Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

Hey, its Chris Thomas aka @RetronautTech on Youtube. I have an video, un-boxing my Spectrum Next (2nd Issue) with a few of my first impressions, you can see it here.... https://youtu.be/zyxgi9Qz3TY.

If you have time, please pop over, watch, LIKE and Subscribe. I hope to have another video, where I actually power up the lovely box that it is, and take it through its paces.

Apologies for being late to this party. I had planned to unbox and try it out at Christmas, but I got ill (COVID, maybe...), and I just was not feeling up to it for a while. But now Im back at it.

Not actually got around to trying the machine yet, the quick start guid really is packed. But I hopefully this week I can get some time to power it up and take it for a drive.

I always wanted Sabre Wulf back in the day. I remember goggling it in John Menzies stationers. But I never actually owned a Speccy back in the day, so I only got to try its games at my fiends. Now I have one all to my self

Cheers

Chris Thomas
https://www.youtube.com/@RetronautTech

Mine is supposed to get here net Monday. As much as I love the Next, seems to me the most efficient hardware solution is the sizif512, but it doesn't mean much without the cool case of the Next. That said, my favorite is still the Zeddy.

I suspect a number of people on here may disagree that a ZX80 / ZX81 was almost useless!

Lardo Boffin wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 10:21 am I suspect a number of people on here may disagree that a ZX80 / ZX81 was almost useless!

They probably would, and in absolute terms of course, they would be right. I suppose it had more processing power than the NASA computers for the moon programme? Maybe, but...

AFAIK, when you typed in code, on the ZX80, wasn't it, the 1k of mem was also used for display, so larger basic programmes actually borked the display.

Don't get me wrong, the ZX80/81 were vital stepping stones, but they were certainly NOT mass market. It was a bit like the Apple 1, it proved there was SOME KIND of market out there for micro's, but it also demonstrated that that form factor and spec, was not actually going to MAKE that market grow.

The ZX Spectrum did do that, and I think thats why we celebrate it today. But certainly, if it were not for the ZX80 an ZX81, there would not have been a ZX Spectrum.

Cheers

Chris

Spinnetti wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 3:22 am Mine is supposed to get here net Monday. As much as I love the Next, seems to me the most efficient hardware solution is the sizif512, but it doesn't mean much without the cool case of the Next. That said, my favorite is still the Zeddy.

Well, my case IS actually curved along its bottom, by about 4mm

If you put a ruler along it, its clear to see. And I think its this bend, which is mis-aligning the two USB ports. So I think I may have to reach out to the Next team today, and see if there is the possibility of a replacement, even if its JUST the case. I guess I could take it apart, and pop it in a better case eh?

Cheers

Chris

Lardo Boffin wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 10:21 am I suspect a number of people on here may disagree that a ZX80 / ZX81 was almost useless!

As a games machine maybe, but for actual computing more handy than most people think, when used correctly.

Maybe this topic should be moved to the Spectrum section.

Retronaut wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2024 12:11 pm Don't get me wrong, the ZX80/81 were vital stepping stones, but they were certainly NOT mass market.

This may be true for the ZX80 but ZX81 sold about 2 Million at what number do you think mass market starts?

My Dad who knew nothing about computers other than the fact that they were going to be important at some point bought the family a ZX81. Sounds pretty mass market to me!

I owe my career in IT to that zeddy.

Have a look at Dr Beeps 1K hires games. What can be achieved in 1K is frankly amazing.