Lambda 8300 Explained

Lambda 8300
Storage:Audio cassette
Memory:2KiB, 16KiB, or 32KiB
Display:UHF TV signal, PAL video out (built-in RCA connector); monochrome, 32 x 24 characters, 64 x 48 using semigraphic symbols
Release Date:1983
Manufacturer:Lambda Electronics Limited
Cpu:NEC D780C-1
Cpuspeed:3,25 MHz
Compatibility:ZX81
Sound:C4005 (1 voice, 3 octaves)
Input:Tape interface (audio in / out), expansion bus, Atari joystick port
Dimensions:295 x 150 x 55 mm
Weight:700 gr
Graphics:C4005 ULA I/O chip
Os:BASIC

The Lambda 8300 was a Sinclair ZX81 clone from Lambda Electronics Limited of Hong Kong.[1] [2] [3] It had a modified ROM (including extra semigraphic characters) and extra hardware, making it not fully compatible.[4] [5] Total compatibility could be achieved by installing a ZX81 ROM.

It came with 2K RAM (expandable to 16K or 32K), three octave single voice sound (generated by a C4005 ULA I/O chip) and an Atari joystick port.[6] Specifically, it used a NEC D780C-1 (Z80A clone) microprocessor at 3.25 MHz.

The character set was slightly altered from the ZX81, replacing some symbols with game graphics (see below). BASIC tokens have alternate codings, further preventing 100% compatibility with the ZX81. Command input is done key by key (not by keyword entry like on the ZX81).

The computer was somewhat successful in Northern Europe (mostly in Denmark and Norway) and China, and today enthusiasts still develop new hardware.

The Lambda 8300 can be emulated on modern systems using, for example, the EightyOne Sinclair Emulator[7] [8] or MAME.[9]

Models

The machine was licensed to several different companies, with many rebranded models available in different markets. Unisonic distributed it as the Futura 8300 in the US.[10] [11] In France it was available as the DEF 3000.

Known model designations:

Character set

The character set was slightly altered from that of the ZX81, replacing the ,, ?, £, and ' symbols with game graphics:,, and . BASIC tokens also have alternate codings.

!0!1!2!3!4!5!6!7!8!9!A!B!C!D!E!F
0xspace"$
1x()><=+-
/ ;,.0123
2x456789ABCDEFGHIJ
3xKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
4x<small>THEN</small><small>TO</small><small>STEP</small><small>RND</small><small>INKEY$</small><small>PI</small>
5x
6x
7xupdownleftrightGRAPHICSEDITENTERDELETELMODEBREAKLINE NO.numbercursor
8x"$
9x()><=+-
/ ;,.0123
Ax456789ABCDEFGHIJ
BxKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Cx<small>CODE</small><small>VAL</small><small>LEN</small><small>SIN</small><small>COS</small><small>TAN</small><small>ASN</small><small>ACS</small><small>ATN</small><small>LOG</small><small>EXP</small><small>INT</small><small>SQR</small><small>SGN</small><small>ABS</small><small>PEEK</small>
Dx<small>USR</small><small>STR$</small><small>CHR$</small><small>NOT</small><small>AT</small><small>TAB</small><small>**</small><small>OR</small><small>AND</small><small><=</small><small>>=</small><small><></small><small>TEMPO</small><small>MUSIC</small><small>SOUND</small><small>BEEP</small>
Ex<small>NOBEEP</small><small>LPRINT</small><small>LLIST</small><small>STOP</small><small>SLOW</small><small>FAST</small><small>NEW</small><small>SCROLL</small><small>CONT</small><small>DIM</small><small>REM</small><small>FOR</small><small>GOTO</small><small>GOSUB</small><small>INPUT</small><small>LOAD</small>
Fx<small>LIST</small><small>LET</small><small>PAUSE</small><small>NEXT</small><small>POKE</small><small>PRINT</small><small>PLOT</small><small>RUN</small><small>SAVE</small><small>RAND</small><small>IF</small><small>CLS</small><small>UNPLOT</small><small>CLEAR</small><small>RETURN</small><small>COPY</small>
<small>Code formatting</small> indicates BASIC keywords tokenized into single-byte code points.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: PC 8300 Lambda Electronics Ltd . 2023-01-16 . www.old-computers.com.
  2. Web site: Lambda 8300 . 2023-02-14 . Timex/Sinclair - The Authoritative Website for Timex/Sinclair Computers . en-US.
  3. Book: PC 8300 Personal Computer (manual) . 1983.
  4. Web site: Hong Kong clones Lambda 8300 et.al. of the ZX81 . 2023-02-14 . Kio's Sinclair ZX Computers Archive.
  5. Web site: Heikkinen . Tero . 2017-04-01 . Old Machinery: BASIC 2000 / LAMBDA 8300 . 2023-02-14 . Old Machinery.
  6. News: Abramson . Ken . Summer 1987 . PC8300 Preliminary Technical Report . 12–14 . ZX-Appeal .
  7. Web site: EightyOne Sinclair Emulator . 2023-02-15 . SourceForge . en.
  8. Web site: EighthyOne .
  9. Web site: Motoschifo . Lambda 8300 - MAME machine . 2023-02-15 . adb.arcadeitalia.net . it.
  10. News: Bradbeer, Robin . March 1983 . Timex upgrades Spectrum . 83–84 . Sinclair User . 28 January 2015.
  11. News: Bruce . Taylor . January 1988 . Inside The PC 8300 . 4 . 23–24 . Time Designs Magazine . 2 .
  12. Web site: By . 2020-12-11 . A Lambda 8300 Lives Again . 2023-02-14 . Hackaday . en-US.
  13. Web site: Lambda 8300 . 2023-02-14 . www.timexsinclair.com . en-US.
  14. Web site: PC 8300 . 2023-02-14 . Sinclair Nostalgia Products.
  15. Web site: DEF 3000 . 2023-02-14 . Sinclair Nostalgia Products.
  16. Web site: DEF-3000 . 2023-02-14 . 1000 BiT.
  17. Web site: DEF 3000 . 2023-02-14 . silicium.org.
  18. Web site: Tonel PC . 2023-02-14 . www.old-computers.com.
  19. Web site: June 2, 2019 . Tonel PC (Lambda 8300) + 16k/32k Expansion Module (Boxed) . 2023-02-14 . nIGHTFALL Blog / RetroComputerMania.com.
  20. Web site: 2015 . Le Tonel TONEL PC . 2023-02-14 . MO5.COM : Musée des Machines.
  21. Web site: Futura 8300 . 2023-02-14 . Sinclair Nostalgia Products.
  22. Web site: Logie . Alistair . This is your computer. It's my computer? No, it's your computer! etc. . 2023-02-14 . Sad Badger . 16 November 2019 . en-US.
  23. Web site: arn . lift . Power 3000 . 2023-01-16 . Sinclair Nostalgia Products.
  24. Web site: Lambda 8300 (Creon Electronics Power 3000 (European)) Video Game Hardware Version . 2023-02-14 . RPGGeek . en-US.
  25. Web site: 2021 . Computer models database - ZX Clone . 2023-01-16 . epocalc.