Purchasing Advice for an ignorant American
Hello, I am a retro computer enthusiast who lives in the United States. I am currently looking into importing a model from the UK, and would like which model is recommended. Also is there information I need to know about the ZX other than the obvious like the need for a step-up converter, and the PAL signal? Thank you in advance for the advice and the assistance.
Post edited by abcman787 on
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I would probably go for Jane Warner !
1. Original "toastrack" 128K (my favourite). Known as a toastrack because of the groovy heatsink!
2. Spectrum +2 - a big disadvantage is that if you want to load tapes, you're stuck with the built-in tape deck which has no volume/treble/bass/balance settings - if the tape won't load, you can try messing with the azimuth thing but that might cause more problems later on
3. Spectrum +3 - this has a disk drive but they're not standard floppy disks.
Also in my experience, +3 hardware seems to be more robust than the original Sinclair hardware
Edit: most people will probably prefer the keyboards of the +2 and +3 over the original 128 because they're more like modern PC keyboards
https://www.amazon.com/Super-Power-Supply®-5-5x2-1mm-Certified/dp/B00EA0UEQQ
If you do carry out the composite modification it should look ok on a 100Hz television with a PAL to NTSC converter. There's not much point in spending big money on one really, the Spectrum never looked great on a television back in the 1980s anyway.
Have a look at what I did here in Japan:
https://pcbiroiro.blogspot.jp/2012/01/running-zx-spectrum-in-japan.html
You may be able to use the RGB out on the 128K machines like I did if you can get just the right monitor:
https://pcbiroiro.blogspot.jp/2016/08/output-from-rgb-port-of-spectrum-1282.html
The best model is probably the grey ZX Spectrum +2. It's the most compatible, has a decent keyboard, and still has a simple concentric pin power connector. Though you'll probably need to also buy replacement drive belts for the cassette deck. The later black model (+2A) and the disk drive model (+3) need a multi-pin multi-voltage power supply, which is a hell of a lot harder to substitute.
But get yourself an SD card adaptor interface for instant loading. And you'll need a couple of adaptors for the non-standard wiring in the joystick ports; then you can use any standard Atari joystick. Without the adaptor you're stuck with official Amstrad-made Sinclair joysticks, which are rubbish.
You might find any recent TV will just adapt itself if you feed in a 50Hz PAL composite signal. You can buy a cable for the multi-pin RGB socket, or modify the RF output circuit with a simple bypass wire to just supply the composite signal at the aerial plug. Failing that, a PAL to HD upscaler box, or PAL to VGA upsacaler and an old monitor (eBay calling).
- IONIAN-GAMES.com -
1. What is a Jane Warner?
2. More seriously, how reliable the belts (or the "Datacorder" in general) are? Are these easy to replace?
3. You said I need an adapter for the joysticks (I already have an Atari and Zip-Stick controller on my 2600 and Amiga), how expensive is it and would it just be easier to mod the system (if that's possible?)
4. I have that Amstrad models are famous for having compatibility issues, how common are these issues and is there a workaround
5. I heard that most Spectrum tape games you buy on eBay will fail to work, is this true?
6. Finally are there any benefits to the Disk Drive on the Spectrum ZX +3, I have heard that Spectrum was completely tape-only and was surprised to find that there a Spectrum with built-in floppy
I've found 95% to load fine, and they've always refunded me for the couple of tapes that I couldn't get to load.
2 - The problem with the drive belt(s) (the +2 and the +2A are different) is like any tape recorder left on a shelf for 30 years; they get locked into a stretched elliptical shape. So then they run unevenly and the tape playback 'surges' in speed with each revolution of the belt. But again, people make and sell replacements cheaply on eBay, at least, to buyers in the UK.
3 - The joystick port adaptors are cheap enough; usually just a plug and a socket back-to-back with some of the wires crossed over and shrink-wrap all over. You can re-wire the ports yourself but it's fiddly; bear in mind the socket is soldered directly onto the main circuit board of the computer.
4 - The original +2 is simply Amstrad's direct clone of Sinclair's own 128K version of the Spectrum. That's where the biggest compatability problems stemmed from, but it's really a small minority of games, and many were re-done with enhanced 128K versions.
