DK'Tronics
Encyclopedia
dk'tronics were a software and hardware company during the 1980s. They primarily made peripherals for the ZX Spectrum
and Amstrad CPC
but also released video games for the Spectrum, Commodore 64
, Commodore Vic 20, BBC Micro
, Memotech
, MSX
and Amstrad platforms.
By 1984, dk'tronics had around 50 personnel, with David as managing director. He was also looking into the possibility of becoming a computer manufacturer, specifically with a low-cost processor for the leisure market. It was planned to have an integrated screen and music keyboard.
Due to the company's success and good press coverage, in 1985 dk'tronics were approached by management from Currah
(most noted for their Microspeech speech synthesis peripheral). After talks, dk'tronics acquired Currah for a "substantial five-figure sum". Technology acquired from Currah included the microSource, an Assembler
/Forth 'on-board' ROM.
Software was published between 1982 and 1985, and included works from regular programmers such as Don Priestley
.
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
but also released video games for the Spectrum, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Commodore Vic 20, BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
, Memotech
Memotech
Memotech was a company based in Witney in Oxfordshire, England. They started out during the early 1980s producing memory expansion packs and other hardware expansions for the Sinclair ZX81....
, MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
and Amstrad platforms.
History
dk'tronics' first product was a 16Kb expansion pack for the ZX80, released just prior to the launch of the ZX81. At this time the company consisted only of David Heelas, working part-time through his interest in electronics. When the ZX81 was launched, he went full-time – manufacturing, packaging and posting from his home – and by the end of 1981 he had four employees. Hardware production expanded to include new keyboards for the ZX81 and for the newly released ZX Spectrum.By 1984, dk'tronics had around 50 personnel, with David as managing director. He was also looking into the possibility of becoming a computer manufacturer, specifically with a low-cost processor for the leisure market. It was planned to have an integrated screen and music keyboard.
Due to the company's success and good press coverage, in 1985 dk'tronics were approached by management from Currah
Currah
Currah was a British computer peripheral manufacturer, famous mainly for the speech synthesis cartridges it designed for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and other 8-bit home computers of the 1980s.-Currah μSource for the ZX Spectrum:...
(most noted for their Microspeech speech synthesis peripheral). After talks, dk'tronics acquired Currah for a "substantial five-figure sum". Technology acquired from Currah included the microSource, an Assembler
Assembly language
An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices. It implements a symbolic representation of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture...
/Forth 'on-board' ROM.
Software
David Heelas was known to be critical of the hype attempted by other software companies in the gaming press and took pride in the professional position adopted by dk'tronics.Software was published between 1982 and 1985, and included works from regular programmers such as Don Priestley
Don Priestley
Don Priestley is a video game programmer who wrote for the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum between 1982 and 1989.-Background:Until 1979, Don Priestley was a teacher. In 1981 both he and his son enrolled in a Pascal course at night school. Although his son dropped out, Don carried on...
.
Partial list of games
- 3D Tanx3D Tanx3D Tanx is a shoot 'em up video game written by Don Priestley and published by dk'tronics in 1982 for the ZX Spectrum, C64 and BBC Micro.-Gameplay:...
(1982), Don Priestley (an early success, selling 140,000 copies) - MaziacsMaziacsMaziacs is an action adventure maze video game published by dk'tronics in 1983 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and MSX.-History:Maziacs, written by Don Priestley, was based on his earlier ZX81 game Mazogs which was published by Bug Byte in 1982...
(1983), Don Priestley, supported the Currah MicroSpeech - Zig ZagZig Zag (video game)Zig Zag is a maze video game written by Ed Hickman and published by dk'tronics in 1984. It was released for the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64.-Gameplay:...
(1984), Ed Hickman, supported the Currah MicroSpeech - Popeye (1985), Don Priestley
External links
- dk'tronics (miscapitalised "DK'Tronics") at World of SpectrumWorld of SpectrumWorld of Spectrum is a website devoted to cataloging and archiving material for the ZX Spectrum home computer popular in the 1980s, and has been officially endorsed by Amstrad which holds the rights to the ZX Spectrum brand...
- "Currah vow of silence" news article from Sinclair User issue 36, March 1985, regarding dk'tronics' acquisition of Currah and subsequent trouble with Welwyn; retrieved from Sinclair User Magazine Online