Articles
15/06/2024
The quality of sound which comes from the ZX Spectrum's little beeper just cannot compare with that of its contempories such as the BBC Micro, Commodore 64, and Oric-1.
The lack of decent sound from the Spectrum led to many manufacturers of peripherals to produce their own
sound amplifiers and
synthesizers.
When the 128K models were released they included an AY chip to produce 3-channel sound, and output it through the TV speaker.
For the original Spectrum however, the many add-ons created it for it would bring its sound up to the level, or even surpass that of its contempories.
24/05/2024
The VAL$ function didn't get much of a mention in the ZX Spectrum manual. VAL$ is very similar in usage to the VAL function but doesn't appear to have an obvious use.
In this article, I attempt to explain how VAL$ works and explore some possible uses for this little used function.
I compare the VAL and VAL$ functions and present the examples given in the Spectrum manual along with explanations of why each example will or won't work.
14/01/2024
When Sinclair Research introduced the ZX Spectrum+ 128K in 1985 new commands and statements were added to control the extra 128K of RAM via the 'silicon disc' and the AY-3-8912 three channel sound chip.
When Amstrad took over production of the Spectrum in 1986 they redesigned the 128K model the result becoming the +2. Later the +3 with 3" disk drive (and +2A and +2B without) were released. These models had their own commands which manipulated disk, RAMdisk and tape files using a CP/M-like filename structure.
Latest Updates
05/05/2025 - A new keyword comparison page has been added, this time it is the
Camputers Lynx.
02/10/2024 - A programmable joystick interface from
Custom Cable International. This one comes with a BASIC program on tape to program the interface.
01/10/2024 - A short entry for the
Spectrum KC Interface from the company that produced the 'Slomo' device - Nidd Valley Micro Products.
30/09/2024 - An unusual combination of joystick interface combined with composite colour monitor output and filtered sound through the television, the
Konix Preditor Joystick Interface.
28/09/2024 -
The Spectrum Sound Synthesizer added - nothing much to say about this one, just another 3-channel synth.
31/08/2024 - The
Add-On Electronics keyboard has just been added to Keyboards, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the Kayde Standard keyboard, what do you think?
26/08/2024 - The
SAGA GP graphics pad has been added to Input Devices.
25/08/2024 - An image of the Spectrum Doodler light pen has been found and can be viewed
here (plus some extra info on the 128K version).
28/07/2024 - The Oric 1 was a microcomputer much like the Spectrum. Built by Tangerine Computers, it was a little larger in size than the Spectrum but had a similar styling.
Here I compare the Oric 1 (and the later Oric Atmos) BASIC keywords with those of its Sinclair rival..
03/07/2024 - A new page has been added -
Sinclair BASIC keyword comparison. This page will link to all the keyword comparison pages for Sinclair computers.
15/06/24 - I've uncovered another keyboard, this time it is the
Protos 83S. At £64.95 it was one of the more expensive keyboards, but it appears to have similar keycaps to the Maplin and early Fuller keyboards. It did however come fitted with an audio amplifier.
27/05/2024 - Another light pen!, this time The
Spectrum Doodler.
26/05/2024 - An unusual joystick interface, The
Mikro-Plus Interface which came bundled with the game
'Shadow of the Unicorn' and used 64K of memory.
26/05/2024 - A rare find added - the
SPEC SWITCH from FLET.ELEC and a photo added to the Stonechip Joystick Interface entry.
03/04/2024 - The
BBC BASIC keyword comparison page has just been completed which contains a comprehensive list of keywords as used on the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and compares them to those used on the Spectrum.
30/01/2024 - Just some tidying up of the
Sinclair Tape Statements page.
21/01/2024 - Another keyboard this time from
Harris & Lockyer Associates.
20/01/2024 - A new addition -
the Specspansion board from FB tronics on the Expansion Boards page.
05/12/2023 - A
bare board joystick interface from Interceptor Micros added.
01/12/2023 - A new keyboard entry,
the Eider Systems Professional series from Eidersoft, has now been added.
19/09/2023 - Two new entries in Joystick Interfaces, the
programmable rapid fire interface from Page Computing and
a Kempston compatible from Solidisk.
02/07/2023 - A Speech Recognition unit,
The Micro Command by Orion Data Ltd, is now on the Speech Synthesizer/Recognition page.
19/03/2023 - A new page,
Expansion Systems, has been added. This is a work in progress.
Also another joystick interface, this time from
Dove Microtronix, has been added.
11/03/2023 - I have added two more
ROM cartridge interfaces, the Kempston Pro Joystick interface and the AGF ROMSLOT.
25/02/2023 - Another couple of updates to
keyboards, Fox 68FX2 and Lazer 62.
24/02/2023 - Added Namal Associates Super Talker to
Speech Synthesizers and an entry for Fox Electronics to
keyboards
23/02/2023 -
A short list of Timex/Sinclair 2000 series keywords not found on the ZX Spectrum.
This list is just about complete and details the extra keywords on the ZX Spectrum's american cousin.
22/02/2023 -
A Comparision of Keywords on the ZX80 and ZX Spectrum
The ZX80 page has been given the same treatment as the '81 page (see below).
22/02/2023 -
A Comparision of Keywords on the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum
I have tidied up the ZX81 BASIC comparison page seperating the commands from the statements.
16/02/2023 -
Speech Synthesizers
Just a revision and a new external link added.
13/02/2023 -
A Comparison of Cassette Tape statements on Sinclair Machines
I have put together a list of Cassette Tape statements for the ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum and show each one in detail.
