yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
3eeabe9649
6,654 pages: 1,289 machines, 702 software, 460 companies, 64 history, 17 articles, 59 fun. 4,336 media files so far; references to files not downloaded yet are left out. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
737 lines
33 KiB
Markdown
737 lines
33 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Sinclair ZX SPECTRUM +2
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Home Computer
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origins:
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- United Kingdom
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years:
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- '1986'
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cpus:
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- Zilog Z80 A
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params:
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name: ZX SPECTRUM +2
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company: /companies/sinclair
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company_name: Sinclair
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: ZX SPECTRUM +2
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Sinclair
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- label: TYPE
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value: Home Computer
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: United Kingdom
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- label: YEAR
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value: '1986'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: Sinclair Basic 48k (compatibility mode) and Sinclair Basic 128k
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: |-
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Full-stroke keyboard, 58 keys\
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same layout as the ZX Spectrum+
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- label: CPU
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value: Zilog Z80 A
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- label: SPEED
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value: 3.5469 MHz
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- label: RAM
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value: 128 kb (8 x 16k banks)
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- label: ROM
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value: |-
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Spectrum +2 : 32 kb\
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Spectrum +2A/B : 64k
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 32 x 24
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: 256 x 192
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- label: COLORS
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value: 8 with two tones each (normal and bright)
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- label: SOUND
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value: 3 channels, 8 octaves (Yamaha AY-3-8912)
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 44 x 17,5 x 5,5 cm / 1,525 kg
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: UHF PAL TV port, Serial interface (RS232) port, Parallel Printer port (8 bit), Auxiliary interface port, RGB Monitor (and PERITEL TV) port, MIDI output port, Two Joystick ports, Tape/Audio Out, Expansion I/O port (full Z80 bus)
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: Tape Recorder
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: |-
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External PSU\
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Spectrum +2 = 9v DC, 2.1A (centre polarity = -ve)\
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Spectrum +2A/B = 5V @ 2A, +12V @ 200mA, -12V @ 50mA (Spectrum+3 PSU can be used)
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- label: PRICE
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value: |-
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£200 (UK, 1986)\
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242 (France, january 1987)
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tabs:
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- photos
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- adverts
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- hardware
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- software
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- emulators
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- links
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- docs
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- videos
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photos:
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- title: 'SPECTRUM +2 #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: 'SPECTRUM +2 #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: 'SPECTRUM +2 #3'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: BOTH SIDES
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subtitle: ''
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text: On the right side, one spots two Sinclair specific joysticks plugs and the Reset switch.
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image: null
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- title: 'CLOSE-UP #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: 'CLOSE-UP #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: The keyboard had a far better feeling than previous Spectrum models.
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image: null
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- title: REAR PANEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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From left to right:
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• Supply input from the external PSU\
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• Expansion connector\
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• Serial RS232 and MIDI out socket\
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• Numeric keypad socket\
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• RGB and sound output DIN socket\
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• TV/UHF output (empty in this version)\
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• Sound output jack
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Right side:\
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• Dual jostick sockets and Reset switch
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image: null
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- title: INSIDE THE TOP COVER
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subtitle: ''
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text: The top cover holds the keyboard and the cassette drive.
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image: null
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- title: MAINBOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Custom Sinclair I/O chip\
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**(2)** Depending on the country the machine was sold, a TV modulator could be installed here\
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**(3)** Keyboard connectors\
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**(4)** General Instruments AY-8912 sound generator\
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**(5)** ROM chip holding both the BASIC 48 and BASIC 128\
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**(6)** Zilog Z80A CPU\
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**(7)** 2nd Sinclair custom chip in charge of various I/O and memory management\
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**(8)** 5V regulator heat sink\
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**(9)** 5V Power connector\
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**(10)** Tape recorder connector\
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**(11)** 128 KB RAM chips (16 x 4164)\
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**(12)** 3rd Sinclair custom video chip.
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image: null
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adverts:
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- title: FRENCH ADVERT
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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hardware:
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- title: SJS1 JOYSTICK
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subtitle: ''
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text: This is the special joystick built by Amstrad to be used with the Spectrum +2 / +3, as the Spectrum's joystick sockets are not Atari standards.
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image: null
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- title: DISCOVERY SYSTEM
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subtitle: ''
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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.'
