Sinclair ZX Spectrum models

SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM MODELS
All this is taken from Your Sinclair's "Second-Hand Buyer's Guide" Jun'89

SPECTRUM 16K AND SPECTRUM 48K
Year of issue: 1982
Cost new: 16K £79.99/48K £129.99

History: Sir Clive's finest invention - a home computer that was affordable to almost anybody. It changed the face of computing as we know it and it's still one of the most popular machines today. Though Sir Clive originally intended it as more of an educational tool, it has become one of the best loved games machines on the market.

Tech Spec: Keeping the price as low as possible resulted in a non standard keyboard, a single sound channel with an extremely quiet internal speaker, a 48K memory (obviously), and the minimum interfacing requirements, these being a power supply socket, cassette input and output sockets, an aerial lead socket, and a straightforward input/output port. The infamous rubber keyboard has been the source of billions of jokes from unsympathetic (but actually jealous) people for years. Programmed in Basic it has over a hundred command neatly displayed on the keys (above three on each key) which makes it a pig for the professional programmer but maybe okay for a beginner. Many of the functions have to be accessed by pressing a number of buttons though, which makes it a little slow to say the least.

Essential peripherals: A cassette deck, a TV, a joystick, and a joystick interface - go for Kempston or Kempston compatible equipment.

Disadvantages: A tie - the bizarre keyboard, slightly better than a calculator, but practicaly useless as a keyboard. Also no reset button, whoch means that to reset the computer involves cutting the power, the easiest method being to pull the power lead out of the computer - hardly very sophisticated and can lead to damage.

Advantage: Amazingly cheap (why not buy three?) and extremely portable, it's the ideal machine for any complete novice in computers. Suitable for those who really want one to zap aliens. Plus there's stack of software for it. And you can always use it as a beermat when you've finished with it.

SPECTRUM PLUS
Year of issue: 1983
Cost new: £129.99

History: Though the original rubber Speccy was an innovation it did have it's drawbacks, particularly the rubber keyboard and hopeless sound, so Uncle Clive produced this souped up version. All the upgrades were cosmetic however - internally it's no different to the original, it just doesn't bounce as well.

Tech Spec: With the memory, ports and interface inputs remaining the same on the + as on the 48K, the major difference between them is the keyboard which is probably the worst 'proper' keyboard to ever grace a computer. All the keys are crammed together in one unsightly rectangle, each with a raised central pad with sharp edges. It is better than the rubber keyboard, has more keys and a better layout, and could conceivably be used for extensive keyboard use. Again cheap cost prevented a better quality keyboard. The speaker has also been altered. It's louder than the 48K but still not loud enough, and would have been much better directed through the TV. One welcome addition was the reset button on the left-hand side which took all the worry out of aborting non-loading attempts and reduced the risk of breaking the computer or the power socket, a common complaint with its 48K brother.

Essential peripherals: Same as for the 48K machine.

Disadvantages: Hard keys still operate over a rubber membrane making it inferior to a proper keyboard. Sound still barely audible.

Advantages: Again extremely cheap with an improved if not perfect keyboard. Less prone to breakdown due to the inclusion of a reset button. Loads of software available too!

SPECTRUM 128
Year of issue: 1986
Cost new: £179.99

History: Sir Clive's final attempt at updating the Spectrum. The most obvious update is the increase in memory size to 128K and the inclusion of a three channel sound chip. In theory it allows you to run larger and more sophisticated games without the drag of multi-loading. Not only that it can also produce realistic (well fairly) sound effects. In practice though very few software companies produce 128K only games, the best receipt one being Where Time Stood Still.

Tech Spec: For the first time, the sound is put through the TV speaker and instead of the simple one channel beep, the 128's all have a three channel sound chip, capable of a much wider range of sounds. Looking at the back of this computer, it's obvious that Clive wanted this machine to be taken seriously. A Composite/RGB Monitor port is there, enabling the Speccy to be connected to a monitor, thus enhancing the quality of the screen image no end. Unfortunately there's absolutely no difference in picture quality when it's channelled through a TV. There's also a MIDI interface, which is the standard interface for music equipment enabling it to drive any MIDI compatible musical instrument - just about anything with a keyboard and plug. There's even an RS232 port, so you can interface with all manner of machines. Though there was supposed to be software compatibility with 48K games, problems in hardware compatibility means that some software will not work. Not only that - if you're upgrading to a 128K machine from a 48K Speccy some of your hardware peripherals may not work and you'll need 128 specific versions.

