[Misc] Happy birthday Sinclair ZX81

[Stat Brother]

Just 40 (forty) years ago.

[tweet]1499976770644168708[/tweet]


Just 40 years

From that to sitting at work writing this, on my phone/camera/messaging service and 'publishing' to the world.

A phone that cost less than 2 ZX81's.

 

[usernamed]

I had a rubber key Spectrum 48k, back in the day, I think the chronology went ZX81->Spectrum 16k->Spectrum 48k

If my memory isn’t playing tricks on me, I think I had to plug some huge, unwieldy adapter into the back of it before a joystick could be connected.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

I had a rubber key Spectrum 48k, back in the day, I think the chronology went ZX81->Spectrum 16k->Spectrum 48k

If my memory isn’t playing tricks on me, I think I had to plug some huge, unwieldy adapter into the back of it before a joystick could be connected.

Yep - the original Spectrum didn't have a joystick port so you needed an adapter - and there were 3 varieties making in a nightmare for programmers

As for the ZX81 - my first computer and my first game was Football Manager. I have videos I did for a film that will sadly never see the light of day

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v5mMGeggWVL2Dl6cpboMytIDNWSYpfL4/view?usp=sharing

The most famous was 3D Monster Maze

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EQCnGtM5fwjKuoWMFkYZvdZURRgHqV59/view?usp=sharing

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Just 40 (forty) years ago.

[tweet]1499976770644168708[/tweet]


Just 40 years

From that to sitting at work writing this, on my phone/camera/messaging service and 'publishing' to the world.

A phone that cost less than 2 ZX81's.

My current gaming PC has 32 million times more memory than they unexpanded ZX81.

 

[bluenitsuj]

I still have my ZX Spectrum + in my loft along with about 150 games. Doubt it is worth very much

 

[Dick Swiveller]

I still have my ZX Spectrum + in my loft along with about 150 games. Doubt it is worth very much

So many Spectrums were made that they aren't worth that much - maybe with 150 games you might get up to £100-£150 but the keyboard membrane will almost certainly be shot and a fair chance it won't work without being repaired if it has been in a loft.

 

[fly high]

I still have my ZX Spectrum + in my loft along with about 150 games. Doubt it is worth very much

Me too, enter key stopped working, shame.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Me too, enter key stopped working, shame.

£14 gets you back in the game

https://zxrenew.co.uk/ZX-Spectrum-48k-128k-Toastrack-keyboard-membrane-p69999635

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I have a zx81 and a spectrum in my garage but havent looked at them for over 20 years so they are probably dust by now!

 

[Eeyore]

Commodore 64 rules !

Not sure how much later that was.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Commodore 64 rules !

Not sure how much later that was.

1982 it was released

 

[Stat Brother]

My current gaming PC has 32 million times more memory than they unexpanded ZX81.

With that amount of power you must now be able to play Frogger.

 

[fly high]

£14 gets you back in the game

https://zxrenew.co.uk/ZX-Spectrum-48k-128k-Toastrack-keyboard-membrane-p69999635

Thanks, I'll give it a go

 

[Creaky]

I have a zx81 and a spectrum in my garage but havent looked at them for over 20 years so they are probably dust by now!

Snap, together with two Apple IIe, Commodore Pet and a Tandy TRS80 - and an original Pong console.

Most of the software/data on the tapes has deteriorated long ago.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I'm sure I still have my old ZX81 in a box somewhere with the 16k RAM pack stuck on with blue tack.

The joy of spending six minutes loading a game only to find it had failed and you had to adjust the volume on your tape player to get the bands the right size.

 

[NogansRun]

10 PRINT 'Hello'
20 GOTO 10

 

[Pevenseagull]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1K_ZX_Chess