Lambda 8300
Lambda 8300 front
ManufacturerLambda Electronics Limited
Release date1983
Operating systemBASIC
CPUNEC D780C-1 @ 3,25 MHz
Memory2KiB, 16KiB, or 32KiB
StorageAudio cassette
DisplayUHF 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

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]

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.

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

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: , , and .[3] BASIC tokens also have alternate codings.[3]

Lambda 8300 character set
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
0x space ▘ ▝ ▀ ▖ ▌ ▞ ▛ ◤ ◥ " $
1x ( ) > < = + - * /  ; , . 0 1 2 3
2x 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F G H I J
3x K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
4x THEN TO STEP RND INKEY$ PI
5x
6x
7x up down left right GRAPHICS EDIT ENTER DELETE LMODE BREAK LINE NO. number cursor
8x ▉ ▟ ▙ ▃ ▜ ▐ ▚ ▗ ◢ ◣ " $
9x ( ) > < = + - * /  ; , . 0 1 2 3
Ax 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F G H I J
Bx K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Cx CODE VAL LEN SIN COS TAN ASN ACS ATN LOG EXP INT SQR SGN ABS PEEK
Dx USR STR$ CHR$ NOT AT TAB ** OR AND <= >= <> TEMPO MUSIC SOUND BEEP
Ex NOBEEP LPRINT LLIST STOP SLOW FAST NEW SCROLL CONT DIM REM FOR GOTO GOSUB INPUT LOAD
Fx LIST LET PAUSE NEXT POKE PRINT PLOT RUN SAVE RAND IF CLS UNPLOT CLEAR RETURN COPY
Code formatting indicates BASIC keywords tokenized into single-byte code points.


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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