Atari began development of the 400 & 800 in 1977, using the code names Candy (400) and Colleen (800). Rumor has it that these names came from some “hot” secretaries there at Atari. Candy was originally intended to be the next generation of the video game system, to replace the VCS. Colleen was intended to be the true home computer with all the bells and whistles that would make it superior as a computer to Candy, including peripheral ports and expansion capability. Some people may not know that there was actually a third machine being designed at the same time called ‘Elizabeth,’ which was the Colleen design but with a built- in 13 inch color monitor. Continue reading “Atari 400 and 800”
After a last minute scramble by me, Jeff, to get a solid Internet connection established for my part of the recording, we were able to bring Episode 11 to you on time. David did his usual outstanding job with editing to maintain continuity of the show and working around my technical mishaps.
Joining us this time is a special guest host, Randy Kindig, host of the Floppy Days podcast, and co-host of the ANTIC podcast.
The topic of this episode: The Atari 400 and 800 home computers!
After a small hiccup in our release schedule, we are back on track to tell you about two different computers, one that will make a great prop in a 1970’s style Sci-Fi movie remake, and another that would do well to hold open that door that keeps swinging shut on its own. We are talking about the Sharp MZ-80K and Sinclair ZX80, respectively. These are two international systems, and our first featured Japanese computer. We’re actually skipping another significant computer system that was released before the ZX80, but our next show will be fully dedicated to that American computer series released in 1979, the Atari 400 & 800.
What happens when you strip most of the metal from those earlier homebrew computers, toss in a third-party Z-80 clone CPU, and have what’s left expertly bound together by a disciple of a miniaturization luminary? You get the compact ZX80 personal computer!
The Sinclair ZX80 was released in 1980 and was arguably the first British personal computer, though the company had previously released the MK14 in 1977, and Acorn had released a similar product, the System 1 in 1979. However, both of those were simply single-board computers and the ZX80 was complete in a case. It was named after its CPU, along with an “X” for “the mystery ingredient.” Clive Sinclair (now Sir Clive) willed it into existence at Science of Cambridge, his company later be known as Sinclair research. It was targeted to individual, ordinary users, and it was the first British micro to go on sale for under £100. It was available in kit form for £79.95, and as a ready-built version for £99.95. Some 50,000 would be sold before the ZX80 was discontinued in 1981. This was significant, and the UK lead the world in personal computer ownership throughout the 1980s. It was succeeded by the barely different ZX81 in 1981, which was also sold in the US as the Timex Sinclair 1000. The ZX series of computers went on to sell over 1.5 million units by 1984, before being discontinued. A large cottage industry of programs, magazines and products arose around it. This commercial success made Sinclair Research one of Britain’s leading computer manufacturers and earned a fortune and the eventual knighthood for the company’s founder. Continue reading “Sinclair ZX80”
Debuting in Japan in 1978, then in Europe in 1979, the Sharp MZ-80K series of computers were some of the most popular personal computers in those regions. The series continued well into the mid-1980s. Its name stands for “M” as in microcomputer and then “Z-80” for the microprocessor that it uses. From the first model to the MZ-2200 released in 1983, all of the MZ series included the CPU, monitor, keyboard and tape recorder in a single unit, similar to the early Commodore PET. Continue reading “Sharp MZ-80K”
