Sinclair Research Ltd.

Sinclair Research Ltd , Sinclair Radionics and other marks (cf the history of the marks) is English companies of electrical material, electronics and data processing, juridically distinct but historically similar, created by Sir Clive Sinclair. The company Sinclair Radionics is born with Cambridge in 1961 then, at the end of the years 1970, is abandoned with the profit of the company Sinclair Research, mainly known for its computers ZX80 and ZX81, pioneers of the personal computing.

Its catalog included/understood, in addition to the equipment hi-fi, the computers, the radios, etc, whose common point was the innovation or the reduced size: the designation of each smallest product as in the world is usual in the marketing of the mark.

Sinclair conceives in 1966 the first television of pocket, but without putting it on the market. In 1972, it markets the first Calculatrice of pocket, the Sinclair Executive . Several other models follow, like the Sinclair Cambridge , Sinclair Scientific and Sinclair Oxford .

In 1980, Sinclair enters on the market of the Micro-ordinateur S with ZX80, then sold £99.95, and which remains the personal computer the least expensive marketed in the United Kingdom. In 1982, ZX Spectrum is created and becomes the computer more sold in the United Kingdom; the company is then at the top of its success. Sinclair creates the MetaLab research center in Milton Hall (close to Cambridge), research laboratory on state-of-the-art technologies: artificial intelligence, integrated circuits of big size, etc In 1984 and 1985, the economic losses due to the computer Sinclair QL, on television of pocket TV80 and to the project of C5 electric car lead the company with the bankruptcy, the rights on the products and the mark is sold with Amstrad in 1986. The company remains however in life and proposes, still today, of the products.

The first twenty years: from 1961 to 1980

Sinclair Radionics

Sir Clive Sinclair founds Sinclair Radionics on July 25th, 1961 with Cambridge, in order to market products hi-fi, radios, computers and other scientific instruments, the majority available in Kit (loan-with-to assemble); it uses for this purpose of the funds gathered by writing articles for the review Practical Wireless.

The first products of Sinclair Radionics will be radio S, of which the series is inaugurated by the Sinclair Slimline , sold in Kit in 1963. It is followed one year later by the Microphone-6 , presented wrongly like radio operator “smallest to the world” , carried to the wrist using a bracelet in Nylon (it was then called Transrista ). The Microphone-FM of 1965, qualified “first Receiving FM of pocket of the world” , essuie of large engineering problems, whose main thing is to receive with difficulty the stations radio. In 1967, Sinclair recycles the Microphone-6 and markets the Micromatic , it also qualified radio operator smaller “in the world” ; this model will be sold better than the precedents.

The Hi-fi enters to the catalog of Sinclair in 1966, with the Stereo 25 , a Pre-amplifier at low cost, whose production stops in 1968 because of a lack of transistors. It is replaced in 1969 by the Stereo 60 , which belongs to a whole of audio products named Project 60 , called to become the largest success of Sinclair in this sector. The kits Project 605 (1972), then Project 80 (1974) will supplement this success.

The year 1966 sees also the arrival of Sinclair Radionics in the design of television sets: the Microvision , first Television portable, will not be marketed, because the complexity of the apparatus excludes its production. The year according to, an evolved/moved version, named Microvision TV1A/MON1A , is this marketed time, but its price handicaps the sales, and the last models are sold off. In 1978, the version TV1B appears, but in spite of the hopes of success of Sir Clive Sinclair, the sales are again disappointing, developed technology is then resold with.

During the years 1970, Sinclair concentrates on the creation of Calculatrice S of pocket effective and with the affordable price. In 1972, it markets the first pocket calculator in the world, the Sinclair Executive . It can only make basic mathematical operations, like the addition, the subtraction, the multiplication and division, and its posting, using electroluminescent diodes, vacuum very quickly the batteries, so much so that those are likely to burst during a prolonged use. In spite of that, these is an enormous success, which brings back much money to the company, and which will be improved in 1973 with the Executive Memory .

In 1975 are marketed the Sinclair Oxford , versions 100,150,200 and 300, then the Sinclair Scientific . The series Oxford is at the beginning a ordering of the mark Gillette, which refuses finally the apparatus. Once again, the computer suffers from a pile which is not with the height of its consumption. In 1977, Sinclair tries to take seat in the high-end with its Sinclair Sovereign , available with chrome completion, or in plated gold or money, but if this computer is appreciated for its design and its appearance, it has only one limited success. In 1978, a more complete computer, the Sinclair President , is the last model of the mark, but is not a success, because of the fierce competition of the Asian equivalents.

In August 1975, Sinclair markets its quartz watch in kit (also available rise), the Black Watch . Once again, the piles are failing, but in more the precision is bad (its quartz is very sensitive to the temperature), the watch is fragile (it can be roasted by the static electricity of a Pull-over), the after-sales service is overflowed… The product is a disaster, the parts which remain in stock are recycled in the clock Microquartz which is sold well but the important loss of money does not compensate undergone by the company.

