New and Updated Articles

Hell hath no fury like a Timex-Sinclair owner whose computer has been scorned. The scurrilous comment in this column was that the little wedge-shaped Timex-Sinclair had finally found its true calling, as a doorstop. At least, that is what the folks at Commodore say, and Commodore is an honorable company.

The folding of the SINC-LINK, the end of the Best of the Best Sinclair newsletter era, leaves a large gap in the Sinclair community: For more than twelve years, SINC-LINK provided us with top-notch articles and programs on all of the Sinclair computers – very thorough with help available on what ails you.

I have read many articles on correcting the over heating problem due to the 5.0V regulator (7805), which supplies the regulated 5.0V to the QL. When you look inside the QL, I wonder if SIR Clive’s miniaturization caused more problems, than it was worth.

Note: In Part I, Nov/Dec 88, under the section titled “The SCL Chip”, there is a list of circuits and/or functions of the chip. This final installment continues with (h) Internal Data Latch and goes to the conclusion. On the last page is a drawing of (f) Internal Data Bus.

There are several flight simulation software for the T/S 2068. They include the original ‘Flight Simulator’. ‘Fighter Pilot’ – the F-15 simulation, ‘Night Gunner’ – the World War II bomber, and the great arcade type game ‘Penetrator.’ One that I have recently purchased is ‘Tomahawk.’ It simulates the U.S.

Being unable to draw the exact circuits; because of the lack of any technical data on the Ferranti Mask Programmable Universal Logic Chip ULA2C184E (either programmed or unprogrammed); using standard TTL chips I have made the following drawings simulating the functions that the ROM routines indicate.

Thanks To The Ottawa TSUG for the listing AND To Pheonix Pete for the RLE Graphics –

The article about printer control in the October Issue brought forth enough response to indicate that a more comprehensive reference should be attempted. Apparantly many users are having problems in this area. One nice Lady wrote her thanks, and several Gents wanted more information. But John Oliger wrote and pointed out a couple of mistakes.

-Days, weeks, months go by and I hardly pay attention, then POW another year, another decade, another time marker goes by and it seems impossible that the date, copyright on the screen could be that old! -Hi and thanks to all user groups in our swap network.

Here’s wishing one and all- a Very Happy Thanksgiving Day, and Happy Holidays this December and Happy New Year 1988 Enjoy, be merry, be thankful and then write an article for your newsletter ! from your editor.

A neat way of selecting from a menu or a collection of items on the screen is to move the cursor to the desired item. There is nothing new about this idea:- many games and commercial programs use this tequnique.

I just received a LarKen FDD System and ran into a few minor problems with connecting the AMDEK AMDISK III, a 2 drive disk system with power supply all tucked into a compact case.

Before reading too far into this, go grab a newspaper or some other publication that has print laid out in narrow columns. Count the number of letters and blank spaces on several lines. Chances are, you’ll find that each line contains a DIFFERENT number of characters. This is done with a method called Proportional Printing.

When the maker of the Timex modem sold the remainder of its uncased boards as surplus scrap, and that scrap was purchased by dealers who still support the machine, it was a windfall for many users. Finally, those who couldn’t justify the cost of a new modem were trying them out.

To add the RS232 Port to the 2050 Modem Card requires the addition of two IC’s, a four pole double throw switch and a 9 volt battery. Component mounting is not critical and I found that all parts can be mounted on a small PC board and piggy-backed on the top of the modem card.

NEWS;via Computer Shopper and E. Arthur Brown….I did not pay a bunch of attention the first time I read the ad for ‘PC Pictascan Graphics Grabber’, page 5, E11 of Brown’s latest catalog until I saw it in Computer Shopper-Jan ’87 issue.

Program to read program headers on tape and produce a directory.

All good things must end. This series has to end too, and with a small quiver of nostalgia (and a great sigh of relief) we’ll finish it with this installment. We mainly want to describe the interrupt driven sprite program first introduced here so long ago, but there’s one more matter to cover.

Here’s a nice little project you can whip up and get running in a couple of hours, or you can choose to spend as long as you want refining and upgrading it to suit your particular demands.

It’s hard to believe that this series has been going on as long as it has, but it’s even harder for me to believe that it’s nearly time to ‘wrap it up’. This time, we’re going to cover a couple of tricks we can do because the maskable interrupt is synchronized to the computer’s video output.

Hello again! It’s time to take another look at the wonderful world of interrupts. This installment will be of most use to those who’ve built the NMI Switch and the Universal LROS/AROS Development Board, shown in part 5 of this series. If you haven’t done so yet, warm up that soldering iron and start wiring!

^ this is the graphics for last month’s program ‘RACING’ by Stan Livingston, thanks Stan.

WE GET A NUMBER OF NEWSLETTERS IN SWAPS WITH OTHER USER GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND CANADA, AND NOW MEXICO. HOPEFULLY WE CAN EXPAND OUR SWAPS TO INCLUDE A FEW MORE GROUPS IN MORE COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD-I THINK WE’LL BE THE BETTER FOR IT.

Stan got a TRS model CGP-115 for $89 at Radio Shack, a small four color plotter, 40 or 80 characters per line, 64 type sizes, underlining, hooks into centronics IF. Pretty nifty! can print side ways quite easily. Plain paper rolls are cheap too. SINE AND COSINE CURVES

17 members attending. Clyde Tackley brought his new RGB monitor and RGB interface he purchased from E. Arthur Brown Co, 3404 Pawnee Drive, Alexandria MN 56308, for $22. Gary Ennis brought along a composite color monitor for comparison.

