What are your thoughts on the Sinclair Spectrum

[almoststew1990]

Having been getting interested in earlier and earlier retro gaming (originally just being interested in 2002-2007 XP gaming, then Windows 98 gaming, then DOS gaming) I am beginning to get into 80s gaming. I see videos on the C64 and Amiga and kind of want one, but they're pretty hard to find locally.

However, there is a Sinclair Spectrum available for £50. I get the impression this will be really quite primative compared to the Amiga (and even the C64?) and I was wondering if it is worth picking it up for £50 with 3 games. Are they all tapes, or floppies? Is it worth sticking with, er, other methods to experience the Spectrum?

Are they are widely supported as Commadore machines in terms of SD card expansions etc. Will they use teh common joysticks (9-DIN I think they're called that a lot of 80s and 90s computers and consoles used?)

 

[m4cc45]

The first proper computer I had was Spectrum 48k+. You need a joystick cartridge which is normally Kempston. There were two joystick formats at the time. You can get SD cards, etc. for them as well. I remember pulling the joystick cartridge out and it fusing the Spectrum so you have to be mindful.

Games wise they've not got the level of graphics or sound a C64 has. It doesn't make the games any less playable. Typically you'll play from tape but there was a +3 model that had a 3" disk drive (if memory serves).

There are a lot of websites that you can play the games in the browser so it may be worth having a look at them first before making a decision. I loved my Spectrum though and would happily have one again - I have a C64 and Amiga but do miss some of the Spectrums games.



M.

 

[Vince]

Having been getting interested in earlier and earlier retro gaming (originally just being interested in 2002-2007 XP gaming, then Windows 98 gaming, then DOS gaming) I am beginning to get into 80s gaming. I see videos on the C64 and Amiga and kind of want one, but they're pretty hard to find locally.

However, there is a Sinclair Spectrum available for £50. I get the impression this will be really quite primative compared to the Amiga (and even the C64?) and I was wondering if it is worth picking it up for £50 with 3 games. Are they all tapes, or floppies? Is it worth sticking with, er, other methods to experience the Spectrum?

Are they are widely supported as Commadore machines in terms of SD card expansions etc. Will they use teh common joysticks (9-DIN I think they're called that a lot of 80s and 90s computers and consoles used?)

Is it a working specky? They are littered with problems as they get older and many of the 48k machines can't fully load 48k games due to problems with memory and all kinds of stuff. If you want a bit of a project a £50 zx spectrum is a pretty damn cool one

 

[jsmoke]

You can download an emulator to try out the games try speculator.

I had a 48k between around 85 and 94 played the rubber keys version before that also although didn't own that version. Also we had the first version with flat keys.

Many hours were spent on that machine, the keyboards were made of tough stuff as it took a fair pounding.

Still great games, try jet set willy and manic miner.

 

[PC777]

My first computer was a 48k Spectrum+ as well, even then it wasn't great graphically and had poor sound, but it was still a good machine, was pretty happy with mine until I first played/heard a C64 at a friend's house playing music so good I thought it was from a TV show during the loading of the game Barbarian, and the game itself was amazing as well.

Then we played a game that let you actually play a version of space invaders while another game was loading, and I was pretty much done with Spectrum. C64 destroyed the Spectrum in sound and colour capabilities but Spectrum could do some really nice monochrome graphics still or use clever tricks to make the colours look better. I only ever owned tape recorders for both the Spectrum and C64 so anything that made loading better was a big plus.

My favourite Spectrum games were Jet Set Willy, Daley Thompson's Decathlon (actually broke a joystick playing that), Yie Ar Kung Fu, Rush N Attack, and Chequered Flag, but after getting a C64 I rarely played one again.

The way Spectrum assigned colours to giant blocks and not individual pixels looked like garbage even back in the mid 80's as there were plenty of nice looking arcade machines around at that time for comparison. That was my biggest complaint even as a very young kid back then.

Even so the Spectrum range were mostly hugely influential machines that did a lot for the UK computer industry overall, it's worth having one for historical value alone.

If you want to get a good feel for the time of Spectrum, the Netflix Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch did a great job of capturing the atmosphere of some of that era and has a lot of Spectrum appearances and references.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

My main memories of my 48K are supergluing the volume dial on my cassette player at the loading sweetspot and the additional RAM module that just hung of the back of the motherboard being an unreliable POS.

