am on the lookout for zx spectrums

[therail]

i currently own 2 zx spectrum 128ks (both pretty dodgy tho) i am on the lookout for possibly another 128k model. but i may also be tempted in getting a 48k rubber keyed model. i know ebay is the obvious choice to look for them, but was wondering whether anyone here has possible a package deal or something like that. many thanks.

[InTheSand]

Yep, eBay's your best bet!

Or alternatively, if you're in the UK, it's worth checking out car boot sales / garage sales. However, people are a lot more clued up on such things these days and it's more and more difficult to find bargains like those in the pre-2000 days!

I got some great bargains in the UK in the 1990s, before retro computing became fashionable!

 - Ali

P.S. My two favourite Spectrums are the 48K rubber keyed model and the original Sinclair 128K with the external "toast rack" heatsink. None of this Amstrad rubbish!!!  :-)

[Speelgoedmannetje]

therail wrote:
(both pretty dodgy tho)

Yeah, every spectrum I owned was dodgy, also, QL was a failure because of being dodgy.
So I doubt you'll get a sinclair wich isn't dodgy.

[odin]

:lol:

[InTheSand]

Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
Every spectrum I owned was dodgy, also, QL was a failure because of being dodgy.

Heh! The Spectrum was OK! Issue 3s onwards were of a non-dodgy nature, but certainly the earlier ones were a bit suspect, with some having overheating problems and the issues 1 and 2 having "dead {bleep}roach" IC bodges soldered in place!

EDIT: Err.. "{bleep}roach" !!!  :-)  :lol:  :lol:

And the QL was a failure because it was released before being completed. I guess the use of Microdrives rather than disk drives didn't help its case either!

I have one working and one dead QL, plus used to use the excellent QL emulator for the A500. Oh, and countless Spectrums! (All working and non-dodgy the last time I checked!!!)

 - Ali

[Cyberus]

I've got a QL, never even powered it up though. Its missing a key, that's all I know about it!

There were only a few hundred of them produced weren't there???

I always wanted a SAM coupe....

[InTheSand]

As far as I know, there were around 100,000 QLs sold worldwide. Not exactly the success Sinclair Research had hoped for...

Still, it did have a multi-tasking OS and was based on the good old 68K we know and love! I haven't powered my one up for years but I was at least able to track down a disk drive interface for it and transfer stuff from the few QL-formatted Microdrive cartridges I own. Bought the QL, literally "mint in box", from a radio/electronics fair in the UK some time in the 1990s for the princely sum of £5! Bargain!

I'd also love a SAM Coupe, but these are very rare and I've got pretty much zero chance of finding one in New Zealand!!! Shame it was released so late and at a comparatively high cost vs the Atari ST. I'd have had that over the ST if it'd been available in 1988...

Another old rarity I'd like to find is the Enterprise 64 or 128. This was definitely ahead of its time but ended up hitting the market way too late. It could be made to run Spectrum software via a bit of code plus a ROM image file.

 - Ali

[Karlos]

Speelgoedmannetje wrote:

therail wrote:
(both pretty dodgy tho)

Yeah, every spectrum I owned was dodgy, also, QL was a failure because of being dodgy.
So I doubt you'll get a sinclair wich isn't dodgy.

I'll have you know my 48K rubber keyed spectrum is totally functional :-)







The fact that it was made by scavenging two non-functional spectrums is irrelavent :lol:

[PMC]

Rubber keyed speccys make excellent coffee mats.

That may sound a little sacreligious, but given that retro computing rarely lives up to nostalgia I'm happy to simply emulate my speccy/c64/amstrad experiences.

Amigas on the other hand are a different matter entirely...

Back in 1987 I had a +2.  There was a lot of stuff bandied about in the press about supposed incompatibilities between the +2 and other speccys, but I almost never had an issue with mine, the only programmes which I recall failing to load were "Brian Bloodaxe" and "Falcon Patrol".  

I can play Speccy Elite for hours, but like every other piece of speccy software, the realisation that everything I do is limited to eight garish colours begins to really hurt my eyes.  Then the incessent bleep/fuzz noise of the AY begins to make my ears bleed but at least it can be turned down, hehe.

I remember my local shop had two SAM coupes back in 1990... Probably the largest gathering of the mythical machines since they left the factory :lol:

[therail]

InTheSand wrote:
P.S. My two favourite Spectrums are the 48K rubber keyed model and the original Sinclair 128K with the external "toast rack" heatsink. None of this Amstrad rubbish!!!  :-)

yeah tell me about it. i have 2 of the original sinclair 128s! my situation at the mo is i am keeping one as spares/bits and bobs and i am getting the other one repaired for normal use. i did see one on ebay last week but bah i can't buy at the mo what with christmas and that and haven't much money to spare!

[InTheSand]

What's wrong with your 128s? It usually only seems to be the keyboard membrane that dies... And they can be got hold of fairly easily.

I must admit I can't remember the last time I powered up real Spectrum hardware! Emulation is so perfect these days... All I need is one of these to complete the experience! :-)

 - Ali

[therail]

InTheSand wrote:
What's wrong with your 128s? It usually only seems to be the keyboard membrane that dies... And they can be got hold of fairly easily.

I must admit I can't remember the last time I powered up real Spectrum hardware! Emulation is so perfect these days... All I need is one of these to complete the experience! :-)

 - Ali

yeah it is the membrane. i got a replacement but unfortunately i have had complications with it. someone is one the case tho and repairing it for me i am also have a new modulator installed so i should get a decent speccy back soon after xmas hopefully.

[InTheSand]

Cool!!!

It's always fun to be using vintage hardware!

Makes me wonder why nobody (Amstrad, are you listening?!) has made a Spectrum-in-a-joystick yet, as the innards are so much simpler than a C64...

 - Ali

[CannonFodder]

InTheSand wrote:
Cool!!!

It's always fun to be using vintage hardware!

Makes me wonder why nobody (Amstrad, are you listening?!) has made a Spectrum-in-a-joystick yet, as the innards are so much simpler than a C64...

 - Ali

I would imagine it's because the games look (and sound)  like crap in comparison to C64 and Megadrive joysticks etc.

[InTheSand]

CannonFodder wrote:
I would imagine it's because the games look (and sound)  like crap in comparison to C64 and Megadrive joysticks etc.

"Crap"??! Spectrum sound and graphics?!  :-o  :-o  :-o

That's just sacrilege!!!  :-)

Everyone knows the Speccy had the best graphics and sound of all the 8-bitters!  :-D

/me runs and hides from the imminent roasting! :madashell:

 - Ali