As I have had the time, I have been playing around with ARTWORX, and I can not say enough nice things about it. However with now several hours of use, I can see the difficulty of drawing on the screen, almost like drawing on air.

Thanks for the ooh’s and ahh’s over last month’s interrupt driven sprite program. Even though he doesn’t do all that much, there is a certain novelty to seeing his happy face bouncing around the screen while we do other things.

Thanks to CCATS and the PLOTTER

Program to draw integrated circuit diagrams with pin labels.

TS1000 WITH NEW ROM THE NEW 8K BASIC UPGRADE THIS PROGRAM PRINTS OUT THE CHARACTER. NOW RUN BOTH PROGRAMS ON YOUR TS1000/1500 OR ZX81

As mentioned last time, the interrupt driven print-screen program we’ve been playing with is just about “all used up”, as a learning tool. Its main advantage was that it was very short, and could be easily entered. Unfortunately, it required a TS2040 printer to operate.

Thanks to Paul Hill, SINCUS

The transmit function supports X/ON – X/OFF protocol. Use CTRL S or CTRL Q. The receive buffer may be OPEN/CLOSED remotely. Send CTRL R (open, decimal code 18) or CTRL T (close, decimal code 20). Scroll pause when “VIEWing the BUFFer” use space bar ENTER to resume VIEWing.

No one wants to be called simple, or cheap. Yet where engineering solutions are concerned,both of these things are virtues of immeasurable value. The method described here is the cheapest and simplest emulator yet, if we don’t count merely swapping ROMs inside the TS2068.

When I finished assembling my ZX-81 I was led to believe that this mass of silicon and copper foil was an inanimate device, with no human qualities or thoughts of its own. If I gave it a little encouragement by entering a simple instruction it could give me the value of PI to 12 places, but I could sense that it wanted to express itself on more frivolous subjects.

True aficionados of the TS2068 will eventually decide that they want to do something with their cartridge port. Although TIMEX produced a few plug in cartridges, many of us have our own special programs in mind.

Hi Gary the connection is finally made are you recieving? Hi Chas. Yes-you are 5×5!!!! Congrats !! This works fine but the cost of communicating is high for the am mount of info that gets sentm typing is not my forte.. .That’s OK – you can always use CIS and EMail!!!

With the sudden disappearance of numerous hardware and software vendors, with SYNC gone, and the reintroduction of TIMEX-Sinclair User seeming less likely with each passing day, it may seem as though the entire third party market has fallen apart. Nothing could be further from the truth.

BUT THIS IS WHAT IT PRINTS – ZX-81!!! ************* AFTER 40 – TWO THINGS START TO HAPPEN 1) YOU START FORGETTING THINGS…

As I write this, I have in front of me the silver colored pamphlet that came with my ZX-81 kit a long time ago. It’s titled “Sinclair ZX-81 Software Catalog, do any of you old-timers remember it?

LEARN HOW THE CHARACTER SET IS ARRANGED IN THE MEMORY OF THE TS2068 COMPUTER. USE BIG ONES TO DISPLAY THE ADDRESS IN MEMORY, THE BINARY EXPRESSION, AND A “BIG ONE” OF THE CHARACTER YOU WANTED! HAVE FUN AND LEARN!! TS2068 FUN

TS2068 FUN

This is a BASIC Utility Program which is to be used with the AERCO PRINTER I/F and the MTERM SMART II MODEM PROGRAM. This program is to be used with TEXT data only, with CON:NONE and C/R SUPPRESSED:OFF.

This series of articles is called Timex Logic rather than computer logic because not all computers treat and/or use logic as fully as the Timex computer can. Some of the logic operations described in this series cannot be used on many other computers, including one fruity one, widely pushed onto our public school systems.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE STARING AT A BLANK SCREEN WAITING ON THE BASIC INTERPRETER BUT HAVE NOT TRIED MACHINE LANGUAGE BECAUSE OF THAT LONG LIST OF POSSIBLE OPERATION CODES OR BECAUSE YOU HATE HEXADECIMAL NOTATION, THEN THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOU. BASIC IS THE MOST WIDELY USED COMPUTER LANGUAGE FOR VERY GOOD REASONS.

Tip 19: It’s been two or three years that I have been writing these Tips. Are they still helping anyone? If you would like to Have them continued please let me know through our Editor Paul Hill. TS2068 TIPS Tip 20: There have been requests for me to write some things for the TS2068.

Routine H-35 covers problems in long division and is similar in construction to H-34. The two routines could have been combined and supplied with a menu for choosing which operation to play, but I decided against this. Multiplication is usually taught several weeks before long division. They are not taught concurrently.

This tutorial demonstrates the simplicity with which a 64K computer can be programmed to provide a no-frill means of developing an unlimited number of multiplication problems for a math practice session of a six-grader. The program LISTing is short and can readily be converted to the basic language of other computers.

Local news: SINCUS March meet: A resolution was passed which will open SINCUS up to MSDOS machines. Upcoming meets will have demos on MSDOS. TS computers will also be supported as before. Election time: May Meet.

For those of you having problems with LOADing and SAVEing tape programs on your 2068 here’s some thoughts from Don Lambert: After having some problems verifing LOADed programs on a tape he was making, Don cleaned his 3 tape recorders and while waiting for the solvents to dry he read his mail from a friend in Canada.

The program listing on page 5, illustrates some of the reasons why I am still a Timex Fan. This is the program I use to compose this article (LETS HEAR IT FOR CLIVE SINCLAIR). Note how short it is. Look at Line 300.

