The original ZX Spectrum, replete with the 'dead flesh' chiclet keyboard. Sinclair Research was aware of this, and their answer came in April 1982: the ZX Spectrum. Some clever programming could get around the resolution limitation, but what was really needed, was more capable hardware. For games and other graphics-based programs, the restrictive monochrome 64 x 48 pixel resolution was also commonly berated. The biggest criticism of the ZX81 was the paucity of RAM - just 1 kB of it, although it could be expanded, by use of a very wobbly add-on board, to 16 kB or 56 kB. The ZX81 was somewhat rushed, and had reliability flaws, but it cost 30% less than its predecessor - naturally, it sold by the proverbial bucket load, and earned Sinclair Research a small fortune. The screen blanking problem was gone, and there was even basic audio output.
Much of the architecture and specifications remained the same, but it was cheaper to manufacture (using an uncommitted logic array chip, ULA, to replace a raft of logic components) and had double the ROM, enabling a better instruction set to be used. In 1981, the company was renamed yet again to become Sinclair Research Ltd, and shortly after they launched the ZX80's successor, the ZX81.Īttached to the rear of this ZX81 is the notorious 16 kB RAM expansion pack.
DONKEY KONG SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM BOX CODE
The visual output was mostly handled by the Z80 chip, in an interrupt mode so pressing any key on the pad or executing any code would result in an momentary loss of the screen!ĭespite these issues, the ZX80 repeatedly sold out, and put Sinclair firmly on the map, as a serious competitor in the home computer market. The visual output was mostly handled by the Z80 chip, in an interrupt mode so pressing any key on the pad or executing any code would result in an momentary loss of the screen! It did come with some drawbacks, though, due to the cost cutting: there was no audio output, nor any real hardware to create the video signal. Source: Wikipediaīy today's standards, the ZX80 might seem like a complete joke, but $230 (£100) in 1980 got you an 8-bit 3.25 MHz Zilog Z80 clone processor, 1 kB of 8-bit wide SRAM, and 4 kB of ROM - a surprising amount of technology for that budget. Its unexpected success proved that there was a market for this product, and following another change in the company name (Sinclair Computers Ltd), they had their next big success.ĭespite its flaws, the ZX80 was very popular. But Sinclair didn't let this get in the way of his desire to innovate and by the late 1970s, he was back again, in the form of Science of Cambridge Ltd.Įncouraged by developments made in the microprocessor world, his tiny group of engineers created the MK14 - one of the first home computers made in the UK (sold in kit form).
Unfortunately, disastrous flirtations with the development of portal televisions and digital watches drained the bank balance, resulting in the company closing its doors. It performed well for over 10 years, thanks to the buoyant economy at the time, and a highly successful product - a digital calculator, called the Sinclair Executive. in 1961, selling a variety of electrical and electronic products for the home. The early battles for successīritish inventor and entrepreneur, Clive Sinclair, set up his first company, Sinclair Radionics Ltd. Join us, as we reminisce about the brief life of Sinclair computers. Their computers were cheap and basic, but helped give rise to the world of bedroom programming and some very familiar game developers. Companies such as Acorn, Commodore, and Dragon rapidly become household names.Īnd fighting for sales amongst them all, was a tiny British company.
Low cost 8-bit systems brought arcade games to the masses, while offering the ability to handle basic office tasks at the same time. For many, the 1980s was the golden era in home computing.
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