This column is dedicated to you novice programmers to whom BASIC is not so basic. (BASIC is one of the languages your ZX80 understands.) I will also try to simplify concepts in other SYNTAX features so you can get a handle on them and eventually outgrow this column. For-next loops consist of 2 control statements,…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Check Herbach & Rademan’s summer bulletin (Vol. 46 No. 5). Stock # 21K731 C$4.50) holds 8 C size cells and needs rewiring and a new output connector. H&R is in Philadelphia (215/426-1700). If you use alkaline C cells , Eveready E-93 or equal, you can operate 2 1/2 to 6 hours .
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Here is a list of vendors who are more or less active in selling Sinclair equipment, software or services. The list is presented as a service to the reader. It is difficult to keep up with the activities of vendors because their interests (and stock) are continually changing; however I have seen some indication of…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
In TS-Horizons #5 it was mistakenly reported that Johnson’s and Swartz’s graphics program for the TS1000/ZX81 would run on the TS 2068. Below is a version of the original program which will run on the TS 2068. Provided by John Marion. Some readers had questions about the program as it originally appeared in T-S Horizons…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
Here is a short listing you might find useful. I developed it after trying to find the mistakes, and there were several, in a 12K long program that I hand-loaded from a magazine listing. My eyes could not take the strain of staring at the TV and then the listing, back and forth over and…
article, orig pub: 08.02.25, updated: 06.21.26
As I promised last month, here is the listing for the UDG program. Since it is a rather long program, I won’t explain its operation in detail. However, here are a few things you should know about the program. The UDG’s are saved as 168 bytes of machine code. To use the UDG code in…
article, orig pub: 11.04.25, updated: 06.21.26
The circuit described in the February 1986 issue of SUM was designed around the Sears RGB/TV/Monitor (same as the Sanyo model # 31C426) and the Magnavox (NAP) RGB-40 or 80. Both of these monitors (and the QL monitor as well) take negative-going composite sync and active high RGB signals and have well buffered inputs to…
article, orig pub: 09.13.22, updated: 06.21.26
It isn’t considered normal when а magazine like SyncWare gives you а program that’s riddled with bugs. But then, we never promised you a normal magazine. Since this is our special April Fool’s issue, we thought we’d introduce you to SyncWare’s in house bug. Actually he’s a worm–a friendly little fellow–who took up residence in…
article, orig pub: 06.06.22, updated: 06.21.26
Clive Sinclair is now officially worth more than $200 million.
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Delivery of the long- awaited T/S2000 series is being moved up by Timex. Demand by dealers and the public for the new series of machines has created pressures to which Timex is trying to respond. Originally scheduled as two machines, the T/S2048 and the T/S2072, Timex has changed this to a single machine, the T/S2068,…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
If the 3-D camera and viewing system invented by [Eric] Howlett really catches on, it will be due in part to … Sinclair ZX80. [The] 3-D lenses could not have been designed and perfected without the use of the calculators and computers — at least not by Howlett. “My nemesis in school always was making…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Sinclair Research has claimed to be the first company to sell more than one million home computers. Since it began selling the ZX80 three years ago it has sold 130,000 ZX80s, 750,000 ZX81s and 200,000 Spectrums, an upgraded version of which is to appear soon in North America as the T/S2000. And these figures do…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Happy Tax Day again. We hope you all have your taxes done for Uncle Sam. If not, you’d better buy TAXIUL and get to it: We have finally received THOR and it is now up and running. All we ordered was a barebones one, without QL circuit board or drives. As THOR comes now, the…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
Based on the information on the recorder to computer interface for the ZX81 which appeared in the Jan 8 3 issue of QZX, I have experimentally devised the following simple matching network for my machine. It consists of only two parts aside from the connectors and enclosure – a 0.1 or 0.2 uF capacitor and…
article, orig pub: 01.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
Well, every time I go out that way, I also visit with Nazir Pashtoon, now the head of CATUG (Chicago Area Timex UG). He gave me a disk that has the long-mysterious & rumored 80 column software driver from Timex of Portugal, no less! 80 column software from Timex themselves! He gave me a demo…
article, orig pub: 01.23.26, updated: 06.21.26
Jeff DeCourtney joined CATUG in the Spring of 1994 while he lived in Elmhurst. In all that time he only missed one meeting! Though his interest at the time was in the ZX81/TS1000, a TS2068 was presented to him by the club. His present main activity with the TS2068 is exploring every program he can…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
The original version of this routine does not really go to the next matching file although in most cases it has that effect. In reality it starts a new search from the beginning, but since the edited file is now at the end of the file space, the program does seem to go to the…
article, orig pub: 04.03.23, updated: 06.21.26
The Pixel Print Professional is an integrated program network built around the Pixel Print Plus! Desktop Publisher… and the AERCO DISK SYSTEM! The “HEART’ of the system is an outstanding Font/Graphics editor program. It is EXTREMELY easy to use (WYSIWYG). Here is a list of commands at your control; KEEP, UNDO, SAVE, LOAD, LOAD ICON,…
article, orig pub: 07.27.25, updated: 06.21.26
In some postings in on Usenet, there have been some conversations about converting from different bases. I found this task interesting and thought I’d give it a try. I did fairly well in writing a routine that would convert from Base X to Base 10. Converting from base 10 to base X was more difficult.…
article, orig pub: 11.30.25, updated: 06.21.26
Description: In Night Gunner, you are the pilot of an airplane in combat with four enemy planes. At the center of the screen is your firing sight, a cross used for aiming. Using the cursor keys, you maneuver your airplane to get the enemy aircraft within your sights, and then you fire. The object is…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Beethoven is a remarkable program which allows you to produce music from your T/S1000/ZX81. Stephane Crainic of Paris has linked hex values to the tones available from the speaker of your television set and has produced a table allowing you to convert the notes of the musical scale into those values. When you have typed…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Description: You are in charge of a missile launcher and must save Earth from invading spaceships. With 15 rockets, you must choose a velocity to shoot down the invaders. The direction of each rocket is determined by the velocity you choose for it. If that sounds like an exciting game, then you would probably like…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Check out the new toolkit by Pete Hoffman, Delphic Enterprises, Box 72205, Corpus Christie, 78472. They supply EPROMs for $18, with the Hunter board specifically in mind. It includes the best renumber routine I’ve seen yet (lets you renumber only part of a program if you want) as well free bytes, protect (extract) as and…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
PC8300 VIDEO FIX One of the most common complaints with the PC8300 is that the characters tend to have a “splayed” look, with horizontal lines sticking out to the right. No, it’s not because the Chinese designers didn’t know how the characters are shaped. It’s simply a matter of overdrive (video level or “contrast” too…