One of the more useful programs I have run across in the SINCUS tape swap library has been the title “Disk Library” by a member of the Sinclair Milwaukee User Group (SMUG). The programmer, R. A. Hilsmann has written a utility that is very helpful for disc drive users on the TS2068.

The following is the last part of a four part catalog of the Spectrum and TS2068 ROMs and comes to you through the efforts of: Ray Byler, June 1988, Fort Riley, Kansas BASIC MODULE KSCAN MODULE IO_1 MODULE IO_2 MODULE EDIT MODULE CHANS MODULE LIST MODULE SYNTAX MODULE [Printed page 10 is missing from the…

For those of you who wish to operate or programme your machine a little more efficently, we will carry informative articles as this one. To get full measure from Warren’s effort, please use your computer and type in the simple demo programmes, verify what you read and test for other values.

16. Here is another OCTAL Input and List program. This one is based on Machine Code with BASIC support. “Why OCTAL?”, You may ask. My reason for including it is due to the fact that the Z-80 microprocessor is an upgraded version of the 8080 microprocessor and like the 8080 the Z-80’s instruction code is based on OCTAL code.

Well, complaining about the lack of news from S.N.U.G. has gotten me and others a four page letter from Mel Nathanson (founder). I am not going to try to copy word for word the whole letter, (it is in the December 1989, issue of Computer Shopper) but will attempt to condense it to half a page.

17. In the TS1000 Timex Manual there are the following mnemonic errors : a) From 00 hex. to 07 hex. — after CB the manual has ric (b to a). It should be rlc (b to a). b) At 6B hex. — after ED the manual has ld de, (NN).

The following is the third part of a four part catalog of the Spectrum and TS2068 ROMs comes to you through the efforts of: Ray Byler, June 1988, Fort Riley, Kansas RESTART ROUTINES & TABLES KEYBOARD ROUTINES LOUDSPEAKER ROUTINES CASSETTE HANDLING ROUTINES SCREEN & PRINTER HANDLING ROUTINES EXECUTIVE ROUTINES BASIC LINE & COMMAND INTERPRETATION EXPRESSION…

The next in a series of exchange disks is now available from SINCUS. Like the other disks SINCUS Exchange Disk # 105 is a compilation of programs from other T/S clubs, BBS’s, and SINCUS members. Each disk is offered on the Oliger format, DSDD (5 1/4″ Double Sided Double Density).

The following is the second part of a four part catalog of the Spectrum and TS2068 ROMs comes to you through the efforts of: Ray Byler, June 1988, Fort Riley, Kansas – UNNAMED ENTRY POINTS – – NAMED ENTRY POINTS – * The Timex 2068 Technical manual lists: H.E.

15. Here is a short program to handle OCTAL INPUTS and OCTAL DUMPS.

NEWS-From Vancouver SUG May 89 “Buyer Beware”, it is suggested that one not do business with a Jim Horne, of Insomniac Electronics (no address supplied) who was taking over Fred N’s Silicon Mountain Electronics until certain reports of unfilled orders be resolved.

The following four part catalog of the Spectrum and TS2068 ROMs comes to you through the efforts of: Ray Byler, Fort Riley, Kansas, June 1988 – UNNAMED ENTRY POINTS – – NAMED ENTRY POINTS – The Timex 2068 Tech manual lists: H.E. Weppler(Sep 85 CATS Newsletter) lists: N.A. Pashtoon (May/June 88 Sincus News) lists:

LVTSUG(Las Vegas) reports that Herb Bowers of ABBA is no longer going to produce commercial soft ware. If you have orders with Herb contact him, as he will fill all his orders. AfterFest Sale still on-some stuff still left! Two hard copies of Computus Interruptus at $15 a copy- over 60 pages.

S.N.U.G. is gearing up, they have a charter from the state of Florida, the members have selected nominees for offices and now the officers are being voted on. Results to follow in next issue.

I have found the new Oliger Disc IF ROM V2.52 defaults to single sided for FORMAT, and only discovered it after FORMATting and MOVEing a double sided disc to a new single sided disc! Surprise, surprise! Right on the chip it says “sides=1”, I guess I shoulda known.

12. Here is a set of Machine code routines that uses a Floating Point Number as an address. It is a very useful set of routines, as it enables you to input strings with machine code.

In the last issue, in this column, I related some of the trivial aspects of programming. At the time I wrote that I had little “hands-on” feel for Pascal, and wrote what I felt was the absurd importance given the trivia of programming.

9. Using a pocket calculator to convert decimal addresses (generally 5 numbers) to hexadecimal addresses(four digits): [ An example will parallel the instructions 29279 ] The Interger obtained in step (d) is the most significant hexadecimal digit.

Remember when (not meaning to sound like Andy Rooney . . . but) you had to buy a board game to play your favorite T.V. quiz program? Well, if “Wheel of Fortune” is your favorite gameshow, it is now available for the 2068 computer.

A method of loading and stopping an autorun program, donated to the readers of SYNC magazine several years ago by Charles R. Byler, Capt. US Army. Follow these steps: 1) Have your program tape positioned at the beginning of the silent period with the recorder in the PLAY mode and the PAUSE button down.

In the Sept/Oct 87 Sincus News, “A Cursor Pad” described how a home-made “Cursor Pad” (or a Joystick) could be used to move the cursor on the screen and thereby select one item from a list. That demo program was valid only if the list did not exceed 20 items.

NEWS: Speedysoft, Byron House, 15 Lady Byron Lane, Knowle, West Midlands, B93 9AT. Order Spectrum software at low prices from England-pay by plastic (Visa-Mastercard) Enroll a new member and get a FREE game. Some oldies, some goodies, but the price isnt too bad, the shipping charges do bring it up a bit.

