Sinclair Spectrum and Amstrad in the US?

[Lord-Chaos]

I wonder if these 2 systems were available in the US?

 

The Sinclair Spectrum , which was available as 16K, 48K, 128K machine and later as +3 with 3" drive.

A Z80 based machine from the UK, which sold well in the Uk, bu was available everywhere in Europe.

 

and the Amstrad CPC 464/664/6128 (and the Plus models) , another Z80 based-machine which used built-in cassette drives or built-in 3" drives.

I think the Amstrad was most successful in France, but also in Germany and the UK.

 

Especially the Spectrum has many 3D games, wireframe or isometric, unfortunately 99% is cassette-only.

The Amstrad unfortunately got many 1:1 Spectrum ports, but it´s graphics is not bad, in some cases better than ATARI 800 or C64 - but has no scrolling/sprites (same for the Spectrum).

 

Both machines are very common in Europe and are quite cheap on flea-markets.

 

BTW: What about MSX-Systems in the US ? In Europe, some like the Sony Hitbit or a Philipps System were available for some time, but not successful - but there are many Japanese games on cartridge from Konami for example.

 

Thimo

[+davidcalgary29]

The ZX81 was pretty popular in North America (for a few years), and I'm sure a few owners upgraded their systems to newer and more powerful Spectrum models in the mid '80s. I do, in any case, run across the odd QL or ZX Spectrum occasionally at thrift stores or garage sales.

 

I never did see Amstrad or MSX machines being sold in brick-and-mortar stores in the '80s.

[icbrkr]

I wonder if these 2 systems were available in the US?

 

The Sinclair Spectrum , which was available as 16K, 48K, 128K machine and later as +3 with 3" drive.

A Z80 based machine from the UK, which sold well in the Uk, bu was available everywhere in Europe.

 

The Timex Sinclair 1000 (ZX81) was my first computer. I still have 4 of them. The Timex Sinclair 2068 ( http://www.particles.org/ts/DSCF0036.JPG ) was basically a 48K Sinclair Spectrum with a different memory configuration. You could buy a cartridge that would remap RAM correctly and allow you to run Spectrum software.

[joeybastard]

The Sinclairs were marketed by Timex here in the US but that's about all I remember about them.

 

 

EDIT: looks like a bucnh of us answered at the same time

[Adrian M]

The ZX81, I believe was distributed in the US by TIMEX (yes, the watch company). I doubt it had any real success in the States since many know nothing about it, nor is it brought up whenever the topic of early computing comes up.

[Malc74]

Planet Sinclair has a load of stuff on the various TS models, including some prototypes that were never released.

 

http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/...timex/timex.htm

[Brad2600]

I have a Timex Sinclair 1000..though I have no clue if it works.

 

I might be putting it up on Bidiots one of these days. I don't really want it.

[raindog]

BTW: What about MSX-Systems in the US ? In Europe, some like the Sony Hitbit or a Philipps System were available for some time, but not successful - but there are many Japanese games on cartridge from Konami for example.

The place I bought my DX7 at (piano/organ store in a mall) circa 1983 also tried to sell us the Yamaha MSX "music computer". I had just gotten a c64 and was appalled at how lousy the MSX seemed for the exorbitant price.

[SteveW]

I saw a few Amstrad PDA-type machines a few years back. They looked like they came out in the early 90's, but didn't sell well. I saw a few piles of them in an electronic junk shop a couple of years ago.

[sniperCCJVQ]

I have a Amstrad CPC6128 to sell or trade if someone is looking for one. As-is since i can't test it. Got it in a trade with a european.