anchor: timexthousand
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Like with pocket computer when I see the Timex Sinclair 1000 I wonder, how incredible it is that people actually used these machines as an computer. Offcourse taking in to account the price the Timex Sinclair 1000 is quitte a nifty machine. I got it for a very nice price (I think a third of the original sales price) from the dutch version of Ebay. it didn't come with a power supply so when I find one of those (probably have on laying around somewhere) I will show it off.
Wikipedia specs and history: Timex claimed to have sold 600,000 T/S 1000s in the US by early 1983, and other companies imported localized versions of British software. It sold for US$99.95 in the US when it debuted, making it the cheapest home computer at the time; it was advertised as "the first computer under $100". This pricing initiated a price war with Commodore International, who quickly reduced the price of its VIC-20 to match and later announced a trade-in program offering $100 for any competing computer toward the purchase of a Commodore 64. Since the T/S 1000 was selling for $49 by this time, many customers bought them for the sole purpose of trading them in for a Commodore 64. Like the Sinclair ZX81, the T/S 1000 used 8K BASIC, a version of Sinclair BASIC (a BASIC dialect), as its primary interface and programming language. To make the membrane keyboard less cumbersome for program entry, the T/S 1000 used a shortcut system of one-letter "keywords" for most commands (e.g., pressing P while the cursor was in "keyword mode" would generate the keyword PRINT). Some keywords required a short sequence of keystrokes (e.g., SHIFT-ENTER+S would generate the keyword LPRINT). One notable thing about this version of BASIC was that, unlike other versions where it's optional in a program, the LET command was used extensively for data. The T/S 1000 was normally plugged into a regular TV that served as a computer monitor. The computer produced a black-and-white display that consisted of 32 columns and 24 lines. Of those lines, 22 were accessible for display, with two reserved for data entry and error messages. The limited graphics were based on geometric shapes contained within the operating system's non-ASCII character set. The only form of long-term storage was Compact Cassette. The 16 KB memory expansion module sold for $49.95. A shortage of the memory expansion modules coupled with a lack of software that would run within 2 KB meant that the system had little use for anything other than as an introduction to programming. Home computer magazines of the era such as Compute! showed enthusiasts how to interface the computer with various kinds of equipment. These tutorials provided an opportunity for learning about early speech synthesis technology through a Speak & Spell, robotics control through the memory port, and scrolling text displays for advertising. Over time, the T/S 1000 spawned a cottage industry of third-party add-ons designed to help remedy its limitations and provide more functions. Full-size keyboards, speech synthesizers, sound generators, disk drives, and memory expansions (up to 64 KB) were a few of the options available. Languages such as Forth and Pascal, as well as BASIC compilers and assemblers, augmented the T/S 1000's programming possibilities. Computer enthusiast magazines from the early 1980s included articles that contained the programming instructions for simple games and other programs that could be used with the device. Microcomputing magazine published an article in April 1983, criticizing the membrane keyboard ("The designers of the Timex-Sinclair 1000 ... reduced this important programming tool to a fraction of the required size") and describing how to connect external full-size keyboards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Sinclair_1000 |
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anchor: modzx
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Well I think this is a Spectrum, oh well the seller told me it is a ZX Spectrum but judging by their internet skills I want to double check that in a Future video so stick around for that one!
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anchor: spewctrumplus
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Many fellow collectors probably faced the same issue I did when coming across this computer—the asking price was simply too good to pass up. So, I acquired this ZX Spectrum +. I'm still keeping an eye out for the version with the rubber keyboard, but those are currently in high demand, and the bidding tends to become excessively competitive. The one I have now features a more functional keyboard, although it's still not the most pleasant to type on. I have already placed an order for a new membrane pad for the keyboard, and I hope that will make for an enjoyable Computer TLC episode.
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anchor: plustwo
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Sometimes your lucky, sometimes you are not. Well in this case of snapping up a ZX Spectrum 2+. I think I got not lucky. Since it seems to be in pretty rough shape. The cassette door broke off, there is no video output and the case has some damage. But ofcourse this opens the door for another project to see if we can get this ZX spectrum up and running again.
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