article, orig pub: 02.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
This has been a fairly exhausting month. There has been so much going on that I really do not know where to start. I finally got BOTH the December and January newsletters out. That was a job in itself. The December newsletter, if you remember, was late because my disk interface needed to be repaired…
article, orig pub: 07.24.25, updated: 06.21.26
“The Working Timex Sinclair 2068” is a very commendable effort to supply the 2068 user with a “library” of useful programs. Each of the six chapters covers a different area of usage. A rather unique index references module numbers rather than page numbers, as all the programs are in the “modular” style. Chapter 1 contains…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
The following is only for those who have added the TALLY routine from the manual AND the MACHINE CODE SORT routine from Tom Woods’ Breakthrough newsletter. When the mc sort is added to a program containing the tally function two bugs appear. The first and most important is that you can no longer do an…
article, orig pub: 04.03.23, updated: 06.21.26
This has been an interesting past month. I have had а few special phone calls and letters from people concerning thesub-board that we have on the Kaypro BBS. Ed Gray, the SYSOP of the Timex sub-board on the YARBBS, was finally able to get on line calling through Dallas using PC PURSUIT. I do not…
article, orig pub: 02.13.24, updated: 06.21.26
Softsync, a New York-based producer of TS 1000 software, is feeling the heat. “The Timex/Sinclair 1000 has petered right out,” says Ken Coach, marketing and sales director of Softsync. Coach says that although the T/S 1000 was “a nice computer to get if you wanted to find out about computers, people want more bells and…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
John Willi, Louisville, KY, and Phil Williams, Wilmington, DE, sent these instructions to make PRO/FILE work with Q-SAVE. Willi comments, “I Dimmed D$ to 9700 characters to allow 100 bytes for the NOT search and 500 for the file count. One could otherwise probably increase D$’s length. Load time is 27 seconds!” Williams adds, “According…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
Welcome to this month’s column! I have a lot of interesting information for those of you that have already joined the ranks of “T/S Telecommunicators”. And for those of you that have yet to get your modem, I think that this column will make you interested enough to make a modem your next purchase. First,…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
First, I want to apologize for the late issue. I do have several legitimate ‘excuses’, but the predominant one being an urgent desire to ‘take a short breather’ after getting an already late issue out. In an attempt to get caught up, Alex and I are already putting the November issue together and hope to…
article, orig pub: 01.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
Regretfully, I must announce Vernon Smith’s resignation as Newsletter Editor. He details his reasons elsewhere in this issue and is also offering future help with the actual publishing of this organ. His years of producing an outstanding publication have brought accolades not only from our members, but from Editors of other UG Newsletters as well.…
article, orig pub: 01.21.26, updated: 06.21.26
In the first issue of IQLR, eighteen months ago, we encouraged QL users to support a new group being organized by Dr. Sohail S. Bhatti, to be known as the QL Advancement Working Group (QLAW). The stated goal of this group was to create a SuperQL by pooling resources. Included with the announcement was a…
article, orig pub: 02.07.26, updated: 06.21.26
Sinclair Research has lowered its price to $299 on the Sinclair QL computer, see page 16 for details. For this low price you get not only the QL but also four of the most used software packages: Word Processor, Data Base, Spreadsheet and Graphics package. Within 10 minutes you can have the QL hooked-up ans…
article, orig pub: 03.09.26, updated: 06.21.26
This utility is used as a boot program for the LARKEN LKDOS cartridge (ALL CARTRIDGES!) To transfer the program to disk use LIST 9999 and change the name to whatever you want it to be and RUN 9999. You should also put an AUTOSTART file on the disk, to do this, after saving HELLO!, enter…
article, orig pub: 02.28.25, updated: 06.21.26
I received some interesting things in the mailbag this week. I have been on the Kaypro board keeping in contact with our old friend Charles Stelding and Ed Grey. I had asked Charles if the AERCO system would really READ a Morrow MD3 format as it is advertised to do. It is nice to have…
article, orig pub: 07.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
When you set up the print format, you can just enter ALL to print out the whole file. Unfortunately, no space is printed between files. I could be wrong, but I think in most cases a space would be desired so I changed the routine so that whenever ALL is the print format, a blank…
article, orig pub: 10.25.25, updated: 06.21.26
In early May I packed up my bags and headed for Cincinnati, Ohio to attend the Mid-West TS Computerfest. What a blast it was! The whole affair took on the characteristics of a big party for Timex owners. Over 250 people turned out for the event. It must have been the biggest gathering of the…
article, orig pub: 10.11.25, updated: 06.21.26
In Volume 1, I ran a series on getting the most out of your ZX/TS with full-size printer and Memotech Centronics interface. Since then, this CIF has become unavailable. Fortunately, several other printer interfaces (both parallel and serial) are available. These include Centronics Parallel IF’s by Aerco, Byte-Back, John Oliger, and Tasman, and serial IF’s…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
This program will help you redesign your own character set. After loading your will be asked to enter the address where the codes will be stored. [Default number:50000] There are 4 commands, Next, File, Edit and Move cursor. To choose any of the commands just press the first letter. The “Next” command will compile the…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
In Galactic Invaders, seven alien crafts fly randomly around the screen, and fire at your laser base. The base can withstand seven hits before it is destroyed. After all seven crafts are destroyed, seven more appear and move at a higher speed. The player scores one point for each craft shot down. Evaluation: Although this…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
The TIMEX 2040 thermal printer is the standard printer used with the American version of the ZX-81. The US version of the Spectrum had yet to appear at the time of writing. It works with a different paper, 4 1/2 in. wide plain white paper with a special coating sprayed on to the top of…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
I wished to upgrade a three page essay that I had written several montns ago on the Textwriter word processor. The only catch was I am now using Tasword and preferred using it over Textwriter. I did not relish the idea of retyping the essay, so I scanned the leader of the Textwriter text code…
article, orig pub: 09.13.22, updated: 06.21.26
If any one factor can be said to have made the Pixel Print Prof. series of software possible, it would be the ability to hold the LEFT and RIGHT columns in memory at the same time, 48128 bytes of data plus the program! This was only possible with add-on memory and a programing tool called…
article, orig pub: 02.04.26, updated: 06.21.26
During a recent phone conversation between myself and our esteemed editor I was asked to write something about how I use my little black box – but before I do that here is a little history. In the early eighties I was singing in a rock’n’roll band as well as learning the beginnings of my…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 06.21.26
We meet every other month, but there’s been a lot of talk about more frequent meetings. Some of the proposals: All of the above have my support and perhaps someone has a better idea. I like best going to members houses and seeing how their QL is set up. What do you think?