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image: null
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- title: INSIDE DISCOVERY
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Metallic case.\
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**(2)** Centronics parallel printer connector.\
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**(3)** Spectrum expansion connector.\
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**(4)** Discovery to Spectrum connector.\
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**(5)** EPROM memory chip holding drive management routines and OS commands.\
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**(6)** Sony 3.5'' disc drive. A double side, single density version.\
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**(7)** A strange location for the power transformer, under the disk drive and not protected against magnetic fields.\
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**(8)** This empty socket receives a 2 Kb. RAM chip when a second disc drive is installed.\
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**(9)** 6821 Circuit, in charge of disc drive control.\
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**(10)** Each disc drive uses an internal RAM area to avoid using Spectrum RAM.\
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**(11)** Atari standard joystick connector.
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image: null
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- title: INSIDE WAFADRIVE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** The Wafadrive unit includes two specially designed cartridge drives.\
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**(2)** Each cartridge drive has its own motor and electronic control system.\
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**(3)** The Wafadrive offers three expansion ports. Unfortunately, they are not compatible with the Spectrum ones and need special cables.\
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**(4)** Centronics parallel printer connector.\
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**(5)** Spectrum expansion connector for additional peripherals.\
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**(6)** 8 Kb. EPROM holding operating system and Basic drives commands.\
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**(7)** The Wafadrive is connected to the Spectrum expansion port. It also uses the computer's power supply.\
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**(8)** Power Leds.
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image: null
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- title: WAFADRIVE CARTRIDGE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: CHEETAH JOYSTICK INTERFACE
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subtitle: ''
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text: Thanks to Peter James for the picture
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image: null
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- title: KEMPSTON JOYSTICK INTERFACE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Peter says:\
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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
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Thanks to Peter James for the picture
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image: null
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- title: DK'TRONICS SPEECH SYNTHESIZER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: MAGECO MONITOR
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subtitle: ''
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text: It cost 75fr in january 85 (France).
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image: null
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- title: VTR VOCAL SYNTHESIZER
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subtitle: ''
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text: 470fr (France, january 85)
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image: null
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- title: CURRAH SPEECH
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subtitle: Vocal synthesizer
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text: Just type on the keys and the Spectrum "speaks" with two tones, high and low. There is also a sofware support.
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image: null
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- title: CHEETAH SPECDRUM
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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About the Specdrum, Peter says:\
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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!!
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Price: About £30 around 85-86
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Thanks to Peter James for the picture
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image: null
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- title: ALPHACOM 32
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subtitle: ''
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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).'
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image: null
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- title: FLOYD 40
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subtitle: ''
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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.'
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image: null
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- title: ZX-81 THERMAL PRINTER
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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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.
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This tiny thermal printer can also be used with the ZX-Spectrum.
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image: null
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- title: ZX THERMAL PRINTER
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subtitle: Box
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: ZX INTERFACE 1
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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This interface offers an RS232 connector, a Microdrive connector and a network socket to connect up to 64 Spectrums !
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This marvel cost 895fr in june 84 (France).
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image: null
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- title: MICRODRIVES
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Sinclair Microdrives for use with the ZX Interface 1. Up to 8 microdrives can be connected.
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Micro-tape Capacity: 80k\
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Speed: 5k/s\
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Average access time: 3,5s\
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Integrated power supply (through computer)\
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Micro-tape price: 79fr
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940fr (June 84)
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image: null
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- title: INSIDE A MICRODRIVE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Tape driving roller.\
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**(2)** Read/write magnetic head, basically the same as a standard tape recorder.\
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**(3)** Read/write protection switch.\
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**(4)** Cartridge housing.\
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**(5)** Power led.\
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**(6)** Extension connector allowing up to 8 microdrives to be serial connected.
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image: null
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- title: INSIDE A MICRODRIVE CARTRIDGE
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subtitle: ''
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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.
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image: null
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- title: ZX INTERFACE 2
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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This interface offers 2 joystick plugs and 1 cartridge slot.
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It cost 351fr in june 84 (France).
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image: null
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- title: CARTRIDGE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Sinclair Cartridge for use with the ZX Interface 2. Very few cartridges were produced (less than 10).
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It cost 185fr in june 84 (France).
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image: null
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- title: NUMERIC KEYPAD
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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This numenic keypad can be used with the Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128.
