Vault Entry
[📷 suggested: ZX Spectrum 48K with cassette player]
Overview
Launched in April 1982, the ZX Spectrum delivered colour graphics and a Z80 CPU in a compact, low-cost package. It dominated British classrooms and bedrooms, providing the backdrop for countless type-in listings and homegrown hits chronicled by magazines like CRASH and Your Sinclair.
Fast facts
- CPU: Zilog Z80A at 3.5 MHz.
- Models: 16K/48K originals, followed by the Spectrum+, 128K, and Amstrad-produced variants.
- Graphics: 256×192 pixels with attribute-based colour blocks.
- Sound: 1-bit beeper on early models; AY-3-8912 chip on later 128K versions.
Why it mattered
- Price disruption: undercut rivals with a £125 launch price, spreading quickly through Europe.
- Community: magazines like Crash and Your Sinclair fostered type-ins, reviews, and humour.
- Exports: produced a thriving Spanish and Eastern European clone scene (Timex, Investrónica, Didaktik).
Lesson connections
- BASIC Blocks reference Spectrum quirks when discussing memory and colour attributes.
- Transition course compares Spectrum BASIC to Commodore BASIC to highlight interpreter differences.
- Assembly lessons mention Spectrum techniques (colour clash, ULA timing) for contrast.
Modern legacy
- Emulation: Fuse, Spectaculator, and MiSTer cores keep the machine alive.
- Homebrew: new Spectrum releases appear annually, many targeting modern dev competitions.
- Cultural footprint: the Spectrum defined UK game culture, from comedic loading screens to cheeky copy protection.