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The following is a list of clones of Sinclair Research's
ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...
home computer. This list includes both official clones (from
Timex Corporation Timex Group USA, Inc. (formerly known as Timex Corporation) is an American global watch manufacturing company founded in 1854 as the Waterbury Clock Company in Waterbury, Connecticut. In 1944, the company became insolvent but was reformed into ...
) and many unofficial clones, most of which were produced in
Eastern Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...
countries. The list does not include computers which require additional hardware or software to become ZX-compatible.


Official

The only official clones of the Spectrum were made by Timex. There were three models developed, only two of which were released:


Timex Sinclair 2068

The Timex Sinclair 2068 or T/S 2068 (also known as TC 2068 or UK 2086) was a significantly more sophisticated machine than the original Spectrum. The most notable changes were the addition of a cartridge port, an
AY-3-8912 The AY-3-8910 is a 3-voice programmable sound generator (PSG) designed by General Instrument in 1978, initially for use with their 16-bit CP1610 or one of the PIC1650 series of 8-bit microcomputers. The AY-3-8910 and its variants were used i ...
sound chip, and an improved ULA giving access to better graphics modes. The T/S 2068 was produced for consumers in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, while very similar machines were marketed in
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
and
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
as the Timex Computer 2068 (TC 2068) and Unipolbrit Komputer 2086 (UK 2086)HCM: East-European Home-Computer
homecomputer.de website. Article retrieved 2006-11-15.
respectively. A small amount of TC 2068s were also sold in Poland. File:Timex Sinclair 2068 Manipulated.jpg, Timex Sinclair 2068 File:Unipolbrit 2.JPG, Unipolbrit 2086


Timex Computer 2048

The Timex Computer 2048 or TC 2048 was a similar machine to the Spectrum 48K, but with the improved ULA from the TC 2068 (allowing access to the improved graphics modes),
Kempston joystick Kempston Micro Electronics was an electronics company based in Kempston, Bedfordshire, England specialising in computer joysticks and related home computer peripherals during the 1980s. The Kempston Interface, a peripheral which allowed a joys ...
port, and
composite video Composite video is an analog video signal format that carries standard-definition video (typically at 525 lines or 625 lines) as a single channel. Video information is encoded on one channel, unlike the higher-quality S-Video (two channels) a ...
output. Marketed only in Portugal and Poland. File:Timex-Computer-2048-Manipulated.jpg, Timex Computer 2048


Timex Sinclair 2048

The Timex Sinclair 2048 or T/S 2048 was a never-released variant of the T/S 2068 with 16  KB of RAM.


Inves Spectrum +

A clone of the ZX Spectrum+ developed by Investrónica in Spain in 1986, based on the work developed by Investrónica for the
ZX Spectrum 128 The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as the ''ZX81 Colour ...
. Released just after Amstrad bought
Sinclair Research Ltd Sinclair Research Ltd is a British consumer electronics company founded by Clive Sinclair in Cambridge. It was originally incorporated in 1973 as Westminster Mail Order Ltd, renamed Sinclair Instrument Ltd, then Science of Cambridge Ltd, then ...
, it looked much like a regular ZX Spectrum+, but all the internal components were redesigned. As the ROM was also modified, it has compatibility problems with some games – notably Bombjack, Commando, and
Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired by an a ...
. A Kempston joystick port was fitted on the rear of the machine. Due to the fact that Invéstronica was the distributor of Sinclair's products in Spain – and because Amstrad already had its own exclusive distributor in Spain (Indescomp, later bought by Amstrad itself) – Amstrad sued Investrónica in 1987 to cease sales of the computer. The court agreed with Amstrad, but the decision was not issued until 1991, when the computer was discontinued, as the 8-bit computer market in Spain was dead in favour of
16-bit computer 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two most ...
s. File:Inves Spectrum+ (RetroMadrid 2018).jpg, Inves Spectrum +


Decibells dB Spectrum+

An official clone of the ZX Spectrum+ for the Indian market, introduced in 1988 by Deci Bells Electronics Limited, selling over 50000 units and achieving an 80% market share. File:DB_Spectrum%2B.jpg, Decibells dB Spectrum+


Unofficial


British


Harlequin

A British clone of the 48K ZX Spectrum, designed and developed by Chris Smith, to aid the reverse engineering of the ZX Spectrum custom ULA chip, and its research documentation. Completed in 2008, it is the first 100% timing compatible clone. Until 2012/13 the Harlequin existed only as
breadboard prototype
but recently, José Leandro Martínez, Ingo Truppel, and others produced a limited number of PCB versions as an exact board replacement for an actual ZX Spectrum.


Czech & Czechoslovak


Bobo64

An advanced Czech computer compatible with the ZX Spectrum, developed by Václav Daněček between 1986 and 1987. It has many enhancements over the original ZX Spectrum, including 256×256 graphics with attributes per 8×1 pixels, and 512×256 graphics. Unlike other Czechoslovak home-made ZX Spectrum clones, the Bobo64 gained some popularity, and was built by dozens of enthusiasts.