Vacation? How about the best of All Worlds’? Central Florida is one of the most popular vacation spots in America and next spring it will be one better because the next major TS Computerfest will be held there in Orlando just minutes from Disney World, Sea World, Circus World, and most all major attractions of Florida.

This book came out in 1985 with no more fanfare than expected from a major publisher recently orphaned computer and indeed, it covers an area that has not really fulfilled the prophecies for the TS computers, controlling “the real world”. Not to make projects too mundane, this book includes robotics.

I have a new RAM expansion board available for the Sinclair QL computer which is presently being advertised in Computer Shopper Magazine and Sinclair QL World Magazine. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about my expansion.

These two pages are filled by new members, Joan Kealy of El Paso, Texas and Hal Bellinson of Troy, New York. If everyone reading this now would mail in one or two short programs or ideas, this newsletter would quickly become a national bulletin board for 2068 users.

FAIRWARE is my word for SHAREWARE, which is CONDITIONAL public-domain user-supported software that is NOT exactly free. FAIRWARE costs whatever the USER feels is a fair price for what he or she received. FAIRWARE may be freely copied and shared, unless it is COPYRIGHTED.

Announcing the start of a NEW newsletter-for 2068 users and Oliger Disc fans. Brave souls these folks, going on four years since that X@#$%& wrist clock company chickened out on us, and some have the nerve or gall to start up another newsletter.

RATES ARE THE CHARGES FROM CHICAGO FOR THE FIRST MINUTE & EACH FOLLOWING MINUTE AFTER 11:00 PM.

NEW: From member Richard Hurd, Warrenton, Oregon, an adoptation of the 85 character print driver software in the TS Technical Manual. A program demoing the capablities of this, the “Dragon’s Companion” was also adapted by Richard.

I had opted to remove the MH9013 transistor and I had purchased a solder sucker at Radio Shack and I removed the transistor that I thought was good and checked it on the transistor checker and found it was NPN.

This program first appeared as a commercial program in England where it is widely used on the Spectrum. Grey & Clifford Computer Products obtained the rights to sell it in the U.S. as modified for the 2068. Version 4.0 ran only in Spectrum mode. There are both Spectrum & 2068 versions of 4.1.

The ad stated: Advanced version of the T/S1000. Will run all prerecorded tapes for Sinclair/Timex 1000-ZX81. I ordered Feb 22 sent a money order for $35.95 to American Design Components, 62 Joseph Street, Moonachie, N. J. 07074. And received the PC8300 on Mar 06.

NEW: PANDORA the “Z88” (no X?)a laptop portable computer by Sir Clive Sinclair was released this past Feb. 17. With a Z80 CPU, (also a 8088 has been reported) and 32K RAM, it is reported to be able to transfer files with an IBM PC.

Games like these, unlike some of the silly arcade games, are real tests of one’s mind and ability to plan strategy. These four, all written for the TS2068, have a lot in common. The author is Mark L. Streuber. Playing time is 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The directions are hard-to-read sheets.

A step by step road map of how to get your computer in sync with thousands of other TS users. I am using a 2068/2050 modem with Mterm 2 modified with Loader V by Kurt Casby. 1. LOAD “loader”CODE: “mterm”CODE. This gets your xmodem code and mterm mc program in your TS2068.

Sinclair Computer Trivia-Is SIR Clive Married and if so what is his spouse’s name.?? See last page for answer(s). Anyone have any interesting reading material on Sir “C”, send it on in. BACK ISSUES-several members have asked about such.

I honestly don’t know why there seems to be such a mystery surrounding the use of telecommunications. It’s hard to find words to describe the wealth of information, experience and free software out there waiting to be tapped.

A step by step road map of how to get your computer in sync with thousands of other TS users. 1. Get a modem (a 2050 type is used by this writer and so will be the only one I am talking about) 2. Get Mterm II software 3.

Review of “The Guide to T/S Telecommunications."

From time to time, I get reader feedback, more information. or notice something I’ve missed mentioning in a previous article. It’s worth collecting such tidbits and presenting them as a group, as I’ll do now.

Here is Don Lamen’s printout from his MC program HASP showing the code for “Sort”, and also the Basic for “Sort”. Sort was printed in a recent ZX Computing magazine. The addresses are in hex, and the start address is 16514.

Column headings as printed (slanted): Access by PC Pursuit, Accepts ‘Stacked’ Commands, 300 BPS, 1200 BPS, 2400 BPS, No. of Message Bases, E-Mail, 2068 Downloads, 1000 Downloads, Total System Capacity, Total T/S Downloads, Total CP/M Downloads.

Notice how many NEW items on the first couple pages? Not bad for a computer that has not been produced in two years! I read a most interesting view point in SMUG Bytes, Milwaukee TS Users Group, PO Box 101, Butler, WI 53007-Dave Franson writes “well” of TIMEX, this has to be one of the first NICE articles for that manufactor.

Here’s a nice example of why we’d want to allow two computers to communicate via their RS-232 ports.( See “Can We Talk?”, page 20 in this issue. By configuring stream #3, as an RS-232 port, a disassembler (Devpak 3, in this case) was used to “PRINT” a disassembly of the entire Home ROM to a nonexistent printer.

When considering using XMODEM over standard ASCII file transfer for modem communication it may appear that all of those checksum characters and handshaking signals would slow down your file transfer and add to the transfer time (a real concern with toll calls and connect time charges).

