Lambda 8300

Last updated
Lambda 8300
Front of Lambda 8300.png
Lambda 8300 front
ManufacturerLambda Electronics Limited
Release date1983
Operating system BASIC
CPU NEC D780C-1 @ 3,25 MHz
Memory2KiB, 16KiB, or 32KiB
Storage Audio cassette
Display UHF TV signal, PAL video out (built-in RCA connector); monochrome, 32 x 24 characters, 64 x 48 using semigraphic symbols
GraphicsC4005 ULA I/O chip
SoundC4005 (1 voice, 3 octaves)
InputTape interface (audio in / out), expansion bus, Atari joystick port
Dimensions295 x 150 x 55 mm
Mass700 gr
Backward
compatibility 		ZX81
Back of Lambda 8300 Back of Lambda 8300.png
Back of Lambda 8300

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. [1]

Contents

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. [1]

The character set was slightly altered from the ZX81, replacing some symbols with game graphics (see below). [3] 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). [3]

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

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

Models

BASIC 2000, a Lambda 8300 clone Basic 2000 Tietokonemuseo.JPG
BASIC 2000, a Lambda 8300 clone

The machine was licensed to several different companies, with many rebranded models available in different markets. [1] Unisonic distributed it as the Futura 8300 in the US. [10] [11] In France it was available as the DEF 3000. [12] [13] [14]

Known model designations:

Character set

The character set was slightly altered from that of the ZX81, replacing the ,, ?, £, and ' symbols with game graphics: Lambda 8300 symbol 3.png , Lambda 8300 symbol 2.png , Lambda 8300 symbol 1.png and Lambda 8300 symbol 0.png . [3] BASIC tokens also have alternate codings. [3]

Lambda 8300 character set
0123456789ABCDEF
0x space ▘▝▀▖▌▞▛ Lambda 8300 symbol 0.png ◤◥ " Lambda 8300 symbol 1.png $ Lambda 8300 symbol 2.png Lambda 8300 symbol 3.png
1x()><=+-*/ ;,.0123
2x456789ABCDEFGHIJ
3xKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
4xTHENTOSTEPRNDINKEY$PI
5x
6x
7x up down left right GRAPHICSEDIT ENTER DELETE LMODEBREAKLINE NO.number cursor
8x▉▟▙▃▜▐▚▗ Lambda 8300 symbol 0 invert.png ◢◣" Lambda 8300 symbol 1 invert.png $ Lambda 8300 symbol 2 invert.png Lambda 8300 symbol 3 invert.png
9x()><=+-*/ ;,.0123
Ax456789ABCDEFGHIJ
BxKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
CxCODEVALLENSINCOSTANASNACSATNLOGEXPINTSQRSGNABSPEEK
DxUSRSTR$CHR$NOTATTAB**ORAND<=>=<>TEMPOMUSICSOUNDBEEP
ExNOBEEPLPRINTLLISTSTOPSLOWFASTNEWSCROLLCONTDIMREMFORGOTOGOSUBINPUTLOAD
FxLISTLETPAUSENEXTPOKEPRINTPLOTRUNSAVERANDIFCLSUNPLOTCLEARRETURNCOPY
Code formattingindicates BASIC keywords tokenized into single-byte code points.


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References

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