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Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com**
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image: null
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screenshots:
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- title: SPECTRUM +2 (UK ROM)
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subtitle: Boot screen
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text: |-
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The "boot-up menu" is similar to the UK Spectrum 128's one, except that the TAPE TESTER has been removed (since the tape-recorder is built-in the system) and the copyright is now from Amstrad ! :
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\- TAPE LOADER to directly load a tape without typing any Basic instructions\
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\- 128 BASIC is the new version of the Sinclair Basic introduced with the Spectrum 128\
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\- CALCULATOR acts as a classic calculator mode\
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\- 48 BASIC is the old Spectrum Basic left here for compatibility
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image: null
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- title: SPECTRUM +2 (FRENCH ROM)
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subtitle: Boot screen
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: SPECTRUM +2 (SPANISH ROM)
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subtitle: Boot screen
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: SPECTRUM +2A/B
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subtitle: Boot-screen
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text: |-
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The Spectrum +2A is a +3 without the disk-drive hence the identical boot-menu. Notice that the drives available are listed at the bottom of the screen (A: and B: for disk-drives, and M: for virtual RAM disk) :
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\- LOADER to directly load a tape without typing any Basic instructions (it was called TAPE LOADER on previous models)\
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\- +3 BASIC is the BASIC 128 with +3DOS integrated\
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\- CALCULATOR acts as a classic calculator mode\
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\- 48 BASIC is the old Spectrum Basic left here for compatibility
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image: null
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- title: DAN DARE III
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: DOUBLE DRAGON
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subtitle: ''
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text: A bit messy...
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image: null
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- title: DUN DARACH
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subtitle: ''
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text: The guys are walking so smoothly
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image: null
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- title: ELITE
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subtitle: ''
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text: The mythic space game ! The father of all other space-games such as Wing-Commander.
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image: null
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- title: FANTASY WORLD DIZZY
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subtitle: ''
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text: One of the many games based on the egg-man Dizzy.
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image: null
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- title: GAUNTLET
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subtitle: ''
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text: Conversion of the classic arcade game
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image: null
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- title: GUNFRIGHT
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subtitle: ''
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text: 3D isometric western game. A must-have !
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image: null
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- title: IKARI WARRIORS
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subtitle: ''
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text: As good as Commando !
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image: null
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- title: IK+
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subtitle: International Karate +
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text: 3 players fight
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image: null
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- title: ALIEN 8
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subtitle: ''
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text: Excellent isometric game
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image: null
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- title: ANT ATTACK
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subtitle: ''
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text: Avoid the giant ants and save the girl in this 3D maze
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image: null
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- title: ARC OF YESOD
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: ATIC ATAC
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: BACK TO SKOOL
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subtitle: Skooldaze ?
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: BOMBJACK
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subtitle: ''
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text: Classic game !
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image: null
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- title: BRUCE LEE
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subtitle: ''
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text: One of the best game ever
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image: null
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- title: CHASE HQ
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: null
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- title: CHUCKIE EGG
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subtitle: ''
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text: Who never played this ??
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image: null
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- title: COMMANDO
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subtitle: ''
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text: Excellent conversion
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image: null
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- title: DAILEY'S THOMPSON DECATHLON
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subtitle: ''
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text: The best olympic game on the Speccy
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image: null
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emulators:
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- title: EightyOne
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url: http://www.chuntey.com/eightyone/
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platform: Windows
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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.
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- title: GLECK
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url: HTTP://GLECK.EMUUNLIM.COM
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platform: Windows
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text: Spectrum emulator. Runs on Windows 95 and up, and requires DirectX. Includes a debugger, and emulates also some Southamerican clones
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- title: RealSpectrum
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url: http://www.ramsoft.bbk.org/realspec.html
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platform: Windows
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text: complete and innovative Spectrum emulator for DOS and Windows
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- title: Spectaculator
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url: http://WWW.SPECTACULATOR.COM/
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platform: Windows
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text: Spectaculator emulates the 16K/48K/128/+2/+2A Spectrums and some additional hardware.
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- title: SPIN
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url: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/emulators.html
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platform: Windows
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text: Spectrum emulator running on any version of Windows from '95 onward up to and including XP
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- title: Warajavo
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url: http://www.void.jump.org/warajevo/
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platform: Windows
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text: an excellent bosnian emulator for PC compatibles by Zeljko Juric (DOS)
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- title: Warajavo
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url: http://www.void.demon.nl/warajevo/index.html
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platform: Windows
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text: an excellent bosnian emulator for PC compatibles by Zeljko Juric (DOS)
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- title: X128
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url: http://www.void.jump.org/x128/
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platform: Windows
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text: Spectrum 48 / 128 / +2 / +3 Emulator
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- title: X128
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url: http://www.void.demon.nl/x128/
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platform: Windows
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text: Spectrum 48 / 128 / +2 / +3 Emulator
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- title: Z80 - The PC Spectrum Emulator
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url: http://www.accessone.com/~mcoward/z80.zip
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platform: Windows
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text: Perhaps the best emulator for PC compatibles
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- title: ZX-32
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url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/9932/
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platform: Windows
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text: Great Win32 Emulator. Very stable, very fast.