Didaktik series

The Didaktik was a series of home computers produced in Skalica. The first model compatible with the ZX Spectrum was the Didaktik Gama, based on the U880 or Zilog Z80
processors A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and ...
and the original ULA chip. It was produced in three variants between 1987 and 1989. The Gama has a built-in 8255 chip (used for the Kempston joystick, and also as a printer port) and 80KB RAM, adding an alternative memory bank from the address 32768 to 65535. The Gama was followed by the cheaper Didaktik M (first variant released in 1990; the second in 1991). The model M had a modernised case, Sinclair and Kempston Joystick ports, and a keyboard with cursors and reset key – the design, however, was of lower quality than the Gama. Its screen aspect ratio and display timing are different from the original ZX Spectrum because the M uses a different ULA chip, compatible with the Russian clone Baltik. The final model was the Didaktik Kompakt (1991) which integrated all previous M hardware with a 3.5″ floppy disk drive. Unlike previous versions, the Didaktik 192K was an amateur project, partly combining the hardware of the Didaktik Gama and the ZX Spectrum 128K. File:Didaktik Gama.jpg, Didaktik Gama (pre 1989 design) File:Gama 1989.jpg, Didaktik Gama (post 1989 design) File:Didaktik M.jpg, Didaktik M


Krišpín

A Czechoslovakian clone of the ZX Spectrum, developed by František Kubiš at 1984, a student of EF SVŠT (Electrotechnical Faculty of Slovak Technical University)
Bratislava Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approxim ...
. The ULA was designed using discrete 74xx ICs, which resulted in the screen part of RAM being synchronised perfectly, without CPU blocking.


MISTRUM

A Czechoslovakian clone of the 48K ZX Spectrum, supplied in kit form. The ROM was modified to include letters with Czech diacritic marks. An article on how to build a Mistrum was published in the Czechoslovak amateur radio magazine ''Amatérské Radio'' 1/89 – this article has since been translated into English.


Nucleon

A Czech clone of the Pentagon 512K, made by CSS Electronics. File:ZX Nucleon 512K ver. 1D.jpg, ZX Nucleon 512K ver. 1D


Sparrow 48K

This is the first modern clone of the ZX Spectrum which has been designed to replace the original motherboards in standard and Spectrum+ cases. Production commenced in 2013. In addition to the use of the original ULA chip, this clone was heavily modernised, replacing part of the larger glue logic with one CPLD chip, the entire main memory with one SRAM chip, and all 8 video memory chips with a second SRAM. The TV modulator has been dropped in favour of a video signal, and the
PSU PSU may refer to: Organizations Military *Police Support Unit, a paramilitary wing of the Zimbabwe Republic Police *Port Security Unit, a U.S. Coast Guard expeditionary force protection unit Political parties * Parti Socialiste Unifié (disambig ...
was changed and improved. The Sparrow also offers a larger ROM, which can be increased by 16 KB via a switch or a jumper.


East German


RR-Spectrum

A privately built East German clone of the ZX Spectrum.


Spectral

An East German clone of the ZX Spectrum. It came with a built-in joystick interface, and either 48 or 128 KB RAM. It was sold in kit form by Hübner Elektronik.


Hungarian


HT 3080C

A Hungarian ZX Spectrum clone made by Híradástechnikai Szövetkezet (News Technology Cooperative), and released in 1986. It was the third computer from the company. The two first computers (HT 1080Z and HT 2080Z )were clones of the
TRS-80 The TRS-80 Micro Computer System (TRS-80, later renamed the Model I to distinguish it from successors) is a desktop microcomputer launched in 1977 and sold by Tandy Corporation through their Radio Shack stores. The name is an abbreviation of '' ...
, and were unsuccessful because of the poor graphics features and high price. They were both school computers. In 1986, Hungarian school computers were required to meet two criteria: produce high resolution graphics, and support letters with Hungarian diacritic marks. The HT 3080C was produced to satisfy both these criteria, and was also designed to be compatible with the previous HT machines, with the option of switching between TRS-80 and ZX Spectrum mode. It had a graphics resolution of 256×192 (the ZX Spectrum standard) and an AY-chip for sound (for compatibility with previous HT machines). It featured a 32 KB ROM, 64 KB RAM, and (uniquely) a Commodore serial port which enabled the connection of peripherals for the
C64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness Wo ...
(e.g. the 1541 floppy disk drive).