article, orig pub: 02.18.26, updated: 06.21.26
While getting on RTTY remains on ‘the front burner’, I have been fiddling a bit with a few machine language programs. I had a lot of fun with the Scientific Software’s Disassembler reviewed in the last issue, it came in pretty handy making back-up copies of all my ‘protected’ tapes. Next, I became intrigued with…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
Program Type: Arcade Game From: DURELL Critical Mass is a very fast action game with SUPERB graphics. The goal of the game is to destroy the anti-matter converter before it reaches critical mass. Believe me it is not very easy to do! The game is even a little frustrating near the end (especially when you…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
The SMUGFest was a success according to most of our members. Meeting people we’d only known by name but had never met before was a definite plus. Bob Swoger was very happy with it because just about everyone with a LarKen disc system for the TS2068 who saw LogiCall, his program, bought it. He knew…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
This article is a continuation of the series which began in the October 1989 issue of QZX. The purpose is to explain the function of the SCL logic chip in the ZX and TS1000 series of Sinclair computers. This chip is a custom chip designed particularly for our computers. The previous articles gave some background…
article, orig pub: 01.11.26, updated: 06.21.26
This month a look at another program that has been around for a while, but does not support the new gismos wе have hung onto the 2068, such as a centronics type printer. I am sure you all have a copy of it since it has been one of the first programs released for the…
article, orig pub: 02.04.26, updated: 06.21.26
Anxious to find someone to repair her Timex Sinclair she inquired at the Commodore Users Group and was referred to R.L. Humphreys of V.S.U.G. She arrived at her first meeting computer in hand —-problem solved. She feels very humble listening to this august assembly of technicians and programmers. Nothing like learning from experts. As perhaps…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
You should always make a back-up or archive copy of your favorite or most-often-used programs. I know that, after a few times of having to do the programs all over again, I now am making back-up copies to everything that I record or write. “Once burned” is enough of a lesson for me to learn.…
article, orig pub: 07.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
This program will choose random number selections. You can define how many numbers in a selections and between what numbers. The Menu 1- Choose number selections. The first thing you have to enter is between what number the computer has to choose from (15-99). Second, you have to enter how many numbers per selections (1-10).…
article, orig pub: 02.28.25, updated: 06.21.26
Here is a simple sketch on how you can provide battery backup for your computer. Cost of parts is small, the 2N5193 can be replaced by almost any 3 to 4 amp PNP transistor. Also included is a short routine illustrating the usefullness of the CODE function in devising a “goof-proof” data entry method. As…
article, orig pub: 01.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
First, IF THERE ARE ANY ERRORS IN YOUR QZX EXPIRATION DATES, LET ME KNOW. We are going thru a transition period on our mailing labels programs and screw ups are likely! If you have not been contacted about ‘payment’ for articles submitted and printed in QZX thru the OCT 83 issue, LET ME KNOW. If…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
I, too, have a Compusa Disk system for my TS 1500. I use a different method to save to disk which allows me to save to tape if I want to. The method described in Updates 1:3 forces you to delete old data BEFORE you save the new data. That practice could lead to disaster.…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
I discovered something very peculiar about the 2068 when I tried to put some machine code into the area of memory normally occupied by the RAM-resident code “function dispatcher”. It seems as if machine code routines in this area (6200 hex or greater) run more slowly than identical rountines elsewhere in memory. To see this…
article, orig pub: 01.09.22, updated: 06.21.26
Here are two programs that give a moving graphics representation of the holiday spirit. The first version is for the 1000 series of computers and the second is for the TS-2068. In the 2068 version, the graphics characters are entered in the following manner – press SHIFT “9” to get into the graphics mode (remember…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
So it is August and within the last month the 68000 market has really heated up! Commodore unveiled the highly touted (and highly priced) Amiga on July 23rd in Lincoln Center, but probably will not begin shipping until September. Atari shipped a couple of thousand 520 ST’s to distributers last week and promised to ship…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
When Timex and Sinclair introduced the affordable home computer, it was based on technology developed by Clive Sinclair and Sinclair Research.
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Well, I did get a new printer. However it had a completely differ at set of operating codes so I had to reformat QZX, a time consuming job. However it is a faster, easier to wu printer so I wil get that time back in the coming months. The type is a little easier to…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
I have noted as the years pass that Computer Fests are taking on an atmosphere of a “family reunion”. I LIKE THAT! Tim Swenson and his wife add to the Dayton ComputerFest each year by providing a nice quiet place in their back yard with good food to eat and plenty of Sinclair users to…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
The club is selling digitizer boards. – For one assembled, tested and shipped the cost will be $49.95 + $3 shipping and handling. If you only want the bare board it will be $19.95 + $3 s&h. The board has a leading edge connector and is ready for a mother board. If you want a…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
Budget Robotics & Computing of Tucson, AZ has purchased the rights to manufacture and sell the Computer Continuum Buffered Buss Development Board. This expansion buffered buss board is available as a bare board with complete documentation and parts list. This board is compatible with the ZX80, ZX81, TS1000, and TS1500 computers, all for $40 ea.…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
Structured SuperBasic is a utility that has been printed a couple of times in this newsletter. I have recently dusted the program off and completed a new version. SSB 2.6 has all of the functionality of SSB 2.5, but I have added a lot of error checking, fixed a few bugs, added Config Block support,…
article, orig pub: 12.18.25, updated: 06.21.26
OK, already I can hear you ask, “Why are you writing about the IBM PC in a Timex publication?” The short answer is that we are trying a little experiment to see what your reaction will be. The long answer is that for the past couple years, we have witnessed a slow but steady decline…
article, orig pub: 02.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
Some of us, who have visited Tom Bent at home, are greeted by him in bare feet. He explains, “I am working on QL’s and I keep my feet bare to prevent static electricity.” I always thought, “Yeah, sure, don’t admit you’re hillbilly!” Well Tom, you’re right, we do need to take precautions to prevent…
article, orig pub: 01.21.26, updated: 06.21.26
Tax programs. Basicare modules from Gladstone. New products from Memotech. TS 2040 printer available. TS 1500 printer announcement. TS 2000 delays; Sinclair’s ZX-83 and Timex’s TS 3000 under wraps. TS-2000 & TS-3000 NEWS Don’t expect to see the TS 2000 hit the streets until the final quarter of this year. Apparently, the 2000 will be…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Welcome again to the column, and this month I will “shift gears in midstream”, so to say. Originally I had planned to review the new SMART II software for the Westridge 2050 modem, Anchor finally released it, and many of you may already have it. I was promised a review copy of SMART II from…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
Bill Jones of Panama City, FL sent an interesting note. He says, “UPDATES has the potential of being a National Newsletter for Sinclair Computer Information. Looking further down the road, UPDATES could be a vehicle to start up a National Sinclair Computer Club.” Funny you should mention that, Bill. While UPDATES is definitely not ever…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
Taken from the June 1989 issue of ZX-Appeal – Newsletter of the Vancouver Sinclair Users Group. INSOMNIAC ELECTRONICS UPDATE Gerd and I have been able to contact Jim Horne and are helping Jim straighten things out. Jim was not keeping very good records for a while and has lost track of some of the orders…