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- title: MacSpectacle
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url: http://little-bat.de/zxsp/download/mac_spectacle/manual.html
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platform: Apple
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text: One of the most powerful Spectrum emulator
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- title: ZX Spectrum
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url: http://www.komkon.org/~stiles/emulation/zx/index.html
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platform: Apple
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text: ''
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- title: ZXSP
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url: http://little-bat.de/zxsp/download/zxsp_mac/zxsp_mac.html
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platform: Apple
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text: Emulator for PowerMac
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- 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: 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: xz80
|
||
url: http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oucl/users/ian.collier/Spectrum/
|
||
platform: Unix / Linux
|
||
text: ''
|
||
- title: xzx
|
||
url: http://www.zx-spectrum.net/xzx/
|
||
platform: Unix / Linux
|
||
text: an other emulator for Linux computers
|
||
- title: xzx
|
||
url: http://www.mfltd.co.uk/~dnh/xzx/xzx.html
|
||
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/)
|
||
videos:
|
||
- title: Spectrum +2 - Currys commercial
|
||
url: http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-2908638663320112771&hl=fr
|
||
text: 'Length: 35 s'
|
||
comments:
|
||
- author: micro:glitch
|
||
date: Monday 9th August 2021
|
||
text: This was a nice computer with lots of character!
|
||
- author: miles (essex/uk)
|
||
date: Friday 7th August 2015
|
||
text: I own a reasonably mint +2(grey) same as the one I owned back in 1986 I have all my old games plus many more I got cheaper in the 90''s and will continue to use it I got a lovely scart lead and a refurbed Quickshot 1 joystick plus the joystick converters for both ports(a must) I do have an SJS1 joystick but keeping that intact as they snap easily as most of you will remember. The built in cassette deck worked fine back then and does now, I haven''t had to twiddle the Azymuth screw as yet like I did back in the day but I think that was more down to recording methods rather than any fault of the tape head. I''m prepared to change the tape drive belt if it were to perish and snap there isn''t much to worry about as far as repairs go. These are solid machines considering the fun people made of companies like Amstrad same goes for Sinclair. As long as you use them as intended they last forever :) I couldn''t live without mine it''s like my childhood never left me
|
||
- author: God
|
||
date: Tuesday 3rd February 2015
|
||
text: Selling a boxed black spectrum +2 at the moment on ebay, as well as a ZX81 :) http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav$item.view$alt$web$id$321657454426
|
||
- author: God
|
||
date: Tuesday 3rd February 2015
|
||
text: Selling a boxed black spectrum +2 at the moment on ebay, as well as a ZX81 :) http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav$item.view$alt$web$id$321657454426
|
||
- author: Lelanna (Australia)
|
||
date: Sunday 21st September 2014
|
||
text: |-
|
||
http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/171460578784?nav$SEARCH
|
||
|
||
I currently have a listing on EBay for this computer and many games
|
||
- author: Roger Jowett (Ulster)
|
||
date: Thursday 28th February 2013
|
||
text: |-
|
||
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v$zsjTpFR0oYQ
|
||
|
||
please help\
|
||
trying to convert 8bit video for sam coupe\
|
||
this is still not mode 3 interlaced with hmpr bit 5$6 CLUT alterations per scan line HELP we only need a DMA...\
|
||
masterdos/basic atom lite support HELP
|
||
- author: John a Girdler. (Belfast, Northern Ireland.)
|
||
date: Sunday 17th February 2013
|
||
text: |-
|
||
I have the Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2, it has a 128K,
|
||
|
||
Still in it''s box, and for sale is therir any offers to buy it out there,
|
||
|
||
Johnandanngirdler@hotmail.com Soon.
|
||
|
||
John.............
|
||
- author: Miguel (Porto Portugal)
|
||
date: Saturday 21st July 2012
|
||
text: |-
|
||
I''m not going to say anything but a little detail since everyone said and feels the same about this computer.\
|
||
I had one too. What really intrigued me was this: I had a friend who had the +2 and I had the +2A and there was at least a difference besides the color and that +3 menu that it was the PLAY command with some keystrokes. He had that command in his +2 and I didn''t. I also had this book which I saw selling at ebay and some retro uk gaming site which came with it from where we could copy and try to run those little "programs"(?) and save them on tape. Oh but that play command...! Anyone used to code? (copy code too) Anyone remember that difference or used the command? Thanks in advance and keep on remembering old gold times spectrum gave us all!
