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Collection

2007/149/1 Personal computer, Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer, plastic / metal / electrical components, made by Sinclair Computer Ltd, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, 1980. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 1, 2007/149/1 Personal computer, Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer, plastic / metal / electrical components, made by Sinclair Computer Ltd, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, 1980. Click to enlarge

Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer

Made
The Sinclair ZX80 is a personal computer that was available either as a kit or fully assembled. It was designed and marketed to be connected to a domestic television and had a very small memory which made it capable of handling only trivial programs. The ZX80 was specifically designed to be sold for less than 100 pounds sterling, 20% of the cost of any other available machines at the time of its release. At this price it became the first computer available to a general market. Other kit …

Summary

Object No.

2007/149/1

Object Statement

Personal computer, Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer, plastic / metal / electrical components, made by Sinclair Computer Ltd, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, 1980

Physical Description

Personal computer, Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer, plastic / metal / electrical components, made by Sinclair Computer Ltd, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, 1980

Sinclair ZX80 personal computer, or home computer, is a white plastic unit, encasing a single printed circuit board. At the front of the unit is a small black keypad, the black sheet of plastic printed in grey and red forms a QWERTY keyboard, with each key having multiple functions. On the top of the unit printed in black and orange is the name of the manufacture and model number 'sinclair/ZX80' on the right side above the keyboard is a small black panel printed in white and orange with 'Intergal Functions'. At the back of the unit there are four ports for various cables on the left side, two for a recorder, one for power and one for a TV cable, on the right side is a hole where the connector for the ZX80 RAM pack should be.

Marks

Manufacture details are printed in black on the base of the unit 'sinclair / Model No Zx80 USA / Personal Computer / Made in England / No user serviceable parts inside / Use only Sinclair / approved mains / adaptor.'

Short URL

https://ma.as/319276

Dimensions

Width

178 mm

Depth

42 mm

Production

Made

Notes

The personal computer was made by Science of Cambridge, later Sinclair Research in 1980.

History

Notes

This computer was owned by the donor who is a keen collector of computers. He offered the computer to the Museum in 1999.

Source

Credit Line

Gift of David Hawley, 2007

Acquisition Date

22 October 2007

Cite this Object

Harvard

Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer 2021, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 14 May 2021, <https://ma.as/319276>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/319276 |title=Sinclair ZX80 microcomputer |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=14 May 2021 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}

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