NEW:SPECTERM-64 Telecommunciation software and the Z-SI/O Interface card have been released. Info via “Time<x>Press” on the “Average Remote RBBS” at (213) 325-0213. Ed Gray of the Grey & Clifford Computer Products Co. describes the Specterm 64 as a terminal program which runs on a Spectrum emulated TS2068. As yet the TS2068 version is NOT available.

Here is a program which you can merge with one you have written and which will print out a list of goodies such as how many bytes of basic, machine code and free space you have, where the character set you are using is located, et cetera.

As most of you are aware, ZX COMPUTING is one of the best sources of inormation for the poor TS user in the States. Unfortunately, the editors decided to change the format from a bi-monthly mag to a monthly.

At least one reader was dissappointed with my April Fool article on display files, last time. He’d first thought that someone finally got around to makint the whacky display file on the TS 2068 more navigable. Well, we can do that too!

If that is your question, then I hope that some of the data that I’ve compiled will at least answer a couple of the basic questions about the different disc system available here in the states and Canada.

-The Computerfest (May 3-4) has been reported in several newsletters as a success. And apparently a fest is in the works for October in the New York Area! Here’s hoping we’ll be able to atend that one. At the Cinncinati fest, over 350 attended, and some 35 vendors displayed their wares.

The signal booster consists of one miniature audio transformer. The transformer is used as an interface between the computer and the cassette player. Example: The signal booster has the following advantages: 1. Isolates the computer from the cassette player which eliminates noise. 2. Increases the audio signal amplitude. 3.

There are about a dozen Bulletin Board Systems currently operating in the Triple Cities area. One of the more popular boards and the one that supports Timex/Sinclair users is the Owego Free Academy (OFA) BBS. The board can be accessed from either of two telephone numbers.

Printed in Jan/Feb 1986, “,SINC-LINK”, Newsletter of the Toronto TSUG, Canada. PO BOX 7274, Stn A; Toronto, Ont. M5W 1X9 “…there is another 2068/Spectrum compatiable Disc Drive Interface (DDI) on the market, it is the John Oliger Disk Drive Interface.

From many sources…Sinclair sells his computer business to Amstrad. New York Times, April 14, 1986 gives many details on both Clive and Amstrad’s Alan Sugar. Many facts have come to light via Compuserve, source unknown, but have heard same from other sources:” Sinclair Research Limited (SRL) has sold its home computer business.

I wrote this little program to help out with a puzzle presented in the December 1985 issue of the Mensa Bulletin. The puzzle almost cries out for computerized help, but even a computer will only help a little. The puzzle probably has many thousands of solutions. Some solutions however, are better than others.

I am writing to you as a long time reader of your newsletter. I have been an avid reader, dropping whatever I was doing when SINCUS NEWS came in until I had read it front to back.

“WHEN I USE A WORD”, HUMPTY DUMPTY SAID IN RATHER A SCORNFUL TONE, “IT MEANS JUST WHAT I CHOOSE IT TO MEAN-NEITHER MORE NOR LESS.” “The question is”,said Alice ,”whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “THE QUESTION IS”, SAID HUMPTY DUMPTY,” WHICH IS TO BE MASTER, THAT’S ALL.” Lewis Carroll’s Through…

WE RESEIVED BOTH MAY-AUG AND SEPT-OCT OF YOUR GRE[illegible] NEWSLETTER, I’M SORRY ABOUT WRITING BACK INTIL NOW BUT AN [illegible] EARTHQUAKE DID NOT LET US. OUR BELOVED CITY OF MEXICO L[illegible] THOUSANDS OF INHABITS AND OUR GROUP DIDNT ESCAPE FROM THIS. [illegible] LOST 5 MEMBERS, ONE OF THEM OUR DEAR LIBRAIAN.

I know that a core group of readers have been following my series on the TS 2068 interrupts. Believe me, I appreciate the letters and phone calls. Instead of including the next article in that series, this time I’m going to use this space to ask you some (I think) very important questions.

DECEMBER 18, 1985- 7pm 14 members attended our monthly meeting at the Vestal Public Library. John Sims and Dave Schoenwetter opened the meet with a talk on Hi-soft ‘C’, the up and coming language! It is designed for multi-tasking and for ease of transfer between different computers, the Amiga to the Atari for instance.

From ZX/TS Forum, South Florida User Group-Aerco Disk IF update Aerco will be upgrading memory expansion to 256K of RAM configured as either a RAM disc or a bank switched format. Hard disc capabilities as well as a Spectrum emulator are in the works.

“spheri” and “output” from Tony Cekolin, Mobile, AL. Tony adapted “spheri” from June 1984 Creative Computing and is very SLOW! “output” is copied from K-Power. Spheri may take up to 20 minutes to begin to plot. You are asked for upper and lower x and y or phi and theta limits.

“spheri” and “output” from Tony Cekolin, Mobile, AL. “output” is copied from K-Power.

EMC put out a very neat catalog, if you didn’t get one write to Bob Dyl, 15 Kilburn Ct, Newport, Rhode Island 02840. Much new and low priced Spectrum software, and QL software. If you tend to drool over the Christmas Sears Catalogs, then get your bib ready for this one!

Being a conveniently intermittent column of rantings, ravings, and free advertising for those who catch the attention of —- Wes Brzozowski It’s been along time since this column appeared here, but new developments in the home computer world continue to emerge.

You can now create text files with your TASWORD TWO WORD PROCESSOR and send the file to another computer or RBBS with the 2050 MODEM and MTERM SMART II modem program. The following information was downloaded from COMPU-SERVE and revised by Dave Schoenwetter.

