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Brings back happy memories - I started off with the "dead flesh" keyboard and we upgraded to a plus after I argued that it had a "proper keyboard" which meant my dad could do his typing on it...

Interface projects would be really interesting James. I have a few Spectrum's myself (ten I think) ranging from 16K to +3A. Most were bought as a job lot and all with various faults. All are now fully working. Retroleum is a good online shop for spares if anyone is interested.

Oh definitely want to see some extra content regarding the edge connector experiments. This was a fun video as well!

I had a ZX Spectrum 48k and when I got fed-up with competing with the family for TV-time to use it, I bought a PAL monitor and took the Spectrum to an electronics repair shop and asked them to bypass the modulator and give me the composite out. That was the start of freedom and a very nostalgic time that was the beginning of so many things for me.

This takes me back. I built a DIY RAM + UART board for my ZX80, internal 16k RAM expansion for my ZX81 (in the space under the keyboard), and on my Spectrum I expanded RAM to 80K (all internal, bank switched) and added a 6-channel sound (dual AY-3-8910) and UART I/O card. The UARTs were old Signetics 2651 devices and were used to talk to an old ICL Termiprinter (weighed a ton, and topped out at about 600 baud I think). Fun days. Sadly I have none of the computers and only the last of the external boards sitting around. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

I have the same processor in my early history, in a different box (TRS-80). Learned much about assembly language and digital interfacing then - many modifications and additions made to the unit - immense nostalgia here. Very happy you found one, and looking forward to your explorations. A bit misty-eyed here.

I actually thought this would be "Noel's Retro Lab" but instead it is more Sharman!! A Nice surprise to be sure. Noel's is worth a watch if you like 8-bit computers. I think he makes the best repair and troubleshooting videos on the internet.

Great video James, it's always a thrill when you get old hardware that ment so much to you when you were young.

Your videos are always both interesting and informative, thank you!

Good stuff. It will be interesting to see what insight you can breathe into this. Thanks James.

Yeah I'm in for seeing some interfaces cooked up !...cheers.

you can't beat a little retro interfacing, I did this a lot for the cbm pet and early pc's to control test equipment. thanks again for bringing back memories 😊

Definitely keen to see some add ons developed!

Congrats on the Spectrum. I went the route of waiting for a Spectrum Next. I'd prefer to get a retro unit but I have way too many battles to fight to add a potential refurb/repair to my stack. Kudos on Manic Miner, I can't count the hours I spent playing it and Jet Set Willy 😇

I really love your video's and now that you are going into retro computers - yeah !!!! Even thou I did not have ZX Spectrum "any model", or a Commodore C64 back then - I did buy an Amstrad CPC-6128 in 1984. And was going a completely different way than all my friends. Well.. I did not spend my time playing games but learned to program both Basic and Z80 which also had a big influence of what I have been working with for the past 32 years. Gee, I am getting "old". Looking forward to see you revive that old ZX Spectrum+

A very nice change of pace actually. I love the retro repair stuff! I for one would love to see more expansion connector experiments. Perhaps even a means to communicate with the CPU project.

My first computer was the standard rubber keys Spectrum 48K but it was not a family one, it was my own that I saved paper round money for. I was later gifted a Spectrum 128K, the one in the plus case and the heat sink coming out the side. I still have both in my possession though the 48K is a bit roughed up with the faceplate glue failing.

Sir, you happy face could not be hidden!!!! I'm Brazilian - I could never hide it if I ever got one of those - but a British person can try.

Great video (still watching, but couldn't help giving first like and comment). After my ZX81 I got a 16K ZX Spectrum, later upgraded to 48K. They gave me many years of fun and the basis of my career... Expansion modules were often compatible, even got some for the ZX81 that fitted on the spectrum. Those extra pins were probably not required by that module. (Now have to watch the rest. See you later...) Edit: a big thank you for the trip down memory lane. Congratulations on your purchase and I'm actually looking forward to any follow-ups!

Brings back memories...

@6:22 I've got modern flat panel TVs with UHF/VHF tuners. Many countries still use analogue TV broadcasts and so the industry continues to cater for them. Good job btw.

Oh, a spectrum, how...nice *gently strokes BBC with co-processor,RGB monitor, winchesters and dual floppies*. heheh, no seriously , congrats on getting your hands on a childhood dream. *one owner, not for sale.