Polish


Elwro 800 Junior

A Polish clone of the ZX Spectrum produced by ELWRO for use in schools. It ran a special version of
CP/M CP/M, originally standing for Control Program/Monitor and later Control Program for Microcomputers, is a mass-market operating system created in 1974 for Intel 8080/ 85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc. Initial ...
called CP/J. The computer had a full size keyboard, and even a paper/document holder. The reason for the latter is that the machine shares the same case as the Elwirka
electronic keyboard An electronic keyboard, portable keyboard, or digital keyboard is an electronic musical instrument, an electronic derivative of keyboard instruments. Electronic keyboards include synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, electronic organs an ...
, which had provisions for holding
sheet music Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of musical notation that uses List of musical symbols, musical symbols to indicate the pitches, rhythms, or chord (music), chords of a song or instrumental Musical composition, musical piece. Like ...
. Peripherals were attached to the computer using a mix of
DIN DIN or Din or din may refer to: People and language * Din (name), people with the name * Dīn, an Arabic word with three general senses: judgment, custom, and religion from which the name originates * Dinka language (ISO 639 code: din), spoken by ...
and D-subminiature connectors. ELWRO had developed a
local area network A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a residence, school, laboratory, university campus or office building. By contrast, a wide area network (WAN) not only covers a larger ...
protocol called JUNET (JUnior NETwork) for use with the machines which operated on a basis not unlike
MIDI MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...
, in which one DIN cable was used to receive data, and another to send it. In this manner, the teacher was able to monitor what all the students in the class were doing on their computers. The updated Elwro 804 Junior PC had an internal 3.5″ disk drive. File:Elwro 800 calosc.jpg, Elwro 800 Junior system File:Elwro 804 Junior 1.JPG, Elwro 804 Junior PC


Romanian


CoBra

The CoBra (COmputer BRAsov) was a ZX Spectrum clone built in Braşov,
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
.


CIP and CIP-03

A Romanian ZX Spectrum clone made by Intreprinderea Electronica. CIP stands for Calculator pentru Instruire Personala (Computer for Personal Education). The ROM is original Sinclair, but has been modified to display 'BASIC S' in place of the standard Sinclair copyright message. Only one set of 8×1-bit 64 KB RAM modules is present. The initial version of the CIP had a low quality 2 KB EEPROM with a propensity for fast data loss. The later version of the EEPROM was designed to work with the 3 data densities on the tape at speeds up to 3 times higher than the original, and the 2K ROM was also capable of loading and saving at those speeds, using the whole 64K as storage. The top data density was often hit and miss – very good magnetic tape had to be used, and a special monophonic cassette recorder could be bought separately for best results. File:PCip03-1.jpg, Romanian Electronica CIP-03 (blue version) File:Romanian CIP motherboard.jpg, "CIP" microcomputer motherboard


Felix HC series

A series of ZX Spectrum clonesmanufactured in Romania from 1985 to 1994 by ICE Felix. The HC designation stands for Home Computer, and for the first four models in the series, the number indicates the year of first manufacture. Models in the series were: HC 85, HC 88, HC 90, HC 91, HC91+ (HC128), HC 2000, HC386. The earliest version (HC 85) closely resembled the Spectrum, with a built-in
BASIC BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages designed for ease of use. The original version was created by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College ...
interpreter, Z80A processor, 48 KB RAM, tape, and TV interfaces. It was used in schools/universities, and as a personal computer. An optional Interface 1 expansion was available for the HC 85, HC 90, and HC 91. It was functionally similar to the
ZX Interface 1 ZX may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Kamen Rider ZX (pronounced "Zed-Cross"), the tenth fictional superhero in the "Kamen Rider" franchise * ''Mega Man ZX'', a video game for the Nintendo DS * ''ZX Tunes'', remastered soundtracks of the "Meg ...
, but instead of Microdrives it supported single-density or double-density floppy disks. The HC 90 had a redesigned circuit board supporting fewer, larger memory chips; it was functionally equivalent to the HC 85. The HC 91 had a modified keyboard with 50 keys instead of 40. It had 64 KB RAM, and extra circuitry which provided
CP/M CP/M, originally standing for Control Program/Monitor and later Control Program for Microcomputers, is a mass-market operating system created in 1974 for Intel 8080/ 85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc. Initial ...
support if the Interface 1 expansion was also present. The HC 2000 (manufactured from 1992 to 1994) had a built-in 3.5-inch 720 KB floppy disk drive, and 64 KB RAM. It could be used both as a Spectrum clone with added disk functionality (only 48 KB RAM available) or in CP/M mode, giving access to the full 64 KB memory. Essentially, it consolidated the HC 91, Interface 1, and floppy disk drive into a single case. The last model to be made in the Z80 line was the HC91+. It was a ZX Spectrum 128K clone in a HC91 case and keyboard, and had some compatibility problems. For the first time, the AY-8910 sound chip was offered as an add-on service, and was soldered on the board by factory technicians. Demoscene demos had problems running multi-colour effects, and displaying sound VU meter-like effects, through lack of data in the AY chip. File:HC 85 - 01.JPG, HC 85 File:HC85 extended.jpg, HC85+


JET

A Romanian clone from 1989 produced by Electromagentica. JET is an acronym for Jocuri Electronice pe Televizor (Electronic Games on Television).


