ZX Spectrum and ZX81 ULA gallery

Updated: 24 June 2023

I decided to create this ULA gallery to give people a look at the timeline of probably the most important part of the ZX Spectrum (and ZX81).
It’s in chronological order, though grouped by computer model (ZX81, ZX Spectrum and ZX Spectrum 128K), which should give the best impression.

Send me your ULA pics!

I will update this list with photos you guys send me: send your ULA photos to: ula@bytedelight.com.

If you are able to dig up some details, like what board it’s in, general temperature, or anything else, I’ll add it to the description with the photo!

More webpages about the ZX Spectrum ULA:

There are probably errors on this page. If you find any, please let me know: ula@bytedelight.com.

(C) 2017 Ben Versteeg – ask me for distribution of content of this page please.

Which ZX Spectrum board issue is the best?

Click on this link to get to a webpage where I try to answer that question: https://www.bytedelight.com/?page_id=11467

The Inconvenient Truth – dying ULAs


Well, if you’re using the machine with that ULA anyway.

After 35 years, the ZX Spectrum ULA has had a long and interesting life, and during the last 5-10 years it seems more and more ULA chips are passing away.
The main cause is heat! Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY8dnEl-V7k

The ONLY proper solution to extend the life of an original ULA chip is to put a heatsink on it with the size of the chip itself.
The ones that many people use is the Fischer Elektronik ICK 40 B, which can be obtained from eg. Reichelt , Conrad or somewhere else.
You need thermal paste and add glue to mount the heatsink, or use thermal glue.

There are a couple of ULA replacements nowadays, but if you can save your original ULA chip, please make sure to do so.
Otherwise they will wind up like these… RIP 🙁

My ULA died!! 🙁

No sweat!

Get a replica ULA like:

ZX81:

ZX Spectrum 16/48K:

ZX Spectrum 128K:

 

And now for the real gallery…

 


ZX81 ULA chips

8102 ZX81 ULA

23 Jan 2020 From Brendan Alford: “Have an 8102 ULA, you won’t see any earlier ?”

8102 ZX81 ULA

24 Jan 2020 From Ian Gledhill: “Here’s some more. The earliest [ed: this one], a middle period one (but UK made so L@@K R@RE) and the latest ULAs known.”

8109 ZX81 ULA

22 Jan 2020 Stuart Cowan beat everyone so far 😉 He sent in a pic ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶(̶Z̶X̶8̶1̶)̶ ̶U̶L̶A̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶f̶a̶r̶: “Something for your gallery”

8111 ZX81 ULA 2C158E

5 March 2022 – From Paul: “Duff ula from zx81. From issue 1 1980 pcb. This is the only damaged chips on the board, I plugged in my working ula and both sprang to life.”

8119 ZX81 ULA

22 Jan 2020 From Idriz Delic: “ZX81 issue 1”

8120 ZX81 ULA

23 Jan 2020 From Thomas Ahn Kolbeck: “From ZX81 Issue 1”

8130 ZX81 Ferranti ULA2C184E

From Piotr K. aka “Kacper”, from Poland: “Ula from Zx81 issue one”

8146 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C184E

26 Jan 2020 from Stephen Bennett: “A couple of early ones… including one of the 8102s :)” (original photo includedn a 8102 obviously)

8150 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C184E

24 Jan 2020 From Chris Bellman: “Wow, 8150 is the earliest I have.”

8206 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C184E

19 Dec 2022 from Dan: (1 of 5) “All of these were in Timex Sinclair 1000’s except the 2c184e, it was in an American ZX-81. Notice the two dated the same but the chip color and the silkscreening are different.”

Check out the other ZX81 ULA photos Dan also sent, in this gallery!

8211 ZX81 ULA 2C184E

5 March 2022 – From Paul: “Duff ula from zx81. From issue 1 1980 pcbs. These are the only damaged chips on the board, I plugged in my working ula and both sprang to life. The 2c184e did work but failed after being on for 10 minutes.”

8225 Timex 1000 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

27 Nov 2022 – From Dan H: “Here are pictures of my ULA. It is in a Timex Sinclair 1000 I got on Ebay from Ohio.”

Thanks for this contribution out of the States Dan!

8230 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C184E

19 Dec 2022 from Dan: (2 of 5) “All of these were in Timex Sinclair 1000’s except the 2c184e, it was in an American ZX-81. Notice the two dated the same but the chip color and the silkscreening are different.”

Check out the other ZX81 ULA photos Dan also sent, in this gallery!

