NEW – much of this issue is devoted to the three new computers to be available in the next sixty days from TIMEX. They include the much rumored T/S 1500 (it is a T/S 1000 in a Spectrum case with 16K built in, plus several other improvements, for$79.95), and the TIMEX 2000 series of color computers. By the way when you read the T/S 2068 has 72K built in memory, please understand that it has 48K of on board RAM, the rest is 16K of ROM and unused RAM. TIMEX is just doing what several of their competitors do – advertise the total memory leading you to believe there is more there than there really can be used by you. Future products from TIMEX include – the Modem, another (presumably more professional printer) and a monitor. Also the 2000 series and the 1500 will use ROM cartridges (expected to be as large as 32K and priced $9.95 to $24.95)
HEADLINES – a Japanese company just broke ground in North Carolina for a plant that is to produce 3 million 64K RAM chips annually plus work on the 256K RAM chip. Japan currently produces 70% of the 64K RAM chips in the world and has increased production earlier this year There also was an interesting article in Newsweek, July 4th issue, comparing the U.S. and Japan in their approaches to the development of the super computers and building a machine that thinks!
OVERHEATING – not only you, but your computer has been suffering in this very hot summer. I have experienced several problems including premature crashes and the manipulation of program commands. Thanks to Wes Brzozowski, I have a series of small holes drilled under the heat sink (extending the slots and between the slots). Also rubber feet (Radio Shack 79¢) were added, they were attached to the existing rubber feet. This caused me to make a small platform out of corrugated cardboard and rubber feet. So far all works well and the problems seemed to have disappeared.
AUTHORS WANTED – one of the biggest needs of this hobby and one of the easiest thing for a hobbyist to do is to write an article about a program that they like. This does not have to be an in depth analysis of the structure of the program. Just write I bought the program “Biorhthyms at Unicorn Electronics for $9.95 and I use it to predict my compatiblity. You can use it for …….. etc. Just simple descriptions of how you use it, why you like it, where you got it, and (if it applies) anything you wish had been done differently. Just write or type it up and mail it to the Editor of the newsletter (address is on page 3).
DON’T FORGET – TIMEX COMPUTER CORPORATION HOTLINE IS 800-24-TIMEX!
ALSO DON’T FORGET – as per notices in this newsletter, all items are to be returned to the club library for inventory. Please assist the “librarians” by returning the items right now.
MORSE CODE ON THE T/S1000! If you had come to the last couple meetings you could have seen Dave Schoenwetter’s program that interprets morse code signals and prints the character on the screen! It is in machine code and in less than 2K! Dave tapes the incoming signal and then “plays the recorded morse code” to the computer. He is working on an interface so he can plug his radio right into the computer!
SUMMER SPECIALS – summer reruns should cut down on family TV time, so why not have a family computer project to help everyone become more computer literate!
NO ISSUE OF SINCUS IN AUGUST – SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER! Gary