TimS

TimS was a Romanian ZX Spectrum clone developed in the university of Timișoara in Romania. Its name is a portmanteau of Timişoara and Spectrum. It had Source (ALIM) parallel and serial connectors, as well as ports for connecting a cassette recorder, and television set. Later models were equipped with a joystick port, and came with 192 KB RAM and an AY-3-8912 sound chip. Production continued into the early 1990s.


South American


Czerweny CZ

The Czerweny CZ 2000, Czerweny CZ Spectrum and Czerweny CZ Spectrum Plus were Argentinian ZX Spectrum clones which were produced from 1982 (after the Falklands war) until an electrical fire destroyed the factory in Paraná in June 1986.


Microdigital TK90X

The TK90X was the first
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
ian ZX Spectrum clone. It was launched in 1985 by
Microdigital Eletronica Microdigital Eletrônica Ltda. was an influential Brazilian computer company in the 1980s, based in São Paulo. History Established in 1981 by the brothers George and Tomas Kovari (whose initials were the TK of the domestic computers line ma ...
, a company located in
São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
, Brazil, which had previously manufactured
ZX81 The ZX81 is a home computer that was produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Dundee, Scotland, by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and designed to be a low-cost ...
clones(TK82,
TK82C TK82C was a Sinclair ZX81 clone made by Microdigital Eletrônica Ltda., a computer company located in Brazil. General information The TK82C had the Zilog Z80A processor running at 3.25 MHz, 2  KB SRAM and 8 KB of EPROM with the ...
, TK83, and
TK85 The TK85 was a ZX81 clone made by Microdigital Eletrônica, a computer company located in Brazil. It came with 16 or 48  KB RAM, and had a ZX Spectrum–style case, similar to a '' Timex Sinclair 1500''. Unlike the ZX81, the TK85 used discr ...
) and a
ZX80 The Sinclair ZX80 is a home computer launched on 29 January 1980 by Science of Cambridge Ltd. (later to be better known as Sinclair Research). It is notable for being one of the first computers available in the United Kingdom for less than a h ...
clone (TK80). The ROM was hacked to include a UDG editor, and accented characters. In spite of this, incompatibility issues with ZX Spectrum software are very rare. The keyboard membrane is more durable than that found on the original ZX Spectrum 48K. The TK90X also features a Sinclair-compatible joystick port.


Microdigital TK95

The TK95
microcomputer A microcomputer is a small, relatively inexpensive computer having a central processing unit (CPU) made out of a microprocessor. The computer also includes memory and input/output (I/O) circuitry together mounted on a printed circuit board (PC ...
was the successor to the
TK90X The TK90X was the first Brazilian ZX Spectrum clone made in 1985 by Microdigital Electrônica, a company located in São Paulo, Brazil, that had manufactured some ZX81 clones (TK82C, TK83 and TK85) and ZX80 clones (TK80, TK82) before. Technica ...
. Launched in November 1986, its improvements were largely cosmetic, as it uses exactly the same
PCB PCB may refer to: Science and technology * Polychlorinated biphenyl, an organic chlorine compound, now recognized as an environmental toxin and classified as a persistent organic pollutant * Printed circuit board, a board used in electronics * ...
as the
TK90X The TK90X was the first Brazilian ZX Spectrum clone made in 1985 by Microdigital Electrônica, a company located in São Paulo, Brazil, that had manufactured some ZX81 clones (TK82C, TK83 and TK85) and ZX80 clones (TK80, TK82) before. Technica ...
, but had its ROM capacity increased to 16 KB.


South Korean


Samsung SPC-650

A
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
n clone of the ZX Spectrum+ with a similar design to the original machine.


Soviet/Russian


ATM

The ATM (ATM Turbo) was developed in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
in 1991 by two companies: MicroArt and ATM. It featured a 7 MHz
Z80 The Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor introduced by Zilog as the startup company's first product. The Z80 was conceived by Federico Faggin in late 1974 and developed by him and his 11 employees starting in early 1975. The first working samples were ...
processor, 1024 KB RAM, 128 KB
ROM Rom, or ROM may refer to: Biomechanics and medicine * Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient * Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac * R ...
, AY-8910 sound chip (two were fitted in upgraded models),
8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit Integer (computer science), integers or other Data (computing), data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet (computing), octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) arc ...
DAC, 8-channel
ADC ADC may refer to: Science and medicine * ADC (gene), a human gene * AIDS dementia complex, neurological disorder associated with HIV and AIDS * Allyl diglycol carbonate or CR-39, a polymer * Antibody-drug conjugate, a type of anticancer treatment ...
,
RS-232 In telecommunications, RS-232 or Recommended Standard 232 is a standard originally introduced in 1960 for serial communication transmission of data. It formally defines signals connecting between a ''DTE'' (''data terminal equipment'') such a ...
and
Centronics Centronics Data Computer Corporation was an American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name, the Centronics connector. History Foundations Centronics began as a division o ...
ports,
Beta Disk Interface Beta Disk Interface is a disk interface for ZX Spectrum computers. It was developed by Technology Research Ltd. (United Kingdom), in 1984 and released in 1985 with price £109.25 (or £249.75 with one disk drive). Beta 128 Disk Interface is a 1987 ...
, IDE interface, AT/ XT keyboard, text mode (80×25, 16 possible colours in an 8×8 pattern), and three graphics modes.


