MTERM (Smart II) Telecommunications Hints and Tips

The MTERM Smart II telecommunications program for the Timex/Sinclair 2068 personal computer is a fine value. This software package exceeds the capabilities of many terminal programs far exceeding it in cost. And because of MTERM’s wide versatility, its users are still uncovering more secrets of its power.

In these few pages are included hints and tips as part of an addendum to my manual entitled, “Timex Sinclair Smart Terminal Telecommunications”. These additional insights are a compilation obtained from the users of Smart II software and the author’s experiences.

The following SMARTIPS are from Randy & Lucy Gordon of the Timex/Sinclair Users Group, Cincinnati, Ohio:

• To get a file from a BBS you first need to set your conversion to none. Toggle your Buffer to open. Take in a file, then close your Buffer. Next, escape to Basic. The file should be saved like a normal Basic program with SAVE “filename”. You will need the modem software to read this file later.
• To view the file that you just saved to tape, you must first LOAD the terminal software, escape to BASIC and LOAD “filename”: PRINT USR 54016. This will return you to the terminal program with Buffer loaded. You must go to the Data Buffer menu to view or print the file. [In view mode the spacerbar toggles the scrolling (on/off).
• To receive a BASIC file from another Sinclair user, you must both be in HEX conversion. Normal system setup (you may want to go to half duplex). Close the Buffer, escape to BASIC, and SAVE “filename”. NOTE: Anything after VARS isn’t transmitted (Buffer END=VARS). This invisible means that any invisible variables are lost unless VARS is “moved” to accomodate the program variable stack. You must POKE VARS, E LINE. To do this you must PRINT’ PEEK 23641 + 256* PEEK 23642( E_LINE), take the value and POKE it to 23627/23628 (VARS). You can call programs back into To receive a BASIC file from another Sinclair user, you must both be in HEX conversion. Normal system setup (you may want to go to half duplex). Close the Buffer, escape to BASIC, and SAVE “filename”. NOTE: Anything after VARS isn’t transmitted (Buffer END=VARS). This invisible means that any invisible variables are lost unless VARS is “moved” to accomodate the program variable stack. You must POKE VARS, E LINE. To do this you must PRINT’ PEEK 23641 + 256* PEEK 23642( E_LINE), take the value and POKE it to 23627/23628 (VARS). You can call programs back into the computer like any other Basic file with LOAD “”.
• To send a Basic file, first be sure it will fit in your Buffer. If you cleared you will get out of memory error if the file is larger than the Buffer area (26710-54016), give or take a few bytes. Get into the terminal mode and then go to the Data Buffer menu. Press T for Transmit. At the bottom of the screen the menu Prompt Screen will appear; press enter. Next, Character Delay will appear; again press Enter. Enter again to take you to the Main Menu. Press Enter one more time to begin transmission. If you are in Half Duplex you will see what you are sending echo back to your screen. When XMIT is finished you may do normal pick-up.
• To send a machine code program to another Sinclair user you must first POKE VARS, (53016) to leave room for Basic overhead. POKE 23627, 24: POKE 23628, 207. This gives a large Buffer to load Basic in. Then you Load “machine code” CODE 26710: PRINT USR 54016. You must be in HEX conversion. XMIT same as any other file.
• If by chance you can’t get the dialtone of your phone back, a 2050 modem relay may be stuck open. Go to the main menu, press §EN to exit to Basic and enter WITHOUT line number OUT 119, 0.
• Some Bulletin Boards will not accept a CTRL-R or CTRL-T to open/close the buffer remotely. An alternative is to enter CTRL-S to stop tramsmission, then return to the Buffer menu and toggle the Buffer open or closed as required.
• MTERM patches for both TASMAN and AERCO parallel print interfaces are available for download from the Timex Bulletin Board on Zebra Systems. PHONE: (718) 296-2229.
• One method of fixing all keyboard entries to upper case is to go to XLATE table §KI and change all lower case to upper case. These values can also be saved.
• The Bulletin Board SYSOP can can read all your messages, even private ones. If you still want more privacy, how about sending ciphertext or cryptogram messages? The Smart II XLATE tables facilitate enciphering a message, and the recipient to decipher it (provided they have the key algorithm).
• The Sinclair Basic commands IN and OUT operate by port command assignments (e.g. the assignments for the 2050 modem are 119 and 115 decimal). Using these commands you can program the 2068 in Basic to Autodial/Auoanswer thru the 2050 modem. Using the same procedure, you can program to redial, dial a sequence of phone numbers, etc. The following list of OUT command meanings is for reference:
  • OUT 119,0 – Hang up phone.
  • OUT 119,1 – Stop carrier tone; do not hang up phone.
  • OUT 119,2 – Start carrier tone.
  • OUT 119,3 – Open modem relay contacts.
  • OUT 119,4 – Close modem relay contacts.
  • OUT 119,31 – Take phone off hook for dail tone.
  • OUT 119,34 – Start carrier tone.
    
    A typical application is programming a 5 cycle loop containing OUT 119,3 and OUT 119,4 in sequence. This would be the equivalent of dialing the number 5.
• The following list of popular Bulletin Boards have Timex/Sinclair coverage:
  • Zebra Systems (718)296-2229 NY
  • Omni-net (718) 837-2881 NY
  • Compuserve Go PCS 54 0H
  • Micro-Systems (305)832-2503 FL
  • River Cities (304)652-1416 WV
  • Serial Port (313) 286-0145 MI