website/content/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum-480.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Sinclair ZX SPECTRUM+	Computers	Home Computer	United Kingdom	1984	Zilog Z80A	name company company_name specs tabs photos adverts hardware screenshots emulators links docs comments related oc_id source ZX SPECTRUM+ /companies/sinclair Sinclair label value NAME ZX SPECTRUM+ label value MANUFACTURER Sinclair label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN United Kingdom label value YEAR 1984 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Sinclair Basic label value KEYBOARD QWERTY simi-mechanical keyboard\ QL type keyboard label value CPU Zilog Z80A label value SPEED 3.5 MHz label value RAM 48k label value ROM 16k label value TEXT MODES 32 x 24 label value GRAPHIC MODES 256 x 192 label value COLORS 8 with two tones each (normal and bright) label value SOUND 1 voice / 10 octaves (Beeper) label value I/O PORTS Expansion port, tape-recorder (1200 bauds), RF video out label value POWER SUPPLY External PSU, 9v DC, 1.4A - -o)- + photos adverts hardware software emulators links docs title subtitle text image ZX SPECTRUM+ null title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE null title subtitle text image REAR Power in, expansion port, tape-recorder, video out. null title subtitle text image REAR #2 null title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE null title subtitle text image FRONT null title subtitle text image FRONT #2 null title subtitle text image DETAIL null title subtitle text image KEYBOARD DETAIL null title subtitle text image UPSIDE DOWN null title subtitle text image INSIDE The same motherboard as the original Spectrum. null title subtitle text image INSIDE #2 **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. null title subtitle text image BOX null title subtitle text image GREEK ADVERT (MARCH 1985) null title subtitle text image DISCOVERY SYSTEM 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. null title subtitle text image INSIDE DISCOVERY **(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. null title subtitle text image INSIDE WAFADRIVE **(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. null title subtitle text image WAFADRIVE CARTRIDGE null title subtitle text image CHEETAH JOYSTICK INTERFACE Thanks to Peter James for the picture null title subtitle text image KEMPSTON JOYSTICK INTERFACE 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 null title subtitle text image DK'TRONICS SPEECH SYNTHESIZER null title subtitle text image MAGECO MONITOR It cost 75fr in january 85 (France). null title subtitle text image VTR VOCAL SYNTHESIZER 470fr (France, january 85) null title subtitle text image CURRAH SPEECH Vocal synthesizer Just type on the keys and the Spectrum "speaks" with two tones, high and low. There is also a sofware support. null title subtitle text image CHEETAH SPECDRUM 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 null title subtitle text image ALPHACOM 32 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). null title subtitle text image FLOYD 40 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. null title subtitle text image ZX-81 THERMAL PRINTER 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. null title subtitle text image ZX THERMAL PRINTER Box null title subtitle text image ZX INTERFACE 1 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). null title subtitle text image MICRODRIVES 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) null title subtitle text image INSIDE A MICRODRIVE **(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. null title subtitle text image INSIDE A MICRODRIVE CARTRIDGE 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. null title subtitle text image ZX INTERFACE 2 This interface offers 2 joystick plugs and 1 cartridge slot. It cost 351fr in june 84 (France). null title subtitle text image CARTRIDGE Sinclair Cartridge for use with the ZX Interface 2. Very few cartridges were produced (less than 10). It cost 185fr in june 84 (France). null title subtitle text image NUMERIC KEYPAD This numenic keypad can be used with the Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128. Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com** null title subtitle text image ALIEN 8 Excellent isometric game null title subtitle text image ANT ATTACK Avoid the giant ants and save the girl in this 3D maze null title subtitle text image ARC OF YESOD null title subtitle text image ATIC ATAC null title subtitle text image BACK TO SKOOL Skooldaze ? null title subtitle text image BOMBJACK Classic game ! null title subtitle text image BRUCE LEE One of the best game ever null title subtitle text image CHASE HQ null title subtitle text image CHUCKIE EGG Who never played this ?? null title subtitle text image COMMANDO Excellent conversion null title subtitle text image DAILEY'S THOMPSON DECATHLON The best olympic game on the Speccy null title subtitle text image DAN DARE III null title subtitle text image DOUBLE DRAGON A bit messy... null title subtitle text image DUN DARACH The guys are walking so smoothly null title subtitle text image ELITE The mythic space game ! The father of all other space-games such as Wing-Commander. null title subtitle text image FANTASY WORLD DIZZY One of the many games based on the egg-man Dizzy. null title subtitle text image GAUNTLET Conversion of the classic arcade game null title subtitle text image GUNFRIGHT 3D isometric western game. A must-have ! null title subtitle text image IKARI WARRIORS As good as Commando ! null title subtitle text image IK+ International Karate + 3 players fight null 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 GLECK HTTP://GLECK.EMUUNLIM.COM Windows Spectrum emulator. Runs on Windows 95 and up, and requires DirectX. Includes a debugger, and emulates also some Southamerican clones title url platform text RealSpectrum http://www.ramsoft.bbk.org/realspec.html Windows complete and innovative Spectrum emulator for DOS and Windows title url platform text Spectaculator http://WWW.SPECTACULATOR.COM/ Windows Spectaculator emulates the 16K/48K/128/+2/+2A Spectrums and some additional hardware. title url platform text SPIN http://www.worldofspectrum.org/emulators.html Windows Spectrum emulator running on any version of Windows from '95 onward up to and including XP title url platform text Warajavo http://www.void.jump.org/warajevo/ Windows an excellent bosnian emulator for PC compatibles by Zeljko Juric (DOS) title url platform text X128 http://www.void.jump.org/x128/ Windows Spectrum 48 / 128 / +2 / +3 Emulator title url platform text ZX-32 http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/9932/ Windows Great Win32 Emulator. Very stable, very fast. title url platform text MacSpectacle http://little-bat.de/zxsp/download/mac_spectacle/manual.html Apple One of the most powerful Spectrum emulator title url platform text ZXSP http://little-bat.de/zxsp/download/zxsp_mac/zxsp_mac.html Apple Emulator for PowerMac title url platform text Ian's ZX Spectrum page http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oucl/users/ian.collier/Spectrum/ Unix / Linux the official page of xz80, the emulator for XWindows title url platform text xzx http://www.zx-spectrum.net/xzx/ Unix / Linux an other emulator for Linux computers title url platform text ASp http://www.greew.freeserve.co.uk/ASp.html Amiga OS title url platform text Spec128 http://members.tripod.com/~JoeKelleher/Spec128/ RISC OS Emulates a Spectrum 128 for the Acorn title url platform text HOB Java Spectrum emulator http://www.twinbee.org/hob/ Other platform Fascinate yourself for hours with this portable Java Spectrum Emulator. title url platform text Java On-Line Emulator http://www.zxspec.freeserve.co.uk/java.html Other platform Plays games on-line ! title url platform text PocketClive http://pocketclive.emuunlim.com/ Other platform Spectrum 48k and 128k emulator for PocketPC ! title url platform text QAOP http://wizard.ae.krakow.pl/~jb/qaop/ Other platform Qaop is a ZX Spectrum emulator Java applet title url platform text Sinclair Spectrum Emulator 1.1 http://www.palmtop.nl/ce/hpc_spectrum.html Other platform Handheld PCs and Palm-size PCs running Windows CE 2.0 or higher title url platform text TEZXAS http://tezxas.ticalc.org/ Other platform ZX Spectrum emulator for TI 89 and 92 calculators ! title url platform text ZX68 http://zx68.8k.com Other platform Emulator for various 68000 based machines. First version is released for PalmOS title url platform text FUSE http://fuse-emulator.sourceforge.net/ Multiplatform Fuse (the Free Unix Spectrum Emulator) is a ZX Spectrum emulator for Unix and MacOS X title url platform text SPEC http://WWW.METHEDRINE.DEMON.CO.UK/spec.html Multiplatform 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). title url text CRASH, the on-line edition http://www.crashonline.org.uk/ Site dedicated to the old well-known magazine title url text DOCUMENTATION http://www.madhippy.com/8-bit/index.php?machine=sinclair Classic 8-bit Computers / lot of on-line documentations for Sinclair computers. USEFUL ! title url text DOCUMENTATION http://www.worldofspectrum.org/documentation.html#manuals World of Spectrum's documentation page title url text Good Old Games http://speccy.altervista.org/ ZX games and screenshots title url text Las Spectrum y TK en el Uruguay http://WWW.Z80.UY.TC The story of the ZX Spectrum