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+2 Grey versions
This thread is an attempt to pin down the various hardware revisions of the +2 Grey. If anybody can provide further images from their machines or further information I'll incorporate it into this post
So far I've looked at both the +2's I have, the discussions on the forums and some google searches to see what I can find. There seem to be three main revisions of the PCB, within these there appear to be separate date coded batches
Z70500
Comments: Presumably the earliest versions of this board were created prior to the Sinclair takeover
Place of manufacture: These boards appear to have been manufactured in Taiwan, this is embossed on the underside of the case.
Date of manufacture (batch): The date code for the PCB batch is recorded on the top right corner on the rear of the PCB in the traces, in this case 32nd Week of 1986:
Distinguishing features: Fitted with radial capacitors, 2 bodge resistors and a capacitor on the rear of the PCB.
Problems:
Requires TR4 mod for misplaced transistor.
Variants:
Standard 8632 (1986 Week 32)/ 8642 (1986 week 42): Schematic Schematic
Mid (1987? Week 21): ROM has text rotated on it, date code 8721
(image nvg)
Serial numbers:
A six digit number proceeded by a U
U-102726: 8632
Photos
8632
Z70700
Comments: Manufactured in the UK once stocks of the toast rack PCB were used up?
Place of manufacture: These boards appear to have been manufactured in UK, this is embossed on the underside of the case.
Date of manufacture (batch): The date code for the PCB batch is recorded on the bottom left corner on the PCB in the silkscreen
Distinguishing features: Fitted with axial capacitors (excess stock left over from the toast rack?). Lots of small coloured stickers on the modulator and elsewhere in the case.
Variants:
3886 (1986 Week 38): Bodge resistor on bottom left hand corner of the board (R86?)
8640 (1986 Week 40): Colour of capacitors change
(Ben Verstee)
8645 (1986 Week 45): Colour of capacitors change, different diodes, changes to resistors in bottom left corner of the board.
(Tom Dalby)
Serial numbers:
A six digit number followed by a T, e.g.:
003290:
005711T: (3886)
012703T: (8645?)
081526:
Photos
8686
8640
0500 (Z70500 is on the rear side)
Comments: A later varient of the Z70500 (see also) possibly originally for the French market, but UK versions also exist.
Place of manufacture: Taiwan (embossed on bottom of case and PSU sticker).
Date of manufacture (batch): ? 8641A listed on the front bottom silkscreen of later revisions
Distinguishing features: Encased inductor, capacitor colour change, rear-side bodges of Z70500 corrected and paced on the front. Fixed HAL chip.
Variants:
UK (1986 Week 37):
(Tom Dalby)
UK 8641A (1986 week 41): Amstrad 4056 instead of PCF1306P
(nightfall crew)
France (1986): The modulator and associated components are not fitted, French ROM (40068)
(moo5)
Serial numbers:
A six digit number proceeded by a U
U205749: 8641A http://www.nightfallcrew.com/22/08/2009/sinclair-amstrad-zx-spectrum-2-in-the-grey-case-issue-3sinclair-amstrad-zx-spectrum-2-grigio-issue-3/
Photos
Nightfall crew
So far I've looked at both the +2's I have, the discussions on the forums and some google searches to see what I can find. There seem to be three main revisions of the PCB, within these there appear to be separate date coded batches
Z70500
Comments: Presumably the earliest versions of this board were created prior to the Sinclair takeover
Place of manufacture: These boards appear to have been manufactured in Taiwan, this is embossed on the underside of the case.
Date of manufacture (batch): The date code for the PCB batch is recorded on the top right corner on the rear of the PCB in the traces, in this case 32nd Week of 1986:
Distinguishing features: Fitted with radial capacitors, 2 bodge resistors and a capacitor on the rear of the PCB.
Problems:
Requires TR4 mod for misplaced transistor.
Variants:
Standard 8632 (1986 Week 32)/ 8642 (1986 week 42): Schematic Schematic
Mid (1987? Week 21): ROM has text rotated on it, date code 8721
(image nvg)Serial numbers:
A six digit number proceeded by a U
U-102726: 8632
Photos
8632
Z70700
Comments: Manufactured in the UK once stocks of the toast rack PCB were used up?
Place of manufacture: These boards appear to have been manufactured in UK, this is embossed on the underside of the case.
Date of manufacture (batch): The date code for the PCB batch is recorded on the bottom left corner on the PCB in the silkscreen
Distinguishing features: Fitted with axial capacitors (excess stock left over from the toast rack?). Lots of small coloured stickers on the modulator and elsewhere in the case.
Variants:
3886 (1986 Week 38): Bodge resistor on bottom left hand corner of the board (R86?)
8640 (1986 Week 40): Colour of capacitors change
(Ben Verstee)8645 (1986 Week 45): Colour of capacitors change, different diodes, changes to resistors in bottom left corner of the board.
(Tom Dalby)Serial numbers:
A six digit number followed by a T, e.g.:
003290:
005711T: (3886)
012703T: (8645?)
081526:
Photos
8686
8640
0500 (Z70500 is on the rear side)
Comments: A later varient of the Z70500 (see also) possibly originally for the French market, but UK versions also exist.
Place of manufacture: Taiwan (embossed on bottom of case and PSU sticker).
Date of manufacture (batch): ? 8641A listed on the front bottom silkscreen of later revisions
Distinguishing features: Encased inductor, capacitor colour change, rear-side bodges of Z70500 corrected and paced on the front. Fixed HAL chip.
Variants:
UK (1986 Week 37):
(Tom Dalby)UK 8641A (1986 week 41): Amstrad 4056 instead of PCF1306P
(nightfall crew)France (1986): The modulator and associated components are not fitted, French ROM (40068)
(moo5)Serial numbers:
A six digit number proceeded by a U
U205749: 8641A http://www.nightfallcrew.com/22/08/2009/sinclair-amstrad-zx-spectrum-2-in-the-grey-case-issue-3sinclair-amstrad-zx-spectrum-2-grigio-issue-3/
Photos
Nightfall crew
Comments
Made in Taiwan, UK issue.
If you need them uploading then please let me know.
Download the latest version of Bomb Munchies Ver2210 4th July 2020
Note: The dodgy soldering around the keyboard connectors is my doing - around 1990/91 I removed them when the great idea of just having the keyboard on my lap and leaving the rest of the plus2 on the desk, connected via a long strip of ribbon cable and housed in the base of a very dead Spectrum+ case - it worked! I've returned everything back to normal now.
Serial: U-091998 (white sticker)
Made In Taiwan
The dust is an optional extra
Download the latest version of Bomb Munchies Ver2210 4th July 2020
Not only TR4 has to be rotated but also TR7. If TR7 is mounted in the false direction then the transistor, which normally acts as an emitter follower, only acts as a diode. The base-collector-diode together with R65 realizes the OR function. But in this case A0 is loaded by 470 Ohm which would be avoided if TR7 would be mounted correct.
Greets Ingo.
Spectrum 128+2 Grey Z70500 8640 motherboard
Serial: U-132350 (white sticker)
Made In Taiwan
- please feel free to upload these photos and the photos of the 8639 in my previous post to the wiki site if they are needed for reference -
If you need more photos then please ask soon as I will be fixing the composite and sound issues in the next few weeks.
Download the latest version of Bomb Munchies Ver2210 4th July 2020