Sinclair / ZX Spectrum Ads & TV Spots

[@russelwebster4011]

Addicted to Ghostbusters on the spectrum. Loved it. When it loaded that is.!!

[@MorrisseysMonkey]

I remember opening the ZX Spectrum box at Christmas 1983 and still remember that smell of the rubber keyboard! Great days!

[@RetroSteveUK]

Similar experience here. That posh black box and the Horizons demo cassette. 🤗

[@really-america]

This has made my day, thx for sharing. I was so exited to get my spectrum all those years ago, I owe Clive Sinclair big time for where I am today.

[@craigthornton1971]

I will always be pleased I was around at the dawn of the IT age.

[@RetroSteveUK]

Actually, yeah. Growing up as technology was first developing from the small acorn stage, it feels good to have experienced society from both sides.

[@gjwestonable]

Definitely. I had a BBC Micro so I was always envious of the Spectrum and C64. My Dragon 64 broke 20mins after plugging it in on Christmas day. My dad said I will get you a BBC next Christmas so said ok. Halfway through the year I said can I have a C64 he said no. Loved the beeb still got one. I got a C64 and speccy last year bit late to the party though. Great times.

[@MrGeoffHilton]

I was a kid of the 60s and feel Gerry Anderson shows along with computer growth of the 80s was the reason I have always worked in electronics and later IT industries, now retired thankfully as it was getting stressful towards the end.

[@cmdfarsight]

My parents used to get me input magazine as I used to like computers.... still do. Still got my old computers :) That Horace goes Skiing advert in Spanish makes me think of the Fast Show. I half expected to hear 'Scorchio' all of a sudden.

[@jamesaitchison9478]

I got a ZX Spextrum 128k + 2 for Christmas as a kid, i remember watching the 007 Spectrum advert wishing i had one in the run up to Christmas. Good times.

[@ArtyFishal]

I remember getting Input magazine from my local newsagent. This is how I learnt to program. I think I passed my O level in Computer Studies because of it. The teacher at my school was more interested in computers than he was in teaching.

[@RetroSteveUK]

Input taught me most of what I knew back then about programming on the ZX Spectrum. I had the whole set complete, in binders. Eventually gave them away to a younger kid - friend of the family - who wanted to learn to program. I do regret giving them away, in hindsight.

[@ArtyFishal]

@@RetroSteveUK I'm pretty sure I've still got mine in those black binders somewhere. Must try and dig them out. I remember waiting for corrections in the next edition so I could get a program to run. Later on I was able to work out the bugs myself. Simpler times 😁

[@zx81fan]

@@RetroSteveUK found them on archive site archive.org/details/inputmagazine

[@cynewulf1]

Yep, my mum got me a subscription to Input because she didn't just want me playing games all of the time. I was already interested in coding on the Speccy, but it definitely played a part in kickstarting my career as a developer.

[@grumpyoldman3458]

@@zx81fan Thanks

[@robleary3353]

Love it, my Dad was an early computer programmer way back. We used to go into stores selling computers like these. He'd type in a five line routine and type run. Up on the screen would come 'Hello, who are you?' You typed your name and the response would be hello 'name'. It would then loop back to the initial question. The only way the staff had of stopping the routine was to turn off the machine, this invariabley set off the anti theft alarms!.... 🤣🤣

[@dannyboyy31]

I used to do this in the mid 80’s too. I’d go to the Spectrums in John Menzies or WH Smith and type 10 Print “bum bum” (or something equally childish), and 20 GOTO 10. Bum bum would then scroll down the screen until an annoyed staff member reset it :)

[@Al-qv5vs]

Thanks for this post loved it. I was there right from the beginning. Thanks.

[@RetroSteveUK]

I had fun putting this one together. Some great memories.

[@Al-qv5vs]

Just watched it again...brilliant!

[@1000sofusernames]

That watch was stylistically ahead of it's time.

[@garrywitcomb2334]

I remember buying a Spectrum 48K + . . . The plastic keyboard version of the 48k,it was,at the time,for me,the dog's danglers !!! 😊😊😊😊 Better days,sadly passed Thanks for posting. Memories of care free times,with very little to worry about, Zang 😆

[@CoolDudeClem]

I'm soaking in nostalgia here!

[@CrisTheRed]

Love speccy my first computer back in 1984 till now just waiting for my Next

[@RetroSteveUK]

I managed to get in on the first Kickstarter & got my ZX Next in Feb 2020. Such a great little machine. Hope you get a lot of pleasure out of your Next when it arrives.

