Hello from Cheshire

Introduce yourself to your fellow forum members - what was your journey into the Sinclair world?
Jesmondpoolie
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Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:42 pm

Hello from Cheshire

Post by Jesmondpoolie »

Hi guys

My first experience with a computer was with a Commodore PET at an after school club, but it was the futuristic looking ZX81 that really grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, I had to content myself with playing on a friend's as we didn't have the money for a computer. I finally managed to buy a Commodore 16 when they came out, and then was given a rubber keys spectrum.

I haven't had much to do with older computers (other than playing the odd game on an emulator) for many years but this year, having decided to start playing with a Raspberry Pi, I saw someone using a rubber key spectrum as a pi case and thought I'd get one. Anyway, ten minutes on eBay was enough to reignite old memories and coupled with my mid-life crisis has meant that I've ended up buying one broken and one working of each of a ZX81, Spectrum 48 and Spectrum+!

I've decided to turn back the clock and have a go at relearning how to use all this old kit and try and dust off the electronics skills I haven't used since A-level to try and repair and upgrade these old beauties!

I'm sure I'll be asking for lots of advice..

Lee
sirmorris
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Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by sirmorris »

Welcome, Lee!

Ask away :D
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Andy Rea
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Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by Andy Rea »

Welcome Lee, The humble zeddy is ideal for creating custom add on hardware, it's own harware is so simple it really is quite a robust little machine i guess the only part we need to take care of is the ULA

Andy
what's that Smell.... smells like fresh flux and solder fumes...
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gammaray
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Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by gammaray »

HOWDY!
The humble zeddy is ideal for creating custom add on hardware
I completely agree. T'ZX81'000 is incomplete and lonely without several upgrades...

Charles
5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
Jesmondpoolie
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:42 pm

Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by Jesmondpoolie »

Thanks guys.

I guess the first bit of advice I need is, where to start?

Are there any books you recommend and what kind of electronics kit do I need to start putting together to play around with them?

Thanks

Lee
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PokeMon
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Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by PokeMon »

Jesmondpoolie wrote:Thanks guys.

I guess the first bit of advice I need is, where to start?
Is the hardware working ?
Which one to play with, ZX81 or Speccy ?

There are emulators as well available like EightyOne:
viewtopic.php?t=1781

There are more emulators out now in the time but I prefer this older one which got the last development kick from Paul Farrow.
Jesmondpoolie
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:42 pm

Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by Jesmondpoolie »

Yes I have a working version of each and and an untested (but assumed broken) version.

My OCD side says that I should start with the ZX81 as it was first! I thought that I would use the working one to try and play with the programming side of it and the broken one to understand the hardware side and start experimenting. At the moment I just have the BASIC book that came with the computer.

Lee
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1024MAK
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Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by 1024MAK »

Welcome on board Lee!

:D :D :D

Welcome to Sinclair ZX World.

Where to go depends on what you are interested in. Are you interested in buying expansions ready built, buying kits that you solder together, or designing (tinkering) and building your own projects?

The same with software, are you interested in playing games? Or writing you own code?

In any event, for the ZX81, reading the threads on this forum is the best way to start ;)

Mark
ZX81 Variations
ZX81 Chip Pin-outs
ZX81 Video Transistor Buffer Amp

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Looking forward to summer later in the year.
Jesmondpoolie
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Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:42 pm

Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by Jesmondpoolie »

Thanks for the welcome!

I think long term I'd like to be a tinkerer, but it's so long since I've done any electronics (other than building PC's) that I'll probably start off just trying to find my way around the inside of the case and attempt some repairs to the one that isn't working before trying anything else. I'm thinking of getting the working one professionally serviced and upgraded and use that while I play around with the broken one.

On the software side, I didn't ever get beyond typing a few programs out of magazines in, so would like to gain an understanding of how to actually program. I'll start with basic and then try and progress onto machine code.

I've found loads of interesting information already, it's just figuring our where to start!

Lee
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mrtinb
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Re: Hello from Cheshire

Post by mrtinb »

Jesmondpoolie wrote:I'll start with basic and then try and progress onto machine code.
Don't underestimate the power of the Forth. ;)
Martin
https://zx.rtin.be
ZX81, Lambda 8300, Commodore 64, Mac G4 Cube
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