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My first computer was the ZX80 in 1980!

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 1:55 am
by mooredan
Hello everyone!

OK, I've got the Sinclair bug again. Just a quick intro: I'm currently an electrical engineer doing mixed signal verification on data converter ASICs (RF ->digtial & digital -> RF) . Working backwards, Intel Itanium microprocessor hardware design, ASIC design for HP/Agilent, system design for the collision detector at Fermilab, formal education at University of Illinois, airborne electronic countermeasures technician for the US Navy, basement tinkering on ZX81 and ZX80.

I really regret tossing my 30 pound box of Sinclair stuff ten years ago or so during one of my moves! ...but it was collecting dust for way too long and it just didn't seem worth moving once again. Besides I was a dirt biking guy (motorcycles) then, and had enough of that stuff to move.

But now I buying up old ZX81/TS1000's, working or not, and am looking into getting a machine running again, with the appropriate bells and whistles. ...and now with some potentially interesting improvements.

On my list:

- verilog model of the ZX81
- switchable ROM
- ULA replacement, maybe implemented in programmable logic, maybe an ASIC in On Semiconductor's C5 process
- dedicated display circuit
- CF storage

OK, pretty ambitious, but something to fill the spare time......

Re: My first computer was the ZX80 in 1980!

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 2:35 am
by gammaray
mooredan wrote: Sat Dec 02, 2017 1:55 am I really regret tossing my 30 pound box of Sinclair stuff ten years ago or so during one of my moves!
We all do!

Re: My first computer was the ZX80 in 1980!

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 3:44 am
by vwbz80a
mooredan,
Welcome in, just got here my self. great bunch of stuff going on.

Some one will say thank and you can say you are mooredan welcome........ sorry i love puns.. ;)

Re: My first computer was the ZX80 in 1980!

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:56 am
by dessony
Welcome to the ZX80 and ZX81 forum, Dan! We also do the TS1000 and the TS1500 here! :D

Dessony (William)

Re: My first computer was the ZX80 in 1980!

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 6:12 am
by BarryN
I have seen a couple of different ULA replacement projects, but I haven't seen any currently available for sale.

Re: My first computer was the ZX80 in 1980!

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2017 8:58 am
by sirmorris
Welcome aboard!