article, orig pub: 01.24.26, updated: 06.21.26
The CQVI video digitizer package consists of the CQV1 hardware, a 3.5″ disk and an 8 page manual. The CQV1 electronics are installed in a black plastic case, measuring 7″(18cm)x4-1/4″ (11cm)x2″(5.5cm). A male edge connector extends out of the front of the case to mate with the ROM Port at the rear of the QL.…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 06.21.26
Description: In Invasion Force, you control a laser base and must shoot through a moving force field and destroy an alien ship. If you hit a black blob in the moving force field, all your damage to the ship is repaired. Smaller ships fly by and drop bombs on vou. The game ends when you…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Curry Computer is now the U.S. distributor for Pyramide Software of Paris France. Curry now has their first program for the QL: WANDERER, a three dimensional graphies program for an RGB color monitor. The program comes with 3D glasses and gives the impression of the display “floating” somewhere between your computer and your monitor. It…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
This meeting marks the first anniversary of the Sinclair/Timex User Group. We are planning a big celebration, and have executives of both Sinclair Research, Ltd. and Timex Computer Corporation coming to our meeting: We are looking forward to what these two have to say about their companies and products. In addition, we have asked representatives…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Mister Butterfly is looking for his 5 children, can you help him find them? They were playing with their balloons in the field and they found this entrance to some sort of cavern. They decided to explore it and all went in a different direction. As luck would have it, they got lost! Now you…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
Bob Dyl of English Micro Connection (EMC), 15 Kilburn Ct., Newport, RI 02840 401/849-3805 reports that they are an agent for Sinclair (and other English) computers. The Spectrum+ sells for $159.95 postage paid and has an average delivery time of less than three weeks. He also has the Interface I and microdrive kit (includes four…
article, orig pub: 02.14.26, updated: 06.21.26
Bob Dyl of the English Micro Connection is helping lead the way in bringing the full range of Spectrum products to our shores. Already it is possible to get the new Spectrum Plus, Sinclair microdrives and other peripherals through EMC. Now comes the announcement that any 2068 with a Spectrum ROM, ROM Switch, or Emulator…
article, orig pub: 09.13.22, updated: 06.21.26
Last month you may have noticed—at least I hope you did—that we didn’t publish a newsletter. This is only the second time in six years that we have missed an issue and like the first, there is a very good reason. Our newsletter is published by the folks at Montgomery County Mental Health. I imagine…
article, orig pub: 01.19.26, updated: 06.21.26
QUBIDE is an IDE hard disk interface for the QL. Before describing it in detail, I’d like to explain how this interface ever came into existence. Months ago, one of the discussion threads on QBox was some wishful thinking about using IDE drives on the QL. IDE was discussed for some time when Zelijko Nastasic…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 06.21.26
Find enclosed a check to enroll me as a member of [NESQLUG]. I am 64 years old and retired. The only experience with computer programming that I have started in 1982 with the ZX-81. With publications such as SYNTAX and SYNC I became very familiar with it and was hooked on Sinclairs as a hobby.…
article, orig pub: 02.22.26, updated: 06.21.26
The renewals continue to come in although the renewal rate (about 50%) is not fantastic as people change computers. We really appreciate the good words that many enclose. I am tempted to put more of them in the friends column, but do not like it when other magazines publish congratulatory letters so I have refrained.…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
Happy Holidays to all of you out there. It’s hard te believe this issue marks the end of almost two full years of publishing the QLR. The January issue will mark the beginning of our third rear as the oldest QL periodical in the States. We thank all of you for subscribing and hope you…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
On 4/24/84, I spoke with David Higgenbottom from the Los Angeles area. He is organizing a venture capitalist effort to acquire the licensing rights from TIMEX COMPUTER CORP. This endeavor combines some 47 companies into a publicly held subsidiary of Trinity Magnum of San Diego, CA. There are plans to open a nation wide chain…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
In QHJ #3, I reported on some benchmarks that I ran on Lattice C and Small-C. Now that I had C68, I decided to run the benchmarks against it to see how it compares with the other two compilers. Here is how all three compilers compare: Prime Numbers Small-C Lattice C C68 29000-32767 5 Sec…
article, orig pub: 11.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
Some time ago we asked for program ideas for the magazine, we received a lot of neat ideas. We can’t promise we’ll do them all but we will try! Anyways, send some more or better than that, send programs or articles (SEE SPECIAL NOTE). You probably noticed that on the cover it says DECEMBER/JANUARY 1987.…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
If you happen to own a Miracle hard drive or the new ED (3.2 meg) drives you’re going to eventually be looking at making backups of the files you’ve configured and use. As anyone who has used a computer knows….there always comes a time when something goes wrong. This may be as simple as a…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 06.21.26
Before I begin I would like to thank Bill Miller of SINCLINK for getting me involved with this project in the first place. I would also like to thank Mark Wahl also of SINCLINK for writing the initial program that I used to get started in the right direction. All I really did was debug…
article, orig pub: 01.23.26, updated: 06.21.26
Being a band director, I often made printouts of my students by instrument. First I would print all the flute players, then clarinets, etc. However, I always had SEARCH IS COMPLETE printed in between each section. Also, I use a number of codes in my files, so to help me keep track of their meaning…
article, orig pub: 04.03.23, updated: 06.21.26
Add or alter these lines of ZX PRO/FILE to make it work with Byte-Back’s P-2 serial print< er driver. P-2 can be located in any convenient memory location. Once you decide where you want it to be, determine the address of both the LPRINT and the LCOPY routines. The address for LCOPY will be stored…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
GREAT NEWS! TIMEX SINCLAIR USER magazine does NOT appear to be dead, as we last reported, but it may be changing colors! We hope to be hearing from them soon: though in the newsletter press there is some skepticism about this magazine’s reappearance in its original form, now that TIMEX is joined by SYNC who…
article, orig pub: 11.15.24, updated: 06.21.26
“Imagine pressing a key on your computer and being in touch with…” the WORLD! This is a slight paraphrase of an ad that Timex released when the TS 2068 was introduced. According to that ad, any T/S computer could be used to access any number of national and regional databases, and local BBSs (Bulletin Board…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
In a back issue of the QHJ I wrote a SuperBasic program that saves a section of the screen to memory and brings it back again. This allows you to save a section of the screen where you are about the put a new window, draw to window, and then bring back what was under…
article, orig pub: 12.18.25, updated: 06.21.26
A few weeks ago Rusty Townsend of Richmond, B.C., let us know about a BUG in the spreadsheet we published in the FEBRUARY 1987 issue. The BUG was that you could not divide anything by anything! Of course, Kris, the author of the BUG, fixed it and is now telling you how to do it…
article, orig pub: 02.23.25, updated: 06.21.26
We lead off this issue with the exciting news that finally you can use your QL for telecommunications. We have successfully connected a modem using a special piece of hardware. This adapter plugs into serial 2 and can be set for either 300 or 1200 baud. The other end has a standard DB-25 male connecter.…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
Greetings from London! This issue we are “on the road” attending the PCW Show at the Olympia in London. We will be giving a full report on the show, on the status of the QL, and on new hardware and software, later in this issue. First, though, some news of interest. We have been experimenting…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
