Sinclair ZX Spectrum Story & Review (Part 2) - System Overview | Nostalgia Nerd

Part 2 of my Sinclair Spectrum Story & Review. Featuring a run down & review of all the Spectrum variations from 1982 up until it ceased production under Amstrad control in 1992!.... Enjoy :D (Part 1 at • Sinclair ZX Spectrum S... )
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+2a/b incompatibility list used from: www.worldofspectrum.org/forums...
PCW front cover: www.computinghistory.org.uk/de... via. information at compgroups.net/comp.sys.sincla...

[@ianedmonds9191]

My dad was production manager of the Timex spectrum line in Dundee. We had engineering samples of every one as long back as the ZX81. I learnt to program on a 48k Spectrum. Now I'm a corporate app developer for an oil services company. These machines meant so much. Luv and Peace.

[@swordghoti]

I had a +2A for Christmas, was it in 1987. I got a massive pack of Ocean/Imagine games bundled with it. So many absolutely golden games I had for that system straight off the bat, I think my pack came with about 80 titles. I played on it near constantly until 1991 when I got a Master System and cartridge games took over. I'm so gonna have to get a Vega now though to revisit those experiences. My ekder brother sold my +2A to one of his mates so he could buy weed back in 1995, the twat. ah well, great days, and I loved the games too.

Main reason for 48 kb of RAM was not spanish law, to keep the prices down Sinclair used faulty 64K DRAM chips (2x32). Chips in the 32K bank of RAM had to have the same half of the 64K chips working. On PCB there was a link in order to choose the first half or the second half. These were marked as 4164H or 4164L and sold as 32Kbit chips, the H or the L indicated which half of the chip was usable, and as long as the PCB tied the upper address line high or low the chip would work as a 32Kbit chip.

[@richjohn76]

I had a plus 2A for years. There were definitely a handful games which behaved differently on the +2A to the regular +2, be it failing to give the 128k sound or simply refusing the run. Love it though, before jumping to Amiga!

[@Aerojet01]

Thank you for an interesting upload. Growing up as a kid, I used to dream about owning a spectrum Sinclair, especially the ZX +2 with the built in tape deck. Unfortunately, I came from one parent family and we hardly had any money, so I would flick through catalogue books daydreaming. Eventually, I ended up with a Commodore 64, which I enjoyed hours on end.

[@Nostalgianerd]

+Wildfox01 man I used to flick through the catalogue and daydream too. I think that happens with any kid, regardless of what we had. We just want the next level up!

[@watchreadplayretro]

Brilliantly researched and made, thanks for this series, very informative! Loved it!

[@tinman7551]

At the time I wanted this more than I’ve wanted anything else since. Wonderful video and Chanel.

[@davidspencer7254]

We had an issue 1 and the membrane failed in 84 and they repaired it with the issue 2 membrane and rubber key. A true Frankenstein. I'm certain it's in a loft somewhere in Norfolk

[@gwheeler1609]

Don't all KZbinrs know what a 'Mick'-raphone is lol. In the '80s we called it a 'mike' (short for microphone) socket. Is this a swampy thing? 😉 Dig your work pal. Top stuff. I liked the Spekkys external power. It kept my young toes warm before we got double glazing.

[@TheonlyJesusduck]

The James Bond model was my second spectrum. Love the videos

[@Longlius]

One of the major problems with the Timex spectrum clones here in the states is that they had to be modified to work with NTSC instead of PAL and the software at the time was so dependent on screen timings that it couldn't be easily modified to work on North American hardware.

[@ronnyb5890]

i remember the fun with the cheetah speech addon module, great fun all the way 😄

[@5FIRISH]

I never had a ZX Spectrum but I'm currently trying to find one. It's not that easy in the states. I love all of your videos but I have to say my favorite part of any of them is the cameo made by the Sword of Omens. Cheers!

"Whatever Next?" - brilliant. :)

[@seanscolossus9444]

Well done!

[@drwugong]

Awesome, thanks for this!