|
||
- author: Marco G (Portugal)
|
||
date: Saturday 21st April 2012
|
||
text: |-
|
||
I own a +2B and a +3.
|
||
|
||
I remember the +2A cassette player buttons started breaking after some time. I remember using the screw driver - which was actually used for fine tuning - as a lever to activate the play button.
|
||
|
||
I had countless ours of gaming with this baby. Counting out the cassette player, they where damn robust and made to last.
|
||
|
||
I even made a cable to connect the RGB output to a TV scart input after looking at a diagram in some magazine. Guess what ... it worked. The TV transmitter wasn''t the best in hood. Best transmitter was in the Timex TC-2068. But, you just could get near my RGB to scart connection $)
|
||
- author: mentalist3d
|
||
date: Sunday 29th May 2011
|
||
text: |-
|
||
That brought back memories, really enjoyed games such as Golden Axe, Bubble Bobble, etc. It was also a good introduction to programming at an early age, I remember spending weeks on end, programming in games from the manual and getting them to work.
|
||
|
||
The worst part was when loading bigger games, you could spend up to 10 minutes going through the loading, and just before the game would finish loading it would crash and you would have to start from scratch.
|
||
- author: Sandro Zanello (Brasília - Brazil)
|
||
date: Tuesday 22nd June 2004
|
||
text: Hi! I made a new ZX Spectrum Box in CorelDRAW format with real size! See the pics at the link above!
|
||
- author: joe (cardiff)
|
||
date: Saturday 8th March 2003
|
||
text: ive just found my spectrum 128k +2 after not seeing it for about 10 years. the only problem is i can only get 1 game to load. does anyone know where i can get games from?? and out of curiosity ..... what is it worth???
|
||
- author: Anders (Stockholm, Sweden)
|
||
date: Tuesday 5th February 2002
|
||
text: Ah, I remember my old 128+2... the only thing I didn't really appreciate was the fact that it didn't have a tape counter. I remember an article in Sinclair User were they actually taught you have to make your own counter... Well it involved som pretty nasty surgery and my hands didn't really feel steady enough ;-) So I used an external cassette deck as a counter.
|
||
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-3
|
||
- /museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-480
|
||
oc_id: 221
|
||
source:
|
||
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230522171908/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=221
|
||
date: '2023-05-22'
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
The Sinclair Spectrum +2 was the first Sinclair computer made by Amstrad after they bought the rights of the Sinclair computers products. Thus, it is not suprising that the Spectrum +2 is very similar in shape and functionality to the [Amstrad CPC-464](/museum/amstrad-cpc-464/). It was a kind of mix between the [Spectrum 128](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-128/) and the CPC-464 !
|
||
|
||
Even though it used several features of the CPC-464, such as the built-in tape recorder and a good full-stroke keyboard (at last!), it is above all an improved Spectrum 128. Thus, the sound chip used is still the well-known Yamaha AY-3-8912 which is the sound chip of the [MSX computers](/museum/msx-1/), [Oric computers](/museum/oric-1/),[Atari ST series](/museum/atari-520-st-st-stm/)) and many other computers of the 80’s. It was the most popular sound chip at the time.
|
||
|
||
As on the Spectrum 128, two BASIC versions were implemented : the 48k BASIC to remain compatible with the original [Sinclair Spectrum](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum/), and the 128k BASIC which was already introduced with the Spectrum 128. There was still a calculator mode in the start-menu but the « Tape tester » option of the 128 had been removed since the tape-recorder was built-in.\
|
||
As with the other 128k models, and due to the limitations of the Z80 CPU which can only address 65536 bytes, the 128kb RAM was not directly usable (unless with bank-switching routines), but could be used as a RAM disk.
|
||
|
||
There were several models of the Spectrum +2 : the **Spectrum +2** (grey case) which had a motherboard nearly identical to that of the 128, and the **Spectrum +2A** and **+2B** (black case) which were simply Spectrum +3 computers with a tape-recorder instead of the disk drive. It means that their motherboards were quite similar to that of the +3. The difference between the +2A and +2B was mainly due to a move in production from Hong Kong to Taiwan.\
|
||
Note that the first ROMs developed by Amstrad for the +2 model caused compatibility problems with the old Spectrum software, so they changed a few things in later ROMs.
|
||
|
||
When Amstrad conceived the +2A/B and the +3 they redesigned the motherboard and made some internal changes on the bus. They also removed the keypad scanning routines of the Spectrum 128 and +2 (remember the keypad sold with the [Spanish Spectrum 128k](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-128/) ?).
|