Perceptions

Overview

The TS2000 series of computers claims an extensive group of features of hardware and software. The machines feature 24K ROM. The TS2048 has 16K RAM at its disposal while the TS2068 wields a well-utilized 48K RAM.

CPU and Operating System

The TS2000 uses a Z80A microprocessor running at 3.5MHz. It contains a few buffers, either 2 or 6 RAM chips, 2 ROMs, and the piece de resistance: a 64 pin custom chip designed by a few wizards at Timex.

The TS2000 features a full-sized 24K operating system (OS) which provides the Basic interpreter, full-channeled I/O facilities, and a function dispatcher that the user can call to have both simple and complex functions performed for him by the system, thus utilizing the system’s facilities, and not duplicating them.

The TS2000’s native language is Basic. It packs all the standard Basic statements including PRINT, INPUT, IF…THEN, FOR…NEXT, READ…DATA, etc. A full list of commands is given in Table 1. The functions are listed in Table 2.

The Display

The TS2000 supports several different display options. These include 32 column display, 64 column display, Hires screen of 256 x 192 pixels, Hires screen of 512 x 192 pixels, page switching, and an enhanced color-resolution mode. The machine provides connections for a B& W or color TV, an RGB monitor and composite video.

The Keyboard

The keyboard is a 42 hard-key keyboard, including a full-sized space bar and shift keys on both sides. The keyboard is full-sized and provides real tactile feedback (i.e., the button actually pushes down). The operating system provides for single key entry of all keywords.

Interface and Connectors

The cassette interface on the TS2000 is a step above the one on the TS1000, although the one provided with the TS1000 is sufficient for the type of jobs it performs. The TS2000, however, is designed to be able to handle some larger and more involved tasks. Its cassette interface scheme has been designed to meet, functionally, with the needs of the system and its user. The cassette runs at about 1500 bps (bits per second). This means that the user can save 16K in approximately 87 seconds -about five times faster than the speed of the interface on the TS1000.

Because of the difference in the actual hardware interface between the two machines, TS1000 cassettes cannot be read into a TS2000 and TS2000 cassettes cannot be read into a TS1000. The interface is very reliable. I have been using the machine for about 10 months by now, 8-15 hours a day, and I have had perhaps a half dozen errors while trying to LOAD a program into the TS2000.

The TS2000 has two connectors available for adding joysticks (one or two) to the system. The industry standard 8-position joysticks connect to the system via a 9-pin D-type connector. These are the same joysticks used by Atari and many other manufacturers.

Bank Switching

The most innovative feature of the TS2000 is bank switching. This is a means of expanding the computer’s address space. Through the flexible scheme that Timex has designed, the TS2000 has the ability to access up to 256 * 64K, or 16 million bytes of memory. Is anyone other than me waiting to see who develops the “16 megabyte RAM pack” first?

Conclusion

All in all, the TS2000 is a very powerful system. With the above described and below detailed features, plus a few extras, the system packs quite a load at a suggested retail price of $199.95 for the TS2068 and $149.95 for the TS2048. In the next “Perceptions” I will discuss in detail the graphics capabilities and the memory-expanding bank switching technique used by Timex to enhance the functionality of the machine.