[@Nostalgianerd]

Anytime :)

[@alexandrosnaoum1318]

I got the +2 as a winning prize on a radio competition back in 1990. Of course it didn't survive as I was a kid and destroy everything but very soon I realize the meaning of having a Spectrum so I bought one from Ebay. It is the king in my collection (thank God, I kept all the games from the first one)

[@TK199999]

I guess that shows the difference between the UK and the US, since UL is pretty strict here. UL means the power cord/power supply has been tested and found to be free of reasonably foreseeable risk of fire and electric shock. Though in the last few years I have seen electric heaters sold at Walmart that did not have UL label, which is supposed to be illegal.

[@RichardTroupe]

This is an awesome video on a system that I never actually owned, being born in 1986. I owned a C64 and NES but never a Spectrum. However, damn... that Spectrum+ 128k model looks gorgeous!

[@Nostalgianerd]

Richard Troupe Thank you sir, and aye. It is a fine looking machine. I dust it thrice daily

[@RichardTroupe]

Nostalgia Nerd Dust the machine or something else? Haha!

[@Nostalgianerd]

Richard Troupe Both

[@VaterOrlaag]

12:55 The Didaktik computers were made in Czechoslovakia, not Russia...

[@Nostalgianerd]

+VaterOrlaag Ahhh, thanks for the clarification!

[@victorvangrimgamming6784]

I've been meaning to ask, does the intro actually do something when played onto a spectrum or outher computer?

[@Parknest]

I had a 48K Speccy back in the day until I eventually fried it in the 1990s. I bought a Plus 2 in 1995 and I was going to buy a Plus 3 until I found out that the 3 inch floppy disks were in short supply. Instead, I bought my first PC.

[@andygozzo72]

as for failure rate, my original 48k rubberkey would crash after it had been on for a while, but once i fitted its innards in a plus upgrade case it was ok,..presumably was overheating in the original case ?!

[@louise_8546]

I can believe the reports of high failure rates for the 48K Spectrum + - it ruined Xmas Day 1985 for me - mine was DOA and I sulked for days until the retailer (Currys I think?) replaced it for 14 year-old me. Unfortunately mum wasn't computer-savvy enough to test it before gifting it.

[@volo870]

Original Spekky 128 is VERY expensive. I'm hunting for cheap Amstrad +2 model. Is it worth it? Or is is better to invest in a Toast rack?

[@hardwire187]

I say chap, that is a smart jacket.

[@orderofmagnitude-TPATP]

is the amstrad cpc compatible with the spectrum equivalent.

[@PatrickDunn13078]

Well now I know why I was always waiting for ports to my TS 2068! For instance I was waiting for Fighter Pilot and Tomahawk. It’s too bad they made 2068 incompatible with the Speccy. Wish they just sold the speccy here. Also interesting the TS 1500 had a similar case and keyboard to the spectrum but it was just a beefier 1000.

[@mcrcycling378]

Does you 128k spectrum have an EEPROM for it's Rom chip?

[@jamescameron149]

Always wanted to get hold of a DVD for Micro Men. Shame I can't find it to buy it. AFAIK, Auntie Beeb only showed it once.

[@smiljanicn]

7:46 lol, Serbian (exYugoslavia) version of some game: gore, dole, levo desno. up/down/left/right. "Pritisni Enter za početak"-Press Enter for start, etc...Oh, my best friend in first class, 1987, had Spectrum+ and we played Target Renegade all day long :).

[@mymomsaysimcool9650]

I miss the color splashes put on every piece of electronics equipment. Wish that would make a comeback. Tired of black plastic with nothing else going on except blue LED lights that light up a dark room.

[@schneil]

IIRC the +2A wasn't released till 1989. The main difference between the +3A and +3B is the sound. My +3A has the faulty sound circuit, so the AY music distorts :( There are some mods to get round this though.

[@Jenny_Digital]

I applied a slightly re-engineered mod to mine. I didn't want to go making any changes that would be difficult to back out of or cut any traces. Worked a treat. I do however still plan to put mine into a tower case. LONG LIVE THE SPECCY!

[@averagegilo]

Have you ever covered the Sam Coupe? The 256k upgrade to the spectrum. I think it only had like 30 games (maybe less than that) - I think it was released 1990-91? Read about it in Your Sinclair magazine. I used to be fascinated by its upgraded colour palette, particularly for 'Defender of the Earth'

[@Nostalgianerd]

+averagegilo They're just too damn expensive to get hold of :o But if I find one cheap, I damn well will!

[@averagegilo]

I know what you mean, like the neo geo

[@roo_parfrey]

Just a quick question, can I play 48k games on a +2b?