line and TK line in Uruguay, South America title url text Number Cruncher http://www.8bit-museum.de/ This german website has an excellent Sinclair section title url text Planet Sinclair http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/ THE site to visit ! Everything you need. title url text Sinclair Nostalgia Products http://surf.to/zx Lot of speccy stuff here and long list of clones 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 Software Records on Vinyl http://www.kempa.com/blog/archives/000053.html These records contained computer programs as part of the audio. title url text Speccy.com.ar http://www.speccy.com.ar/ Argentine blog dedicated to the Spectrum title url text Speccyalista HTTP://WWW.SINCLAIR.HU Hungarian Sinclair page title url text Spectrum Screenshot Heaven http://members.tripod.com/ssh_web/ Excellent ! Plenty of speccy screenshots here. title url text Speecy.CZ http://www.speccy.cz/ Nice site with a lot of games, demos, maps, screenshots, cover arts, music, etc... title url text Steve's Spectrum Page http://ireland.iol.ie/~sjones/ Steve collects speccy games and accept requests title url text Tape Loader Home Page http://perso.club-internet.fr/jgibart/spectl/spectl.html Utility to transfer your zx tapes to the PC title url text The Incomplete Spectrum ROM Assembly http://www.wearmouth.demon.co.uk/ Spectrum ROM assembly text file. Very useful if you want to create your version of the Spectrum Operating System title url text The Ocean Experience http://www.theoceanexperience.cjb.net/ A look into one of the biggest games developers of the 80's and 90's title url text The Tipshop http://www.the-tipshop.co.uk/ A central archive for all Spectrum and SAM games hints, tips, cheats, maps, hacks and pokes. Impressive! title url text The World of ZX-Spectrum http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ This is it. The site you MUST visit first :-) title url text Virtual TR-DOS HTTP://ZX.DA.RU Belarussian ZX-soft archive (in Russian) title url text Your Sinclair, a celebration http://www.yoursinclair.co.uk/ Tribute to one of the best Spectrum dedicated magazine title url text z00m's Speccy corner http://zoom.czweb.org/ DOCUMENTATION, PICTURES, emulators, AY CHIP title url text ZX Download page http://zxfiles.hut2.ru/ The very best of new ZX Spectrum games both Europe and ex-USSR title url text ZX Forever http://www.zx-f.ru/ Full with new Russian ZX Spectrum games (lots of them are in English language) title url text ZX Spectrum Games after 1993 http://tarjan.uw.hu/zx_gamez_after_93_en.htm Nice article referencing ZX Spectrum games released after 1993! title url text ZX Spectrum in the 21st Century http://tarjan.uw.hu/zxclones_en.htm Nice info about a lot of ZX Spectrum clones and hardware title url text ZXSPECTICLE http://www.worldofspectrum.org/zxspecticle/ News, Reviews, Interviews and the A to Z top ten games title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com Sinclair computers title url cover text ZX SPECTRUM BASIC PROGRAMMING http://www.1000bit.it/support/manuali/sinclair/zxspectrum/start.htm null [**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 url cover text ZX SPECTRUM INTRODUCTORY MANUAL http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ZXSpectrumIntroduction/ null [**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 url cover text ZX SPECTRUM SERVICE MANUAL http://members.lycos.co.uk/eightbitula/48kinfo.html null [**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/) author date text Guest Tuesday 12th December 2017 There is a Sinclair ZX Spectrum archive out there... http://www.worldofspectrum.org author date text ZX User Saturday 23rd September 2017 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 date text nikigre Sunday 12th February 2017 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 date text Colin (Leicester, England) Thursday 1st December 2011 Mauro, try www.retrospec.sgn.net - Not sure if they have "Antiriad" but it might help. Good luck author date text Tomasz (Swinoujscie, Poland) Thursday 2nd October 2003 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 date text Kenneth Harper (Brittany, France) Thursday 27th February 2003 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 date text mauro (chile) Saturday 25th May 2002 any one knows where can i play on line olds games , i am searching "Antiriad\ " author date text Alejandro (Chile) Saturday 9th March 2002 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. /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-3 480 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230121173245/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=480 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.