Baltica

A Russian clone of the 48K ZX Spectrum. Its CPU ran at a higher frequency (4 MHz) which made it less compatible.


Best III

A ZX Spectrum clone made in St. Petersburg in 1993. The size of the system unit is 16.8 × 10 × 2 inches. Its CPU is a Russian Z80 clone.


Bi Am ZX-Spectrum 48/64 and 128

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum produced between 1992 and 1994. The system unit is made of metal, and measures 10 × 8.4 × 2 inches. The Bi Am ZX-Spectrum 128 was a 128 KB version of the same computer.


Blic

Blic (or Blitz) is a Soviet clone of the ZX Spectrum 48K, designed in 1990, and based on the earlier
Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
clone. The ROM had been modified to display “BLIC Home Computer” alongside three rectangles which were respectively coloured blue, red, and green. The firmware contained a modified font of the Latin and Cyrillic alphabet. Keyboard layouts were switched between Cyrillic and Latin using the POKE 23607.56 and POKE 23607.56 commands, respectively. The layout of the Cyrillic keyboard is YaWERT (яверт) rather than the more familiar JCUKEN. The keys were made of rubber, and their size and placement was virtually identical to that on the original ZX Spectrum 48K.


Composite

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum introduced in 1993, with 48 KB RAM. It is a modified version of Leningrad 2, produced by the Composite co-op.


Dubna 48K

A
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
clone of the ZX Spectrum home computer, named after the town of
Dubna Dubna ( rus, Дубна́, p=dʊbˈna) is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia. It has a status of ''naukograd'' (i.e. town of science), being home to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, an international nuclear physics research center and one o ...
, where it was produced. It used a processor based on the Zilog Z80. File:Dubna 48k.jpg, Dubna 48K File:Dubna_48k_outlook.jpg, Dubna 48K mainboard


Ella Ra

Also known as the Elara-Disk 128, this was a Russian clone, made in 1991, of the ZX Spectrum 128K. It featured a 58-key keyboard, floppy disk drive, and ports for both Kempston and Sinclair joysticks. Whilst it is possible to expand the system, incompatibilities may arise due to some of the ports having been changed.


GrandRomMax

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum made in Moscow in 1993. It is very similar to the
Pentagon In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagon may be simpl ...
, but was designed to be more like the original ZX Spectrum. Several variations exist of the system, with only minor differences between them. One version has an improperly configured
Beta Disk Interface Beta Disk Interface is a disk interface for ZX Spectrum computers. It was developed by Technology Research Ltd. (United Kingdom), in 1984 and released in 1985 with price £109.25 (or £249.75 with one disk drive). Beta 128 Disk Interface is a 1987 ...
, resulting in all information on the disk being destroyed when an attempt to write to it is made on a different machine. The GrandRomMax is not easy to expand because some of its PL/M chips do not support the signals required for sending and receiving data to and from certain peripherals.


Grandboard 2+

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum, based on the GrandRomMax GRM2+ board. It was developed and manufactured in 1994 by the Independent Science-Manufacturing Laboratory of Computer Techniques in Fryazino. * CPU: Z-80 NEC (
8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit Integer (computer science), integers or other Data (computing), data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet (computing), octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) arc ...
) * Clock frequency: 3.45 MHz * RAM: 128 KB * Text: 24×32, eight possible colours * Graphics: 256×192, eight possible colours * Sound processor AY-8910m (YM 2149F) * Dimensions: 350 × 280 × 35 mm (13.2 × 8.4 × 2 inches)


Hobbit

A Soviet/Russian
8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit Integer (computer science), integers or other Data (computing), data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet (computing), octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) arc ...
home computer, based on the Sinclair Research ZX Spectrum hardware architecture. It also featured a CP/M mode, and
Forth Forth or FORTH may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''forth'' magazine, an Internet magazine * ''Forth'' (album), by The Verve, 2008 * ''Forth'', a 2011 album by Proto-Kaw * Radio Forth, a group of independent local radio stations in Scotla ...
mode or
LOGO A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name it represents as in a wordma ...
mode, with the Forth or LOGO operating environment residing in an on-board ROM chip.


Kay 1024

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum, released by NEMO in 1998. It was intended to rival the popular Scorpion ZS 256, and had a slightly lower price despite carrying far more onboard RAM (1024 KB). It features a controller for a standard PC keyboard, as well as an HDD, but not for FDDs – although support for these was available via an expansion card. The
CPU A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and ...
has a turbo mode, enabling it to run at 10 MHz.