This is going to be interesting! I'm of the same era, but was as much into the hardware as the software. Although I never had a joystick interface... So I'm looking forward to seeing what goodies you connect to the back of the Speccy.

Yes! You know we all want to see you hack the edge board interface.

Brill:-) One of the oddities of the zx range was the extemely limited release of aftermarket midi interfaces. The 128k could do midi out with the appropriate cable, midi in was not so easy and I suspect it was down to lack of memory that nobody bothered developing it. The Atari st was already well established, so that too. Still it would have been nice to use the speccy with a midi synth.

Good stuff! 👍

I had a Jupiter Ace.... sort of "second cousin" to the Spectrum.... it would be lovely (if only for a few hours of nostalgia) to get my hands on one again.... or my flat mate's Oric Atmos.

That was the computer I wrote my first program on. Not my first computer though, which was the brown Commodore 64 in the year 1985 used almost exclusively for gaming. Nice score!

just found your channel loving the vids my first computer was a ZX 81 with a 16K ram pack would love to find it its sum were in the house just thinking my phone has more power than that old thing LOL still love to mess around with it thou :D

My first computer was a ZX81, but got a speccy soon after and had it for years. I bought a number of add-ons over the years, but the best was a MGT disk drive, which transformed the machine. I wanted to get a Sam Coupe but it took so long to come out I got an Atari ST instead.

Edge connector experiments would be really interesting 👍

I started with a zx81, with 16k expansion, which was gifted from an uncle that upgraded. Later we got the zx spectrum rubber key, one of which I still have. We eventually had an interface for it that had two joystick ports and a ton cartridge slot, which I don't recall ever finding any cartridges for. It died in some hardware hacking and I lost interest in home computing until my late teens when I got an Amiga. Then I was hooked again. Forever this time lol

Yes please. I started work on an I/O interface for a C=64, one day I may get to work on it!

Got a QL right here... Waiting for such love...

Ah the memories, jet pac for hours.

I rember the thrill and shock when i came across black box in one of classroom cabinets... It's was about 1987 and school was in tiny city in poor eastern european country... To this point i saw this only in magazines... or tv... I could not let it stay closed in cabinet. First i send anonymous letter to principal, then another one signed... I was called but insted of punishment I got a news but mixed. It was planned to start school interest group... but only for two oldest school years... i was devastated, vision of 2 years of waiting was depressing. But fortune not leave me entirely, i asked teacher if i could join anyway, he asked one question "what programing means?" and i passed the test. Finally for the whole group there was two of ten or tweleve wich wanted learn BASIC, rest waited only to end when they could play some games. This was milestone or fundingstone in my long story with computers... for my first own machine i had to wait 4 years more...

Danke! ❤️❤️❤️

Excellent! Get that expansion port investigated, I had great fun making a programmer for an old 256b PROM, I used the interface of a C64 to operate it.

7 segment readout on the expansion port? Quick and simple and would have delighted your younger self!

Nice! I also had a ZX Spectrum in the day, the one with the rubber keys. It got lost somehow and about ten years ago or so I bought another. Unfortunately I never had time to really dive into it again and it is still stored in my attic right now. I'm very curious what you will do with your Plus and may take inspiration from it. I've had vague ideas about using it to drive some sort of robot or kinetic art thing. The kind of project that nowadays one would probably use an Arduino for.

I had the rubber keyboard spectrum 48k. Manic Miner was a class game. The speed king joystick was robust. As I broke a quick shot 2 in less than 3 days

On the video out connector, you can see that the resistor broke of - on the socket, it's a clear dry separation. Not surprising on those connectors. I did those mods myself as a kid :)

So, what's the proper value for the composite mod capacitor? And, is it essential to fit in one to just check if the machine works, albeit maybe with bad quality picture?

Every time I buy a ZX Spectrum Plus I do it for the case. The case is for the HARLEQUIN 128K REV 2D board. For me the ZX Spectrum 48K must be the 48K. Not a case such as the Toastrack which I also have. If it’s your first computer I can respected that which my first is the Commodore 64 Breadbin. Which is still have and working every day on since 1984. My first ZX Spectrum is the Toastrack 1986. Which is also still have and must be repaired in the near future. Like the new ZX Spectrum 48K cases which I hope come this week. Maybe I would buy the ZX Spectrum Next. Normally I do stuff with the AMIGA 500, AMIGA 1200 and the Vampire V4 Standalone but now I liked the ZX Spectrum more. Maybe the feeling from the past is stronger than I expected. Use also the ZX-HD, DivMMC Enjoy! Pro One on it and the ZX DIAG Cart. There are many things you can do with the ZX Spectrum such as the SpectraNET.

