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Hi from Manchester

A

alexis234

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Oct 5, 2024
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Hi. I'm in Manchester and have been into old computers for a while. I have a Spectrum 48k in original box, polystyrene, manuals etc. which I am going to get repaired - it stopped working one summer when it overheated! I've also got a BBC Model B and some cool games like Sphinx and Starship Command.

I actually am selling an archimedes a4000 which isn't in working order (and a sony trinitron monitor that is working), which is one reason I joined these forums, because I wanted it to go to an enthusiast, but I can't use DM's on this yet because I need enough posts.
 
Welcome and hope you manage to get the Spectrum working. If it was a Commodore 64 I'd offer to help, but unfortunately I don't have any Spectrum expertise!

Chris (Cambridge)
 
Thanks. I've just found a local guy in Manchester (by the way, it's Manchester in the UK) who repairs old hifi systems, cassette players etc. and some 80's computers.
 
Whats wrong with the Spectrum?
If its the tv output they don't like modern tv's only old CRT tv's but there is a mod to give video output
Also the keyboard membrane goes brittle with age and splits stopping the keyboard working but replacements are available.

Dave
 
You might want to post in for-sale? There are also a few guys over at the Northwest Computer Museum in Leigh who are good at fixing things. I sould be able to tag @Gary C and see if he sees this.
 
Welcome.

Yes, get a few more posts and you will be able to DM.

If you post your item in the "for sale" part of the forum (as Dave says), you can reply to DMs from interested people - but not initiate them.

Dave
 
alexis234 said:
Hi. I'm in Manchester and have been into old computers for a while. I have a Spectrum 48k in original box, polystyrene, manuals etc. which I am going to get repaired - it stopped working one summer when it overheated! I've also got a BBC Model B and some cool games like Sphinx and Starship Command.

I actually am selling an archimedes a4000 which isn't in working order (and a sony trinitron monitor that is working), which is one reason I joined these forums, because I wanted it to go to an enthusiast, but I can't use DM's on this yet because I need enough posts.
Click to expand...
Hi, Alexis - I'm also from Manchester. I have fond memories of programming up the BBC Model B and the BBC Master System (that apparently had a sideways RAM according to my teacher back in the late 80's - whatever a sideways RAM was!?)

Have you not thought about having a go at repairing it yourself?
 
oldcomputerdave said:
Whats wrong with the Spectrum?
If its the tv output they don't like modern tv's only old CRT tv's but there is a mod to give video output
Also the keyboard membrane goes brittle with age and splits stopping the keyboard working but replacements are available.

Dave
Click to expand...
In a nutshell - modern TV's are digital and old CRT's are analogue. You need to purchase a Coaxial TC Analog to HDMI convertor and this should resolve all your issues.
 
Thanks for the replies.

To Dave: In terms of the spectrum - I was playing a game on it on a hot day in summer and it just stopped, the screen showed lots of squares on it, and now it won't even go to the startup Sinclair Research screen. Even the games cartridges won't work (I have a cartridge add-on). I think a chip overheated and got damaged. I remember in the 80's I'd be playing a game and the one I had back then would just overheat after a while, then it broke.

To Daver: Thanks for that, I didn't know.

In reply to Deakster - I used to do electronics as a hobby - Maplin kits etc. but I think unsoldering microchips is another level and I didn't want to damage it. Yeah, BBC was my favourite because I learned to program on it and didn't lose everything when it overheated like the spectrum. It was also easy to save the programs on cassette. I still have the flat cassette recorder and cables, which should still work. I used to have a book called something like Battlegames which made the simple games you were taught to write look really exciting, like guess the number to find the secret code for something, lol. I enjoyed it though.
 
alexis234 said:
I used to have a book called something like Battlegames which made the simple games you were taught to write look really exciting, like guess the number to find the secret code for something, lol. I enjoyed it though.
Click to expand...
Was that one of the Usborne series of books? I remember getting them from the library and typing the programs in to the C64. I've got most of them as PDFs if you're interested.
 
To Dave: In terms of the spectrum - I was playing a game on it on a hot day in summer and it just stopped, the screen showed lots of squares on it, and now it won't even go to the startup Sinclair Research screen. Even the games cartridges won't work (I have a cartridge add-on). I think a chip overheated and got damaged. I remember in the 80's I'd be playing a game and the one I had back then would just overheat after a while, then it broke.
Click to expand...

Most likely memory fault
 
g4ugm - sorry, I missed your post earlier. I heard of that computer museum in Leigh - is it any good? Have you been to it?

To ChrisW - I'm not sure if it was Usborne books. I still have it somewhere but have to find it. Yeah, I'd be interested in the pdf's when I get my BBC working again. Thanks.

I remember travelling over to Wythenshawe library in the late 80's specifically to rent Spectrum 48k games - I'd play them for a few weeks then go back and get a few more. It was great. They really had a big choice.
 
alexis234 said:
g4ugm - sorry, I missed your post earlier. I heard of that computer museum in Leigh - is it any good? Have you been to it?
Click to expand...
Do't worry, lots to read. Yes its great, its got lots of games, but also some non-gaming kit. Lovely place to spend an afternoon. Great cakes as well...
alexis234 said:
To ChrisW - I'm not sure if it was Usborne books. I still have it somewhere but have to find it. Yeah, I'd be interested in the pdf's when I get my BBC working again. Thanks.

I remember travelling over to Wythenshawe library in the late 80's specifically to rent Spectrum 48k games - I'd play them for a few weeks then go back and get a few more. It was great. They really had a big choice.
Click to expand...
I used to travel there in the early 80's because they had many back numbers of Wireless World...
 
Yes! That's the one! It's brilliant how it makes a simple text game sound and feel really exciting.
 
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