Sync Notes

SYNC at the Concert

Our theme section this issue is “SYNC at the Concert” with a focus on sound applications. While we have articles on music and articles on speech, we had no articles (or proposals even) for putting the two together to make the computer sing! We hope that the music capabilities of the computer (along with the software and hardware) open up new fun and creative opportunities for you whether you are a musician or not. The speech applications of computer technology offer some exciting possibilities for the speech and hearing impaired.

In volume 1 of SYNC we published two articles on using the ZX80 for making music. “Robot Composer” by Cecil Bridges and “Making Music with the ZX80” by Richard Forsen. Both articles give programs and directions for using the computer to make music. These articles, with translations for the ZX81/TS1000 are both included in The Best of SYNC, vol. 1.

Next Issue

Our theme section next time will look again at home and office applications— keyboards, printers, word processing and tax packages.

Timex/Sinclair Celebration

The Sinclair-Timex User Group of the Boston Computer Society is sponsoring a Timex/Sinclair Celebration in honor of its second anniversary on Saturday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston.

This event will not only recognize the achievements and accomplishments of the various user group members, but also will demonstrate how the TS1000 series computers can be used in everyday life, e.g., business, home, education, and entertainment. The group guarantees that you will leave at the end of the day with some concrete ideas of what can be done with the “inexpensive” TS computers.

Vendors from all over the country will demonstrate and sell products compatible with the TS computers, e.g., software, hardware, publications, and services. In addition, Manufacturers Marketplace, a local Timex retailer, plans to be selling TS computer systems, including the new TS1500 and TS2068, subject to availability, as well as the full line of TS software.

There will be workshops and seminars given by BCS user group members, vendors, and Boston educators, to name a few.

For further details, contact the Boston Computer Society, 3 Center Plaza, Boston, MA 021 14, (617) 367-8080.

ZX Microdrive

Sinclair’s ZX Microdrive for the Spectrum was introduced in the U.K. in mid-summer. The Microdrive, based on a Sinclair designed, Ferranti custom-built chip, will store a minimum of 85K on removable magnetic cartridges. A typical 48K program can be loaded in as little as 3.5 seconds. The drive is powered by the Spectrum’s power supply.

A FORMAT command initializes the cartridge. The CAT command enables the contents to be read and displays the cartridge name, up to 50 files in alphabetical order, and the free space in kilobytes.

The controller is the ZX Interface 1. This multi-purpose unit can support up to eight Microdrives for a total of 680K. It also incorporates an RS232 interface which will permit linking the Spectrum to other computers, e.g., a local area network can link up to 64 Spectrums (transmitting at 100Kbaud); drive other peripherals, e.g., full-size printers; and transmit data over telephone lines with a modem.

Sinclair is encouraging widespread development of Microdrive application software by supplying Microdrives and blank cartridges in bulk to the leading independent software houses.