I've got a ZX80 here (issue 2A) which has a keyboard overlay attached that
looks very like that of a Sinclair ZX81.
The ROM in the machine is dated week 16 of 1981, and carries the marking
C77018, and a 1981 copyright.
Is this a machine that's been subjected to a ZX81 upgrade kit or something? I
wasn't aware that such a thing existed.
Now, the keyboard overlay's actually removable, revealing a pristine original
ZX80 legend underneath. However, two black press-fittings attach it to the PCB
at the corners of the front edge - are these press fittings there on all
ZX80s, or have these been added in order to secure the overlay in place?
The machine came with a "ZX 16K RAM" module (red lettering) which I assume is
later and more in keeping with a ZX81? Separately though I do have a module
marked as "ZX80 16K Byte RAM Pack" (white lettering). Question is, are they
interchangeable and the lettering was altered - or does the ZX80 variant map
memory to a different location than the later red-lettered type? (I'm assuming
that the expansion bus pinouts didn't change between ZX80 and the later machines!)
I've also got a ROM marked as: "ROM contents copyright 1980 Sinclair Research
Ltd" - is this the original ZX80 ROM (and the ROM in the machine is an
upgrade), or is this likely something else entirely?
Curiously there are a few stray fibres glued to the underside of the PCB -
presumably these are a left-over of cheap PCB manufacture and Sinclair's
horrible quality control! :-)
cheers
Jules
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