{"id":28119,"date":"2020-11-22T16:51:05","date_gmt":"2020-11-22T16:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/?p=28119"},"modified":"2020-11-23T20:22:59","modified_gmt":"2020-11-23T20:22:59","slug":"raspberry-pi-400","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/raspberry-pi-400\/","title":{"rendered":"Raspberry Pi 400"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22&#8243;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;]<!-- divi:paragraph -->\n<p>Where to start with this one? I&#8217;ve already blogged about my Raspberry Pi&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/?s=raspberry\">here<\/a>, and given the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.raspberrypi.org\/products\/raspberry-pi-400\/?resellerType=home\">Raspberry Pi 400<\/a> isn&#8217;t much different from a Raspberry Pi 4 from a compute perspective, there&#8217;s probably not much point going back over old ground. No, what&#8217;s special about the Raspberry Pi 400 is how it makes you feel and the memories it resurrects!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<!-- \/divi:paragraph -->[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Sharp&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->I&#8217;ve got vague memories of a computer at home before the Sinclair ZX80, but those memories are more about trying to teach my 70-year-old Grandad how to use it some 20+ years later. It was a Sharp MX-80K and had everything built in &#8211; the computer, a monitor, keyboard and a tape deck!\u00a0 It was my Dad&#8217;s fascination with these that drew me in and now lives on in me today.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/sharp-mz80k.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;sharp-mz80k&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||-1px|||&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;ZX80&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/zx80.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;zx80&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;38px|||||&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->It&#8217;s actually the ZX80 that sticks in my mind more though, and I remember it arriving and my Dad having to &#8216;build&#8217; it before you could actually use it. I was still probably a little young when it was launched and it was never really &#8216;my&#8217; computer, although I have ended up with it in my garage, along with various other Sinclair antiques!<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;ZX81&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||||&#8221;]<!-- \/divi:paragraph -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/divi:paragraph -->\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\">The ZX81 and it&#8217;s whopping 16KB RAM pack was most definitely mine, and I remember playing around with basic to write simple programs and loading some very simple games from the tape deck. We also had an Atari game console, which was a much better games machine at the time. I&#8217;m pretty sure my Sister has acquired that, although struggled to get it working with a modern TV, which doesn&#8217;t have the input required! It&#8217;s much easier to relive these games on a Raspberry Pi today, which I&#8217;ve blogged about before <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/retropie\/\" style=\"font-size: 15px;\">here<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/zx81.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;zx81&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Dragon&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/dragon-32.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;dragon-32&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;42px|||||&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->You might think the ZX81 would logically lead to a ZX Spectrum, but in my case it didn&#8217;t! I&#8217;m not entirely sure why but the next computers in the house were both Dragon conputers, first a 32 and then a 64 a year or so later. By this time we&#8217;d started to use computers at school, and it was this that inspired the next one.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Electron&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;40px|||||&#8221;]<!-- \/divi:paragraph --><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><!-- divi:paragraph -->\n<p>At school, we were using BBC Micro B computers, but these were still quite expensive. Step forward the baby brother, the Acorn Electron. It was a great little computer, and it helped a lot with school, but I was always a little jealous of the kids with ZX Spectrums and Commodore 64s which had much better games.\u00a0 They didn&#8217;t have Elite though!<\/p>\n<!-- \/divi:paragraph -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/electron.png&#8221; title_text=&#8221;electron&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Spectrum&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/spectrum.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;spectrum&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; min_height=&#8221;54px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;68px|||||&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->I eventually swapped my Acorn Electron with a friend for his ZX Spectrum and a Big Trak! I thought it was the best deal in the world at the time, although I&#8217;m not entirely sure my Mum or Dad agreed.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;XL&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;73px|||||&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- \/divi:paragraph -->I still have the ZX Spectrum in the garage (with the ZX80, 81 and a Sinclair XL that I have very little recollection of ever using) and I built a robot similar to Big Trak with my daughter earlier this year, which I blogged about <a href=\"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/jnr-trak-aka-devastator-tank-mobile-robot-platform\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- divi:paragraph --> <!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/sinclair-ql.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;sinclair-ql&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;1512&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/amstrad-1512.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;amstrad-1512&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;89px|||||&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->We were now entering the birth of the current x86 era of computing that for me, like many people, started with an Amstrad 1512.