[@bensmith1689]

Remember the Xmas I got a Spectrum + with the Dixons game pack. Started a lifelong love of gaming....wonderful machine.

[@gbjanuary]

Very cool apart from the tape drive screeching 😀

[@bensmith1689]

@@gbjanuary I would have loved a +3!

[@becausepuppets]

Been living in the USA for years. I came across this video and it threw me back in time to my childhood! Cheers for uploading!

[@wetleyrocks3092]

I first saw a C5 (only time actually) when looking out of the window at college (1985). It was lauded. Now it brings moving emotions as Sir Clive was WAY ahead of his time. The ad says it all... "Imagine a vehicle that can drive you five miles for a penny, a vehicle which needs no petrol..." Sir Clive Sinclair, where carbon footprint reduction originated. We never considered it at the time...

[@RetroSteveUK]

Definitely! It probably failed because people thought it looked silly. Typical human behaviour. 🙄

[@EddieG1888]

I was a Speccy kid. I can still see the former Timex factory where they made Sinclair's computers from my window. When we were kids we used to raid the skips up there to see what stuff they'd thrown away. One of my mates got a prototype 128k, just missing the heat sink off the side, but we also used to find quite a bit of microdrive stuff, demo cassettes and spare parts.

[@RetroSteveUK]

Blimey! Bit jealous if I'm honest. Sounds like a proper treasure trove.

[@TrevBec]

Happy days playing my ZX Spectrum! Lots of great memories. I remember completing Airwolf which was horrendously difficult and took me forever!

[@wisteela]

Rest in peace, Uncle Clive

[@jaysmith2858]

He was infinitely more deserving of his Knighthood than most of the morally bankrupt, self serving entities that get knighted these days.

[@justinabbottabbott7892]

Excellent good memories thanks

[@eldontyrellcorp]

Fantastic times ! Probably the best times of my life. As a kid I was dreaming of having a Speccy, but back then it really was too expensive for my parents and they couldn't offer me one. I had to wait until I could get a student job and bought one myself. Then I began to swap tapes with English penpals through some adverts in the Your Sinclair magazine :)

[@RetroSteveUK]

Good times indeed. 😁👍

[@jonathancauldwell9822]

I wonder how many of the people watching this are aware that even today dozens of slick arcade games are still being released for the ZX Spectrum every year?

[@RetroSteveUK]

Probably not many, and I wonder how many even know of the existence of the Spectrum Next?

[@SabretoothBarnacle]

@@RetroSteveUK I do and I also want one... Unfortunately the ridiculous prices on eBay make it less appetising now

[@jaysmith2858]

@@SabretoothBarnacle What price are they currently going for?

[@SabretoothBarnacle]

@@jaysmith2858 Prices seem to vary between £600-850

[@jaysmith2858]

@@SabretoothBarnacle Blimey! 😲

[@Hologhoul]

Great compilation!

[@deanrussell2224]

It’s amazing to think that calculators were a big thing when I was a kid

[@RetroSteveUK]

There were exciting tech, as I remember.

[@davidjones6470]

Another classic one nice one sir 🤘

[@mrtiff99]

Ah the good old days

[@postersm7141]

11:09 “ well it’s a it’s it’s a it’s it’s“ well we really don’t know what it is lol

[@briancooper5066]

I still have my zx spectrum 128k plus. Best fun I ever had

[@KrymboGames]

ZX 128k was my first computer ❤❤

[@michaelsalisbury1960]

same here and it still works and most of the tapes still load

[@stephen2583]

With 128K memory - those were the days. :)

[@andrewparnell6656]

I remember going to Smith's to get the latest games for my Sinclair

[@RetroSteveUK]

Same. And Boots too. The Boots in our town had a more 'techy' section upstairs & they had quite a big selection of games.

[@Hellwyck]

The Amstrad-made Spectrum +2 with re-badged Sega light phaser lightgun.

[@RetroSteveUK]

I upgraded to that from my 48k Speccy, originally. It's s shame the standard 128k model wasn't marketed towards the gaming market, really.

[@mikeysaint4368]

6:52 Lesley Judd making snide comments about things which weren't developed for or made by the BBC. The point of the TV Licence was television with impartiality (ha!) and no adverts, yet they've always promoted (advertised) their own products. It's telling that viewers had to write into Micro Live and ask for other computer to be mentioned apart from the BBC's.

[@RetroSteveUK]

Blatant self-promotion was easier to get away with in those days I guess.

[@jaysmith2858]

@@RetroSteveUK They still get away with such things. The likes of OFCOM and the ASA regularly give the BBC carte blanche to do and say whatever they want.