This utility is mostly used for error trapping on the Spectrum but can be used on a TS2068 also. It features 2 modes: On Error – Go to and On Error – Continue. The codes are completely relocatable and are 123 bytes long. To load these codes just CLEAR base-1 (if over 23756): LOAD “ON…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
Using the A & J Microdrive to load Tasword II takes less than 30 seconds! But to SAVE the program and files created by it requires some modifications to the BASIC part of Tasword II. To make the changes, LOAD Tas- word off tape and choose the BASIC option. DELETE lines 11, 15, 700 and…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Larry Desch for the newsletter of his local KAYPRO user group in Iowa City, and is reprinted here with the gracious permission of the author. What computer has 16K, expandable to 64K, weighs in at less than 5 pounds and has a small “footprint”? Am I talking…
article, orig pub: 11.06.25, updated: 06.21.26
Description: With the Flight Simulation program you must land your airplane successfully on the runway without crashing. Sitting in the cockpit, your control panel shows your speed, altitude, fuel and power. The top of your screen is your viewing window for the landing. The player is given the option of flying just the final approach.…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Now I’ve heard everything! A computer that talks back to me? why not…everybody else does! Tad Painter has done the “unheard” of by digitizing the human voice for T/S computers. His SPEECH SYNTHESIZER program does the job without the need for expensive additional hardware. It’s all software generated. SPEECH SYNTHESIZER is available for the TS…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Sue Mahoney opened the meeting with an update on the status of the new Timex computers. She said the TS-1500 and the TS-2000 series would be shipped to the distributors in August. The TS-1500 is an upgraded version of the TS-1000. It has movable keys and 16K of built-in RAM memory. Sue said she has…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
New Modem and Printers from Timex Timex was again showing the 2068 and 1500 computers, but were emphasizing a new TS 2050 modem (S119.95), TS 2080 80-column dot matrix printer, TS 2040 32-column thermal printer (S99.95), and an expanded selection of software. The 2050 is a 300-baud modem with auto-dial, auto-answer, built-in modular phone jacks,…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
This three-part program returns correct day name, changes Gregorian dates to corresponding Julian day numbers, and computes total days between any two dates from Jan. 1 AD to Feb. 2300. To use, type the month number (NL) , day number (NL) , and fourdigit year (NL) . ZX80 returns the correct day name, followed by…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Where, 0, Where are the TS2068 technical manuals? I’ve spoken with many people who ordered the new tech manual from Little Rock in April or May and still have not received them, while several other persons have. Why should this be? It turns out that Timex originally produced 200 copies of the approximately 300-page manual…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Rick, If its OK with you, I would like you to print this comment in the next issue, I want to thank all of those who have spent their time calling, writing and showing their interest in software I have written or articles that have appeared here in TSH. Many have offered suggestions to help…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
Q-SAVE is a speedy loader device for the TS 1000/ZX81. It can load a 16K program in about 25 seconds (compared to 6 minutes with the normal loading time that’s quite a difference). Q-SAVE is a hardware/software combination. The hardware supplied is a filter/amplifier. It greatly increases the chances of a load (with a Q-SAVE…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
One of the ways in which a TS2068 can be put to use in an unconventional manner is to replace the internal ROM chips with EPROM chips containing the program for the custom application. There are two of these ROM chips in the TS2068. The first figure shows where in the 64K byte address space…
article, orig pub: 01.17.26, updated: 06.21.26
Can you help a family get to their home? See, they’re trapped on the side of a mountain and some mean old guy blew up the bridges and now they can’t cross the valleys that separate them from their house. You will be given three choppers to carry the pieces of the bridges that you…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
We received a nice reply to our puzzle about 12 coins of equal denomination but one was a counterfeit. With a balance, determine which is the counterfeit coin, bearing in mind that this coin can be lighter or heavier than the others. George Chambers from the Toronto Timex Sinclair Club took the time to develop…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
Myles Cohen from New York uses the ADD modification given in UPDATES vol. 1, #3, to simulate “labels” such as those used in old, outmoded and obsolete data base programs like Vu-File. Cohen added one file which holds the label names on the line he wishes them to be printed on. Then when he is…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
Probably most of you have received notice of the bankruptcy of QUANTUM COMPUTING. Apparently, the notices were sent to everyone on the company’s customer list. I doubt that there is much hope of collecting anything from the company, as the notice listed unsecured debts as over $60,000, with total assets of $0.01 (that’s one cent).…
article, orig pub: 12.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
Croaka Crawla is not just another “FROGGER” imitation. This is THE best I’ve seen. It is fast, and the graphics are very good. It is also very difficult. I have not yet been able to reach the 3rd level. The 6-7-8-9 keys are used (I don’t know why. It sure is a weird combination), and…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
185 A little mineral oil spread on the fingers only of the ZX81 RAM pack will reduce the number of crashes. 186 To put the TS2068 into CAPS lock mode POKE 23658,8. To take it out of that mode POKE 23658,0 187 To cause the TS2068 to PAUSE until a key is pressed (any key)…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
You will probably recognize Surround as soon as you RUN it. It is a version of a fairly standard routine in which you are required to surround your adversary before he can surround you. Both players are in continuous motion and are not allowed to cross their tracks or those of their opponent, or to…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
The default music device on the ZK81 is the Zon X-81. It was an add-on that came with an AY chhip and built-in speaker. Many emulators and ZXpand emulate the Zon X-81. To create music, Andy Rea has created ZXbeta, a music tracker program for the ZX81. It can be used to create your own…
article, orig pub: 01.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
Timex has reached a $50m agreement with an unnamed Polish industrial firm — via its European agent Takis Patrikarakos of Micro Interface — to supply 800,000 Timex 2068 machines and 200,000 FDD 3000 twin 3inch floppy disc drives to the Polish government. The credibility of Amstrad’s deal with Sinclair has been further eroded with news…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
Jim Cripps of Central Islip, NY has compiled a large foreign language translation data base using ZX PRO/FILE. His family uses it to improve their language skills in any of the five different languages held in the program. For each word, a two line file is created. The first line holds the initial of the…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
Timex reports it will begin sales this August of TS2000s with 16K or 48K RAM, color/sound capabilities and bank-switching. The 16K version will sell for $149.95; the 48K for $199.95, says Timex. Both versions contain 24K ROM, including 8K ROM for cartridge capabilities and bank-switching. With bank-switching the computer can potentially use up to 256…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
THE MESSAGE of Sinclair is spreading quickly all over the world. On the basis of sales of Sinclair User, ZX-81s are being plugged into television sets throughout most of the developed and developing world. The magazine now sells about 4,000 copies each month overseas. The largest number goes to the Scandinavian countries — Sweden, Norway,…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Although VU-3D is billed as a business program, many of you will have fun with tinkering around and showing off the program to your friends. This program sure shows off the stuff a TS 2068 can do! VUU-3D is a program that allows you to draw and view figures in a 3 dimensional perspective. The…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
Here’s your chance to let your ambitions and accomplishments be known. Feel free to let us know what you are up to, and to contact those ‘doing your thing’.
