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avatar_Gryzor

ZX80 sells for £720 - €820

Started by Gryzor, 08:42, 17 May 11

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Gryzor


MaV

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AMSDOS

From what I understand, they made quite a few of those ZX80s, perhaps not as many as an ZX81, though definitely a lot more than say a Jupiter Ace?!

Perhaps you can't build your own ZX80 from Instructions & materials compared to building your own Jupiter Ace though!  ::)  Or could you?  ;D
* Using the old Amstrad Languages :D   * with the Firmware :P
* I also like to problem solve code in BASIC :)   * And type-in Type-Ins! :D

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Gryzor

Well, it's MIB, but still I can't see how it can command such a price...

MacDeath

The guy should know this is a piece of junk with no practicle RAM. awfull sounds and the worst colourclashes ever... :laugh:

Shredder11

Yep I was watching that auction too.  The ZX80 is an important piece of UK computing history and Sir Clive is my tech hero, so maybe I am biased here but hey...maybe the winning bidder of this auction will sell it for thousands of UK pounds in years to come?  Infact seeing as I have no pension or any chance of one,  perhaps I should start keeping a few old micros for the future! :D
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AMSDOS

Quote from: Gryzor on 11:38, 17 May 11
Well, it's MIB, but still I can't see how it can command such a price...

According to this the ZX80 was only made for one year from Februrary 1980 til 1981, the ZX81 followed in March 1981. Though the ZX80 sold around 70,000 units in less than a year which is impressive for it's day.

In terms of going out of your way to own one for that price is really going out of your way, the ZX81 for instance seemed to have an interest group or some kind of scene, though I'm unsure what advantages a ZX81 had given both machines came with 1k as standard!  ;D
* Using the old Amstrad Languages :D   * with the Firmware :P
* I also like to problem solve code in BASIC :)   * And type-in Type-Ins! :D

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Updated Other Program Links on Profile Page (Update April 16/15 phew!)
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Bryce

The ZX81 integrated a ULA, an improved BASIC and Non-Maskable Interrupts. Otherwise they were pretty similar. The ULA didn't really add any new functionality, but made it cheaper to produce. Memory didn't need to be expanded, I mean it already had 1K !! What more could you want? :D

Bryce.

AMSDOS

Quote from: Bryce on 08:25, 18 May 11
The ZX81 integrated a ULA, an improved BASIC and Non-Maskable Interrupts. Otherwise they were pretty similar. The ULA didn't really add any new functionality, but made it cheaper to produce. Memory didn't need to be expanded, I mean it already had 1K !! What more could you want? :D

Bryce.

I read the ZX81 came in two forms and for £50 you could DIY, £70 would give you the machine all ready to go. Memory is probably where the machine made it money cause I've seen some of those 1k BASIC games and they definitely are short and simple! 1k of Machine Code would have been better value!  ;)  Come with it's own built-in Assembly language!  ;D
* Using the old Amstrad Languages :D   * with the Firmware :P
* I also like to problem solve code in BASIC :)   * And type-in Type-Ins! :D

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Bryce

Both the ZX80 and ZX81 were available in Kit or as a built and tested version. An un-built kit version would probably fetch quite a bit these days if one still exists.

Bryce.

MacDeath

Well, you can just un-assemble your assembled ZX... :D

Bryce

That's not the same. :P

Bryce.

andycadley

Quote from: MacDeath on 12:50, 17 May 11
The guy should know this is a piece of junk with no practicle RAM. awfull sounds and the worst colourclashes ever... :laugh:
The ZX80 didn't have sound or colour. Heck it couldn't even display a picture whilst a program was running. They are pretty rare though, so it's probably not that unsurprising a price for a fully working and boxed one in mint condition.

Bryce

I think MacDeath was mixing it up with the Sinclair Spectrum. He just read the word Sinclair and went it to "Speccy attack mode" :D

Bryce.

arnoldemu

For those who are interested:

Here is a link to a ZX80/ZX81 forum, where you can read about *NEW* software being made for it, and some of it needs *16K* and it can even show hi-res graphics... they are talking about adding an AY to one, and Compact flash interface..
Enjoy 2 colour crazyness.

http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ZX80_ZX81/forums/

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redbox

#15
I want one.


Even with no sound



Somewhat Less Limited Capabilities (ZX81 demo)



There Are No Limits (ZX81 demo)


@Gryzor: Youtube linking appears to be broken in the Post Reply box... if you highlight the link and click Youtube button at the top then it comes up invalid link in the message once posted.  Also, if the link is hyperlinked when copied (e.g. comes from the Chrome URL bar) then it makes the video visible 2 or 3 times - the same thing is happening in Xyphoe's newsbot postings.

MaV

Quote from: Bryce on 14:07, 18 May 11
I think MacDeath was mixing it up with the Sinclair Spectrum. He just read the word Sinclair and went it to "Speccy attack mode" :D


Extra, Extra:

French t*rr*r*st attacks innocents

A rabid French-man from south-east France attacked innocent couples in a park in Lyon. One couple ascertains that they had no aggressive intentions, relating instead that they were contemplating about the beautiful colour spectrum of the rainbow. Bystanders heard him mumble about "chunky ram clashes". Police therefore suspect connections to the infamous capricorn mafia of southern France. :D
Black Mesa Transit Announcement System:
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Gryzor

I have a 81, it's a little plastic toy, really. The 80 looked the part much, much more (I saw an unassembled kit on ebay a few years back, but I don't remember the end bid; must have been mad). But I don't think i was as cheap as £50/70...

@redbox: fantastic vids/demos! It looks as if someone took a demo and faxed it :D :D But really, really impressive!
PS still working on media integration. For the time being you can just paste th full YT URL, it should work.

MacDeath

#18
Yet I have a ZX81 somewhere... ???
But it does not work according to my brother.

And yes it looks like some screen-less calculator... or a toy (which it was actually)

"Worst colour clash" : you always stay on the same colour...  :laugh:

Also i was being ironic, not serious at all...don't worry.
I know this computer is part of history. ;)


Fun to see some classic demo effects on this machine.

MaV

#19
Quote from: redbox on 14:27, 18 May 11
There Are No Limits (ZX 81 Demo)


Hm, I remember the name "Noice" from a TI-83+ Demo. It's similar in style. Nice!

TI83-demo : Two By Two/Noice


NOICE Monochromatic Demo (TI-83)


Black Mesa Transit Announcement System:
"Work safe, work smart. Your future depends on it."

norecess

The amount of money on that item is impressive.


That said, I ** can ** understand some people paying such prices. I, by myself, bought and imported to Canada 2 CPCs (a classic CPC and a Plus machine) for the price of a 2 PS3 consoles (back in 2009, PS3s were more expensive ;).. which was a great value to me, as I knew I would spend lots of time around them.


So basically, it all depends from perception. If spending £720.00 can look crazy to everyone, on the other side if the guy is going to spend all his life around this item / or add this missing item to its own precious collection then I guess it probably worth it.

Shredder11

I gather from certain interviews that Sir Clive Sinclair regards the ZX81 as his best technical achievement.  He said that the competition of the day used 42 chips to do what the ZX81 did with only 4!  I'm not sure which competitors models he was refering to though.
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Bryce

I think that was him getting all excited about the implementation of the ULA, which other (American Fruit named) manufacturers had done with lots of standard logic chips instead of a ULA.

Bryce.

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