That zx Spectrum was made in Portugal and sold mainly in Portugal and Poland. There was also the 2068 and if you had the cartridge/emulator, you could run almost everything. I know this because I had the 48 and I could run all games from zx spectrum and my friend had the 68 and he could also run all the same games. Great machines.
This was my father's very first computer. I still own it but sadly the board is dead, so i decided to turn it into a retropie machine, even salvaged the keyboard using an arduino to make it usb compatible. For how old it its i'm amazed how well the keyboard has survived. Thanks for the video on this computer!
Dear Phil, if you allow me a correction, this computer was designed and made by Timex in Portugal - obviously the design was inspired on the TS2068 - and sold in Poland and Chile. As far as I know, there was an agreement between Timex Portugal and the polish Unpolbrit. These computers were shipped to Poland and Unpolbrit "payed" them with green phosfor monitors shipped to Portugal. Here in Portugal both were usually sold toghether as a bundle.
Timex in all areas were still part of the 'group' so in reality they were the same company. Just like Commodore had UK, Germany and other locations around the world but were part of the same group or company, I hope this helps Cheer Phil
Not really, as it was produced as a localised version of the ZX Spectrum and Sinclair Research almost certainly had a clause to prevent it being sold in the UK as it would have been a rival to the ZX Spectrum and it would have been commercial suicide otherwise. Cheer Phil
The 2048 was sold in Chile as NTSC, so you may be able to find one. But as it is Composite as well as RF and uses 9v DC, it should not be difficult to use on NTSC TV,s . But if you are using modern LCD TVs, most of them are able to cope with NTSC/PAL or secam anyway. (most UK LCD TVs are able to do this, but check with the maker first) If you go for a PAL machine, you could still use it with a little planning. I hope this helps. Cheers Phil
@@jorgebenjamin They are Rare, at least in the UK. I think the Sinclair model would have been a better machine if it evolved into 2040 spec with built in joystick ports and the ability to print 80 column with an improved on screen resolution . Cheers Phil
That's fantastic to know. I knew the machines were a little 'mix and match' as far as components were concerned and I have not seen one with a proper speaker installed, only the beeper speaker. Thanks for the info its appreciated. Cheers Phil
phil kruman mine unit is from 1987 from local distribution in Poland. Other than that it looks exactly the same. I know that this unit wasn't opened before so I'm pretty sure it is in original state. Speaker was glued in with some hot glue matter and slightly covered by motherboard.
That's something I was thinking about doing to one of mine as the beeper is a little quiet. There is room (i think) for a small amplifier inside the case as well to improve the sound output. This is a project for a little later once I get through all the other projects I have yet to finish (the usual not enough hours in the days lol) . Thanks again for letting me know how it was put together. Cheers Phil
Speaker is far from quiet :-). There is a transistor near speaker output (take a look at schematic redraw at speccy pl FTP site). I think it may just need a replacement. Mine is also waiting for its time, I'm debugging broken data line and it takes ages to complete :-)
That's good to know (that the speaker is not quiet unlike the beeper version). I think I will probably upgrade my 2048 sooner rather than later as it could be a fun project. Many thanks. Phil
I agree it was a better-built machine, even though it was in a case designed for a different machine closer to the USA version 2068 as you can see by the speaker grille on the bottom of the case. It was a more capable machine over-all and it is one of my favourite versions of the Zx Spectrum and as you say, it was 2 years younger in design. Thanks for your great comment. Cheers Phil
@@Re-Tech That's pretty much it. All the space saved pretty much comes from the higher capacity RAM chips used, though the new ULA-equivalent in a quad surface mount package is also partially responsible. The size of the case is largely defined by the keyboard. Big chonkin' metal heatsinks can be found in most of the Sinclair machines. In the Spectrum it usually comes in right at the top above the expansion bus, but even the ZX81 often had one.
That zx Spectrum was made in Portugal and sold mainly in Portugal and Poland.
There was also the 2068 and if you had the cartridge/emulator, you could run almost everything.
I know this because I had the 48 and I could run all games from zx spectrum and my friend had the 68 and he could also run all the same games.
Great machines.
It was built in Portugal sold in Poland. I am sure of it, so it was the other way around. ;)
This was my father's very first computer. I still own it but sadly the board is dead, so i decided to turn it into a retropie machine, even salvaged the keyboard using an arduino to make it usb compatible. For how old it its i'm amazed how well the keyboard has survived. Thanks for the video on this computer!
