher.cox/zx80/index.htm Best ZX80 Site on the Web title url text ZX81 Collection http://www.zx81stuff.org.uk/ Online collection of ZX81 tapes, books and hardware title url text ZX-81 forum http://zx81.tlienhard.com/ A new ZX-81 forum. cool. title url text ZX81 Home Page http://www.honneamise.u-net.com/zx81/ FAQ and ZX81 Charts. title url text ZX-81 The Archive http://www.imarshall.karoo.net/zx81/zx81technical.htm Lot of info here title url text ZX-81 webring http://www.zx81.de/webring/index.htm Very useful to explore other ZX-81 related sites title url text ZX-Team Homepage http://www.zx81.de/ Quite a reference for the ZX-80, ZX-81, TS1000-1500, PC8300, Lambda and Jupiter Ace ! title url text ZX-TEAM-homepage & ZX-81 Web-Ring http://www.zx81.de/ Logically useful title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com Sinclair computers title url cover text SINCLAIR ZX-81 BASIC PROGRAMMING ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/books/ZX81BASICProgramming.pdf /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx81_basic-programming.jpg [**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 url cover text TIMEX SINCLAIR 1000 - USER MANUAL http://www.ts1000.us/usermanuals.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/timex-sinclair_1000_user-manual.jpg [**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 url cover text THE COMPLETE TIMEX TS1000 & SINCLAIR ZX81 ROM DISASSEMBLY null /media/museum/docs/couvs/sinclair_zx81_rom-disasembly.jpg **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 url cover text TIMEX SINCLAIR 2020 COMPUTER PROGRAM RECORDER null /media/museum/docs/couvs/ts2020_tape-recorder_manual.jpg **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 :** /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 262 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230328190356/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=262 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 or the Commodore PET.

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 and at the same time the birth of a new major actor in the micro-computers world : Sinclair Computers Ltd.

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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.