One year afterwards, in August 1976, a big part (43%) of the company is repurchased by an external actor named National Enterprise Board . In 1977, NEB takes the control of Radionics with 73% of the actions. Not wanting to share the control of its company, Clive Sinclair resigns in July 1979, to fold back itself on its other company, “ Sinclair Instrument ”. Chris Curry, which worked with Sinclair Radionics since 1966, initially accompanies it, before creating its own company Acorn. repurchase the tele products and the computers of Radionics, whose name is replaced by “ Sinclair Electronics ” (September 1979), then by “ Thandar Electronics ”, which markets the remaining products.

The new business of Cleaves Sinclair develops the Wrist Calculator , a watch-computer which is a business success. In July 1977, the company is renamed “ Science off Cambridge ”.

Science off Cambridge

At the beginning of this period, Ian Williamson shows in Chris Curry a prototype of computer assembled starting from elements of a computer Sinclair and using a Microprocesseur SC/MP of mark National Semiconductor. Impressed, Chris Curry encourages Sinclair to produce the computer; an agreement is concluded with Williamson, but no contract is signed. National Semiconductor proposes to alter the project by using only its own components and while taking care of the production.

In June 1978, Science off Cambridge markets its first Micro-ordinateur in kit, the MK14 , resting on the components of National Semiconductor. This kit will be sold with 50.000 specimens, in spite of the rudimentary character of the screen (a line of 8 or 9 red LED) and keyboard (which have only 20 keys). As of July of the same year, another project of computer is launched: Sinclair starts to conceive the with Mike Wakefield (originator of the Hardware or material) and Basil Smith (originator of the Software or software), but realizing that the machine will exceed the price of 100 books, it makes replace the project by that of the ZX80, which starts in May 1979. ZX80 is marketed in February 1980, for 79,95 pounds not assembled or 99,95 pounds prefabricated. In November of the same year, the company is renamed “ Sinclair Computers Ltd ”.

Success then decline: from 1981 to 1986

Computers

In March 1981, the company is again re-elected in “ Sinclair Research Ltd ”, and the Sinclair ZX81 is marketed, in kit or is prefabricated. In two years, a million machines will be sold, of which a part with the the United States, via the company Timex which obtains a license to build and sell the computers of Sinclair, under the name of Timex Sinclair, in February 1982. In April, the ZX Spectrum is added to the catalog, at the price from 125 to 175 pounds, for memories of 16 to 48 KB of RAM (random access memory); the machine will be sold as from July in the United States under the name of TS 1000.

In March 1982, the company makes 8,55 million books of benefit.

The money gained thanks to the computers makes it possible Sinclair Research to invest in innovating projects: in September 1983, it mini television TV80 (also called Flat Screen Television , or FTV ) is marketed; it is equipped with a flat panel display whose image is formed by a special Cathode tube, parallel to placed the screen and whose flow of electrons is returned on the screen by an electromagnetic fort Champ. The sales are disappointing (only 15.000 sold models), and do not compensate for the expenses of development.

The company buys Milton Hall , in the village of Milton close to Cambridge, to establish there the MetaLab , a center of research and development.

At the end of the same year, the mark “Timex Sinclair” is given up, because it did not succeed in boring on the US market. The Timex computers will continue to be sold in other countries, some of the models being improvements of Sinclair, like the TS 2048 and 2068 .

The Sinclair QL ( Q uantum L eap ) is presented on January 12th 1984 whereas its Design and its technical design is still in gestation, right before the Macintosh of Apple. The model QL, which is designed for the professional market, is finally marketed in May, but suffers from a ROMANIAN Mémoire insufficient: a disgracieuse extension (a circuit on which a ROMANIAN is assembled correct) is then added to the machine.

The fully functional versions arrive nearly 6 months afterwards, which causes complaints on behalf of the customers, supported by the English Advertizing Standards Authority. A made reproach with Sinclair is the cashing of accounts - checks several months before the assembly and the delivery of the machines. The sales are disappointing compared to the predictions of a million machines: vis-a-vis the competition of the compatible computers IBM PC (the QL is absolutely not it), only 100.000 units are really sold. The production ceases in February 1985, whereas the selling price was divided by two since the beginning.

Between 1981 and 1998, Sinclair and other companies as Kempston Micro Electronics create several peripherals for the Sinclair computers: joystick S (handles with brush), a Thermal printer and plug-ins memory. The support of recording of ZX Spectrum exploits the technology then traditional of the cassette S with Magnetic band and of the Magnétophone S, but Sinclair develops its own format: the ZX Microdrive , which will be also used on the QL.

The fall

In January 1985, Sinclair markets the FM Wristwatch Radio , a radio-watch with screen LCD (with liquid crystals), but it is almost not sold, which makes a required collector's item today of it.

For a long time being interested in the electric vehicles, Sir Clive Sinclair starts to develop a “individual vehicle” single-seat. With this occasion, a new business, name of Sinclair Vehicles Ltd, is formed in March 1983; its first product, the electric Sinclair C5 , is launched on January 10th 1985. This three-wheeled vehicle equipped with batteries wanted to be the ecological first vehicle at an affordable price, that is to say £399. It is a commercial failure, only 17.000 units will be sold, the losses rising to 7 million books push the company to be closed later in the year, whereas it had been envisaged to create the C10 and C15 , of the larger and more traditional electric vehicles.

