Spectrum ZX81 case-modded into Ubuntu PC
This mod by Flickr user Unravelled smashes an entire Ubuntu PC into the chassis beneath the membrane keyboard of an old Spectrum ZX81, thanks to a wonderfully diminuitive VIA EPIA Pico-ITX motherboard. There's even four USB ports, video out and audio connectors. It makes me realize, though, that what I really want is for someone to take a ZX81, a Pico motherboard and add a screen, transforming the Spectrum in actuality into what it always has appeared to me to be: the world's first UMPC.
Ubuntu ZX81 [Flickr via Technabob]
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Minor nitpick from one who cut his programming teeth on one of these back in '81. Its a Sinclair ZX81. The Spectrum was a later Sinclair with more memory, colour, and a squishy rubber keyboard.
I'd escalate that to a major nitpick, on the same level as being told by someone that their operating system was Office 97. Please update, kthxbai.
I like it, but would love it if the keyboard worked. It wouldn't be that hard. Especially if he/she added a stealth touchpoint mouse somewhere. As it is, it looks like a PC keyboard and mouse and monitor sitting around a Sinclair. Not pretty.
OMG..
The ZX81 was my first computer when i was 7. I will never forget these memories.
Oh, god, not with those keys, please!
Ram pack wobble anyone?
This was a very Q+D mod. I'm thinking about adding a keyboard for mark 2, but it's never going to be practical at that size, and unless very well done would lose a lot of the character, (or even characters). I was originally going to put the board in a spectrum plus, which would nicely take a usb keyboard, but thought that was too easy.
Yes, the Sinclair ZX81 was also sold as the Timex 1000 in the U.S.
And RAM Pack wobble was curable with a large rubber band (like so many things in life).
Oh, man, I got one of those (Timex-Sinclair) around 1983 or 1984. I bought the extra RAM pack but it never worked. If I'd only know about the rubber band trick.
Still, that thing was fun to play with! In fact, I still have it.
This is good, but it needs to be running a ZX-81 emulator in the picture.
I'm now tempted to do a mark 2 using a rampack to put the usb ports in. Perhaps even squeeze wireless ethernet and bluetooth into it using a mini hub.
Unravelled, I definitely wasn't bad-mouthing your hack, it's cool. I was just dreaming about improvements; spending your time for you, as it were.
Hacks can usually be improved, always glad of ideas and angles for improvement. I've even found a possible keyboard (if funds allow and they do it in black).
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/05/28/io-bluetooth-keyboar.html
Like the first 2 posts, its a Sinclair ZX81 and this was my second computer (the first was the Sinclair ZX80 which came in kit form and you actually had to build (you even had to solder it!!)) Anyway, they were good computers for their day, never liked the Spectrum much myself, so I went down the Commodore route. Like what you have done to the ole' ZX81, and it would be blast if it could actually run a Linux distro.