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Clive Sinclair - what a cheap skate!
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peter-h:
I remember Clive's stuff back to the 1960s.

As said by others above, he was always right on the edge of things only just about working. The little radio he did c. 1969 was crap and barely worked at the best of times. The audio modules were also crap, using the cheapest imaginable open carbon trimmers for the level controls.

Then he had the disaster with the watch, which may not have been his fault; it was a failing chip which had a near 100% failure rate, but not right away.

Then the portable TV which was packed with electronics. He got a custom CRT made for it. It didn't go far.

His last adventure was the C5 electric vehicle, assembled by a washing machine company. It was junk too.

But he wasn't bothered. He got his knighthood: Sir Clive.

And everybody thinks he was a genius. Well, he was. I went to one of his presentations, on the design of a digital voltmeter. He decided TTL chips cost too much so he built them with discrete components!
Kjelt:

--- Quote from: peter-h on September 13, 2020, 03:36:03 pm ---But he wasn't bothered. He got his knighthood: Sir Clive.

--- End quote ---
And Tommy Flowers did not, not even post mortem. Shame!
floobydust:
Early, Sinclair did many audio amplifiers (check out their overboard claims).

For the TR750 (germanium 1964) I read:
"The original transistors were selected Plessey devices rescued from landfill, a Sinclair specialty and consequently unobtainable through the usual suppliers." EPE Jake Rothman June 2015.

I guess he did get ahead by being a cheapskate.
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