Krasnogorsk

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum, named after the city in which it was built. It was developed and manufactured in 1991, but not produced in the same quantities as the Leningrad 1.


Kvorum

The Kvorum was a series of Russian ZX Spectrum clones with three different RAM options: 48 KB (Kvorum 48); 64 KB (Kvorum 64); 128 KB (Kvorum 128). The Kvorum 128 featured built-in tests, a memory monitor, and the possibility of copying in ROM. It also had the option of running CP/M and TR-DOS (via Beta Disk). The Kvorum 128+ had the same features as the Kvorum 128, but included a built-in 3.5″ drive. File:Компьютер Кворум.JPG, Kvorum


Leningrad

A series of two Soviet clones of the ZX Spectrum. Leningrad 1 was released in 1988, and was a clone of the 48K – it became the cheapest out of all the mass-made clones. They computer was designed to be as simple as possible, and more compact than the other clones which were available at the time. It was designed by Sergey Zonov, who later went on and created the
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...
. Leningrad 2 was released in 1991. The joystick port was changed to one which was Kempston-compatible, and the keyboard was much improved. It sold in great numbers.


Master

A Soviet clone of the ZX Spectrum made in1990. It ran at 2.5 MHz with 48 KB RAM, and It had ports for both Sinclair and Kempston joysticks.


Master K

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum made in
Ivanovo Ivanovo ( rus, Иваново, p=ɪˈvanəvə) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Russia. It is the administrative center and largest city of Ivanovo Oblast, located northeast of Moscow and approximately from Yaroslavl, Vlad ...
in 1991. It featured 48 KB RAM, 16 KB ROM, and a Kempston joystick interface. The dimensions of the system unit are 14 × 8 × 2 inches, and its weight is approximately 1 kg.


Moskva

Moskva was the name of two Soviet ZX Spectrum clones. Introduced in 1988, the Moskva 48K (Москва/Moscow) was the first mass-produced clone of the 48K Spectrum in the USSR. One year later, the Moskva 128K was launched, and was a faithful clone of the ZX Spectrum 128K, featuring a built-in printer interface, joystick and TV/RGB ports, but lacked a sound processor and disk drive.


Nafanja

A Soviet ZX Spectrum clone from 1990, which was designed to be transported in a case. It was made for diplomats and children. It is compatible with
Dubna 48K Dubna ( rus, Дубна́, p=dʊbˈna) is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia. It has a status of ''naukograd'' (i.e. town of science), being home to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, an international nuclear physics research center and one o ...
, and has a
joystick A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. A joystick, also known as the control column, is the principal cont ...
port. At the time of launch, its price was 650 roubles.


Parus VI-201 (Парус BN-201)

A Russian ZX Spectrum clone from 1992, designed for use as a
video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally placed i ...
– ВИ (VI) stood for видео игра (video game). It was equipped with a Zilog Z80 processor, RF modulator, plus several DIN connectors for use with Kempston joysticks and an external cassette recorder. File:Парус ВИ201.jpg, Парус ВИ201 (Parus VI201)


Orel BK-08

A Ukrainian ZX Spectrum clone from 1991 which featured 64 KB non-separate fast RAM, an NMI button, an extended keyboard with Cyrillic characters in the upper address of ROM, two Sinclair joystick ports, and one Kempston in both connectors (DIN connectors). The video signal is output via
SRGB sRGB is a standard RGB (red, green, blue) color space that HP and Microsoft created cooperatively in 1996 to use on monitors, printers, and the World Wide Web. It was subsequently standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission ( ...
, rather than an RF modulator. Memory access is clear (there is no conflict with the CPU and display controller) and display timing is the same as in the original ZX Spectrum.


Pentagon


Peters MC64

A Russian ZX Spectrum clone from around 1993, made by Peters Plus, Ltd., who went on to make the Sprinter. Its dimensions are 14 × 7.2 × 2 inches.


Peters 256

An enhanced version of the Peters MC64.


Profi

A Soviet ZX Spectrum clone developed in 199 in Moscow by Kondor and Kramis. It features a 7 MHz Zilog Z80 CPU, up to 1024 KB RAM, 64 KB ROM, AY8910 sound chip, Beta 128 disk interface, IDE interface, and 512×240 multi-colour (i.e. two possible colours per 8×1 block) graphics mode for CP/M. Users liked to plug in two 8-bit DACs to play 4-channel modules of Scream Tracker. It also has both parallel and serial ports, and the possibility of attaching an IBM keyboard. Later models had a hard disk interface, and turbo mode.


Robik

A Soviet (later Russian) ZX Spectrum clone produced between 1989 and 1994 by Selto-Rotor (Scientifically Technical Industrial Creative Association) a former military factory.