\u00a0 Oh, the power of 2 5 1\/4&#8243; Floppy Disk Drives!\u00a0 Again, we had some of these in school and I&#8217;m sure when it was bought this was used as much by my Dad as it was me. It did eventually become my computer at University though.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;286&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;38px|||||&#8221;]<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->During my 1st year at University, they had an offer to buy a 286 PC with a 20MB (not GB) Hard Disk Drive and a 3.5&#8243; FDD (although it didn&#8217;t look exactly like the picture).\u00a0 My Dad gave me the money to make use of this offer, but the deal was that he got the 286 computer and I got the 1512!\u00a0 I did end up with the 286 during my final year, and the remaining journey is a pretty boring one with upgrades of beige boxes with ever-faster processors on a far too regular basis!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/286.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;286&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;Conclusion&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;]<p>I have blogged about some of the laptops I&#8217;ve bought and used over the last 20 years <a href=\"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/new-macbook-air\/\">here<\/a>, and also some of the Raspberry Pi&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/more-pi-1b-zero-w-3a-and-another-4b\/\">here<\/a>.\u00a0 So what is it about the Raspberry Pi 400 that inspired this blog?\u00a0 I think it&#8217;s the form factor of a computer in a keyboard that was so similar to those early computing days back in the 1980s, some 40 years ago.\u00a0 It really is quite a throwback, but so much has changed.<\/p>\n<p>I never had a Commodore 64, but I do remember a time when you were either in camp Spectrum of Commodore!\u00a0 Many friends had them and we spent hours playing pretty much the same games and comparing the similarities.\u00a0 Even though I had an Electron and then Spectrum, the 64 probably was the better machine and the one to have.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s probably not a very fair or realistic comparison, but some of the numbers really are quite unbelievable.\u00a0 I&#8217;m looking forward to playing more with my new and incredibly powerful new toy&#8230;<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/home.apeconsulting.co.uk\/adrian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/pivcommodore.png&#8221; title_text=&#8221;pivcommodore&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.7.3&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Where to start with this one? I&#8217;ve already blogged about my Raspberry Pi&#8217;s here, and given the Raspberry Pi 400 isn&#8217;t much different from a Raspberry Pi 4 from a compute perspective, there&#8217;s probably not much point going back over old ground. No, what&#8217;s special about the Raspberry Pi 400 is how it makes you feel and the memories it resurrects!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Where to start with this one?  I've already blogged about my Raspberry Pi's here, and given the Raspberry Pi 400 isn't much different from a Raspberry Pi 4 from a compute perspective, there's probably not much point going back over old ground.  No, what's special about the Raspberry Pi 400 is how it makes you feel and the memories it resurrects!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:more -->\n<!--more-->\n<!-- \/wp:more -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I've got vague memories of a computer at home before the Sinclair ZX80, but those memories are more about trying to teach my 70 year old Grandad how to use it some 20+ years later.  I can't remember exactly what that computer was, but U'm thinking it was make by Texas Instruments are was similar to a Commodore PET.  I'll need to check with my Dad, who was the one with the interest in these early home computers, which meant they were there for me to play with too!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>It's the ZX80 that sticks in my mind, and I remember it arriving and my Dad having to 'build' it before you could actually use it.  I was still probably a little young when it was launched and itr was never really 'my' computer, although I have ended up with it in my garage, along with various other Sinclair antiques!  <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The ZX81 and it's 16Kb RAM pack was most definitely mine, and I remember playing around with basic to write simple programs and loading some very simple games from the tape desk.  We also had an Atari game console, which was a much better games machine at the time.  I'm pretty sure my Sister has acquired that, although struggled to get it working with a moiden TV, which doesn't have the input required!  It's much easier to relive these games on a Raspberry Pi today, which I've blogged about before here.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>You might think the ZX81 would logically lead to a ZX Spectrum, but in my case it didn't!  I'm not entirely sure why but the next computers in the house were both Dragon conputers, first a 32 and then a 64 a year or so later.  By this time we'd started to use computers at school, and it was this that inspired the next one.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>At school we were using BBC Micro B computers, but these were still quite expensive.  Step forward the baby brother, the Acorn Electron.  It was a great little computer, and it helped a lot with school, but I was always a little jealos of the kids with ZX Spectrums and Comodore 64s which had much better games.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I eventually swapped my Acorn Electron with a friend for his ZX Spectrum and a Big Trak!  I thought it was the best deal in the world at the time, although I'm not entirely sure my Mum or Dad agreed.  I still have the ZX Spectrum in the garage (with the ZX80, 81 and a Sinclair XL that I have very little recollection of ever using) and built a robot similar to Big Trak with my daughter earlier this year, which I blogged about here.  <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>We were now entering the birth of the current x86 era of computing that for me, like many people, started with an Amstrad 1512 PC.  Again, we had some of these in school and I'm sure when it was bought this was used as much by my Dad as it was me.  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