Could you use your own 8 bit cpu as a peripheral to the ZX spectrum+ ? Or the other way around ?

The resistor broken in the RF modulator is a common fault. As it started by the wiggling of the RF mod cable and would fatigue the joints on the resistor.

With an older linear DC PSU, you may need a low-Z volt meter to load the output a bit.

I can't get the hand of modifier keys. How to enter CATalog for example? Too bad Basic commands don't work if you type them with letters.

I need to get my Spectrum going again. It's still the one I got second-hand when I was 11 or 12, no idea how much (or little) is going to be wrong with it, apart from the membrane where some of the bits did tear off

You can apply an upgraded bios I believe that replaces the POKE on one key with just regular typing... (Noels retro labs did this?)

Do you know verilog? If not, you should try it, you would learn it at an alarming rate if you already know this much digital logic stuff. I'd love to see what you do with FPGAs. I am considering getting one of those M.2 FPGA prototyping devices and playing with making a PCIe agent that I can access from a driver and do DMA and post IRQ messages. It's the modern version of the idea of making something to plug into the expansion port.

I`ve done loads of fixes to mine and now I have to change all the upper ram. Not looking forward to it. I`ve already fitted new 9 volt socket, regulator, caps, video mod, mic and ear socket, keyboard sockets, keyboard membrane, speaker and one upper ram chip. I hope I don`t ruin the board doing the ram change.

It would be cool to see it act as IO to your custom cpu! ;-)

Was that a half wave rectifier? You need to put some load on it to get the correct measurement.

Some Bush TVs still have UHF as an option in their menus. Ours does and it's got Freeview Play! (DVB-T2 with Freeview's smart software)

It was a real plus because the keyboard was a huge improvement.

This makes me want to venture into my cellar. I have a +3 (the one with the disc drive) down there. I hope the rats haven't eaten it.

I suspect the popularity of the Spectrum in the UK was due to a couple of reasons, lower price than the Commodore 64 and the absence of MSX computers. The Speccy's popularity certainly wasn't due to its lousy sound capability nor its graphics capability that could only be exceeded in crudeness by something like the Mattel Aquarius. But despite those limitations, game programmers often did a decent job porting games to it as well as writing games original or exclusive to the Spectrum.

What is that gorgeous microscope? :)

I’m guessing it’s an unregulated supply that’ll drop to 9V when under load.

I noticed something you did not, the internal speaker was not working. You had to plug in audio cables to get the audio out.

You said no UHF on modern TV's... Quick look on a TV shop assist website tells me most 80 inch QD Oled stuff still has it. 1200 models with analog in available!. I don't like big TV's, so I've a 32 inch Bravia from 2010, and those as well do perfect playback of Speccy UHF signals. You won't need a CRT for this for sure.

I need to find an old Amstrad CPC6128 !

Every modern flat-screen TV I've had, has had analogue and digital options for tuning. Try it. See if you can analogue-tune into it on channel 36. Should work fine. The world's already full of dodgy analogue mods where someone just cut the cable at the modulator, leaving a signal that's at the wrong voltage and unknown impedance. You're not losing anything running it through RF, some might say there's even a benefit to the slightly rounded softened pixels. Don't try programming it though, on a proper knackered old 1970s TV, it'll send you short sighted! Actually a modern LCD TV will probably give a sharper signal, lock on to it better.

Those membranes are notoriously fragile, especially the ribbon cable.

Expansion bus shouldn't be that hard, just a matter of address decoding and data bus latching. Good luck, and if you have any questions, come see us on Engineering Stack Exchange or Retro Computing Stack Exchange!!!!

You know, you should never turn on old power supplies without a load connected, some are not designed to handle a no load fault and stress internal components beyond spec.

is that minecraft steve on the mantel?

It’s too bad there’s not just a serial port to use with any old terminal.

I would never sell something in a private context as something different than "sold as seen". Simply not worth the hassle

That's an unboxing.

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