5 - We have this word 'bollocks' in Britain. Not sure what the American equivalent is. Many foreigners have a problem with a hard 'o' sound rather than an 'owe' sort of sound, but it's worth practicing it for exactly these situations.
6 - Not really. Eastern European enthusiasts cloned an earlier disk interface and wrote games to exploit that, but it's incompatible with the Amstrad disk system that got bolted on to the +3 (in case you hadn't noticed, PC floppies don't fit!). So no, it's pretty useless. If anyone really wanted 8-bit Word Processing or DTP back then they'd have had an Amstrad CPC 6128 or a PCW for the office, not a Spectrum.
- IONIAN-GAMES.com -
You won't be able to do this with a +2 because the +2 does not have an EAR hole socket for external connections, it relies on the tape deck. Also, I tried many other old phones/mp3 players and only the N78 worked.
As for joysticks, the +3 has built in joystick ports (and I'm pretty sure the +2 does too)
A model from Brighton, England, to be precise !
- ZX Spectrum 16k - the original version, with the rubber keys. Early machines shipped with the issue 1 PCB.
- ZX Spectrum 48k - same as above, but with an extra 32k bytes of RAM. The PCB used in the 16k and 48k models went through various revisions, ending up with issue 6A PCBs as various minor improvements were made.
- ZX Spectrum+ - Sinclair produced a new case with a different keyboard, this is the ZX Spectrum 48k machine in the new case with the new keyboard. Note that the case & keyboard were also made available so that existing owners could upgrade their existing computers. So it is possible for 16k versions to exist...
- ZX Spectrum+ 128k - known as the "toastrack" due to the heatsink on the right hand side of the case. apart from that, looks similar to the ZX Spectrum+. The last Sinclair produced computer before the sale to Amstrad.
- ZX Spectrum+2 - also known as the grey, due to the colour of the case. The only model that has a dark grey case. Amstrad's version of the ZX Spectrum+ 128k. Has a keyboard more like normal PC keyboards and a built-in cassette tape deck. As with the earlier computers, there are a number of different PCB revisions. On one, a manufacturering fault means three transistors were inserted the wrong way round. It does not affect the RF/UHF TV output, but does affect users trying to use the monitor output port.
- ZX Spectrum+2A - Comes in a black case, but otherwise looks very similar to the grey +2. A redesigned computer using different circuitry compared to earlier machines. Needs a PSU that produces +5V, +12V and -12V supplies. There are two versions! The originals used the same PCB as the +3 but without the disk drive circuitry. These have design faults with the sound circuits. But they are rather rare. The more common version is a ZX Spectrum+2B PCB in a ZX Spectrum+2A case!
- ZX Spectrum+2B - Like the +2A. A reduced cost (smaller PCB) version. The biggest fault with the sound has been fixed.
- ZX Spectrum+3 - Like the +2A but has a built-in 3 inch single sided disk drive. These have design faults with the sound circuits. The only Amstrad version that can use an external cassette deck. Needs a higher power PSU compared to the +2A PSU.
Until the Amstrad +2A, +2B and +3, all machines used 9V DC (nominal) power supply units. The 16k, 48k and + models using a 9V DC 1.4A PSU. The 128k and +2 grey using more powerful 9V DC PSUs. All these can use any 9V DC regulated PSU that has a current rating of 2A or greater as long as the polarity on the DC mini power plug is correct (outer "barrel" is positive, inner contact is negative).The best keyboards are on the +2A/+2B/+3. But these are the least compatible with earlier games.
Mark
Repair Guides. Spanish Hardware site.
WoS - can't download? Info here...
former Meulie Spectrum Archive but no longer available :-(
Spectranet: the TNFS directory thread
! Standby alert !
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb!
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :)
US TVs (Flat screen variety) have no problem showing Pal composite signals. I've even honked my 128k up to a projector without issue.
I use a step up converter to give my specie the right voltage. Though I have read that due to the design of the PSU I could probably plug it into the US outlet without a step up converted and get the correct voltage. I did do this and put a PSU on my volt meter to check and yep it seemed to produce the right output. However, I have not got the guts to try it as I really don't want to fry my precious collection.
You forgot the white one !
:)