Triple failure of the C5 , QL and TV80 makes lose with the investors confidence that they had in Sir Clive Sinclair.

May 28th 1985, Sinclair announces that it wishes to make a lifting of funds from 10 to 15 million books, with an aim of restructuring Sinclair Research. But because of the recent failures, this money is hard to find. In 1986, the company sells all its data-processing products, as well as the mark Sinclair , with Amstrad. This sale not relates to the infrastructures, but only the products and the brand image of Sinclair.

The company is famous Cambridge Computer Ltd ; the only product of Sinclair under its new name is the Z88 , a computer with screen integrated LCD and rubber keys, which announced the futures PDA.

From 1990 with today

The company thus continues to exist, in a form different from that of the beginnings: Sir Clive Sinclair becomes the single employee of the company, and ensures the administration, research, the development… Of 1993 with 1995, Sinclair continuous to lose money, its sales turnover is in constant reduction.

In 1992, the second attempt at Sinclair to renew the means of transport is marketed, in the shape of a light electric bicycle named Zike . On the estimates of 10.000 sales, only 2.000 bicycles will be sold, reproducing the failure of C5.

Of 1994 with 2000, Sinclair puts on the market the series Zeta I , Zeta II and Zeta III ( Z ero- E mission T ransport has ccessory), of the auxiliary electrical motors for bicycle. These products are cases equipped with Batteries, an engine and a roller which is in contact with the wheel of the bicycle, following the example Solex. The first model is sold with 15.000 specimens.

Sinclair joins again with its original products with the Z1 micro AM radio operator , sold like The world' S smallest AM radio operator , and being able to fix itself behind the Oreille. This radio is always marketed in 2007.

In 2001 the SeaScooter, an electric engine for the Plongée underwater appears. This product, designed by Sinclair Research, developed by Bomber, financed and distributed by the firm Daka Development Ltd. of HongKong, finds success, and is sold now in the whole world under several variations, of which some make it possible to draw a plunger at the speed of 5km/h until a 50 meters depth under surface.

In 2003, ZA20 Wheelchair Drive Unit is marketed, conceived and builds in partnership with the firm Daka Development of HongKong. This product, derived from the series Zeta for bicycle, is an auxiliary engine for the wheelchairs. Its assets: its lightness and its price.

Announced for 2004, but finally left in 2006, the A-bike is a foldable Vélo which wants to be light and very compact, free to have an appearance different from the others.

Evolution of the company

Evolution of the mark

The company of Sir Clive Sinclair underwent several name changes, a scission followed by the abandonment of one of the two entities. The initial company, Sinclair Radionics Ltd. , is repurchased twice by the National Enterprise Board, the first time, to 43%, in August 1976 (after the failure of the Black Watch ), and the second with 73% in July 1977 (after the losses due to the conquest of the market of the computers by the Asian countries).

A few years earlier, in 1973, Sir Clive Sinclair had created Ablesdeal , for a possible departure of Radionics. The company was re-elected in Westminster Mail order Ltd. in February 1975, then in Sinclair Ltd Instruments. in August of the same year, but the required investments with the three projects of the computer QL , the car C5 and portable television TV80 in 1985 are not compensated by the sales, and it is for Sinclair the beginning of the fall: in 1990, there remain nothing any more but 3 paid in the company.

Abandoned projects

The projects which follow were launched by Sinclair Research but never succeeded:

LC3 : The L ow C ost C olour C omputer should have been a console at low prices based on Z80, developed during the year 1983 by engineer Martin Brennan. It should have had of a Operating system Multi-tâche S and a graphical interface using of the windows. The project is cancelled in 1983, to give the priority to QL.

SuperSpectrum : SuperSpectrum should have been a computer using a processor 68008, a reader ZX integrated Microdrive, a Joystick, ports series and ZX Net , as well as the language SuperBASIC of Sinclair. The project is cancelled in 1982, because the specifications of the QL appear very close to the project.

Loki : Loki should have been a ZX Spectrum improved to compete with the Commodore Amiga, equipped with a processor Z80 H to 7 MHz, with 128 KB RAM and two chips managing graphics and the audio. The project is stopped after the repurchase by Amstrad, but two of the engineers, Martin Brennan and John Mathieson found Flare Technology in order to continue the project

Bob/Guilder : according to Rupert Goodwins, the purpose of this project was to create a Disk drive S additional for ZX Spectrum.

Tyche : Tyche should have been the successor of the QL, equips with larger RAM, of an graphical interface and applicative continuation, disk drive interns Psion Xchange , perhaps. The project lasted of 1984 with 1986.

Anecdotes

Clive Sinclair did not have a very high opinion of the functions of Management and had made an unusual decision which was to sub-contract its management of personnel at an external company, in order to preserve its company of possible conflicts of careers which could have harmed the collective effort.

Notes and references of the article

See too

Atari
Amstrad
Commodore

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