Remember the early days of the micro revolution? We were all going to get up to wizard wheezes like running our train sets with our ZX81's? But computer control was never that simple, and in the end it attracted only those most hardened of hobbyists - the trainspotters.
    Well, maybe Sir Clive's early advertising claims that the good old '81 was powerful enough to run a nuclear power station were a little OTT. But it's still true that a Spectrum can be used for more than playing games, and that's the thinking behind Red Box.
    Few peripherals are so aptly named as this one. The starter pack consists of not one but three boxes and all of them are undoubtedly very, very red. They are also very, very plain. No unpleasant edge connectors or difficult dials.
    That's the secret of the Red Box system. You plug in whatever you want to control just as if you were connecting it to an extension lead. And, even more cleverly, it uses the mains to connect units in a network. They sit there, happily talking to each other and using minimal electricity, without any clumsy, trailing cables.
    Wow, you're saying - this is just what I need to run that nuclear power station in the basement from the safety of my bedroom. Well, this is how you do it. First, follow the instructions carefully, as they take you through the early stages slowly and clearly. Here's the basic process:
    Set up your Speccy as if you were about to Load a tape, but with the Ear socket connected to Red Leader rather than a cassette recorder. Then switch on the command unit and it'll automatically download a control program. You can then plug in other units, and introduce Red Leader to them.
    Each unit, whatever its type, has a unique code, and though you'll probably find it easier to refer to them by a short name, the control chip uses this ID to send commands. Note: if you're worried about hackers breaking into your system via a shared circuit, don't be. Red Box uses a complex encryption system to prevent intrusion.
    Once every unit knows the others' names and is happily hand shaking, you can start to have some fun. Plug a light into a Red One socket and you can turn it on and off from the main menu.
    Eventually, after about ooh... ten seconds or so, you'll get tired of strobing your anglepoise and want to get down to something more ambitious. How about getting Red Leader to turn the light on at midnight, then off again five minutes later? It's simplicity itself, you just enter the relevant twenty-four hour times and then set the command in motion.
    What next? How about a bit of fun with Red Two. You can slave units, so that they won't switch until they get a signal though the mains. You can use the infra-red sensor to turn on the lamp, though sadly it won't turn it off again. All you have to do is wave your hand in front of Red Two and, lo... let there be light!
    Now you're beginning to get an idea of the god-like potential of the system, and there's no need to stop with the starter pack. You can connect a infinite number of units to one ring main - in theory at any rate. To make the most of all that command power though, you'll need to take the next step, into Red Box Basic.
    Okay, I admit, this is where it gets just a tiny bit technical, and unluckily the manual isn't quite so helpful for novices at this point. But when Red Leader down-loads the command program, it also gives you a new dialect of the language you already know and love (or hate, or ignore, for that matter).
    It adds a number of commands that are missing from Spectrum Basic, such as programming aids like Delete, plus conditionals like Repeat... Until and even commands dedicated to the system, such as Install. These let you write quite complex chains of commands, so that you can not only turn on your nuclear power plant, but also switch on the kettle to boil a cup of tea.
    Whether you get into proper programming, or settle for slavery by single key commands, once you've sorted out a satisfactory sequence you can tell Red Leader that you're satisfied, then unplug your Spectrum. So long as the big red one remains plugged in, its own little on-board micro will carry on doing just what you asked it. And as each Red unit contains a micro too, you can unplug them and move them around and the Leader will still keep in touch.
    By now you should be thinking about how you can use the system, and if you're lacking ideas, there are a few below. But the real future of Red Box lies in... the future! You see, GIS has lots of exciting expansion plans on the cards.
    For starters there's a real time clock with battery back up for Red Leader, which means that even if there's a power cut it'll know exactly what to do and when. There will also be other sensors, and most excitingly, work is underway on an autodialler for use with your phone. Imagine being able to set a sensor at home, so that if it detects an intruder, it phones somebody and warns them with a pre-recorded message!
    The uses of Red Box are really only limited by your imagination. From remote control of a trainset to switching on the fire to the creation of a security system, Red Box can do it. The only real restriction is that it's not suitable for extremely high power devices, such as immersion heaters or cookers.
    Apart from that though, it's extremely easy to use, so what are you waiting for? Now there's no excuse not to join the Red (Box) Revolution and take control!
    
THE STORY OF THREE LITTLE TRAINSPOTTERS
Once upon a time there were Three Little Trainspotters, who were afraid that the big bad Wolf would break in while they were out trainspotting. So the First Little Trainspotter set up a security system with Read leader turning on a light at eight o'clock then turning it off and replacing it with another at nine. It also turned on the radio at eight-thirty. The Wolf thought, "Uh-oh... he's at home!" and moved on.
    Trainspotter Two also set up a light and a cassette recording of casual conversation to try and fool the cat... sorry, Wolf burglar. But being a more cautious sort he set up Red Two just above his front door. When the Wolf huffed and puffed and blew it in, it triggered an alarm, hidden under the roof, which sent the Wolf scarpering before the Three Little Coppers arrived in their panda car!
    At the third house the Wolf didn't notice a Red Two commanding a heater under the goldfish bowl. The water boiled after four minutes, then out jumped the fish, on to the model train, which was programmed to start a minute later. It passed the cat, which ran after it, triggering another Red Two which started the drill. The Wolf struggled with the door, held shut by a giant electro-magnet. But when the anvil fell, a third Red Two switched the magnet off. As the Wolf flew the door, he was crushed by the plummeting anvil!