Santaka 002

A ZX Spectrum+ clone produced in 1990 in the Lithuanian SSR. Its keyboard features Cyrillic characters rather than Latin ones.


Scorpion ZS-256

The Scorpion (russian: Скорпион) was a very widespread ZX Spectrum clone produced in St. Petersburg by Sergey Zonov. It was fitted with a Zilog Z80 processor, whilst memory options ranged from 256 to 1024 KB. Various expansions were produced, including SMUC – an adapter for IDE and
ISA Isa or ISA may refer to: Places * Isa, Amur Oblast, Russia * Isa, Kagoshima, Japan * Isa, Nigeria * Isa District, Kagoshima, former district in Japan * Isa Town, middle class town located in Bahrain * Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia * Mount Is ...
slots, which allowed the use of
IBM PC compatible IBM PC compatible computers are similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT, all from computer giant IBM, that are able to use the same software and expansion cards. Such computers were referred to as PC clones, IBM clones or IBM PC clones. ...
hard drive A hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive, or fixed disk is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage with one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with magnet ...
s and expansion cards. The Shadow Service Monitor (debugger) in the BASIC ROM was activated by pressing the Magic Button (NMI). There was also the option of fitting the machine with a ProfROM which included such software as a clock, hard disk utilities, and the ZX-Word text editor.


Sever 48/002

A Soviet ZX Spectrum clone from 1990, whose name means 'North' (Север). It had 64 KB of RAM, and a16 KB ROM. The dimensions of the system unit are 12 × 8 × 2 inches, and its weight is 1 kg. File:Компьютер_Север-48_002.JPG, Sever (Север) 48/002


Sintez and -Sintez-

A Soviet clone of the ZX Spectrum developed in the "Signal" factory within the
Moldovan SSR The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( ro, Republica Sovietică Socialistă Moldovenească, Moldovan Cyrillic: ) was one of the 15 republics of the Soviet Union which existed from 1940 to 1991. The republic was formed on 2 August 1940 ...
in 1989. The original Sintez resembled the Spectrum+ model, while the -Sintez- was an improved version with a more common mechanical keyboard, an additional serial port, as well as the provision for an 8080 or related processor (e.g. 8255) to be added and used together with the UA 880. Whilst it is largely compatible with software for the ZX Spectrum 48K (and has two Interface 2 joystick ports) its hardware is configured differently from the machine it is based on – utilising a different memory chip set-up, and lacking slowdown when accessing certain areas of memory – with the result that certain applications and games may produce unexpected results, or crash altogether.


Spektr 48

A Russian clone of the 48K ZX Spectrum, produced in 1991 by Oryol (Орёл). It used a membrane keyboard which featured both Latin and Cyrillic letters. The ROM includes a monitor program.


Symbol

A Russian clone of the ZX Spectrum, produced by JSC "Radiozavod" in Penza from 1990 to 1995. File:Soviet computer SYMBOL.jpg, Soviet computer SYMBOL


ZX Next

A Russian ZX Spectrum clone with two Z80 processors (one serving as a video processor). It features an RS-232 port, turbo mode, IBM keyboard, 10 Mbit/s local network interface, and a CGA graphics mode with 640×200 pixel resolution. Its RAM is expandable to 512 KB. The machine also goes by the names ZX-Forum 2 and ZX Frium2. Not to be confused with the official Sinclair ZX Spectrum Next released in 2017.


ZXM series

This is a series of Russian ZX Spectrum clones designed by Mick Laboratory. The ZXM-777 was developed in 2006, and uses a TMPZ84C00-8 CPU at 3.5 MHz in normal mode, or 7.0 MHz in turbo mode. It features 128 KB of RAM, a YM2149F sound chip, a floppy disk controller, and can TR-DOS, BASIC 128, or ASIC 48. The ZXM-Phoenix was introduced in 2008, and uses a KR1858VM1 (Z80A clone) CPU running at 3.5 MHz, or a TMPZ84C00-8 running at 3.5 MHz in normal mode, or 7.0 MHz in turbo mode. It has 1024/2048 KB of RAM, floppy and hard drive controllers, and features mouse support. The ZXM-Alcyon was developed in late 2015, and is based on the transformation of an ''Igrosoft'' slot machine board (which uses a Zilog Z80 microprocessor) into a ZX Spectrum compatible machine. The ZXM-Jasper was developed in 2016, and is also based on the ''Igrosoft'' board, but its goal was to be a Pentagon-compatible machine The ZXM-Zephyr is a 2013 development, based on the ZXM-Phoenix. It is Spectrum compatible, and adds a USB connection, and an SD card reader.


