Chuck D. Head Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 When I first saw them for sale at my local drug store chain, I really wanted one, but $99 was a little steep for me then. Soon they were $50 and I began to save my pennies to get one. Before you knew it, they were out from behind the counter and in a bin for 50% off and %50 off again, so $12.50. Hot Damn! I pulled one out of a opened box and looked at it (with permission, I'm not THAT guy) and I just couldn't see typing programs into that keyboard, so I bought a couple clearance 2600 games instead. Well, apparently I'm a idiot, because it didn't take long to decide I would rather have the "crappy little computer" than "Firefly" and "Sorceror". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seob Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 The first computer for the UK home market that cost less then 100 pounds (arround 51 dollars in 1981). That is a lot of computer for little money. A little miscalculation, 100 pounds in 1981 should be 190 dollar, since the pound to dollar was 1 to 1.90 back in 81. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D. Head Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 ....there were plenty of third party, bus expansion accessories that could overcome the shortcomings... like sound generators and full sized keyboards. That keyboard looks great! Looks almost like you could hide the 1000 underneath it!! And, now knowing that there was a version of Scramble available, I will have to get one someday! Morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-topdog Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 ....there were plenty of third party, bus expansion accessories that could overcome the shortcomings... like sound generators and full sized keyboards. That keyboard looks great! Looks almost like you could hide the 1000 underneath it!! And, now knowing that there was a version of Scramble available, I will have to get one someday! Morgan You are correct, the keyboard is twice the size of the computer itself But let me tell you it is sooooo nice to be able to type on a full sized keyboard instead of the tiny membrane one. One neat little fact is that these external keyboards do not disable the membrane keyboard, so you can input from both keyboards simultaneously. This is great for two player, simultaneous play, games... no more cramming four hands on one tiny keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seob Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Here is another nice keyboard for the zx81 from a manufacturer called dk'tronics. The zx81 will fit inside this keyboard. Noticed that there is one for sale on a dutch marketplace site. Dk tronics keyboard marktplaats Current bid only 15 euro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-topdog Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Here is another nice keyboard for the zx81 from a manufacturer called dk'tronics. The zx81 will fit inside this keyboard. Noticed that there is one for sale on a dutch marketplace site. Dk tronics keyboard marktplaats Current bid only 15 euro. I always liked the looks of the dk'tronics keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yerzmyey Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Yeah its the same as a ZX81 But - in NTSC. And with USA power-supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Yeah its the same as a ZX81 But - in NTSC. And with USA power-supply. Our ZX81 was NTSC and Canadian, although later was rebranded and sold by Timex, I think... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochman Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Yes - my neighbor had a ZX-81 in the USA. It was available mail order for 1 or 2 years before Timex rebranded it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 I see some people are fans of the 'ram pack' wobble...Or was that the speccy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 I have a boxed one. At one point, I had maybe 5 or 6 of them total, and about 10 of the 16k units, but all the other keyboards had the common partial not working issue, so I gave them all away, not worth messing with to me. The richest friend I had back in Jr High had one, oddly. It was set up in a nook in their basement with all the accessories, all professional looking. They must have had a lot of $ into that thing. Anyway, sometimes it's interesting to mess with things that are so low-powered to see what you can squeeze out of them. I haven't played with the 1000 in probably 8 or 9 years though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 I built a ZX81 kit back in 1982. I had my Atari 400 before then so I was not put off by the 81's keyboard. It was a great little machine and a very clever design inside. I eventually upgraded it to 16K internal SRAM and did not worry about jiggly RAMpacks. Photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yerzmyey Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 I see some people are fans of the 'ram pack' wobble...Or was that the speccy Rampacks were for ZX80, ZX81 and Spectrum 16 (of course different models of the device). A standard config for games is ZX81+16Kb Rampack. There are games for 1K but they're only stuff like from arcade machines (simple games). So the most resonable way is to get also the 16K RamPack. There are still new games for ZX81 16K and often they're better than the old ones. Just in case - ZX81 Forum: http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ZX80_ZX81/forums/ (English language) ZX81 Forum: http://forum.tlienhard.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=2 (German language). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yerzmyey Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Let's take the newest project, a BoulderDash clone for ZX81 16K. http://www.bobs-stuff.co.uk/extras/boulderl.p That's still beta version, not the final, by all means. Fantastic stuff. ("R" for redefine 'control/directions' keys). