Whats the going rate on Spectrum ZX hardware/games?

[savageone]

Soooo I've decided the enter the realm of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. However, even after much ebay searching I can't really get an idea of what the hardware or games are worth. This system has me entirely confused!

I want to pick one up as a bit of a novelty item but can't get a fix on what I should be paying for these items, I'd hate to get ripped off on something that would be very difficult to sell again due to the almost non-existent demand.

Can anyone explain something about how these games were originally distributed and what their retail price was? Which Spectrum system is the "best" model? (particularly for use in the US that is, if it matters) Helpful things like that.

ANY advice or pointers appreciated!

[jfroco]

Hi,

First of all, I recommend you to check www.worldofspectrum.org

Most of Spectrum games were developed in England and Spain. Today most games are sold for 5 pounds in Ebay (cassettes).

The most classic system is the Sinclair Spectrum ZX (the one with rubber keys). The NTSC model is rare, I have seen only a couple in Ebay during two or three years.

In the US the Timex Sinclair 2068 was more popular, I believe,as I don't live in the US. It is not 100% compatible with the Speccy but most games should work.

Regards

JF

[Mayhem]

Neither the hardware or most software should be that expensive... lots of great games to get as well. If you can get them to work in the US... not sure how well the PAL RF will tune in on NTSC TVs.

[blue lander]

In the US the Timex Sinclair 2068 was more popular, I believe,as I don't live in the US. It is not 100% compatible with the Speccy but most games should work.

The Timex Sinclair 2068 was sold in the US for just like 1 month, so they're virtually impossible to find.

I have a Spectrum +2 which is pretty compatible with everything. Games run from a few dollars for common ones to $50-$60 for some of the rare Ultimate PTG titles.

Using it in the US isn't that difficult, but you can't connect it to a TV, you've got to use an RGB monitor. Powering it up may be an issue, but the system only needs +5 volts which you can easily get from a PC power supply. I bought mine without a power supply since it's heavy enough to make shipping more expensive.

[DarthKur]

Shipping is where most of your expense is going to come from. Just about any model Sinclair computer, besides the QL, can be had for anywhere between $5 - $50, depending on condition, accessories, box, etc. But postage from the U.K to The States can run you anywhere from $40 to $100+.
I have the first model (grey) Spectrum +2 which is the most compatible with programs from the very first to the later released ones. The PSU does require 220 volts versus out 110. I use a voltage converter with mine. I also had to get a scart cable for the Speccy, a female/female scart coupler, a scart to A/V cable and a rather worthless PAL to NTSC converter, in order to connect it to an old Commodore composite monitor. Probably the best thing to connect it to, here in the U.S anyways, would be a multi-signal TV. I definitely need to get one of these.
Anyway, the Spectrum can be quite fun and provide hours of vintage gaming goodness so it's well worth getting one.

As for the Timex Sinclair 2068, they do come up on Ebay fairly regularly but will cost you a tidy sum. Plus to be compatible with the Spectrum ZX you will need the VERY hard to acquire Spectrum ZX cart. I've only ever seen one on Ebay and it was from a seller in Spain. I can't recall exactly what it sold for but it wasn't cheep.

[murdoc rose]

Everyones right shipping will be a problem. The last one I tried to buy just happened to be one of the rare ones so it went for a lot but I've seen them sell for almost nothing because shipping is so high. Hope you find one.

[jfroco]

The Timex Sinclair 2068 was sold in the US for just like 1 month, so they're virtually impossible to find.

One month? I didn't know the 2068 was rare in the US. I'm lucky I have one. About the ZX Specrtum cart... the same experience: one cart in Ebay in more than two years.

Regarding compatibility, I would check it, because my fav Sinclair micro is actually the Timex Computer 2048, and it wasn't 100% compatible so I modified some games to run them in that machine. Maybe it is possible to do the same with the 2068.


I live in Chile (NTSC), and here in the 80s we had Sinclair Spectrum, Timex Computer 2048, Timex Sinclair 2068 and Microdigital TK90X (brazilean clone). We didn't have +, + 128, +2 or +3. Evenmore as far as I knowthere are not NTSC versions of these microcomputers.

I bought most model from UK (70 to 100 pounds in postage ). Unfortuntely we don't have PAL TVs here, and "american" PAL (Brazil and Argentina) is not full compatible with UK PAL.

I bought a USB TV adapter in Spain (real european PAL not the ones that are sold in America), so I use my PC as a TV. I know it is not the same, so eventually I will buy a UK PAL TV... but I need to save money for postage

Regards

JF