---
title: "ZX81 Extended Basic Notes"
type: "article"
slug: "zx81-extended-basic-notes"
url: "http://localhost/article/zx81-extended-basic-notes/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/zx81-extended-basic-notes.md"
published_at: "2025-10-11T15:20:20+00:00"
modified_at: "2025-10-11T15:20:20+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "Robert Shade from Philadelphia was studying the DEMO program which comes with Extended Basic and asked what function all the OUT commands perform. According to Frits Beniest, author of the program, and programmer extraordinaire, these commands were included to generate sound from the ZON-X sound generator. This peripheral is available in Europe, but to my…"
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  - name: "TS 1000"
    slug: "ts1000"
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    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts1000/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 1000"
    slug: "ts-1000"
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indiv:
  - name: "Frits Beniest"
    slug: "frits-beniest"
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    url: "http://localhost/indiv/frits-beniest/"
  - name: "Robert Shade"
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    url: "http://localhost/indiv/robert-shade/"
  - name: "Thomas B. Woods"
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publication_r:
  id: 60909
  title: "Computer Updates"
  type: "periodical"
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authors_r:
  - name: "Thomas B. Woods"
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volume: "3"
issue: "1"
issues_articles:
  - id: 60912
    title: "Computer Updates v3 n1"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/computer-updates-v3-n1/"
pages: "13"
pubdate: "Winter 1986"
product_reviews:
  - id: 12513
    title: "Extended Basic"
    type: "product"
    url: "http://localhost/product/extended-basic/"
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---

# ZX81 Extended Basic Notes

[Robert Shade](http://localhost/indiv/robert-shade/) from Philadelphia was studying the DEMO program which comes with [Extended Basic](http://localhost/product/extended-basic/) and asked what function all the OUT commands perform. According to [Frits Beniest](http://localhost/indiv/frits-beniest/), author of the program, and programmer extraordinaire, these commands were included to generate sound from the [ZON-X sound generator](http://localhost/product/zon-x-81/). This peripheral is available in Europe, but to my knowledge, is not distributed here in North America.

If we had this device plugged in to the TS1000, we would have an auditory melee of bangs, roars, bells, and whistles accompanying the dazzling visual display. As it is, you could delete every OUT command, the only effect being a slightly faster program run. It is hard to imagine the demo going any faster though, even if it were written in machine code!