8231 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

21 Aug 2021 – From Tudor D: “I have an interesting ULA in my ZX81… 8231”.

8233 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

24 Jan 2020 From Ian Gledhill: “Here’s some more. The earliest, a middle period one [ed: this one] (but UK made so L@@K R@RE) and the latest ULAs known.”

8245 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C201E

4 Feb 2020 from Thomas Ahn Kolbeck Kjær Heckmann: “Another one from me ULA 8245 from ZX81 issue 3”

8250 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

From Luis Correia: “And some more. These are all the ula I have outside my spectrums. From my 30year plus collection”

8251 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

From Brad (12 Dec 2022): “From my first (and only – so far) Timex Sinclair 1000 — an 8251. The unit is being awakened after a looong sleep in boxes through various houses and moves over the last 25 years. It looks great inside. It’s spent its life on the prairies in Alberta, Canada so humidity hasn’t been an issue.

No idea if the unit works or not as I don’t have an RF Modulator, but I’m planning to do the composite mod (ordered and enroute) so will progress from there. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for providing a cool resource!”

Thank you Brad!

8251 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

19 Dec 2022 from Dan: (3 of 5) “All of these were in Timex Sinclair 1000’s except the 2c184e, it was in an American ZX-81. Notice the two dated the same but the chip color and the silkscreening are different.”

Check out the other ZX81 ULA photos Dan also sent, in this gallery!

8306 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

19 Dec 2022 from Dan: (4 of 5) “All of these were in Timex Sinclair 1000’s except the 2c184e, it was in an American ZX-81. Notice the two dated the same but the chip color and the silkscreening are different.”

Check out the other ZX81 ULA photos Dan also sent, in this gallery!

8310 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

From Miguel C. (10 March 2020): “I have about 30(!) of these ULA still in their anti-static IC tubes! I’ve found them together with new rubber keyboards for the Timex Sinclair 1500 in a box on a warehouse. The guy told me that they came from Timex Portugal factory, so I belive these are New Old Stock never used on the assembly line.”

8312 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

19 Dec 2022 from Dan: (5 of 5) “All of these were in Timex Sinclair 1000’s except the 2c184e, it was in an American ZX-81. Notice the two dated the same but the chip color and the silkscreening are different.”

Check out the other ZX81 ULA photos Dan also sent, in this gallery!

8439 ZX81 Ferranti ULA 2C210E

From Ian G. (24 Jan 2020): “Here’s some more. The earliest], a middle period one (but UK made so L@@K R@RE) and the latest ULAs known. [ed: this one]”

 

 


ZX Spectrum 16K/48K ULA chips

8214 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C102E

21 Jan 2020 From Mark Smith: “You need a pic of the first ula batch – 8214. Note the lack of a cockroach on this machine (it doesn’t have a serial number either, but used to belong to Eric Deeson who wrote for Your Computer magazine among others). Hence machine code games don’t work on this one :)”

8217 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C102E

From Brendan Alford (22-12-17)

Inside an issue 1, s/n001-011754

8220 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C102E

From Chris Taylor (3 April 19): “Found inside an Plus case (unfortunately).
Still very lovely!”

8222 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA5C102E

From Chris Malin (30 May 2023): “Here’s another one from a recent acquisition.”

Very nice Chris! Let’s see if this gallery can also become a ‘low serial number issue one’ showcase, I love it!

8223 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA5C102E

From Chris Malin (12 Dec 2022): “This is for your ULA gallery. It’s from my issue 1 spectrum that is currently on display in RMC’s Cave.”

Awesome Chris! Thanks a lot!
And I couldn’t leave out the photo of the whole issue one board!

8223 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA5C102E

From Neil Beadle (18 Jun 2023): “I see you have one with this date code in your library but I thought I’d send it anyway. ”

Well, these photos are superb, maybe the best issue one shots so far! These are art!
I even didn’t bother to crop the image to the ULA only, it’s much nicer seeing the whole board.
Thanks a lot Neil!

8228 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C102E

From Scott B. (18 March 2022)

“Hi Ben, this one appear missing from your Spectrum ULA list: ULA 5C102E-8228.
Found on a not-very-healthy issue “1.5″ – it fails all upper ram tests 🙁 It was in a third-party keyboard, so unfortunately the machine serial number is unknown.”