article, orig pub: 01.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
Finally the GL is shipping. These last few months have been chaotic to say the least. In the August Report we stated that Robert Maxwell had purchased a controlling interest in Sinclair Research. In early August Maxwell withdrew his offer which was to have been finalized in September. Although still suffering from acute cash flow…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
Happy New Year to all of you. We want to start 1986 by thanking all of you for subscribing to our Report. Monthly you will be kept up to date on all the latest software and hardware for the QL. In addition, we will keep you informed on the latest news pertaining to Sinclair Research…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
Description: Labyrinth is a game sold by Mindware that creates a maze which the player must go through. At the start of the game, the player must choose the width and height of the maze. Before entering the maze, the player is given the option of seeing it first This gives the player plenty of…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
I purchased a Model No. 4084 TV/ monitor from Sears ($364.00 including tax) together with RGB Cable Model 6529 ($18.00). I had to modify my computer using an RGB Conversion kit #220-453 from Arthur Brown Co., 1702 Oak Knoll Drive, Alexandria MN S6208 ($19.95). This kit requires opening the computer and doing some soldering inside.…
article, orig pub: 09.13.22, updated: 06.21.26
How ’bout some comments on Timex hardware suppliers? There are lots of ads in SYNC and elsewhere, but who is reliable and who is not. Richard E. KoehlerIndianapolis, IN Finding reliable hardware (and software) is frustrating for all of us. UPDATES definitely will comment on hardware, software and everything else that enhances ZX PRO/FILE, but…
article, orig pub: 01.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
Last month we explored the world of music through the program MUSICOLA for the TS2068. This month we continue our journey through the “Computer Cultural Corner” with a look at another program that allows us to express our artistic tendencies. ART FOR ALL AGES is a program for the TS2068 that allows you to turn…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
A NEW MAGAZINE for the owners of Timex/Sinclair machines in the U.S. has been launched by ECC Publications, the publishers of Sinclair User. Timex/Sinclair User was launched in April and includes much the same mixture of reviews, projects and articles for which Sinclair User has become known. Terry Cartwright, managing director of ECC, believes that…
article, orig pub: 02.08.23, updated: 06.21.26
A fleet of 20 "X” ships is attacking you. You must destroy at least 15 of them or be destroyed.
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
In our vendor reports last month, SYNTAX said Timex software doesn’t come in baggies. Yes it does, and honest stuff, too. Yes it does, and honest stuff, too. As Marty Warner-DuBay pointed out to us after getting a flurry of phone calls from her dealers for the licensed programs she sold in baggies, with photocopied…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Well, we’re back from the Computerfest! It was a long way to go but it was certainly worth it to meet a lot of you face to face. We hope next year to see even more of you. For those of you who were unable to attend, sit back and relax and we’ll tell you…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
We will have the Timex modem on hand far a hands on demonstration, continue with the software sharing that went on last meeting, and we will come up with a group project that can be done in a one to two month time period. We will also have an auction of donated materials: Step, Rampager,…
article, orig pub: 11.10.24, updated: 06.21.26
Year 2986, equipped with the most powerful computer ever known on Earth, a TS2068, a spaceship is launched into deep space with you on board as the commander. You were sent on a mission to destroy the fleet of Zortron, the deadliest army in the 6th solar system of a Galaxy called Zykron. The fleet…
article, orig pub: 02.23.25, updated: 06.21.26
Printer & DOS Routines In Part 1 (SWN Vol, 5 No. 5) of this intro to Beta Basic (BB) we looked at some of the editing and data-manipulation features which may be used on programs entered in T/S mode as well as those written in BB. This time let’s see how it may be adapted…
article, orig pub: 12.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
In the unclassifieds there has been offered a FREE 16 K RAM for some time. Anybody want it? I am getting tired of printing that ad. The “Hacker” is back. Some of you will remember the Hacker as one of the better newsletters published by Timex-Sinclair clubs. It expanded its coverage to include MS-DOS machines…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
After much deliberation, the winners of The SyncWare News 2nd (sort of) Annual Programmers’ Competition have been decided. The winning programs are presented in this issue for your use and amusement, First place in the TS1000/1500 category goes to Alex R. Sweitzer for his program “Multsteps” which teaches students to multiply a 3 digit X…
article, orig pub: 02.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
Since getting a corrected version of MODEM7 to work with the AERCO disk system with RP/M and the 2050 modem, I have done a great deal of downloading Public Domain programs. If you thought that MTERM II was confusing at times, that is nothing compared to MODEM7. I also thought that Specterm-64 took some time…
article, orig pub: 07.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
The first time I knew that CP/M was available to us via the AERCO disk system and the ZEBRA FDD 3000, I wondered what version of CP/M it was. I soon found out it was CP/M 2.2. 1 spoke with Ron Lane, SYSOP of the FWKUG MBBS & PSDE, and he told me that as…
article, orig pub: 07.27.25, updated: 06.21.26
I guess you might as well call me a “Bill of all trades”. I have experience in programming, in advertising, in writing (as I hope this review is an example), and in marketing, But my first vocation is music. I am within one semester of completing a degree in Music Education at West Virginia University.…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
After you’ve logged in your daily jog around the block (see “Logging Your Jogging,” pages 80 to 82). you might want to test your Pulse Rate by typing in this program and running it. When your computer tells you to stand by . . ., place your fingertip (not your thumb) on the Lnner surface…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Description: Combat Flight casts you as the commander of a fighter ship, flying through mountainous terrain shooting at alien ships. Seven types of alien ships fly by. Points scored depend on the of alien you hit with lasers. A player gets three lives per game. After the game, the top five scores are displayed with…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
This month concludes the series with a discussion of some of the parameters used by the SCL and a few notes on the timing of some of the signals.