 

[BongoHunter]

The best thing to do with software of this era is to use emulation on a modern machine TBH

 

[almoststew1990]

I've spent an hour playing around in a browser and was actually pleasantly surprised but the sound and graphics (although I was selecting 1985+ games). However I really don't think these sorts of games will keep my attention for long. Quite a few that look easy to play hard to master skill based games, but not the sort of thing I'd get out a spectrum and TV to play! Stunt Car Racer I found particularly interesting as I have played it a bit on my DOS PC. The technological difference is huge!

 

[vanpeebles]

Huge Sinclair fan here, loads of great games on speccy, covering a huge area of types of games. There is loads of new hardware being made for em still, and even new games all the time. It might need a new membrane for the keyboard. I use an SD card interface, but I also have tape and disk support if needed.

What model is it?

 

[GeX]

Are they are widely supported as Commadore machines in terms of SD card expansions etc. Will they use teh common joysticks (9-DIN I think they're called that a lot of 80s and 90s computers and consoles used?)

They are widely supported, yes.

SD loaders; https://www.bytedelight.com/?product_cat=divmmc-enjoy (these often include joystick ports)

They're easy to modify for composite output, but there's options if you want HDMI; https://www.bytedelight.com/?product=zx-hd-hdmi-interface-with-ulaplus

 

[One Vision]

The best thing to do with software of this era is to use emulation on a modern machine TBH

This 100%

Tbh playing the spectrum now is not like playing it back in the day and it will not get the respect that it deserves. Just the way it is, i still have my +2 and all the games still in my attic.

Make sure you watch from Bedroom to billions

http://www.frombedroomstobillions.com/

The C64 was probably my fav machine along with the Amiga. So many great games on the C64 from last ninja, Bangkok Knights, Gunship, Silent service, Uridium etc etc etc, id be here all day.

EPIC sound track!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCNMcUzQ3Ws

 

[One Vision]

The first proper computer I had was Spectrum 48k+. You need a joystick cartridge which is normally Kempston. There were two joystick formats at the time. You can get SD cards, etc. for them as well. I remember pulling the joystick cartridge out and it fusing the Spectrum so you have to be mindful.

Games wise they've not got the level of graphics or sound a C64 has. It doesn't make the games any less playable. Typically you'll play from tape but there was a +3 model that had a 3" disk drive (if memory serves).

There are a lot of websites that you can play the games in the browser so it may be worth having a look at them first before making a decision. I loved my Spectrum though and would happily have one again - I have a C64 and Amiga but do miss some of the Spectrums games.



M.

What games do you miss? Curse of Sherwood? Lol

 

[m4cc45]

What games do you miss? Curse of Sherwood? Lol

I preferred the below on the Spectrum. It doesn't mean I didn't also like them on the C64 but if I had a Spectrum now this is what I'd probably play:

Robin of the Wood
Nodes of Yesod
Curse of Sherwood
Target Renegade (2 player simultaneously)
Horace series (Hungry Horace / Horace Goes Skiing / etc.)
Sabre Wulf
Colony


M.

 

[phatboy]

As per many in here my first home machine was a 48k rubber key speccy when I was a little lad, then I remember us going to I want to say Rumbelows lol and picking up our shiny new +2 package.

The Spectrum holds a very special place in my heart. I was able to get hold of a fully boxed immaculate one a year or so back and its one of my favourite bits of my collection

Have an untested 48k rubber key I was given for free which I need to get a PSU for to test, quite excited and fingers are well and truly crossed!

I think £50 or less is getting to be a good price for a guaranteed working Spectrum these days. They are VERY primitive compared to the Amiga but still SO much fun, in my eyes any way

Some of the games that make the system for me....

• Beach head
• The Blob
• Jet Set Willy
• Chase HQ
• Iridium
• Fire Lord
• Crazy Cars
• Cauldron

 

[Scania]

I’d be wary of an aged Spectrum, I say this because I remember a Christmas in the early 80’s being ruined by a non working Spectrum 48k, cue taking it back and trying nine(!) alternatives until we found one that worked!

Look out for failed capacitors, RAM chips and dry solder joints - these apply to most 80’s computers tbh but the Spectrum especially so - they didn’t have the best quality control in the production lines.