I REALLY HATE THIS DAMN MACHINE I REALLY WISH THEY’D SELL IT. IT NEVER DOES WHAT I WANT BUT ONLY WHAT I TELL IT!! Graffiti written on university computer Actually that poem is a bit optimistic. Even when you tell your computer to do something, it may instead do something else.

At the last meeting I attended before comming to fla. I was told that it is usualy necessary to remove one of the plugs from the tape recorder when LOADING . I also remenber that I have read this in one of the manuals.

Here are some tips for machine code programming on the TIMES-SINCLAIR machines which I have found to be very useful especially when working with the 2K system. all tips will work with the 16K systems too.

This report will cover the meetings of the months of July, August and September 1985. Due to current changes of jobs within the society, most recent news first. Gary Ennis, President and SINCUS NEWS editor, announced his decision to step down as editor of SINCUS NEWS effective immediately, due to increased pressures of business in his new position as manager of Computer Dome at the Oakdale Mall.

We got a sample issue of ZX Computing, April/May 1985 and an offer about 10 of us couldn’t refuse. If you are interested in this publication- 6 a year for 19[illegible], 25% off with orders of 10 subscriptions. – it has much on the Spectrum and the ZX81. split about 60/40 in the Spectrums favor.

This is the most recent list of the local free bulletin boards in the area. If anyone wishes to call long distance, the list is over 100 in New York alone. These boards welcome responsible users with all types of system. Some will require a registration and call back to confirm users.

The source of the quotation escapes me, but the number is indelible in my mind – “In a recent study 42% of those interviewed did not own a computer, because they didn’t like them!” This feeling is visible every time Phil Donahue does one of his hand clapping audience surveys on the question “How many…

A novice (?) writes…”I own a TS2068-there’s no local user group in my area. I purchased a VOLKSMODEM VM 1 which came without software. If anyone in your group has the proper software to work this modem I would appreciate a copy- I only need a copy (printed) of the program- I’m enclosing stamps (2)…

We met for our regular meet on April 17 at the Chase/1st City Bank, and the hardware group meet on April 27, 1pm at the Vestal Public Library. Due to the late newsletter the attendance was light at the regular meeting and the turnout at the hardware meet was too few to justify tying up a meeting room at the library.

Those who use Spectrum emulators with their TS2068’s know that there is a small percentage of “troublesome” Spectrum software. This stuff can tell that it’s not really in a Spectrum and usually complains by crashing the computer.

It took a long time for those in the sport of running to first break the four minute mile. Until it actually happened, there were those who actually considered it impossible. Once done though, the feat was repeated again and again until today, where the act is almost commonplace.

EDIT -the newsletter continues to grow as we try to squeeze as much as possible onto the six sheets of paper that the post office says we can mail for 22 cents. 6 sheets, if you did not know, is all we can mail, 1 more sheet and we have to add a 17 cent stamp!

[illegible] ‘program’ will allow you to use SMART II software with the AERCO Interface and an Epson printer, Gemini printer, and Gorilla Banana printer. (Other models have not been tested, but similar models should work). Try it and let SINCUS NEWS know how it worked. CORRECTED MTERM PATCH FOR AERCO I/F

I would like to apologize for the mix up on time of the Meet scheduled on January 26-the newsletter said 10 am ,it was supposed to be 1 pm-I did not notice it until about 1:45 pm at the library, when Dave Schoenwetter pointed out to Gary Ennis that several people had showed up at 10 am.

When programming a computer to handle large amounts of data, it is helpful to be able to put that data into some orderly form and then be able to retrieve it quickly. That process is called sorting and searching and if you’re like me, the whole process has been something of a mystery to you.

[illegible]e following is from “SUM” The Sinclair/Timex Users [illegible]gazine,3224 NW 30th Avenue, Gainesville,FL 32605 $12 @ year: “…LIST (Long Island Sinclair Timex UG) reports sucessfully interfacing the Sinclair Microdrives to the 2068 using the EMU-1 Specrtum emulator and Spectrum buss, which was described in the Dec/Jan issue of LISTing…Doug Dewey of the Triangle UG of…

This is our current list of UG swappers, we are always interested in hearing from new folks. T/S Users Group, PO BOX 7274, Station A Toronto,ONT MSW 1X9 CANADA LIST, PO Box 438, Centerport, NY 11721 CATS UG.

When we look at our computers our minds are usually only on the finished product. Sometimes it’s interesting to look more closely, and to also check some of the TIMEX and Sinclair News Releases, made before actually selling a particular item.

To install the patch to your program, load your MTERM SMART II PROGRAM, POKE the following data into the locations listed and SAVE the program using ******* SAVE”patch”CODE 54016,7721 ******** To toggle the printer ON/OFF while receiving data use CAP SHIFT 8 and P(PRINT).

Wednesday, December 19, 1984, SINCUS meet at the Chase/Lincoln Branch on the Vestal Parkway corner Murray Hill Road, Vestal, NY at 7pm. 23 members attending. A proposed change in dues and number of newsletters for corresponding members was passed. The dues go from $6/10 issues to $8/12 issues.

In my September 1984 column I mentioned the name and address of SYNCWARE NEWS. I had not seen it at that time, but expected well of it because of its new editor, Tom Woods. Tom has earned a deservedly good reputation, partly due to the excellent documentation in his PRO/FILE products.

Best wishes and hopes for a better new year and Greetings and Best of Health to all this upcoming Christmas season. The regular meeting of SINCUS was held Wednesday, Nov 21 at 7pm. at the Chase/1st City Bank on the Vestal Parkway, Vestal NY, 26 attending.