article, orig pub: 01.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
More and more people are using SBASIC – the wonderful SuperBASIC compatible language which comes with any SMSQ for the GoldCard, SuperGoldCard, all ATARIs and the QXL. It offers far more facilies besides being very fast and able to be executed many times at the same time (we will make use of this feature in…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 06.21.26
OS64 Bug I recently discovered a latent catastrophe in my OS64 cartridge version 1.72. The cart. sets RAMTOP at 65255. This is ABOVE the machine stack and RAM-resident code. If a long program overwrites the machine stack, it’s BYE-BYE! The normal place for RAMTOP in double display file modes is 63255, the first byte below…
article, orig pub: 02.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
Well, it’s time for our second issue of BYTE POWER! We must say that we were quite surprised by the number of persons that were interested in the idea of a cassette based magazine! This month, we have another series of programs as exciting as ever, the chapter 2 of SOUND EFFECTS is full of…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
You know how those tape to tape backup routines usually only work on “good” original copies, but what about a tape that’s not so good? Is there a way to save that tape? The other day, I received 2 tapes full of Public Domain programs, of course they were recorded on a different tape recorder…
article, orig pub: 02.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
If this one confuses you, take a look at the copyright date. One may deduce that the program (for the 2068) is an “upgrade” from the TS-1000 version. While an upgrade to a newer machine is certainly permissible, and often very desirable, BANTA loses points on this one for failing to upgrade the documentation. Said…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
In a recent article in The C Users Journal, Don Lang discusses how to implement 2D arrays on C. His article covers code that when added to the original Small-C source, allows Small-C to support 2D arrays. Since the source code for the QL’s Small-C compiler is not available, we could not use the code…
article, orig pub: 11.21.25, updated: 06.21.26
When the history of the microcomputer is written, the ZX81 is going to deserve a prominent mention: it could well be the watershed for introducing computers into the home. From the first day it was launched in Britain, sales have been at 1000 units a day and world-wide sales in October are reported at 40,000!…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Some education theorists suggest that learning to count and read is enhanced if you create a large, sharp image in a child’s mind. This image should be easily recognized and repeated often. Rapidly moving TV pictures get credit (and blame) for generating very powerful attention-grabbing images that anyone watching learns quickly. With your ZX81 and…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
PleasanTrees Programming continues to supply ZX/TS software and will introduce new 2068 titles. They are closing out the last copies of “Graphics A to Z,” see classifieds, this issue. You can get it later, but photocopied & 50% more costly. Our report from Canada proved sadly true: Gladstone’s Toronto store sold copied software that Games…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Mark Wahl, at student at UC Berkeley, has been looking into a public domain C compiler that can be ported to the QL. As some of you may already know, the only public domain C compiler for the QL is the Small C compiler available from the Quanta Library. Small C only supports a subset…
article, orig pub: 11.18.25, updated: 06.21.26
I will start off these notes with a few comments generated by the many suggestions sent in with the renewal letters which we have been getting. Third class mail would be a little cheaper, especially if there were a lot more subscribers than we have now. First class is faster and provides for forwarding as…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
Timex Computer Corporation announced February 22 that they were withdrawing from the home computer market. The announcement was a big blow to those who have worked hard to support their fine computers. Presumably the reason for the withdrawal was that the company figured that they could not make enough money under the present circumstances. Timex…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
I now, thanks to the quick reply from Jack Dohany, have the MSCRIPT AERCO disk, version 5.3. This is just like my old MSCRIPT, but improved. There is another version on the way, but you will have to wait for that one-I will explain in a short article in this column. I also, thanks to…
article, orig pub: 07.05.24, updated: 06.21.26
I read the “new” ASK CHUCK column for this month. I was curious about the DEL.EXE or ERA.EXE which is similar to my DEL..COM and ERA. I, too can call up only certain files on the directory if I ask for those. Then I can erase them all at one time, or one at a…
article, orig pub: 07.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
SETYPE is an economical way to put a little variety into your choice of type on your IS 2068 by creating three additional type styles. Beyond economy and compactness, SETYPE offers some other advantages. Single letter variables are reserved for the programs with which you use it; and you do not need to leave the…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
Memotech has just released three (four if you count the keyboard) new products. These three new add-ons are firmware, which is software that resides permanently on an EPROM. MEMOCALC is a spreadsheet analysis program which enables users to perform complex number crunching routines with ease. Up to 7,000 numbers with up to 250 rows or…
article, orig pub: 01.14.23, updated: 06.21.26
So, you like the looks of these RLE graphics and would like to download some of the hundreds that are available on Compuserve? No problem! Here is a step by step method for accomplishing your goal: Step 1 – Load MTERM. Go to the data buffer menu, erase the buffer so that “buffused” equals O…
article, orig pub: 01.19.26, updated: 06.21.26
Effective today, the price of the QL drops to $299.95 and is available from Curry Computer. Our first order is pending. All Sinclair brand QL software will only be available through dealers such as Curry Computer. We also will be stocking the Sinclair Flat Screen TV which will retail for $99.95 and can be used…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
TS1000 plus peripherals can make life easier and less expensive for artificial kidney patients and US taxpayers. Artificial kidneys used by dialysis patients cost $20-50 each and patients can use each only once. Each kidney patient must dialyze, using a new kidney, three times a week. Medicare, through our tax dollars, bears 80% of this…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Here is a list of vendors who are more or less active in selling Sinclair equipment, software or services. The list is presented as a service to the reader. It is difficult to keep up with the activities of vendors because their interests (and stock) are continually changing. Therefore I have put a date code…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
Here is a list of vendors who are more or less active in selling Sinclair equipment, software or services. The list is presented as a service to the reader. It is difficult to keep up with the activities of vendors because their interests (and stock) are continually changing. Therefore I have put a date code…
article, orig pub: 01.17.26, updated: 06.21.26
Well, Happy Tax Day. We hope you all have your returns going out on this date–at the latest. Let’s hope by this time next year there will be a good tax program available for the QL. The machine has finally been out long enough in this country so that “American” software is being introduced. War…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
We lead off this issue with a note of optimism. The following is a news squib we received from Mark Fendrick who got it from a news publication in the U.K. It is dated April 29th so it is reasonably current. Last Monday saw several ex-members of Sinclair Research starting work at Amstrad’s HQ at…
article, orig pub: 02.13.26, updated: 06.21.26
In this column, we will list the regional user groups in Florida. If you have a users group here, please drop us a line so we can include your meeting times and highlights of your last meeting. TUG: Gainesville, FL. Meets the third Wednesday of each month at 3708 Newberry Rd (State Road 26) Gainesville,…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
There is a Smart Terminal II program for the Timex 1000 and 1500 computers, but it hasn’t been put on the market. I contacted the Micro-Systems Software company and they told me that they do have Terminal Il program for the 1000. I heard that there a lot of people who would like this program.…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
In the April 1983 issue of QZX, Larry Willson presented his RTTY program, If you were like me, the prospect of rtty made normal life impossible. That version of rtty was admittedly primitive; after a full screen on either transmit or гесеіvе, the program stopped. Never the less, it did work. When his “more sophisticated”…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
Here are a few comments from Larry, AF8J to update last month’s review of the AF8J RTTY interface/program: Both the ASCIl & RTTY modes have become one 2K program, written in machine language, and allows switching between modes. There is now a silk screened & tinned PC board available for the interface that can be…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
Here is a program from Larry Kenny of Larken Electronics to backup any 2068 program. The program requires two tape recorders, one to play the tape, and one to record the program. The program can be located anywhere in free memory. Follow the instructions as given in the program. Once the code 1s set, it…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