[@lazychemistry]

The black watch 😎

[@seamusblack5876]

Wow a massive 128K now that's living

[@FishpondsLady]

I never had a ZXspectrum. Although my friend Rosie did, and we played fantastic games on it, like Horace goes skiing, Asterix, a rather boring one which I think was meant to represent the Olympic Games, and Grange Hill (which was quite terrifying - don't say yes to the drug dealer!) My dad stole a BBC Micro B from Birmingham University and gave it to me as a Christmas present in 1982. It was brilliant! I read all through the manual by John MacColl, and learned to programme beautiful fractals on the screen, as well as music. I even learned the machine code, so I could represent "The Snowman" in computer form. It was sweet, the tune played and he melted in the end (I was especially proud of that bit). I still have that computer, and it still works! I don't know how much it would be worth now.

[@RetroSteveUK]

They can go for about £200 depending on condition.

[@FishpondsLady]

Then not worth selling! My daughter learned to programme on it about ten years ago, and although it was quite funny "Where's the mouse, Mum? Why doesn't it have the Internet", BASIC served her well and she got her Grade 9 in Computer Science, I'm sure the old Beeb was a factor.

[@johnny5805]

"With the 128K memory, I can be the most powerful force in the Universe !". LOL.

[@michaelsalisbury1960]

when it came out people were like what can they possibly do with all that memory we were told extra levels better sound pity the zx stopped production be great if it made it into the console wars maybe the ZX infinity would of been a good name for it

[@craigstratford5086]

7:35 Computer Jones from look Around You

[@gbhxu]

His name is actually Ian McNaught-Davis

[@11carbuff19572011]

I see the evidence of the (& TV Spots) being in the title there. The TV Spots included the News at Ten article introduced by Martyn Lewis & reported by Lawrence McGinty, an article on Sir Clive Sinclair's C5 from the mid 80s presented by Pamela Armstrong as well as an advert for the ZX Spectrum by Chris Tarrant.

[@RetroSteveUK]

This was the first vintage TV compilation I did, I think. It wasn't a purely adverts-only thing at that point. I kind of fine-tuned it after that.

[@BenG1874]

The c5 now would probably be considered revolutionary!!😀

[@jaysmith2858]

Way ahead of its time. Just look how popular electric scooters have become.

[@antoniogarciarodriguez5741]

Hola🇪🇸Wooow WHAT MEMORIES😀

[@russelwebster4011]

Clive looked like he come straight out of Central Casting. Every computer geek. After him based on him.!!

[@ninaevans4501]

RIP The Late Sir Clive Sinclair, and also The Late Simon Caddel whos voice over presented many of these golden oldie computer tv comercials. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@garyhunt8067]

Had a Spectrum

[@RetroSteveUK]

Same. Rubber keyed and a +2. Good times.

[@icekitty400]

I've still got mine only problem is due to Daley Thomsons Decathlon some of my keys don't work.

[@RetroSteveUK]

@@icekitty400 Eesh! 😬

[@gamingtonight1526]

Put an engine on something and the powers that be go crazy! A scooter is fine, but put an engine on it and BAM! A pedal tricycle is fine, but make it a C5 with an engine, and BAM again!

[@Jamb1967]

Some of those prices !!

[@somethingelse4878]

Re the Sinclair, the cool ones had c64s ;-)

[@RetroSteveUK]

I ain't biting! 😛🤣👍

[@somethingelse4878]

@@RetroSteveUKi knew it lol That keyboard though :)

[@nickblackburn1903]

@1:57 Chris Tarrant has no idea how to use a speccy as the rf cable isnt even connected!

[@RetroSteveUK]

I guess it's just for show in the edit, but it is weird that they'd have just the power cable in. Maybe it's to fool the 1980s luddites. 😂

[@douglasfreeman3229]

Looking back on the primitive ol' Speccy, it is difficult to remember why I got so excited about purchasing one. With today's advances (and anticipating tomorrow's) I just can't get "into the zone".

[@RetroSteveUK]

I remember being very excited to get my Speccy. First computer I had and my first opportunity to play games and make stuff on a computer at home. Before that it was ten minutes on the school computer once a week.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

@@RetroSteveUK 10 minutes a week! Luxury!

[@RetroSteveUK]

@@douglasfreeman3229 Yep, one BBC B shared between about 250 kids. Those were the days, huh?

[@tjhta]

My first computer was a Spectrum ZX 128k+ I was just a kid and our posh neighbour used to pirate games for us lol

[@theauthenticexperience4623]

Would it be at all possible to acquire the source video for archiving?