I (Ben) made an exception showing not just the ULA chip for this one, since this is just beautiful:

8229 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C102E

From Mark Smith (22-12-17)

8229 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C102E

From Ivan (24 Jun 2023), ULA 4 of 4: “The 5C102 is clearly an Issue “1.5” 001-039799 Speccy 48K which is the most recent acquisition, needed two lower RAM chips.
Hope you are well and keep up the great work.”

Check out Ivans other contributions in this gallery!
Thanks a lot Ivan for all 4 ULA photos!

8235 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E

From Carl Greenhalgh (4 May 2022): “From my issue 2 still working. Don’t think you have this one in your gallery.”

8237 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E

From Stephen Bennett (22-12-17): “This is mine – Issue 2, rubbey key, S/N D01-004070”

8237 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E

From Luis Correia: “And some more. These are all the ula I have outside my spectrums. From my 30year plus collection”

8244 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-2

From Ian Gledhill (07-01-18) – “One from the vaults”

8248 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-2

From Ivan (24 Jun 2023), ULA 3 of 4: “The 5C112 is an Issue 2 001-111371 Speccy 16K which is only boxed one that I have and came with the warranty card a Mr Burns bought it in Sept ’83 in the UK. This one needed reviving.”

Check out Ivans other contributions in this gallery!
Thanks a lot Ivan!

8301 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E

From Brendan Alford (27-12-17)

Bottom:

8304 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-3

24 Jan 2020 From Chris Bellman: “8304 from a 16k spectrum issue 2 for your gallery”

8307 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E

From Filippo F. (9 May 2021): “Hi, here is a picture of my ULA if you want to add this to the gallery. It’s a issue 2 board, FERRANTI ULA 5C112E 8307 (this one is missing in the gallery if i’m not wrong).
Sadly it’s dead, my ZX Spectrum powers on with green screen and lines. Already replaced lower RAM, tested transistors, voltages and capacitors. I think it’s the ULA.”

8312 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C011E

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “6C011E made in the UK. This is an NTSC ULA roughly equivalent to a 6C001E-6, but gives a 60Hz video signal instead of 50Hz”

8312 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-3

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “5C112E-3 made in the UK”

8314 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-3

From Mark S. (22 Dec 2017)

8316 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-3

From Henk G. (2 Mar 2022): “Installed on a ZX Spectrum Issue 2 board that belonged to my brother back in the day.”

8319 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-3

From Ben Versteeg (22 Dec 2017)

8320 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-5

From Ben Versteeg (22 Dec 2017)

8320 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 5C112E-3

From Sebastian L. (16 March 2020): “Saw you have a collection of these. Not sure if you care for any more, but here you go ?”
Yes we do care for more!

8322 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-5

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “Philippines 6C001E-5 with tall font.”

8324 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-5

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “Probably made in the Philippines again, marked 6C00IE-S instead of 6C001E-5”

8326 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-5

From Mark S. (22 Dec 2017)

8328 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001-6

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “Wide, squared font 6C001E-6, again probably Philippines”

8329 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Piotr K., aka “Kacper”, from Poland: “Zx48 issue two”.

8332 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “6C001E-6 made in the UK (much more reliable than the Suicide ULA, which is the -6 made in the Philippines)”

8334 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Ben Versteeg (5 Jan 2018)

8335 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “Philippines 6C001E-6 with squared font”

8339 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Ben Versteeg (22 Dec 2017)

8345 ZX SpectrumFerranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Mark S. (22 Dec 2017)

8348 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Bora Y. (11 May 2021): “This is my one an only still working suicide ULA. Fitted from factory to a very late production issue 2 48K, bought new in Jan 1984 in London.”

8402 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA6C001E-6

From Henk G. (2 Mar 2022): “Installed on a ZX Spectrum Issue 3B board which was mine back in the day.”

8403 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA6C001E-6

From Bruce (24 Jan 2023): “This is from an Issue 3b Motherboard.
Dead as a Dodo though so I had to replace as absolutely no video whatsoever. Replacement 6C001E-7 worked a treat !

Thanks
Bruce”

Thank you Bruce!

8406 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Luis C. (20 Jan 2020)

8410 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Ben Versteeg (22 Dec 2017)

8410 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001-7

From Thomas H. (22 Dec 2017): “Inside a Issue 4B S/N 037-269574”:

8410 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Ben Versteeg (22 Dec 2017)

8411 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Ian G. (7 Jan 2018): “Wide print 6C001E-7, probably made in the Philippines”

8412 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-6

From Ben Versteeg (5 Jan 2018)

8418 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Milan S. (22 Jan 2020): “Nice piece of 8418”

8420 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Mark S. (22 Dec 2017)

8421 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Johan den Hertog (9 April 2023): “Have a working 8421 FERRANTI ULA 6C00E-7 on the Issue 3B”.

