The Sinclair ZX81 was a small but powerful home computer that was first released in 1981. Despite its humble beginnings, the ZX81 quickly gained a cult following among tech enthusiasts and hobbyists.
One of the most striking things about the ZX81 is its compact design. The computer measures just 170mm x 40mm x 200mm, making it easy to fit on a desk or bookshelf. Despite its small size, however, the ZX81 packs a punch when it comes to performance. It features a 1 MHz Z80A CPU, 1 KB of RAM, and a built-in BASIC interpreter, allowing users to write and run their own programs with ease.
The ZX81 also comes with a simple, easy-to-use membrane keyboard, which makes typing in commands and programming code a breeze. The computer’s small size also makes it highly portable, allowing users to take it with them on the go and work on their projects wherever they are.
One of the most exciting things about the ZX81 is the wide range of programs and applications that can be run on it. The computer’s built-in BASIC interpreter allows users to write their own programs, from simple games and simulations to more advanced applications. Additionally, there was a wealth of pre-written software available for the ZX81, including games, educational programs, and utilities.
The ZX81 also features a built-in cassette tape interface, which allows users to save and load programs and data to and from cassette tapes. While this may seem primitive by today’s standards, it was a revolutionary feature at the time, as it allowed users to store and share their programs with others.
Overall, the Sinclair ZX81 was a small but powerful home computer that offers a wide range of capabilities to its users.
March 1981 I started to see a lot of adverts and information about an upgrade to the Sinclair ZX80, I had stopped using the ZX80 due to it’s limitations and I was intrigued at a cheaper price of around £70 so decided to order one the first chance I got, and this time there was a memory pack and a printer.
The ZX81 came in a poly box with a slip cover and contained the ZX81, an updated BASIC Programming manual, a mains adapter and cables to connect it to a TV and audio cables to connect to a cassette player to load programs
Sinclair ZX81 BASIC Programming by Steven Vickers
Second Edition 1981
Copyright 1980 Sinclair Research Limited
Front cover illustration by John Harris of Young Artists, specially commissioned by Sinclair Research Limited.
Fancy.
I found using this computer way better than the ZX80 as there was no flickering on screen so made it was easier to type in commands basic programs and as basic was pretty much the same as the ZX80 I was up and running quite quickly, I never did learn to type properly and even today I still only type with two fingers.
16K-byte RAM pack for massive add-on memory.
Designed as a complete module to fit the ZX80 or ZX81, the RAM pack simply plugged into the existing expansion port at the rear of the computer to multiply the data/program storage by 16!
Use it for long and complex programs or as a personal database. Yet it costs as little as half the price of competitive additional memory. With the RAM pack, you can also run some of the more sophisticated ZX Software – the Business & Household management systems for example
I upgraded the system with the 16k RAM pack shortly after getting the ZX81 and have a vague memory of purchasing it from Dixons for about £50 but I’m not 100% sure on that. But the extra RAM made a massive difference, I remember typing in lines of code but I have no memory on what games or programs I used, and also have no recollection of purchasing any games or programs on cassette but I must have done because I remember the noise it would make loading programs and games and the frustration of waiting ages for programs and games to load only for it to fail because of a bad connection to the cassette or some other random issue.
Talking of issues the 16K RAM pack was very heavy and became loose over time and the system would crash when memory module lost connection by knocking the unit or something.
I don’t think I ever had the printer.
And where is it now? Simply gone, where and when I have no clue.
You would think after the ZX80 and the ZX81 I would get the ZX Spectrum but you would be wrong.