[@RetroSteveUK]

I have collections of ads sorted into categorised folders, which I compile into these videos once there are enough of each. I still have some of them stored, but I tend to delete them from my HD after I've uploaded each compilation.

[@tonyford4170]

I still have my ZX SPECTRUM, 48k version, games,power supply, all but the box, I also have a complete commodore C64, boxed, an Atari, a sega 1,

[@johnj3577]

I'm gutted I sold mine, but I reeeaally wanted that fancy BMX. Well it was 1985 :)

[@lazychemistry]

600 quid for an incredible 128k memory 🤗

[@diamond6719]

So e of these systems were ahead of their time

[@williamspell5692]

To think that computers were barely larger than keyboards... Or that 128 kb was considered a lot of memory.

[@RetroSteveUK]

I remember saving up for ages and paying the best part of £100 for a 512k upgrade for my Amiga 500. 😱

[@FishpondsLady]

I'm glad it was inclusive of VAT 🐈

[@johnj3577]

It was only 8% back then... 20% now.

[@richhughes7450]

The C5 could have been much more. It was the future but the world was not ready for it.

[@RetroSteveUK]

True. Apparently there's a successor on the way. I wonder how that will do?

[@dannyboyy31]

Presumably that Timex Sinclair was a rebadged Spectrum for the US market? Probably just as well they removed 'ZX' from the name, as Zee-Ex just doesn't sound right!

[@jonathancauldwell9822]

Almost. The TS1000 was a ZX81

[@dannyboyy31]

@@jonathancauldwell9822 Ah yes, the good old Zee Ex 81 :)

[@SeeDaRipper...]

Because i attended a progressive school *ahem*, we started out on the extremely humble (1k of memory) ZX80, i must of had every computer from the 80's at one point (Dragon32/Commodore plus4 etc)...Ah halcyon days. Nice vid to reminisce too.

[@chriscutting5773]

Simpler times when some of us where young without a care in the world then we had to grow up GOD DAM IT

[@RetroSteveUK]

Were all just big kids, really! 😁

[@douglasfreeman3229]

I had more cares as a young teen than I do now, so it wasn't a great time for me, although it is peppered with a few good memories. My Speccy was one of those, but it was never going to impress the girls.

[@MrDirkles]

Can we pleased have a genius come along and invent something new in 2021?

[@RetroSteveUK]

Yep, we really should have flying cars by now. And hoverboards. 😏

[@MrDirkles]

@@RetroSteveUK just something new and exciting. I think that all of us who were born in the early 70's witnessed such amazing jumps in technology that it all seems very dull now in comparison. Right, now back to the workshop to work on that hoverboard :)

[@Hellwyck]

@Newsbender Only people who are afraid of variants are the right wing mask-hating sheep.

[@tjhta]

@@Hellwyck You mean mask wearing sheep surely, the unafraid won't use them.

[@351clevelandmodifiedmotor4]

11:55 trucks ☠️ the big problem with the Sinclair electric tricycle is where are they going to ride???? on the road????? omfg being stuck behind 1 going 12 kph being stuck behind 20 of them going 12kph , the temptation to over take ,, Rain🤔 dirt and mud no mud guards, tyres??? flying debris 🤔 like stones , pot holes???

[@postersm7141]

10:48 it does not have an engine from washing machines. Fake news. The manufacturer that makes the motor for the C-5 also happens to make washing machine motors. but then again why would I expect the media to get anything right, even way back then.

[@RetroSteveUK]

Especially way back then. What were we gonna do? Look it up in an encyclopedia?

[@apemoon1731]

I had the full set of those 'Input' magazines in their binders.

[@RetroSteveUK]

Same. Gave them all away. Still regret it.

[@apemoon1731]

@@RetroSteveUK I think that mine may be in my ex-wife's loft (at my old house) along with my 7" singles and boxes of Amiga software.

[@johnd6487]

I’ve still got mine.. unfortunately they’re buried under a load of my partners stuff.. might have to dig them out though

[@g2macs]

If there was one thing the ZX taught you was patience. .. . waiting for a tape program to load, listening to the beeps and bops.. .. then.. .. almost.. .. almost.. .. . nope didn’t work, adjust the volume up and try again.

[@RetroSteveUK]

I used to read my Sinclair User magazines while the tape games were loading.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

Mine used to mess up if someone switched on a light or an appliance. Before loading a game we had to ask my mum and dad not to use any electrical switches. I remember mum saying "Can I use the kettle again?" quite a lot.