Thanks Johan!

8426 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA6C001E-7

From Henk G. (2 Mar 2022): “Installed on a ZX Spectrum Issue 4 board which was picked up from a flea marker many, many years ago before retro computers became popular again.”

8438 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Luis C.: “And some more. These are all the ula I have outside my spectrums. From my 30year plus collection”

8442 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From João V. (10 Feb 2020): “Found this ULA to add to your collection. 8442 6C001E-7 no logo. It’s from a 48K+ issue 6A.”

8444 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Mark Smith (22 Dec 2017)

8446 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E(-6)

From Ben Versteeg (22-12-17)

8446 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E(-6)

From Ben Versteeg (22-12-17)

8447 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Bernhard (19-01-20) –
“I´ve attached Photo of 48k ULA FERRANTI ULA 6C001E-7 8447 which I can´t find on yet your „ZX Spectrum ULA gallery“.
It was on a Issue 4 S Board.
As I only have the naked, untested board here.”

8448 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Ian Gledhill (07-01-18) – “Square font 6C001E-7. Philippines again?”

8448 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Luis Correia (20-1-2020)

8448 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Ivan (24 Jun 2023), ULA 2 of 4: “The other 6C001E-7 is clearly a 4S, Speccy+ serial number S01-070902. Machine is pristine in and out it worked straight away so I left it original other than composite mod. I got it from gumtree few years ago….”

Check out Ivans other contributions in this gallery!
Thanks a lot Ivan!

8449 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Anthony S. (11 May 2021): “1983 issue 4s. As hot as the suns core within 30 seconds actually did damage to my finger it got so hot.”

8504 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Ivan (24 Jun 2023), ULA 1 of 4: “Greetings from Sydney, Australia. Here’s some ULA’s for you, feel free to use any of them.
The loose one is the only faulty one I have that died couple of years ago it was from an Speccy+ Issue 6A 116-256335 which one was of my 2 originals. I bought from a kid in highschool in ’92. One of the data lines died so it looks just like lower RAM fault….”

Check out Ivans other contributions in this gallery!
Thanks a lot Ivan!

8507 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

5 August 2020 From Thomas H.: “From Issue 4S”.

8519 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

21 Jan 2020 From Rui R.: “48K Issue 3, 1983” (machine where it is in).
Andy Shepherd replied: “date stamp is 1985, guess it got replaced at some point?”
Rui F Ribeiro replied: “Probably. This 48K had repairs and a new Z80 from Zilog replacing the original NEC one.”

8623 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Brendan A. (27-12-17)

8625 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Brendan A. (27-12-17)

8629 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Ben Versteeg (22-12-17)

8711 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA 6C001E-7

From Piotr K. aka “Kacper”, from Poland: “Hello Ben, I found your website about Ula do zx spectrum. Nice thing, good job. 1987 Hive from 11 weeks is missing in your gallery. I am sending a photo to be completed.”

8720 ZX Spectrum Ferranti ULA6C001E-7

From Brendan A. (27-12-17)

Brendan said: “I think the 8720 ULA is the last batch produced by Ferranti prior to the Plessey takeover”.

8816 ZX Spectrum Plessey ULA 6C001E-7

From Brendan A. (27 Dec 2017)

8822 ZX Spectrum Plessey ULA6C001E-7

From Ben Versteeg (22 Dec 2017)

I got this info from Ian Gledhill about Plessey:

This one seems to spread the heat quite well: average temperature is about 39 degrees Celsius and 41 at the hotspot outside a case.

8936 ZX Spectrum PS ULA6C001E7

From Brendan Alford (27-12-17)

8936 ZX Spectrum Plessey ULA 6C001E7

From Ian Gledhill (07-01-18) – “Plessey 6C001E-7 with logo. UK made?”

 

 


ZX Spectrum 128K ULA chips

8608 ZX Spectrum 128K Ferranti ULA7K010E5

From Stephan E. (21-01-18)

This is the ULA for a ZX Spectrum 128K or (grey) +2.

8618 ZX Spectrum 128K Ferranti ULA7K010E5

From Joachim G (5-08-21)

“I have one more photo for you for your ULA picture collection. This is the ULA from the Toastrack. … Here you go. Just in case you don’t have the picture yet.”