![](http://gamesdbase.com/Media/SYSTEM/Sinclair_ZX_Spectrum/Snap/big/Jet_Set_Willy_-_1984_-_Software_Projects.jpg)
As a kid, I always had this strange fascination for the ZX Spectrum. It was not the most popular machine in France, but you could see it in many places, and I could Spectrum game sin magazines because of the funky color palette that the machine uses. There is a tech reason why colors have to clash like they do, and boy to they clash.
I remember the first time I heard about this computer, my mom was telling me how this cool new thing "like a typewriter but you can connect to a tv and do more" that she was discussing at work. I never got one as I choose the TI 99/4A as a first machine, another one with not so super color palette.
The problem with these is that (at least the first version of it, the iconic one, connects to a PAL tv set via the antenna, and that it is almost impossible to find a PAL compatible TV set in the US. So using one in the US is challenging, and very rare. I got this modified machine off ebay UK, with a composite TV modification so I could plug it easily But even with this it is not great, because out of the 3 screen I tried, I was not able to get any color, just plain B/W. And what good is this when you want to see the funky colors ??
So not so good experience so far, I will stick to emulator, but a great little machine, and cool toy nonetheless.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySTOEkXHrYdEkRlUIYA5LiZhWbYFdOGJK23205aSQ-7CVFdoYCFMxblCEZeh6pFRZ-i9ZpD_lwEeTYwhV3DpRaWZ8tCnZw_2LF93pOw5aqbRDzpOZcd3z1Wvk2f_Yjj3Gkdc9OE-ESF2J/s400/WP_20130313_001.jpg) |
Sinclair ZX Spectrum |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4ggM-osZE-RUn2PKhSkoUabiQc1t68eCeuHbT95R2nm0RS3052PmmgpOoxU7gQHFJ-weRVlgn0iGDCdaCrApKTPA_ROj-M9yfFN7C6HFc_LNC1f0B6lnjU1vKCRdDUO9brqCCO5DC6np/s400/WP_20130313_002.jpg) |
Cool close up on Sinclair ZX Spectrum keyboard. 6 instructions per key ftw |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfiOtuIhDJ2cg7l6IKTVKZxL5MfIHMcz4rZoLyWbyzXd1VUNH7xqe9G5EMzijKSN2vmvwHsWIjDzyM02Mk5WV_es1B6c8LKRHvq3YbHyTa1s5VfHQNTX4yIUfNcYgmaW-0nWZM-R0aqpI/s400/WP_20130313_003.jpg) |
Sinclair ZX Spectrum rainbow |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM6sJtvadgEUCaIHEXgOOsA4MB79lgdshq2ui6MJgF3DJKMR_r7eIpbExp8hP2QJx_DwkBabpfJWSj7p0rMGpKmHkBsK5Xa74H-oxG4pbOReYo96kSfaCmMqRnPcAXBiEl_z6xu0q9tk8/s400/WP_20130313_004.jpg) |
9V DC, aka use your Megadrive / Genesis adapter |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjDJh2zbgrYXSVwfy6aFLLBmERzq49UFOtKbKZhIOfruUNj92OSuiQx9JgcPzJbQHavZmO54CMQif1KKH7VJvpexed0sE7qQt25IBq41hCadFV8s1KxcTX7ljR-OadQp9Bag1E6ujcK97/s400/WP_20130313_005.jpg) |
TV out, the problem to use a Sinclair ZX Spectrum in the US |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaIejZrl17hrqF2pL6_W2ILOjoH5vZ1kG1M1rNJEq-eOGdhO8aebJJsBYPFvxw5WTnmE1L-zJdswIsnE74rBJGR2eSxW6BEiD5Zjve6qFYLPq8MfmGLVpQA5DbZb-Cy68PWuPmKESjF-2/s400/WP_20130313_006.jpg) |
48K the most common version, I guess |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1S0MaQPMbXgiQt3TYKz-57gWbD_W2tBa8sZ1IdzNNCXjY4vx2VVUfOFCe-2nyIv2vavojL0nalnTVv1EeOEVOW9F2KG51TIeufQX3MjkcnSR1M5cV_fdrw79OC3w6FCvha46puoFj8ECi/s400/WP_20130313_008.jpg) |
Sinclair ZX Spectrum badge |