[@AcornElectron]

BBC sticking it to Sinclair.. “well of course we’ll show other computers, here it is, expensive and shit, no programmes, but better than the last piece of Sinclair hardware.” 😂😂🕹🤪

[@jamesbussey2911]

....nowadays it would be a racist TV as well: '...only available in black and white.' - not very diverse. 😜

[@michaelsalisbury1960]

take that ps5 128k memory

[@douglasfreeman3229]

The PS5 will look crap as well, probably quite soon. The developers are probably already on PS 8.

[@11baggio11111]

God bless you....John 3 v16

[@Hellwyck]

God is a man made entity designed to control the masses = Science

[@douglasfreeman3229]

He didn't bless the ZX81.

[@truthjunkie2325]

I used to have to ZX81. I bought the momory upgrade pack which went into the slot on the back which doubled or quadrupled it in size it can't remember now. It was something like 128k upgrade which was concidered tons of memory at the time....lol....just think...in 40 years we have gone from this to things most people have not even seen yet. They say that technology is always 10 years ahead of what is out on the market - so right now we are using out of date crap. The reason for this is because they need to make money on the RnD they invested in that particular product as a minimum. My only fear is that technology has taken a turn for the worse and is being used for sinister purposes.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

I found the ZX81 sinister. I think it was designed to be so frustrating and unreliable that it drove people out of their minds. I had to take two back because they were being naughty all the time. Gave up and bought a Speccy in the end, which drove me only half insane. This is what people call the "good old days".

[@truthjunkie2325]

@@douglasfreeman3229 The rubber keys were better on the Spectrum, however, the touch pad on the ZX81 was and will always be a retro first in home gaming...I ended up buying the Sharp MZ700...!

[@B-A-L]

Ah yeah, the home computer... yet another industry Britain threw away in the '80s!

[@douglasfreeman3229]

When those home computers took off in the '80s I remember people saying how the Brits would become the leaders in technology again. It was supposed to usher in a new Golden Age of British innovation and wonder. Trouble is the Brits always manage to screw up their advantage at some point. Something to do with over-confidence (arrogance) I think. Still, it was all fascinating while it lasted. Other countries just do things better and maintain that for longer. Probably by being bastards!

[@russelwebster4011]

Get the feeling Mr Sinclair was little bit ahead of his time.

[@hanniballecter4924]

I bloody loved My Speccy lol. I would have murdered my entire family for a Sinclair C5 at the time :D

[@1000sofusernames]

The good old days when technology was optimistic. I think we should have stopped around 2000.

[@truthjunkie2325]

Dial 100....lol...is that even still a thing?

[@RetroSteveUK]

100 .. was that the operator number? Winner if it still works. Speaking clock, too.

[@truthjunkie2325]

@@RetroSteveUK yeah...it was the operator. I've not tried that number for years...I doubt it is still in use...I'd be surprised if it is...

[@andrewkirkland1452]

The sinclair portable tv. What a load of junk LOL.

[@RetroSteveUK]

They tried.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

My uncle won one of those, so I can vouch for that!

[@slobodanreka1088]

Typical "unbiased" Beeb. 6:53 "You want us to cover other computers than the BBC Micro. OK, fine." "The Spectrum has a new keyboard which costs an extra 50 quid. "The Sinclair portable TV doesn't have an input for a computer and it's got a tiny screen. "You can't download teletext programs onto a Spectrum like you can with a BBC machine. "BBC is great -- everyone else is crap. Nur nur nur."

[@RetroSteveUK]

I guess they were trying to promote and sell their own computers.

[@slobodanreka1088]

@@RetroSteveUK "Other computers are available."

[@bloodyknuckles9181]

LOAD ""

[@RetroSteveUK]

R: Tape Loading Error

[@gan9e]

RANDOMIZE USR 32768

[@RetroSteveUK]

@@gan9e You got me on that one! What does 32768 do?

[@gan9e]

@@RetroSteveUK I think it simply loads whatever data or program you've put in, try it.

[@michaelsalisbury1960]

you forgot 10 PRINT " rude word " 20 GOTO 10 THEN enter the command RUN i think that worked a screen full of filth then onto programming game from there

[@manojshukla7354]

sinclair products were cheap and poor

[@RetroSteveUK]

... but well loved by many.

[@jaysmith2858]

@@RetroSteveUK As is the case with people, give me cheap and cheerful over expensive and style over substance every time.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

True. Many families couldn't afford the pricier computers though. I would've like a C64, but my finances wouldn't run to it.