ADDING ON YOUR SPECTRUM

Our review team take a brief look at some of the hardware add-ons fir the ZX Spectrum.

Now that the ZX Spectrum has well and truly established itself on the micro market, it is amply supported by a wealth of hardware add-ons. Most of these peripheral devices have been manufactured by the people who supported the ZX81, but just as the Spectrum has attracted new users with its prowess, so too has it attracted a new following from the add-on manufacturers.

In this brief guide, we have not tried to cover all the devices currently available on the market but rather give you a flavour of the technology you can add on to your Spectrum. As joysticks are an obvious favourite, these have been covered in some detail whereas RAM packs are fairly standard and so have only been briefly touched on. Also included in this section area number of quite specialised add-ons like sound units and a digital tracer.

If you own a Spectrum, you will no doubt have begun to realise the potential you hold in your hands. Over the next few pages you will hopefully see further applications for you and your computer to explore.

And if you have settled down to just using a Spectrum, how about a case to carry all your computing bits and pieces around town in.

Aimed at the business user with the typical business-person's case, the custom case has been designed to allow for all that you would need to carry around with you, including room for the much heralded ZX Microdrives. Each piece of equipment is held securely in shock absorbent foam, with the individual devices connected up under the foam for good connection.

Should you have the opportunity to power up your Spectrum system, you can simply unhinge the lid of the custom case and begin work. The top of the lid includes a number of wallets for papers and books, with smaller compartments for pens, cassettes, etc. Constructed from ABS plastic, the cases are certainly strongly built and provide a very useful, if luxurious, addition to the family of Spectrum peripherals.

The Spectrum custom case cost £34.95. For further details contact Computex Cases, Stanhope Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3PS.