The meeting was held in the basement meeting room of the Chase/First City Branch office on the Vestal Parkway at Murray Hill Road (across from S.U.N.Y.) at 7pm August 15. 28 were in attendence. The problems with the poor quality of reproduction of the last SINCUS NEWS was discussed.

This is one of the few games I’ve had for the 2068. I’ve never brought a “war game” before but the ads got to me. Having no idea what to expect, I expected the sights and sounds of WW2 with minor limitiations due to 48K Ram.

It shouldn’t be surprising that this column has emphasised British sources of product support; that’s where “the action is”, these days. However, some readers have wondered why this column has so strongly favored the TS2068/SPECTRUM, while almost ignoring the ZX-81/TS1000.

Ed Tribe, a new member, and a Deposit area school teacher demoed the problem he was having with the TS1500. Last month I overheard Ed’s problem, and lack of comprehension of it on the part of others.

At 7pm, June 20, we meet at the Vestal Public Library, 37 in attendance. Charles Koeth, Carl Morris and Gary Ennis had demos and Gary Cole discussed plans for the July 22 SINCUS Picnic. We hope all can make it, and make it a FAMILY affair.

Review of Hi RES by Richard Taylor.

Last time we found that every BASIC for every computer contains a “brick wall” that can prevent the computer from doing what you want. Since the wall is different for every computer, we concentrated on the TS1000 and we found a couple of places where we could “smash into it”.

Using my new Timex 2068 for about a week before the April Sincus meeting I was very impressed with the new basic commands which were not available on the T/S 1000 and the keyboard was a great improvement for my “fumbling fingers”, however I was itching to get my printer attached to the expansion slot.

Most of us have “cussed” and “discussed” the pressure sensitive keyboard on Uncle Clive Sinclair’s little monster. To keep the price of the computer below $100, and subsequently earn a niche in the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, the keyboard had to be functional as well as inexpensive.

If you want to write a letter regarding the status of TIMEX products and/or express your support for the Sinclair computer system, the more correct addresses are: TIMEX COMPUTER CORPORATION ATTN: C. Michael Jacobi Vice President Marketing and Sales P.O.

The April meeting was well attended and much accomplished in short order. The dues are now $8 per year for all members, effective immediately. The dues shall be paid once a year. Current members will have dues pro-rated to the new rate.

If you’re like me, useing the computer means doing something useful with it. That is, if I’m going to write a program, it must be something useful or I’m learning something from the experience. Over the years I’ve been able to come up with two short programs that meet these criteria.

I was astounded when I read you had decided to get out of the home computer market. I am writing to ask you to reconsider before it is too late. I have worn TIMEX watches as long as I can remember. They were purchased for their value!

From KNIGHTED COMPUTERS, Fulton, NY, along with an ad for the TIMEX-Sinclair 2068 for $129.95, TIMEX-Sinclair 2040 Printer $69.95. BOTH for $189.95. Also from KNIGHTED COMPUTERS – “…sorry to hear that SYNC has decided not to publish any more magazines.” From Bill Stemples and et al, TIMEX, through the “hotline” number (800-24-TIMEX) is selling the TS2068 for $99.95!

This program is an extension of a program some of us got with the early TIMEX-Sinclair 1000. It is a math drill that has 3 levels of difficulty. If you type carefully, using the KEY words and not spelling things like “INPUT”, this should RUN in 2K.

Here are some tips for machine code programming on the TIMEX-Sinclair machines which I have found to be very useful especially when working with the 2K system. All tips will work in 16K systems too. (1) I have accidentallly deleted my 1 REM statement when editting the BASIC part of my program on many occasions.

The news today was unexpected TIMEX QUITS the computer market, not ENOUGH profit. You can also read,therefore,that there must be plenty of profit in the watch market! Texas Instruments got out last fall. Atari is on the ropes. Commodore is a question, Coleco has an armful of problems and on and on.

MAKE YOUR 2068 USER FRIENDLY – ADD A BEEP TO YOUR KEYSTROKE!! POKE 23609,255. SHORTEN THE BEEP BY POKEing A SMALLER NUMBER. EXCELLENT BOOKS MASTERING YOUR TIMEX SINCLAIR 1000 PERSONAL COMPUTER by Tim Hartnell & Dilwyn Jones BANTAM BOOKS $3.95 THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO TIMEX-SINCLAIR HOME COMPUTERS by PETER MORSE, IAN ADAMSON, BEN ANTREP &…

TRY THIS: 24 LINE DISPLAY LEARN YOUR “PRINT AT” COORDINATES: WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?

One of the great advantages of the TS 2068 over other computers is the ease with which you can create alphabets which may be reserved above RAMTOP and accessed from the keyboard. You need 1024 bytes for each alphabet.

READ: DO YOU BELONG TO THE TIMEX COMPUTER CLUB & RECEIVE “RAMblings”? I WILL HAVE COPIES AT THE NEXT MEETINGS. JUST STARTING OUT? PICK UP A COPY OF “FAMILY COMPUTING” ONLY $1.95 AT YOUR LOCAL NEWSTAND!! MARCH ISSUE FEATURES AN INTERVIEW WITH THE LADY WHO WROTE “RIVER RAID”.

If you have now or wish you had a 3X5 card file on anything this program is for you! It really expresses the power of a computer. You can see it at the club meeting as I have used it to maintain the file on the membership and produce the mailing labels on this newsletter.

SINCUS has barely gotten off the drawing board and already its existence, which depends on the Sinclair computer, is being questioned! Good, in this computer age what is new today is ho hum tomorrow. The next generation of Sinclair computers is soon to hit the market.

