NEW PRINTER
Perhaps you noticed the difference in print quality in this month’s issue as compared to our previous issues. The first three issues were formated with an Epson TX-80 (not MX-80 but its predecessor) printer.
This printer was a dot matrix type with a 5 by 7 pin head. For those of you who are wondering what that means, it is simply that the printer has a device that has a bunch of little pins that are controlled in such a way so that some of them are allowed to strike a ribbon like that used in a typewriter to form the pattern of the individual characters that are desired to be printed on the paper on the other side of the ribbon.
This print head travels in a straight line across the paper and prints the characters during its travel. This type of printing is different of course from the type that you see from a typewriter where there is a key for each individual character.
If you look at the printed characters of our earlier issues, you can see the individual dots that comprise many of the characters.
The printers that are being sold for the Sinclair computers operate differently. There is no inked ribbon. The paper is called Thermal Paper and has metallic particles in it. The print head shoots little sparks at the paper which causes that portion of the paper to become discolored and the characters are formed. The drawback of this type of printer is that the text is harder to make good copies of and the paper is much more expensive. Also the paper is not as wide as that used in plain paper printers.
The printer we use now is the PROWRITER made by ITOH. It has a 7 by 9 dot matrix with all sorts of bells and whistles. It has in its parallel mode four different font (character) styles, three different sizes if each font, variable line spacing from 1/144″, will feed paper through either friction or tractor feed mechanisms, prints bi-directionally with a logic seeking feature and will print at a maximum of 120 characters per second. The carriage roller can be made to move in either direction which along with a contained graphics generator gives it plotting capabilities.
It has descenders on its lower case letters (g,j,p,q and y – compare with our earlier issues).
It also has the capability to print in a mode called BOLD. What this means is that each pin strikes the paper twice at approximately the same location. This not only makes the characters appear darker but blends the dots into each other so that the final effect is closer to letter quality printing.
SPECTRUM NEWS
Reliable sources tell us that the intended market price of the 16K Spectrum computer as sold in the U.S.A. will be 199.95 and the 48K version will sell for around 275.00.
The disk drives are now estimated to be sold for 89.95 each.
LARRY WEIGEL’S KEYBOARD
Mr. Weigel tells me that the enclosed keyboard will be selling for 89.95 and not 79.95 as it appeared on the MARQUEE-2 JUNE/82 cassette program.
NEW PRINTER FROM CAI
In a conversation with Robert Swan of CAI Instruments, 2559 Artubus Ct., Midland Michigan, 48640, 517-835-6145, a new printer has been added to their line of available hardware for the ZX-81 computers. Instead of 32 characters across the paper, it will print up to 40 characters across and sell for 119.95, 20 dollars more than their 32 column printer. It still needs their CAI/O board interface that sells for 69.95 with either printer. These items are available now for immediate shipping.
FLAT SCREEN TV
Due from Sinclair Research later this year is a flat screen battery powered pocket TV about the size of a pocket dictionary. The tiny tube measures 4 by 2 by 3/4 inches and is three times brighter than a conventional 3 inch CRT but is said to require only one fourth to one tenth the operating power.
The electron gun that transmits the beamed signals sits off to the side of the screen. The projected beams strike the same side of the screen that the viewer observes resulting in a sharper and brighter image.
The technique of focusing the electron stream into a round beam rather than an eliptical one that would distort the picture, fills the screen with an evenly distributed projection pattern including edges and corners.
The prototype has a built in antenna and FM radio and the projected retail price is around $100.
This TV along with the ZX-81 or Spectrum would make an excellent portable computer system particularly for students.
The power drain of the ZX-81 from a 9 VDC battery is considerable and would discharge a conveniently sized battery in a short amount of time. However a portable system in a briefcase could hold a larger battery and AC recharger with no difficulty.
Can a pocket color TV be far off? It can be done according to Sinclair but he’s not going to do it.
A U.S. retail chain has expressed interest in marketing the device which means we may be able to buy it across the counter rather than mail order.