I got a ZX80!

[Erm]

Got this today. And it was a bargain if I do say so!

I discovered that it has a vigin exp port too, never scratched by a RAM pack, much to my delight. It has a few marks and a little rip in a lower corner. It came with a ZX81 ROM and ZX81 keyboard overlay. I removed the overlay and as there's not much room for a ROM and adapter I decided to fit a ROM-el. It works fine (apart from the usual RF pic issues) but the ROM-el although very thin, doesn't actually quite fit with the upper part of the case fitted. I wonder if my existing ROM socket is a little taller than some?

Long shot, but I've love an original ZX80 ROM if anyone has a spare.

[Lardo Boffin]

Got this today. And it was a bargain if I do say so!

I discovered that it has a vigin exp port too, never scratched by a RAM pack, much to my delight. It has a few marks and a little rip in a lower corner. It came with a ZX81 ROM and ZX81 keyboard overlay. I removed the overlay and as there's not much room for a ROM and adapter I decided to fit a ROM-el. It works fine (apart from the usual RF pic issues) but the ROM-el although very thin, doesn't actually quite fit with the upper part of the case fitted. I wonder if my existing ROM socket is a little taller than some?

Long shot, but I've love an original ZX80 ROM if anyone has a spare.

Nice! I never managed to get an original ROM but I got one programmed by Mutant Caterpillar Games.

[Erm]

I have a programmer. But to fit a newer one on a standard eprom would need an adapter on the board and that wouldn't fit at all (and I don't want to make any changes at all to the actual board, even soldering). I thought a ROM-el would fit, but it's a gnat's whisker too tall. I remember seeing an orig ROM on ebay a couple of months ago in Italy or something. Wish I'd snapped it up.

[Lardo Boffin]

I have a programmer. But to fit a newer one on a standard eprom would need an adapter on the board and that wouldn't fit at all (and I don't want to make any changes at all to the actual board, even soldering). I thought a ROM-el would fit, but it's a gnat's whisker too tall. I remember seeing an orig ROM on ebay a couple of months ago in Italy or something. Wish I'd snapped it up.

MCG sent me a ROM that fitted without changes. I think it was this:

http://www.mutant-caterpillar.co.uk/sho ... ts_id=3693

[1024MAK]

That’s a nice looking ZX80

In relation to the ROM and EPROMs, check out this useful page

Mark

[Erm]

Thanks, I'll see if I can get one the same type from Mutant Caterpillar that will involve no soldering to the board.

As an aside, the other week I got a very, very early ZX81 (8106 Modulator, 8102 ULA, 8028 RAM) which actually had a ZX80 PSU with it, the same ZX80 type cassette and RF cables and slightly different rubber feet (which I have seen before on another early one).

Lardo, what's the earliest '81 that you've seen?

[Lardo Boffin]

Thanks, I'll see if I can get one the same type from Mutant Caterpillar that will involve no soldering to the board.

As an aside, the other week I got a very, very early ZX81 (8106 Modulator, 8102 ULA, 8028 RAM) which actually had a ZX80 PSU with it, the same ZX80 type cassette and RF cables and slightly different rubber feet (which I have seen before on another early one).

Lardo, what's the earliest '81 that you've seen?

You should be ok getting the ROM from MCG - they burn them to order. Best hurry though - they tend to have some time off over xmas!!!

Soft spongy feet and ZX80 PSU? Always good signs of an early one. I think the earliest ULA I have had is 8105 so I’m very jealous of that!

[Erm]

You should be ok getting the ROM from MCG - they burn them to order. Best hurry though - they tend to have some time off over xmas!!!

Soft spongy feet and ZX80 PSU? Always good signs of an early one. I think the earliest ULA I have had is 8105 so I’m very jealous of that!

No real hurry, it can wait for now.

And yes, soft spongy thinner feet. Excellent condition too, also with virgin exp port, so definitely a keeper (unless I ever find an earlier one).

[avrovulcan]

Don't know if Grant Searle's ZX80 page is of any help. He shows how to modify the setup in order to use a different EPROM. I think it also has links to the ROM images.

http://searle.wales/

Kind regards
Andy

[Erm]

Don't know if Grant Searle's ZX80 page is of any help. He shows how to modify the setup in order to use a different EPROM. I think it also has links to the ROM images.

http://searle.wales/

Kind regards
Andy

Thanks, yes, I've read up on everything and know it's fairly easy, but for the sake of originality, because it's such a nice board, I don't want to solder anything onto it. My 'prom programmer doesn't have high enough voltage to program one of the original type, but I've found someone who does and will source one of the original type eproms and solve it that way.