Interface 1
A peripheral from Sinclair Research for their ZX Spectrum computer, Interface 1 launched in 1983. Originally intended as a network interface for use in school classrooms, it was revised before launch to also act as the controller for up to eight Microdrives.
A wedge-shaped device fitting underneath the Spectrum, Interface 1 contained 8K of ROM with the control software for the Microdrives. This extended the error handler in the Sinclair BASIC programming language to allow extra keywords to be used. As this became an official standard, other developers quickly used this mechanism to create language extensions to the BASIC.
The device offered two network ports, allowing up to 100 Spectrums to be daisy-chained using network leads up to 10 foot long. Data could be sent or received at 100 baud either to or from a numbered workstation, or broadcast to all nodes, allowing one machine to act as a server. The same system was later used on the Sinclair QL but, like microdrive cartidges, the two systems were not interoperable.
In addition to the Microdrive interface and network ports, there was also a nine-pin RS-232 interface capable of operating at up to 19.2Kbps - a rare instance of Sinclair using an industry-standard connector.