Other


AZX-Monstrum

A proposal for a vastly modernised ZX Spectrum compatible computer. The CPU is a
Zilog Z380 The Z380 and Z382 are Zilog 16-bit/32-bit processor from 1994.https://www.zilog.com/docs/datacomm/pb0075.pdf It is Z80 compatible, but it was released much later than its competitors (the Intel 386 and Motorola 68020) and as a result was never ab ...
(a
32-bit In computer architecture, 32-bit computing refers to computer systems with a processor, memory, and other major system components that operate on data in 32-bit units. Compared to smaller bit widths, 32-bit computers can perform large calculation ...
version of the Z80, capable of running at 40 MHz), it has its own graphic adapter, AT-keyboard, own BIOS and extended BASIC-ROM, and RAM expandable up to 4GB linear. The computer is supposed to be almost 100% compatible. Standard devices of are HDD-controller, DMA vs IRQ controller, ROM-Task Switching, and more. So far only the HDD-controller has been produced, but the rest exists as drawings. All the plans are freely available.


Speccybob

SpeccyBob is a ZX Spectrum clone built entirely around standard 74HC TTL chips and a programmable EPROM.


ZX Spectrum SE

A proposal for an advanced Spectrum machine, based on the Timex TC 2048 and the ZX Spectrum 128, with Timex graphic modes, and 280K RAM.https://z00m.speccy.cz/files/ZXF03.pdf It was proposed by Andrew Owen and Jarek Adamski in 2000. A prototype was created, and this configuration is supported by different emulators.


Chloe 140/280 SE

The Chloe 140SE and Chloe 280SE are production models of the ZX Spectrum SE proposal mentioned above.


ZX128u+

The ZX128u+ is a Spanish clone with the ULAplus display support, using an emulated DivMMC interface as mass storage. The board is based on the Harlequin clone and contains aZ80 processor and AY chip.


PLD-based clones

These machines are based on Programmable Logic Devices (PLD) – an electronic component used to build reconfigurable
digital circuits Digital electronics is a field of electronics involving the study of digital signals and the engineering of devices that use or produce them. This is in contrast to analog electronics and analog signals. Digital electronic circuits are usual ...
.


Chrome and Chrome 128

This clone features a 7 MHz Zilog Z80 CPU, 160+64 RAM, PlusD floppy disk interface, AY soundchip, and an RGB
SCART SCART (also known as or , especially in France, 21-pin EuroSCART in marketing by Sharp in Asia, Euroconector in Spain, EuroAV or EXT, or EIA Multiport in the United States, as an EIA interface) is a French-originated standard and associated 21- ...
port.


eLeMeNt ZX

Developed by Jan Kučera (a.k.a. LMN128) in 2020, based on a lot of experience from developments of the universal FPGA interface named MB03+. It is the first (and only, as of 2022) clone with 100% hardware and display timings aligned with a digital video and sound output (incl. HDMI). It uses the real (faster) Z80 CPU switchable from 3.5 MHz up to 20 MHz, which can be overclocked to 30 MHz – and changed for a T80 core at higher speed. Other logic circuitry is integrated in the Alchitry AU FPGA module, attachable to the eLeMeNt's motherboard. The eLeMeNt ZX combines 48K, 128K, +2, +2A, and many Russian memory models – including three Pentagon (computer) models – and the most popular interfaces, such as: K-Mouse; TurboSound FM; Sound Interface Device ( SID); enhanced Covox and Soundrive; DivMMC; Z-Controller; Timex and advanced HiRes 512×92 with attributes and planar-based HGFX graphics modes; ULA+ and indexed truecolour palettes; USB mouse and keyboard; 2 interchangeable SD card slots; 3 joystick slots, supporting 2-button Kempston and 8-button Sega controllers. The eLeMeNt features the original ZX bus (1x external, 2x internal) and a rich internal pinout expansion for other modern peripherals. The eLeMeNt has 2 MB of RAM, which is upgradeable to 4 MB. The ROM system supports 16K to 64KB ROMs, plus SetUp (BIOS) ROM, Rescue ROM, and the latest version of the modern FAT and POSIX-API based filesystem: esxDOS.


SAM Coupé

An advanced 8-bit computer from 1989, compatible with the ZX Spectrum 48K. The design of the disk-drive hardware was based on the MG PlusD interface. SAM BASIC was very similar to the BetaBasic, and was developed by the same author. The Coupé was considered the successor to the ZX Spectrum in the late '80s.


Sprinter


ZX Badaloc

The very first CPLD/FPGA advanced ZX Spectrum clone.


ZX Prism

A proposal for a modern ZX Spectrum clone.


ZX-Uno

The ZX-Uno is based on a FPGA board focused on replicating ZX Spectrum computer models. It has a similar size to the Raspberry Pi and fit into a RasPi case.


Software emulators

Several
emulators In computing, an emulator is hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run software or use peri ...
are also available, which enable Spectrum software to be run on other hardware.


References


External links


Planet Sinclair: Computers: Clones and Variants



Wayback Machine

Old-computers.com - ICE Felix HC-85

Old-computers.com - ICE Felix HC-91

Old-computers.com - ICE Felix HC-2000
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zx Spectrum Clones Lists of computer hardware Computer hardware clones