Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console

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The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. Referred to during development as the ZX81 Colour and ZX82, the machine was launched as the ZX Spectrum by Sinclair to highlight the machine's colour display, compared with the black-and-white of its predecessor, the Sinclair ZX81. The Spectrum was released in eight different models, ranging from the entry level model with 16 KB RAM released in 1982 to the ZX Spectrum +3 with 128 KB RAM and built in floppy disk drive in 1987.

The Spectrum was among the first mainstream audience home computers in the UK, similar in significance to the Commodore C64 in the USA. The introduction of the ZX Spectrum led to a boom in companies producing software and hardware for the machine. The Spectrum is based on a Zilog Z80A CPU running at 3.5 MHz (or NEC D780C-1 clone). The original model Spectrum has 16 KB (16×1024 bytes) of ROM and either 16 KB or 48 KB of RAM. Hardware design was by Richard Altwasser of Sinclair Research, and the machine's outward appearance was designed by Sinclair's industrial designer Rick Dickinson.

Our Spectrum is part of a console manufactured by Griffin & George of London and was kindly donated by Andrew Borkett of the Faculty of Education in Cambridge University.

Manufacturer: Sinclair
Date: 1982



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Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console Manuals:

Item Manufacturer Date
A Course in BASIC Programming - ZX80 Operating Manual Science of Cambridge 1980
Technology Research Disk Interface Manual Technology Research Ltd 1984
Servicing Manual for ZX Spectrum Sinclair Research Ltd Jan 1984
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2 Manual Sinclair 1986
Spectral Manual (East German ZX Spectrum Clone) Hübner Elektronik 1988

Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console Articles:

Item Manufacturer Date
Memories - The Tatung Einstein (1) Unknown
Memories - My History of Computing - From a School Teacher Feb 2009

Magazines RELATED to Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console in our Library

Item Manufacturer Date
Your Computer - June 1982 Jun 1982
Personal Computer World - June 1982 1 Jun 1982
Personal Computer World - October 1982 Oct 1982
Personal Computer World - November 1982 Nov 1982
Personal Computer World - January 1983 Jan 1983
Practical Computing - August 1983 Aug 1983
Acorn User - Christmas 1995 1 Jul 2009
Acorn User - May 1997 15 Jul 2009

Other Systems Related To Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console:

Item Manufacturer Date
Prototype of MK14 Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK 14 + Original Keyboard Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK 14 - Original Kit Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK14 + Memory Expansion in wooden case Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK14 Sinclair 1977
Sinclair ZX80 8K Basic Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX81 with Basic EPROM Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX80 Prototype PDZ 4732 Basic ROM - Nine Tiles Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX80 Updated to ZX81 Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX80 Sinclair 1st June 1980
Sinclair ZX81 Kit Sinclair 1981
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Prototype Sinclair 1981
Sinclair ZX81 Sinclair 1981
Sinclair ZX81 - Signed by Rick Dickinson Sinclair 5th March 1981
Sinclair ZX81 with Custom Case/Keyboard Sinclair 5th March 1981
Argentinian Sinclair Spectrum Sinclair 1982
Sinclair Spectrum with Homemade Keyboard Sinclair 1982
White Replica ZX Spectrum (Millionth Edition) Sinclair 1982
Early Sinclair ZX Spectrum Computer Sinclair 1982
Timex Sinclair 1000 Sinclair 1982
ZX Spectrum Issue 2 With ULA Modification Sinclair 1982
Timex Sinclair 1500 Sinclair 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K (BBC) Sinclair 1st March 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Case (Signed) Sinclair 1st March 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Computer - Early Issue Sinclair 23rd April 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k Sinclair 23rd April 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16K Sinclair 23rd April 1982
Sinclair Spectrum (Assembled in Portugal) Sinclair 1983
Sinclair QL + Schön Keyboard Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (German) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (Signed) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (US) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (Property of Sinclair) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL Sinclair 1984
Sinclair ZX Spectrum+ Sinclair 1st June 1984
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2 Sinclair 1986
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128 Sinclair January 1986
Cambridge Z88 All In One Pack Sinclair 1987
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 (Currys Box) Sinclair 1st June 1987
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 Sinclair 1st June 1987
Sinclair PC200 Sinclair 1988
Cambridge Z88 With PC Link Kit Sinclair 1988

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH33641. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 

Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console

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Articles

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Easy Microcomputing - 1984 - VHS Tape
Easy Microcomputing - 1984 - VHS Tape

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Rick Dickinson - Industrial Design of the Spectrum Next

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Rick Dickinson on BBC Arts 2016

The Prototype Sinclair ZX Spectrum ROM
The Prototype Sinclair ZX Spectrum ROM

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