VU-CALC is Sinclair’s spread sheet program. It essentially replaces the accountant’s analysis sheets. It is a table made up of boxes. Each box can contain a number, a label or title, or the result of a formula that is attached to the box.

Sue Mahoney surprised us this month by bringing a prototype of the long rumored but just announced TS-1500. The 9 1/8 by 5 3/8 by 1 3/4 inch silver box is an improved version of the TS-1000.

FOR FINDING OUT HOW MUCH MEMORY YOU HAVE USED TYPE THIS: THE ANSWER IS NUMBER OF BYTES – THIS INCLUDES ALL OF THE SYSTEM VARIABLES. THANKS & A SCROLL OF THE SCREEN TO CARL TERRY WANT YOUR PROGRAM TO COME UP RUNNING WHEN YOU LOAD IT?

Our PEEK*a Member subject for this month took us to the home of Wes Brzozowski, an electrical engineer by occupation, had long been interested in computers, particularly ones using the Z80 microproccessor chip. Having even toyed with the idea of building his own computer using the Z80, Wes jumped at the chance to buy the kit for the Sinclair ZX-81.

Often I marvel at the amount of information stored in my computer — both in RAM (a user changeable random-access memory) and in ROM (a fixed, read only memory which makes the user programs work). In the ROM, 8K bytes of program and data are stored. This is 8X1024 or 8,192 bytes (or 65,536 bits!)

There are a number of possible places to store machine code: (1) Above RAMTOP. This is a good safe place not bothered by NEW, but you can’t SAVE it. (2) In a REM statement at the beginning of the program area.

1) Just pay dues – let “them” handle things…. 2) Decline all offices and committee work, you’re busy! (But give advice on how things should be done) 3) If appointed to a committee don’t do anything, after all it’s a courtesy appointment! 4) Don’t rush to pay dues, they’re too high anyway!

Contact information for Timex and Sinclair.

Sinclairs need solid state TV’s. An old tube type won’t do it. A small (7 or 10 inch) portable seems to work best, and some are in black and look professional with the Sinclair.

SINCUS NEWS will cease publishing after the July/August 1990 issue. SINCUS will send all articles to S.N.U.G.’s newsletter, “Roundup”. Due to a decline in subscriptions, and a reduction in input, I proposed a termination of the newsletter as it is, and replace it with a monthly meeting notice.

One of the main reasons we support S.N.U.G. is the declining TS user population. Fever users have fewer dollars to spend supporting various TS publications. If most User groups go all out for S.N.U.G.) support it with articles, and a subscription per member, then it will succeed, where several will fail.

HAVING RECENTLY PURCHASED AN OLD IBM 5110 (TO GET A MORE CAPABLE PRINTER) I HAVE AN EVEN GREATER APPRECIATION FOR THE SINCLAIR; NOT MERELY BECAUSE OF PRICE (THE IBM 5110 ORIGINALLY COST TENS OF THOUSANDS).

Here’s 1990 – WOW only 10 more years until the year 2000, remember what home computers looked like in 1980? Try and imagine what we’ll be using 10 years from now. January Meet is going to be in Owego, details are being worked out. I will contact all local members for location and transportation arrangments.

We have a garage sale! We have been asked to sell on consignment a 10 year collection of things Sinclair and Timex/Sinclair. Most all seems to be in beautiful condition. Like all things at a garage sale, prices are low, and all sales are final.

From all of us here to all of you out there,”HAPPY Thanksgiving MERRY Christmas and HAPPY New Year 1990″. This is also the start of year EIGHT! It has been a fun year, and Clyde and I are glad we could represent SINCUS at the CapitalFEST in Washington, DC this past year and meet hundreds of our fellow TSusers.

Ed. note: The following is a rambling account of our trip to the CapitalFest, due to my total recall ability, however one or more memory chips maybe going…I will follow with opinions and ruminations of my choosing and then addresses for those mention herein-PAH The CapitalFest-THE CAPITALFEST- Clyde Tackley and I left Friday, May 5…

One of our members died this past January, William “Bill” Tilley. Bill was a retired IBMer, husband, father and a computer hobbist with several TS machines and an Atari, he loved life, people and computing. He is missed here at SINCUS.

In this issue is part two in the series on Ray Byler’s Spectrum/TS2068 ROM directories. It is in four parts, the Spectrum ROM directory listed alphabetically and cross referrenced to the TS2068. Then the TS2068 ROM is listed alphabetically and cross referrenced to the Spectrum.

With this issue starts a multi-part series on Ray Byler’s Spectrum/TS2068 ROM directories. It is in four parts, the Spectrum ROM directory listed alphabetically and cross referrenced to the TS2068. Then the TS2068 ROM is listed alphabetically and cross referrenced to the Spectrum.

Toni Baker’s book “Mastering Machine Code On Your ZX/81” was a big help in disassembling the ROM code and printing it out. Dr. Ian logan’s & Dr. Frank O’Hara’s book, “The Complete Timex TS 1000 / Sinclair ZX 81 ROM Disassembly” was a big help in understanding what I had printed out.

November and December meets at the Vestal Library were lightly attended, and those present enjoyed the coffee, and plenty of cookies at the Dec. meet. Local members, we need your presence at the meets, your input or your questions. This newsletter still needs input, and ideas.

MAY MEET- ELECTIONS * come on in and vote * May 25 7pm Vestal Library Candidates are: Clyde Tackley for President, Dave Schoenwetter for Vice-President, George Penny for Treasuer, Paul Hill for Secretary and Don Lamen, William Tilley, Carl Morris and Scott Eddy for three Trustee positions.