[@toniomiklo2406]

Legendary system! Man I forgot the Sinclair QL. As far as I can remember, it was a real failure.

[@EgoShredder]

Tonio Miklo Not a complete failure although it was when compared with the ZX Spectrum. The QL was a very good computer but very badly marketed and sold.

[@toniomiklo2406]

Yes per se it was a good computer. If my memory serves me right, much of its unsuccess was due to bad retro-compatibility with the zx.

[@Nostalgianerd]

Tonio Miklo Yep, what an absolutely ridiculous thing to do right? Sinclair was so dead set on conquering the business market, that he went all in with a machine that (although good), just wasn't suited for it. I'll be doing a dedicated QL video soon...

[@toniomiklo2406]

Nostalgia Nerd I'm looking forward to it! And also: how about a video on the legendary software company Ultimate Play the Game? Those guys were absolute superstars at the time (more famous than EA and Activision put together) and rumor has it, they used to go around in ultra-expensive sport cars! Just a suggestion.

[@Nostalgianerd]

Sounds like a great idea to me :D

[@mithaearon]

DO you remember the Sam Coupe computer that was meant to be backwards compatible with the Speccy but be way more advanced. I used to own one.

[@Nostalgianerd]

I do, but I never witnessed one in the real world. I want to review one, but they're ridiculously expensive

[@mithaearon]

Nostalgia Nerd Wow I used to have one! I loved it, I thought they would be cheap as chips. Not even too sure where mine is now, it could be still in my parents attic but they have moved since I left home. If I find it I will let you know.

[@Nostalgianerd]

Please do :D They're some on ebay, but they're pretty high in the poundage zone.

[@andygozzo72]

spectrum models before the 128 had 16k rom, not 20 as said.. ;-)

[@clray123]

I liked Spectrum's rubber keyboard more than C64's plastic one.

[@DanafoxyVixen]

I guess you hated to type.. you actually could get a good typing speed on the C64

[@ilexgarodan]

It's a damn shame we Canadians never got the Spectrum line.

[@Nostalgianerd]

Agreed. What was big there? The 64?

[@ilexgarodan]

The C64 was dominant in homes and schools over here, while the IBM PC and PC compatibles dominated businesses. Since we used the NTSC standard like America, we COULD use the Timex Sinclair computers, but they were never actually sold in Canadian stores. The only option was to import them from the U.S., which was counterproductive, as the import fees alone would increase the cost to the point where it was cheaper to buy a C64.

[@ilexgarodan]

Though when I was a child, I did know this other kid who held dual British-Canadian citizenship. He once brought his Spectrum +2A over, though his father had to purchase a voltage converter so he could plug it into the mains, plus a PAL-to-NTSC converter so he could plug it into his TV. I remember being amazed by the software he showed me, and being rather jealous, since it was all UK exclusive.

[@808v1]

Not entirely true. I bought (well my parents) a Timex Sinclair 1000 from Simpsons (dept store in 70's-80's).

[@SafteyMatch]

I got a display model from Dixon's...didn't work..I got a new one and Robocop.

[@samcoupe4608KB]

how many clones were made does anyone know?

[@Nostalgianerd]

+Sam Coupé The only official ones were made by Timex, so not that many. If you count all the ripped off Russian and Spanish clones then, god knows!.... A lot!

[@samcoupe4608KB]

what are we talking tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands or millions?

[@Nostalgianerd]

BILLIONS

[@samcoupe4608KB]

so more than the c64 i thought so he he he

[@Nostalgianerd]

A few more...

[@FamousWolfe]

Anyone else notice that games loading noise sounds exactly like Slender Man?!

[@andygozzo72]

..power supply is 9volt ish not 6v..

[@mr.y.mysterious.video1]

The spectrum... my first computer but even then I knew it was crap and the good games were due to clever people overcoming the crappiness. How I loathed colour clash. And yet it still causes nostalgia.

[@rjday753]

POKE the ROM?

[@Nostalgianerd]

Yeah man. Poke it. Did I actually say that?

[@rjday753]

Have a PEEK lol

[@pferreira1983]

The ZX Spectrum 128K is a great machine but very pricey on ebay.

[@smcferran1]

stop saying kilobyte,,,lol, doesnt sound right, k will do