Orel BK-08

The Orel BK-08 is a Sinclair ZX-Spectrum clone produced in Dnepropetrovsk in the Ukraine around 1993.

The computer has 64KByte of RAM, and like many other eastern european spectrum clones implements most of it's logic using TTL logic chips. The Spectrum ROM is contained in PROM chips. The video output is RGB+Sync, something most older Russian and Soviet television sets were able to handle. The unit came with a demostration cassette with a MZ80 monitor program, and some testing software. Interesting detail on the keyboard are the two keys that control the Reset and NMI signals of the CPU.

The CPU is a Korean Goldstar Z80, rather than a Soviet clone. The computer had a unique ability to load software into a special area, called Shadow Ram. After a reset, the computer would then execute the program in this RAM as if it were reading a ROM.

As most Eastern European clones, the keyboard is made up of individual magnetic reed switches, which is reliable but more expensive than western style keyboards.