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Sinclair ZX Spectrum+3 128K

After the ZX Spectrum +2 with 32K ROM and 128K RAM, Amstrad sold a ZX Spectrum +3 with an internal 3 inch floppy disc drive and a new enhanced 64K ROM, complementing the CPC 6128 from their CPC home computer line.

Like Amstrad's CPC computers, the +3 had the voltage regulator moved into the power supply unit. The connector now had more pins and supplied +5V, +12V and -12V. The +12V were needed for the disc drive and both ±12V are used for the serial ports.

The +3 had a slightly reworked system bus connector, making many extensions incompatible. Among other modifications the pin with +9V unregulated power from the PSU was removed, because this voltage was simply no longer present in the machine. Therefore e.g. the ZX Printer cannot be used with the +3. But good news, a Centronics-style printer port was added. The two serial ports were preserved, but the keypad handling routine for the Spanish Spectrum+ 128K's keypad were removed from the Rom. A second floppy drive could be attached externally.

Like the previous 128K models, the +3 incorporated two Basic versions: The original 48K Basic for compatibility with games and an enhanced Basic with letter-by-letter keyword typing. The additional 32K ROM space contained the disc operating system +3DOS, written by Locomotive Software Ltd., who also wrote Basic and DOS for the CPC line.

Besides the UK English version, there was also a localised Spanish version. You can distingish images of the Spanish from the English versions by a look at the shift keys: Either they are titled "CAPS SHIFT" (two words!) or "MAYUSCULAS" (one word!).

Sinclair ZX Spectrum+3B 128K

After some time the production of the +3 was moved from Taiwan to China. These models are now labeled +3B on the bottom side. While the +2A and +2B are frequently distinguished in ebay adds, the +3 and +3B models are typically not.

Epilog

Leaving out the +2A and +2B, which replaced the grey +2, the ZX Spectrum +3 was the last model produced by Amstrad. When it was launched it was already doomed by the 16 bit competitors sold by Commodore and Atari.

Summary

Name              Sinclair ZX Spectrum+3 128K
Manufacturer      Amstrad plc.
Production        1986, 1987
Price             £249,00 (1987,UK)
 
Built-in language 48K Basic (compatibility), 128K Basic
DOS               +3DOS
Keyboard          Full-stroke keyboard, 58 keys
Storage device    3 inch floppy disc drive
CPU               Zilog Z80A, 3.5469 MHz
RAM               128K (8 pages à 16K)
ROM               64K (4 pages à 16K)
Text modes        32 characters x 24 lines (22 lines available for PRINT)
Graphics          256 x 192 pixel; 1 color attribute per character
Colors            8 colors with 2 steps of brightness
Sound             3 channel AY-3-8912
Size, weight      34.0 x 17.4 x 5.0 cm / 1.65 kg
I/O ports         TV, RGB Monitor/Scart/Peritel, tape/audio i/o,
                  parallel printer, serial-1 (RS232, Midi), serial-2 (aux, keypad)
                  2x joystick, 2nd disc drive, expansion bus (ZX Spectrum compatible)
Power supply      5V 2A, +12V 700 mA, -12V 50 mA

Archive

	Name		Letzte Änderung		Länge
	Current Selling Prices/		2019-08-20 05:25		18
	Images/		2019-08-20 05:25		22
	Manual/		2019-08-20 05:25		51
	PCBs/		2019-08-20 05:25		1
	Repair/		2019-08-20 05:25		3
	ROMs/		2019-08-22 19:20		8
	Tech specs/		2019-08-20 05:25		2
	ZX Spectrum +3 Action Pack/		2019-08-20 05:25		1
	ZX Spectrum+3 CP:M Manual/		2019-08-20 05:25		119
	ZX Spectrum+3 Manual/		2019-08-20 05:25		45
	Review +3.html		2007-09-29 12:44		20255
	ZX Spectrum+3 CP:M Manual.zip		2005-12-01 11:07		409881
	ZX Spectrum+3 Manual.zip		2005-12-01 11:07		222318

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