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 DOH! Tonight I decided to open up my Sinclair and see how the insides looked once more, and the ribbon cable shredded as I lifted the board up Working on homework to get this GRI 756 keyboard wired up to work for it as well as the really cool simple transistor composite-out mod so I can have a decent picture. Write it out at vintage-computer: I discovered in my collection that I have a Timex Sinclair 1000 that has a) a broken membrane keyboard and b) bad video output. The RF signal coming off of it is video only, so I found a composite mod that requires one transistor and am about to give it a shot. Letters are black on black, a little bit snowy so I figure bypass the whole RF and go with composite. The keyboard is also partly not responding, and being a membrane I figure I could just replace the whole thing. I go looking and find them in the UK for ~40USD each, a bit out of my pricerange. I have this GRI keyboard that has been made into a terminal, so I figure I could use that and wire it up. Then I think I can use them BOTH and have a Timex with a TERMINAL as well in there! More on the terminal board later. Still, it's pretty sweet but I think it was put together wrong. So I am at figuring out how to make the keyboard (in a case) match up with the Sinclair's keyboard input, fix the video and maybe hook up the terminal as well. http://www.netdenizen.com/ebay/gri756/gri756.pdf http://www.zx81.de/english/video_e.htm http://www.brainless.org/MultiMedia/...puterStuff.htm and a really cool keyboard enclosure. http://picasaweb.google.com/nathan.d...ntitledAlbum2# If anyone has any experience with these things, feel free to chime in. Looks to be a fun thing to make Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yerzmyey Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 DOH! Tonight I decided to open up my Sinclair and see how the insides looked once more, and the ribbon cable shredded as I lifted the board up ARRRRGH. Man, I could say You it happens even before You made this. Look, it's not SO bad yet - there are 2 companies in PL that produce new keyboard-membranes, also to ZX81/TS, and the stuff is being sold by RWAP company based in UK. Check out this http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/ or contact them with info AT rwapservices.co.uk Greetz. Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 I'm on the same forum as those guys, but I am thinking non-purity and going with the large keyboard. It'll be easier to use and I will keep the membrane as the guide to using the keys (special characters and such). That GRI is neat, especially since I have an enclosure for it already. I think I am going to solder on a new connector, though, just to have one that doesn't grip so tightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liveinabin Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Lovely little machine. Was fiddling with it last week. Real pain to get a decent picture on any kind of TV though. It was my first computer and a real point of nostaligia. Actually how's this? My 68 year old mum pulled a blinder and got me this off ebay for Christmas: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Hooray Mom! I'd love getting a shirt like that one for Christmas. My Sinclair is still on the back burner for repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 This computer depressed me. From the look of the advertisements, and the superb cost-effectiveness portrayed, I expected to be able to do something really slick and kick-ass with this. Instead it was an exercise in frustration and futility. I eventually gave up on computer science! Thanks timex...fkuc you! I mean look here! we've got some cool custom chips that are more numerous and bigger than what is in the 2600. So it has to be better!! http://www.computermuseum.li/Testpage/TimexSinclair1000inside1.jpg So be it, back to programming my Hayes MicroModem on the Apple II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 The Timex Sinclair is kind of an unsung hero in my opinion. It bridged the much needed gap between the unobtainable and the average person. Allowing a lot of people to touch the world of computing that would never have been able to afford it until a couple years later when prices on more capable machines were lowered to a more affordable level. I absolutely agree. Sure it was finicky and limited but it was affordable to kids who didn't have trust funds. It was my first computer (later moving on to a TI99, then the A8) and I learned to program on it. For giving me a head start and launching what would become a lifelong career track it shall always hold a special place in my heart... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Seems like the same sort of scenario as the TRS-80 MC-10, except for that one the keys are actually buttons and I do have the RAM expansion Here is my MC-10 web page with some games and good links. http://chazbeenhad.tripod.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Seems like the same sort of scenario as the TRS-80 MC-10, except for that one the keys are actually buttons and I do have the RAM expansion Here is my MC-10 web page with some games and good links. http://chazbeenhad.tripod.com Why not start a new thread? I would, it would attract more Tandy users if Tandy is in the subject line. I like both (neat site, I like it, and I don't have a MC-10, wish I did) computers so I looked. Is it a Sinclair clone?? The graphics look a lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Seems like the same sort of scenario as the TRS-80 MC-10, except for that one the keys are actually buttons and I do have the RAM expansion Here is my MC-10 web page with some games and good links. http://chazbeenhad.tripod.com Why not start a new thread? I would, it would attract more Tandy users if Tandy is in the subject line. I like both (neat site, I like it, and I don't have a MC-10, wish I did) computers so I looked. Is it a Sinclair clone?? The graphics look a lot better. Its not a Sinclair clone. Just Tandy's attempt to compete with it. The MC-10 is really a Coco in a small case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 The MC-10 has a different CPU than the CoCo so it isn't compatible. It has the 6803, which is actually a pretty decent CPU. It's just not as powerful as the 6809. The assembly I've ported to it was a lot smaller than the Z80 or 6502 code though. The biggest blunder with the MC-10 was not shipping it with 8K and the hi-res graphics fully enabled. You had to hack the machine to really use the hi-res graphics modes. I have a Timex Sinclair 1000. Someone put in a keyboard with raised keys. It would have been a lot better with that keyboard to begin with. I also have a TS-1500 which is a reworked 1000 in a Speccy case with the 16K RAM expansion built in. If that had been Timex's first foray into the computer market they probably wouldn't have turned off so many customers. If they had started with the Speccy the US computer market might have been very different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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