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2022-08-26
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RETRO MART
By Shaun Bebbington.
ATTACK OF THE CLONES!
I'm informed that cloning
computers was commonplace in Eastern
Europe, China and South America (where
international copyright laws were
difficult to enforce.) In today's
world, with the advent of PC
emulators, companies don't seem
concerned that their old machines are
being copied, so the flood gates have
opened for programmers/engineers to
"pay tribute" to the great computers
of years gone. Here are some clones
currently in production.
Sprinter SP2000.
This is the most powerful Spectrum
clone I could find. Like the Sam
Coupe, the Sprinter has it's own
native modes. The manufacturers assure
me that it is 100% compatible with the
ZX Spectrum series. It even boasts
compatibility with other Spectrum
clones and has a range of new software
being developed for it.
At its heart is the Z84C15 CPU
running up to 21 MHz. It can be
upgraded to 64mb (from the standard
4mb). It also has a built-in IDE
controller, with the possibility of
connecting a HDD and CD-ROM. There
are 2 ISA slots, a dedicated sound
chip, and new graphics modes (320x256
at 256 colours or 640x256 at 16
colours).
The Sprinter comes in kit form
(like the ZX80 & ZX81 used to) and
requires an AT case, power supply,
keyboard, an MS Mouse, a 3.5" FDD. It
can be viewed through a CGA monitor,
TV with Scart socket or RGBI monitor
like the Commodore 1084. It also has
the capability to load tapes, so you
can use your old software. If you want
a multi-media Spectrum, this is for
you!
Q40/Q60
Whilst researching this article, I
realised that there are numerous
SInclair clones. The Q40/60 is QL
based technology at it's best.
The QL was Sinclairs' first 16
bit, with high quality graphics,
however, sales where sadly lacking for
this excellent machine. The QL still
maintained a cult following through
the 80's and 90's. The Q40/60 has been
designed to keep and build on the QL's
loyal user base.
It's powered by a Motorola 68040
(40 MHz), 68060 (66 MHz) or a 68LC060
(80 MHz), expandable up to 128mb, has
high speed 32 bit graphics at 1024 x
512 with 65536 colours and sound at
20khz. Software is available for the
QL modes and it's own native modes.
Anyone want to take a quantum leap?
CommodoreONE.
Commodore 64 has dedicated
hardware and unique features, such as
intelligent devices. It is therefore
difficult to clone, and the C=ONE will
probably be the first Commodore 64
clone to have at least 99.9% backwards
compatibility.
It has been developed by Jeri
Ellsworth and Bil Herd (Bil Herd
worked for Commodore in the eighties).
Powering the machine is the wdc65c816s
processor running at 25mhz.
Potentially, you will have up to 32mb
graphics card with 65536 colours, and
it will allow you to use a SCPU
accelerator as a co-processor. Your
old Commodore hardware should also be
compatible with the C=ONE.
This is work in progress. A
working prototype has had fine-tuning
over the last year or so, and if the
current version proves popular at the
next Expo in the USA, the CommodoreONE
will be available to buy from November
2002. I am assured that the wait will
be worth it.
- Shaun.
Contacts and links.
Sprinter SP2000.
PETERS PLUS LTD, Vosstaniya St.
35-31, 191014 St. Petersburg, RUSSIA
web: www.peterplus.com - e-mail:
sprinter@petersplus.ru
Q40/Q60.
D & D Systems
D&D Systems, PO Box 5813, Ripley,
Derbyshire, England. DE5 9ZR
Tel: 01773-740170 - Fax:01773-748399
web: www.q40.de
e-mail: sales@q40.de
CommodoreONE.
Jeri Elsworth, 530 NW 152 St.,
N Miami Fl, 33169, USA.
Tel: 001 305-688-0167
web: www.commodoreone.com
e-mail: cm easy@yahoo.com