ZX Spectrum+! Need help!

[chimera963]

A friend got this beast for 70p at a fete. We haven't a damn clue how to set it up. We've hooked it all up and nothing will appear on screen apart from "1982 Sinclair Research Ltd". Anyone got any clues?

This is a damn old machine and we cant find ANY manuals or guides on the net.

-Cheers.

[lnmnky]

Have you put any tapes in yet? (Does it even have a tape desk or was it an early separate one?)

"1982 Sinclair Research Ltd" is that it or are you exagerating? _nothing else_?

read this lot yet... http://www.worldofspectrum.org/documentation.html ?

[hotdog666al]

Yeah we are all here (Chimera963, starblob and me)

There is a Tape Deck thingie and a Keyboard we have some games too

The tape is in and we pressed load. I have no idea what cables go where on the back. it's all so confusing.

[chimera963]

yes, weve put tapes in. but how do we load them? we mean literally just that. a grey screen with that writing and nothing else. how do we laod anything? weve hit loads of keys randomly, but nothign happens, nothign at all, not even a flicker

[Kasandoro]

Off topic, but isn't it amusing that now that technology has progressed to the point it has, that we can't even figure out how to get an ancient beastie like a Sinclair ZX to work?

Sorry...just had to point that out!

[starmatrix]

no, its about as unfunny as things get, its damn right annoying

[MPH]

yes, weve put tapes in. but how do we load them? we mean literally just that. a grey screen with that writing and nothing else. how do we laod anything? weve hit loads of keys randomly, but nothign happens, nothign at all, not even a flicker

To load use command: LOAD "" press Enter

[starmatrix]

To load use command: LOAD "" press Enter

should anythign come up on the screen when we do that? no matter what we press we cant get past the "1982 Sinclair research Ltd"

[MPH]

should anythign come up on the screen when we do that? no matter what we press we cant get past the "1982 Sinclair research Ltd"

No. You must then press play button on your cassette player and loading should start.

[starmatrix]

No. You must then press play button on your cassette player and loading should start.

when should somethign finally come up on teh screen? does teh whole tape have to play? how do we know that we pressed the keys right etc?

[MPH]

Yes. The cassette should play and at the border of the screen there should be some blue and yellow lines moving. Sort of audio equializer :laugh:, when you are loading.

EDIT: The sound is similar to the sound of 56k modem when you are trying to establish a connection.

[Intersect]

you will know once the tape starts loading. becaue lots of coloured lines and high pitched noises will come from your tv, besure to set the volume to the correct level or some times your tapes wont load.

all u have to type to get the system into load mode is type

Load"" then press play on the tapedeck.

i will have a look and see if i can find a usermanual for that dinosaur lol

[starmatrix]

you will know once the tape starts loading. becaue lots of coloured lines and high pitched noises will come from your tv, besure to set the volume to the correct level or some times your tapes wont load.

all u have to type to get the system into load mode is type

Load"" then press play on the tapedeck.

i will have a look and see if i can find a usermanual for that dinosaur lol

is there anyway to check if the keyboard works? because weve done that, but i have no idea whether its doign anythign, and i get the feelign the keyboard may be bummed up

[MPH]

is there anyway to check if the keyboard works? because weve done that, but i have no idea whether its doign anythign, and i get the feelign the keyboard may be bummed up

Restart the computer. When the white screen with text "Sinclair Research ..." appears, try press any key. If no command is displayed, then the keyboard is dead.

[MPH]

Quick ZX Spectrum user manual, here.

[ReAnimation]

As the other guys say here, you need to use the LOAD command and then type "" then hit enter.

If I can remember correctly you need to press the J key once and you should find that LOAD automatically will appear on the screen.

If nothing is happening when you hit any keys then as MPH says the keyboard is shot.

[FudgeMonkey]

you should see the load "" appear when you type it in yes. then once you've pressed enter hit the play button on the tape and the game should start to load. you'll see various coloured lines around the border of the screen and it will sound like a dialup modem.

I'm gonna break my old one out tonight to give it a bash. Jack the nipper FTW