ZX81 packaging

Discussions about Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 Hardware
Lardo Boffin
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

ZX81 packaging

Post by Lardo Boffin »

I have bought a number of zeddys and there appears to be three (at least, there may be others I have not seen) different types of packaging for them:-

1) Brown postal
2) Sleeve (leaving ends of polys visible)
3) Full box (flaps at both ends)

Does anyone know the significance of the three different types? The postal one is fairly obvious but what about the other two? Was it down to age / where they were sold or just randomness etc.?

I have an early zeddy that has the dodgy Rom But it has no box - I would like to try to get an appropriate box for it at some point but am not sure which it should be!

Thanks

Lardo
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
Moggy
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Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Moggy »

Not sure about this Lardo as over the years I've issue one's and threes come in both types of printed box as have a couple of ram-packs,I know the zeddies and boxes could have been differently sourced then mixed and matched so as to have the complete package for sale but I do recall an issue three I bought new about 82-83 from a mail order outlet(Kays catalogue) which came in the exposed poly' with sleeve type packaging.

My own theory is that as zeddy production went on Clive tried to cheapen it every way possible which by extrapolation would extend to the packaging so which ever form of printed as opposed to plain boxing looks the cheapest (exposed poly' and outer sleeve?) I would guess is the latest.
Lardo Boffin
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Lardo Boffin »

Moggy wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:17 pm Not sure about this Lardo as over the years I've issue one's and threes come in both types of printed box as have a couple of ram-packs,I know the zeddies and boxes could have been differently sourced then mixed and matched so as to have the complete package for sale but I do recall an issue three I bought new about 82-83 from a mail order outlet(Kays catalogue) which came in the exposed poly' with sleeve type packaging.

My own theory is that as zeddy production went on Clive tried to cheapen it every way possible which by extrapolation would extend to the packaging so which ever form of printed as opposed to plain boxing looks the cheapest (exposed poly' and outer sleeve?) I would guess is the latest.
I suspect the reducing cost as it went along makes a lot of sense! Based on that a full box is probably earlier.
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
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Fwapp
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 10:32 pm

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Fwapp »

I think it's the other way around :)

The sleeves I've seen have the King's Parade address on them which is the address Sinclair Research were at when the changed from Science of Cambridge. The flapped box has the Willis Road address on it which is that shiny mirror building that Sinclair moved to from Kings Parade in late 1982. I'd say that they probably used the sleeve in the early days at Willis Road as well. Mailers tended to be the very early ZX81's. It's similar with the ram packs.

I think you get a mix of ZX81 issues in different boxes due to people mix-and-matching to sell a "fully boxed ZX81" and also Sinclair may sometimes have swapped an Issue 3 for an early Issue 1 when sent in for repair - that sort of thing.

If you are in Cambridge, it can be worthwhile visiting the addresses of the Sinclair buildings, just a for a look. Must go back for a drink in the Baron of Beef :lol:

Pics of the buildings here: https://woodvineblog.wordpress.com/locations/

I must update that blog and add the computers I've got since then and get some photos up as well!
ZX80, ZX81 - 2C158C Bugged Rom iss.1, 2C158C "kludge fix" iss1, 2C184E iss1, 2C210E iss3, US NTSC iss1 "straight traces", US NTSC iss3 TS1000
Lardo Boffin
Posts: 2161
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Lardo Boffin »

Now there is attention to detail! If the addresses on the box correspond to the buildings and they have a known chronology that would certainly indicate the order of production of the boxes and the issue of zeddy that belongs in them.

I can certainly believe the mix and match - most people (myself included) would have no idea what box they should be in. I have definitely seen evidence of such behaviour on eBay!

Lardo
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
Moggy
Posts: 3231
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Moggy »

Just checked a couple of my boxes/sleeves and can confirm Mr Wappy's excellent deductions re chronology.
I think the assumption we all arrived at earlier re mix-matching is therefore a solid one.

This is the kind of minutia I find fascinating,nice one Fwapp. :D

I may have to dig a little deeper to find my two differing ram-pack boxes and check the addresses on them.

EDIT.

Just dug out what I thought were empty ram-pack boxes only to find two pristine working examples inside that I must have forgotten about so thanks Mr Wappy for that! :D :D :D

Oh I almost forgot the two different ram-pack boxes follows the same address logic as the zeddy boxes.
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Fwapp
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 10:32 pm

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Fwapp »

Glad its not just in my slightly odd mind! :lol:

The same goes for the manuals as well - the different editions (1st, 2nd, reprint etc) have Kings Parade and Willis Road addresses on the back.

There's a similar chronology for the ZX Spectrum boxes as well, with earlier Speccies (mid Issue 2) in Kings Parade boxes (same for the manuals) and later ones being Willis Road (again, same for the manuals). You can also see "made in" stickers on the boxes, just above the address, with "Made in Portugal" for Portugese rubber Speccies and made in Korea for Korean (Samsung) made rubber and plus Speccies. Normally the boxes had Made in UK.
ZX80, ZX81 - 2C158C Bugged Rom iss.1, 2C158C "kludge fix" iss1, 2C184E iss1, 2C210E iss3, US NTSC iss1 "straight traces", US NTSC iss3 TS1000
Moggy
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Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Moggy »

I have a 1983 third reprint of the zx81 manual that is a lot slimmer at 162 pages which bears the Willis Rd address.
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msellan
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Location: St. Louis Missouri, US
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Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by msellan »

Here's an issue 3 US ZX81 in it's plain brown cardboard container. As I recall my issue 1 ZX81 arrived in a similar box although sadly I didn't have the foresight as a teen to keep it! :(
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IMG_0705.jpeg (113.73 KiB) Viewed 3573 times
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IMG_0706.jpeg (92.96 KiB) Viewed 3573 times
Best,

-mark
3 ZX80s (1 UK issue 2, 1 US issue 2 & 1 US issue 1), 5 ZX81s, 1 TS1000, 2 Memotech 16k RAM,
2 ZX81 16k RAM, 2 TS 16k RAM, 1 ZX81 unbuilt kit, 1 TS2040 printer, 2+ ZX8-CCB and counting
Moggy
Posts: 3231
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: ZX81 packaging

Post by Moggy »

Quite unlike any packaging I've seen here before with early issue one cassette leads(A ZX80 hangover) a nice almost custom box plus a flat bound as opposed to a spring bound manual which I suspect is a US thing,a very very nice example thanks for sharing. :D
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