Essential peripherals: Same as for 48K machine though you may require 128K specific add-ons. You can use a monitor instead of the TV.

Disadvantages: The major problem with the 128 is the fact that the keyboard is the same as the Spectrum +. The heat sink tends to get very hot and overheat - great if you want to keep warm in winter but not so hot (sorry!) if you want a reliable machine. Very few 128K games available.

Advantages: 128K of memory making it a much more powerful machine particularly for the programmer. MIDI interface enabling it to operate external musical devices, Three channel soundchip enabling the use of sound effects and music.

SPECTRUM PLUS 2
Year of issue: 1986
Cost new: £200

History: Though Sir Clive is a brilliant inventor his marketing skills were not quite as good. Sales fell and he decided to sell the Spectrum along with the Sinclair name to Amstrad. Alan Sugar then hit the market with an advanced 128K machine which was a bit of a let-down to many.

Tech Spec: The +2 is basically a Spectrum 128K with a new case and some extra ports, the major and most welcome alteration being to the keyboard. At last, after four attempts, the Spectrum got the keyboard it deserved - an honest to goodness, straightforward, non-radical keyboard. The other major change is the built in tape deck, which means you don't have to mess about connecting a cassette player to the computer with a mass of unsightly leads. Unfortunately, there's no tape counter, so if you already have stacks of compilation tapes or multiloads with the beginning of each program painstakingly numbered, the numbers will be useless with the +2. The Speccy +2 also comes with printer, expansion and joystick ports. But the joystick ports are only compatible with the Amstrad joystick. This incompatibility isn't a great problem since you can buy a lead to connect your favourite joystick to the +2 for about three pounds and it even comes as standard with many joysticks.

Essential peripherals: A joystick with an Amstrad compatible port, or Amstrad compatible connection lead for your joystick. A TV or monitor.

Disadvantages: No tape counter on the cassette deck which will throw your carefully numbered compilation tapes into turmoil. No volume adjustment on tape deck means some games will not load very easily.

Advantages: Still relatively cheap but very powerful computer. Built-in cassette player and joystick port.

SPECTRUM PLUS 3
Year of issue: 1987
Cost new: £250

History: The most recent Speccy to date, just coming up to its second birthday. Two years!! I can remember when you wouldn't t dare miss the daily papers in case Uncle Clive had introduced an improved Speccy to replace the one he introduced a week ago. Originally £249, which put it into competition with the Atari ST rather than the other 8-bit machines. Fortunately, time has eroded the price of the +3, and bought new it should cost around £179. Included the much awaited built-in disk drive.

Tech Spec: Once again the 128 with a facelift - the same memory and keyboard as the +2, but a jolly ripping disk drive instead of a cassette deck. The ports are the same as the +2, with the addition of the self explanatory Disk B port. The advantage of using a disk drive is that loading and saving programs and data is a matter of seconds as opposed to minutes, which makes a big difference when you are using large programs like word-processors and spreadsheets. The three inch size of disk is used, which will stand up to the most rigorous use and can carry around 700K of data. If you want a Speccy for things like word processing, databasing and spreadsheeting where disk drive is essential, then the +3 is probably the cheapest with an integrated drive around, and consequently a bit of a bargain. If on the other hand you're just a straightforward alien zapper and universe saver, then the extra costs of the +3 and software on disk aren't really worth it unless you've got a lot of cash.

Essential peripherals: Same as for +2

Disadvantages: The power pack. Its absolutely huge and weighs a ton - not exactly portable. Not much specific +3 software available, especially games

Advantages: Built-in disk drive enables to store more programs and load and save in a fraction of the time of cassettes. Fairly cheap for what you get. Plus there's loads of 48K software available too!

...AND THE OTHERS

The other not so known Spectrum models are TC2048, TS2068, TC2068, TK90X, TK95, CZ2000, CZ Spectrum, Inves Spectrum 48k+ and CZ Spectrum+. The +2 had also two models, +2A which was internally a +3, and +2B which was an updated version of +2A, but no-one seems to know what actually was updated.

But it's real. And if it's real it can be affected ... we may not be able to break it, but, I'll bet you credits to Navy Beans we can put a dent in it.
-- deSalle, "Catspaw", stardate 3018.2