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| My two ZX81s, serial number 003-007213 (on the
left) and serial number unknown. |
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| Introduced in 1981, the ZX81 was an improvement
on the ZX80 but also came with only 1KB of on-board
memory. |
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| The keyboard, still flat but with easier to read
keys, had been re-arranged to allow for additional
BASIC keywords. The flat keys made programming tedious
but some enterprising manufacturers produced keyboards
which had raised keys that fitted over the top. |
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| The memory was still only 1KB but an additional
16KB could easily be added at the rear. These RAM
cartridges. like the one on the left, had a reputation
for wobbling, causing the computer to crash. But
third-party versions like the Cheetah and Memopak
ones to the right soon appeared, designed to eradicate
this problem. |
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| A joystick could be used with an adaptor. The
one on the left is a Sinclair model, while the one
on the right is a Kempston. |
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| In the UK, the ZX81 was many people's first experience
of computers. A wide range of software was produced
including games and utilities. The computer also
introduced the possibility of learning to write
your own programs. |
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| My second ZX81 has been modified to work with
modern TVs via the AV connection. |
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| ZX81 Programming |
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| (Steven Vickers / |
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| Sinclair Research) |
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