Inside Spectrum +

The ZX Spectrum+ is an upgraded version of the original ZX Spectrum home computer. While the external appearance and keyboard layout of the ZX Spectrum+ were different from the original model, the internal components and architecture remained largely similar. Here is a general overview of the main components inside the ZX Spectrum+.

Central Processing Unit (CPU):

The ZX Spectrum+ is powered by a Zilog Z80A CPU running at a clock speed of 3.5 MHz. The Z80A is an 8-bit processor widely used in early microcomputers.

Memory:

The ZX Spectrum+ typically came with 48 KB of RAM. This memory was used to store program code, data, and screen memory. Some later versions of the ZX Spectrum+ had 128 KB of RAM.
Additionally, the ZX Spectrum+ had 16 KB of ROM (Read-Only Memory) containing the computer’s operating system and BASIC programming language.

Display:

The ZX Spectrum+ featured a color graphics display with a resolution of 256×192 pixels. It supported eight colors and a 32×24 text mode.

Sound:

The computer had a simple beeper sound generator that could produce basic sound effects and tones. It had limited capabilities compared to more advanced sound systems of later computers.

Keyboard:

The ZX Spectrum+ had an improved keyboard compared to the original ZX Spectrum. It featured a full-size keyboard layout with a better tactile feel and separate function keys.

I/O Ports:

The computer featured various input/output ports, including:
UHF TV output port for connecting the Spectrum+ to a television.
cassette tape interface for loading and saving programs using an external cassette tape recorder.
Kempston joystick interface for connecting joysticks or other input devices.
standard DIN connector for connecting an external power supply.

Power Supply:

The ZX Spectrum+ required an external power supply with an output of +9V DC and a current rating of 1A.

It’s worth noting that there were different versions and revisions of the ZX Spectrum+ released over time, and some variations in the internals might exist across different models. However, the overall architecture and main components remained largely consistent across the various iterations of the ZX Spectrum+.