Lambda 8300
Sinclair ZX81 clone from Lambda Electronics Limited of Hong Kong
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
Lambda 8300 front | |
| Manufacturer | Lambda Electronics Limited |
|---|---|
| Released | 1983 |
| Operating system | BASIC |
| CPU | NEC D780C-1 @ 3,25 MHz |
| Memory | 2KiB, 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 |
| Graphics | C4005 ULA I/O chip |
| Sound | C4005 (1 voice, 3 octaves) |
| Input | Tape interface (audio in / out), expansion bus, Atari joystick port |
| Dimensions | 295 × 150 × 55 mm (12 × 6 × 2 inches) |
| Weight | 700g (2 lbs) |
| Backward compatibility | ZX81 |
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
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:
- Lambda 8300 (Hong Kong, Sweden, Norway, Denmark)[15][16]
- Your Computer PC 8300 (China, United States)[17][16][15][18]
- DEF 3000 (France)[12][13][14]
- Basic 2000 (Norway, Sweden, Finland)[17]
- Marathon 32K (Norway, Denmark)[17]
- Tonel PC (Italy, Germany)[17][19][20][21]
- Unisonic Futura 8300 (United States)[17][22]
- PC-81 Personal Computer (China)[23]
- CAC-3 (China)[14]
- Polybrain P118 (New Zealand)[14]
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]
| 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. | ||||||||||||||||