As said, use emulators to see how you like the games / experience and then decide which machine to buy in the flesh imo.

The latest of the rubber keyed variant of the Spectrum is now 35 years old, don’t be surprised to find it either fails to power up, does so but is faulty or just goes bang when you plug it in, many did when new!

 

[vanpeebles]

I’d be wary of an aged Spectrum, I say this because I remember a Christmas in the early 80’s being ruined by a non working Spectrum 48k, cue taking it back and trying nine(!) alternatives until we found one that worked!

Look out for failed capacitors, RAM chips and dry solder joints - these apply to most 80’s computers tbh but the Spectrum especially so - they didn’t have the best quality control in the production lines.

As said, use emulators to see how you like the games / experience and then decide which machine to buy in the flesh imo.

The latest of the rubber keyed variant of the Spectrum is now 35 years old, don’t be surprised to find it either fails to power up, does so but is faulty or just goes bang when you plug it in, many did when new!

I have to disagree here slightly, other than the membranes, the vast majority of speccies around now, work fine. I've not had to recap any of my sinclairs, however loads of 90s Japanese stuff needs recapping due to a change in the caps used. There are loads of spare parts around if needed. All my Sinclairs work fine, and touch wood, haven't needed work doing other than the membranes. Even the ZX80 fired straight up.

I got a toast rack speccy which had blown up back in the day, and that needed the power line stuff repairing, but it was a cheap toastrack from a mate.

 

[Scania]

I have to disagree here slightly, other than the membranes, the vast majority of speccies around now, work fine. I've not had to recap any of my sinclairs, however loads of 90s Japanese stuff needs recapping due to a change in the caps used. There are loads of spare parts around if needed. All my Sinclairs work fine, and touch wood, haven't needed work doing other than the membranes. Even the ZX80 fired straight up.

I got a toast rack speccy which had blown up back in the day, and that needed the power line stuff repairing, but it was a cheap toastrack from a mate.

Well, I was stating my own personal experience however in later years (prior to becoming a trucker) I worked in retail for many years for Dixon’s Stores Group, let me tell you the amount of returns we got from computers of the era was staggering, the Spectrum was by far and away the worst for reliability and as a consequence they were returned the most frequently things were not improved much tbh by the Spectrum + nor the Amstrad developed Spectrum that had the built in tape deck.....

Incidentally one of the most reliable models out on the market at the time was one of the Spectrums biggest competitors, the equally mass produced Commodore 64.

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM

 

[vanpeebles]

Well, I was stating my own personal experience however in later years (prior to becoming a trucker) I worked in retail for many years for Dixon’s Stores Group, let me tell you the amount of returns we got from computers of the era was staggering, the Spectrum was by far and away the worst for reliability and as a consequence they were returned the most frequently things were not improved much tbh by the Spectrum + nor the Amstrad developed Spectrum that had the built in tape deck.....

Incidentally one of the most reliable models out on the market at the time was one of the Spectrums biggest competitors, the equally mass produced Commodore 64.

The C64 was more expensive. Don't forget the speccy had numerous internal revisions and even makers. The first amstrad plus two was just a recased toast rack which was a complex temperamental machine.

I probably have well over 20 Sinclair machines of all kinds not just speccys.

 

[Scania]

The C64 was more expensive. Don't forget the speccy had numerous internal revisions and even makers. The first amstrad plus two was just a recased toast rack which was a complex temperamental machine.

I probably have well over 20 Sinclair machines of all kinds not just speccys.

Fair point re the C64’s price level, it wasn’t a marketing competitor to the Spectrum but it was in the playground and magazines etc which is unfair of course.

The most reliable we sold was the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro but both were priced accordingly and the BBC especially was fantastically built and reliability was excellent, but at a huge price (£399 in 1983!), it was designed to survive in schools and indeed many did.

I seem to recall the Amiga A500 being known as “The Boomerang”, you’d sell one but.....

I find your take interesting - I myself am an avid Acorn fan of the era, thus far I’ve been prevented from building up a collection,but, I’m single now.....

I’m wondering if the sheer volume of Spectrums produced (and sold by the likes of me in my Dixon’s days) masks or highlights issues, we had a hell of a lot back but they outsold by a margin of 3-1 at least.

Yes though, the earlier Amstrad derivatives were a nightmare!