The Quickey 2068 is a keyboard overlay with legends printed on and available for TASWORD II/TASPRINT and MSCRIPT. Coming soon, one for OMNICAL, and others. Blank ones are also available. Price: $3.99 each, or two for $7.50. Blanks for $3 ea. Available from AN-TO Productions, 9009 West Elm St. #2 Phoenix, AZ 85037 TASWORD THREE!…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
(Editor’s NOTE: This article would be worthwhile reading if it didn’t contain anything but the material on programming above line 9999.) My version of the BASIC program uses 1004 bytes after deleting all lines less than 9000 and ENTERing CLEAR in accordance with the CHALLENGE instructions. Our Editor did not like the treatment of the…
article, orig pub: 12.28.24, updated: 06.21.26
BetterBasic and CrossRef are two SuperBasic programming utilities written by Chas Dillon (of THE EDITOR fame). Chas has released these two programs into the Public Domain. He has released the source code but not any executables. I decided to take the two programs, see what changes they needed to be compiled with the new TURBO,…
article, orig pub: 12.18.25, updated: 06.21.26
The top-secret building where you work is guarded by a robot. One day you arrive at work and find the robot missing. Puzzled, you enter the building and immediately sense that something has gone wrong. Strange noises are coming from a distant corridor. You investigate and discover that it’s the sound of the robot, twirling…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
The first question often asked about a new machine is “Does it play Space Invaders?” Though a 1K machine has considerable difficulty getting anywhere Computer Combat using only 1K, is a type of mini Space Invaders but with only one invader and one base and a much slower rate of firing. The object of the…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
Bob Newell of Bismarck, North Dakota, has started a BBS called “GlobberNet” that specializes in computer games, including Spectrum Games. Bob has over 1200 Spectrum Snapshot (. SNA) files available for download. These snapshot files are supported by the Spectrum (on a Spectrum disk) and by various Spectrum emulators. Bob also has a few of…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
This program will allow you to create 3×3 graphics fairly easily. The working space is on the left side of the screen. On the right side you can see the character (3×3) you defined or are defining. To create a character move with the arrow keys, 1 to fill a dot, and 0 to clear…
article, orig pub: 01.25.26, updated: 06.21.26
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Miracle Systems Demonstration of their new QL products, originally slated to be held in NY, will NOW be held at the Salvation Army Headquarters located on Memorial Blvd., in Newport, Rhode Island. Bob Dyl of IQLR (QL international publication) will be sponsoring this event. The showing will be…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 06.21.26
ZEBRA SYSTEMS, INC., is currently offering Graphics Collection tapes for use with their TS2068 Graphics Designer Series programs: The Banner Designer, The Greeting Card Designer, and the Sign Designer. Each tape includes 30 graphics. Collection subjects include holidays, office, sports, and religion to name but a few. There are currently 12 collections available with more…
article, orig pub: 12.27.24, updated: 06.21.26
This program will allow you to transform codes into DATA statements in a BASIC program. This is particularly useful for sending machine language programs to magazines and such. All you need is to set up the routine… Just enter the base address for the DATA MAKER, then enter the starting address of your codes, then…
article, orig pub: 02.26.25, updated: 06.21.26
I have not received much feedback on the Qliberator Source Book idea I mentioned in the last issue, and I have received basically no “helpful hints”. So, my plan is to write what I can, put it out on the Net, and see what feedback comes from it. If I make any mistakes, I’m sure…
article, orig pub: 12.18.25, updated: 06.21.26
While Joe was busy checking out the “mechanics” of the Spectrum Plus, I was looking it over in other ways. First, the Spectrum Plus comes with an excellent manual printed in full color. Only 80 pages counting the index, the User Guide does not cover as much as the 2068 manual does (no sound synthesizer…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
A microprocessor based demand controller for use in residential and small commercial buildings is discussed. In order to verify the performance of the controller, a field test is being conducted in four residences. The controller operates by receiving demand pulses from the utility meter and calculating every minute a 15-minute billing demand (sliding window demand).…
article, orig pub: 02.17.21, updated: 06.21.26
Well another issue again… Some neat stuff as always… We have AIRSHIP I: an animation program from Robert Zarembka, EXTENDED PLOT: a new plot operating system, SCREEN MANIPULATOR: a bunch of screen utilities, STANDARD SCREEN COPIER: to copy screens to your printer of course! and much more… There are a few programs we promised in…
article, orig pub: 02.24.25, updated: 06.21.26
Editor’s Note: The following article expands upon Gordon Young’s program published in issues 5, 6, 7, and 9 of TS Horizons. Recently there has been a good deal of interest in the DVORAK keyboard arrangement The DVORAK keyboard requires less finger movement to type a series of letters as compared to the ordinary QWERTY arrangement,…
article, orig pub: 11.05.25, updated: 06.21.26
Last issue Mark Martin reported on a Dutch BBS that was being run on a QL. I forgot to mention that the same person that wrote the QL BBS also wrote a number of other programs, that Mark has sent me. The three major programs on the disk are: UNZIP96, QVIEW, and QBOX. UNZIP96 is…
article, orig pub: 11.23.25, updated: 06.21.26
First off, Fred Andreucci introduced us to his other two partners and passed out some hand-outs concerning the Amstrad PC 1512. He then began the demonstration by giving us some background on Amstrad and the PC1512. The distributor for Amstrad is in Longview which makes it much easier for service and delivery here in the…
article, orig pub: 02.20.24, updated: 06.21.26
Timelines….BBS was founded out of frustration of not having a Timex/Sinclair BBS that I could log on to that spoke my. language (Sinclairees). When I bought my TS-2068 computer and TS-2050 modem I thought that I could do some modeming like the Apple and I.B.M. computer users do. What I found was that there were…
article, orig pub: 08.10.24, updated: 06.21.26
Ås promised, here is the next issue of QZX about two weeks after the first issue of the year (1994). The December issue promised a set of schematic symbols but they did not make that issue. They are in this one. In the last issue I discussed two reasons why the postal rate increase would…
article, orig pub: 01.17.26, updated: 06.21.26
The trouble with having been a working programmer in one’s youth is that you spend the rest of your life under the constant threat of getting readdicted to that particular form of obsessive compulsive behavior. (The trouble with being an exprogrammer who’s also a Published Author, by the way, is that you feel obligated to…
article, orig pub: 01.19.26, updated: 06.21.26
HYBRIDIZATION AT ITS BEST DEPT The Commodore 1351 Mouse can be used with the LarKen system. Plug the mouse into the Kempston joystick, hold down the right button and power up the system. The mouse goes into a joystick mode and is eminently suitable for “mousing around” with Art Studio and the like! MEETING NOTICE…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 06.21.26
I’d like to thank Per Witte for providing pretty much the core part of this issue. I saw the Filename Parser program posted to the ql-users mailing list and thought it would be good material for an article. I contacted Per and he was willing to write something up. The length of the article was…
article, orig pub: 12.18.25, updated: 06.21.26
Most printing to the screen involves just 22 lines and 32 columns. One line scrolling is quickly done with RANDOMIZE USR 2361. This program takes scrolling a bit further. It will scroll each scan-line row of any defined block of graphics or text on the screen. The block will wrap around or scroll off the…
article, orig pub: 10.27.20, updated: 06.21.26
With the trusty ZX81/TS1000 destined for a place in a dusty closet, here’s a way to put it to use in the event you need a video output from a device having a RS232 serial port. Two examples are the HP41C calculator/computer and Tandy’s new Model 100 portable computer. First, to give credit; Charlie Welch,…
article, orig pub: 01.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
The big news for this issue is still that the complete QZX index is ready to be printed. For details, see the article, QZX INDEX. I have just received a notice that the International QL Report is organizing a QL get-together to be held in Newport, RI on the 5th of June. For more information,…
article, orig pub: 01.16.26, updated: 06.21.26
We also talked abut the term COMPUTERFEST. Gary Ganger pointed out that the term is owned by the Dayton Microcomputer Association, Inc. Owned and protected by copyright. Gary went on to announce that the Association would let other groups use the term occasionally. He did not say how often, or on what terms, but I…
article, orig pub: 02.15.26, updated: 06.21.26
The other night, I vas thinking about how nice it was that there were dedicated newsletters for the Zebra FDD users and the Aerco FD-68 users. These provide an excellent forum for useful information to be exchanged by the users of these unique floppy disk systems. I couldn’t help wishing that somebody night create a…
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 06.21.26