Dear Phil, if you allow me a correction, this computer was designed and made by Timex in Portugal - obviously the design was inspired on the TS2068 - and sold in Poland and Chile.
As far as I know, there was an agreement between Timex Portugal and the polish Unpolbrit. These computers were shipped to Poland and Unpolbrit "payed" them with green phosfor monitors shipped to Portugal. Here in Portugal both were usually sold toghether as a bundle.
Timex Portugal was a rivalry of this factory in Dundee i guess.
Timex in all areas were still part of the 'group' so in reality they were the same company.
Just like Commodore had UK, Germany and other locations around the world but were part of the same group or company,
I hope this helps
Cheer Phil
@@Re-Tech On the paper yes, but it is strange that the computer is hard to find in the uk.
Not really, as it was produced as a localised version of the ZX Spectrum and Sinclair Research almost certainly had a clause to prevent it being sold in the UK as it would have been a rival to the ZX Spectrum and it would have been commercial suicide otherwise.
Cheer Phil
@@Re-Tech Well, i can imagine that is a shock for Sinclair and the uk, because you made a video about this computer.
A very nice computer, were there any NTSC versions of the 2048?
The 2048 was sold in Chile as NTSC, so you may be able to find one.
But as it is Composite as well as RF and uses 9v DC, it should not be difficult to use on NTSC TV,s . But if you are using modern LCD TVs, most of them are able to cope with NTSC/PAL or secam anyway. (most UK LCD TVs are able to do this, but check with the maker first)
If you go for a PAL machine, you could still use it with a little planning. I hope this helps. Cheers Phil
phil kruman Thanks for the information.
@@Re-Tech Yes, I had the Chilean version of this computer and its video system was NTSC. How nostalgic to see him again...
@@jorgebenjamin They are Rare, at least in the UK.
I think the Sinclair model would have been a better machine if it evolved into 2040 spec with built in joystick ports and the ability to print 80 column with an improved on screen resolution . Cheers Phil
The speaker you got is not the original one... Mine do have an bigger speaker on that holes.
I have one with factory proper speaker in that grill hole.
That's fantastic to know. I knew the machines were a little 'mix and match' as far as components were concerned and I have not seen one with a proper speaker installed, only the beeper speaker. Thanks for the info its appreciated. Cheers Phil
phil kruman mine unit is from 1987 from local distribution in Poland. Other than that it looks exactly the same. I know that this unit wasn't opened before so I'm pretty sure it is in original state. Speaker was glued in with some hot glue matter and slightly covered by motherboard.
That's something I was thinking about doing to one of mine as the beeper is a little quiet. There is room (i think) for a small amplifier inside the case as well to improve the sound output.
This is a project for a little later once I get through all the other projects I have yet to finish (the usual not enough hours in the days lol) . Thanks again for letting me know how it was put together. Cheers Phil
Speaker is far from quiet :-). There is a transistor near speaker output (take a look at schematic redraw at speccy pl FTP site). I think it may just need a replacement. Mine is also waiting for its time, I'm debugging broken data line and it takes ages to complete :-)
That's good to know (that the speaker is not quiet unlike the beeper version).
I think I will probably upgrade my 2048 sooner rather than later as it could be a fun project. Many thanks. Phil
I had one but sold it :s
They do come up on ebay from time to time :-)
I bought one but it seams to have only 16k.
What can it be?
it was bult with overall better quality than the sinclair 48k, but then again it was a newer computer aswell.
I agree it was a better-built machine, even though it was in a case designed for a different machine closer to the USA version 2068 as you can see by the speaker grille on the bottom of the case. It was a more capable machine over-all and it is one of my favourite versions of the Zx Spectrum and as you say, it was 2 years younger in design. Thanks for your great comment. Cheers Phil
@@Re-Tech That's pretty much it. All the space saved pretty much comes from the higher capacity RAM chips used, though the new ULA-equivalent in a quad surface mount package is also partially responsible.
The size of the case is largely defined by the keyboard. Big chonkin' metal heatsinks can be found in most of the Sinclair machines. In the Spectrum it usually comes in right at the top above the expansion bus, but even the ZX81 often had one.