Blog – Timex/Sinclair Computers

Computers
Companies
- Timex Computer Corporation
  Timex brought the Timex Sinclair 1000, 1500 and 2068 to eager users in the early 1980s.
- Timex (TMX) Portugal
  The Timex facility in Portugal designed and produced computers, disk drive systems and more.
- Sinclair Research Ltd.
  Sinclair produced the first home computer available for under $200 and continued to develop innovative, unique home computers.
- All Companies
  All the companies that supported the Sinclair and Timex/Sinclair users in the United States.
Products
- Hardware
  Physical expansions to the Timex/Sinclair computers, including disk drives, modems, printers, RAM and more.
- Software
  Applications that run on the Timex/Sinclair computers, spanning from art and entertainment to business to games to home maintenance.
- Accessories & Miscellaneous
  Add-ons or products that don't strictly fall in the hardware or software category.
Publications
- Books
  All the books, commercial and small press, published about the Timex/Sinclair computers.
- Periodicals
  Find all the periodicals and articles about Timex/Sinclair computers, community and more here.
- Documents
  Manuals, press releases, and other documents.
Community
- People
  Learn about the people who made up the Timex/Sinclair community.
- User Groups
  User groups were a popular way to meet and network with other users.
- Events
  The community organized a number of events over the years.
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Exploring the Legacy of Timex Computer Corporation: Insights from Danny Ross

Exploring the Legacy of Timex Computer Corporation: Insights from Danny Ross

By David Anderson

The Timex Computer Corporation emerged as a significant player in the home computer market during the early 1980s. Timex ventured into the realm of personal computing, driven by a vision to create affordable and accessible technology. Danny Ross, as the Vice President and COO, played a pivotal role in this journey, overseeing operations and leading […]

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Real World Uses: Timex/Sinclair 2068

By David Anderson

As a teenager in the mid-1980s, Carl Miles worked for Art Colgate, who intended to the TS2068 as the control computer for a 3-axis milling machine. Art also employed Ray Kingsley. Ray wrote the software and may have helped with interfacing the TS2068 to operate this 3-axis milling machine. Carl was hired to write a

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“Made In Spain” ZX81 and TS1000 PCBs

“Made In Spain” ZX81 and TS1000 PCBs

By David Anderson

Timex is well known for building ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers at its Dundee, Scotland facility. The Timex/Sinclair 1000 computers, on the other hand, were assembled by Timex Portugal. While Timex usually did all their own work, they did sometimes subcontract to other producers. One of those subcontracts resulted in “Made In Spain” printed circuit

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How Did TS 2068 Users Make a Spectrum ROM?

How Did TS 2068 Users Make a Spectrum ROM?

By David Anderson

Not long after the TS 2068 came out, some enterprising users figured out that they could replace the internal ROM with a Spectrum ROM and run almost all Spectrum software. There were essentially two methods: replace the internal ROM chip with something like the ROMSWITCH or use a Spectrum ROM on a cartridge. Initially both

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How To Enjoy an Expanded Timex 2068

By Paul Holmgren

Or “I finally learned how to use more memory” Often while folks gather and talk about their computers I hear something like this, “Why don’t you try this” and the almost standard reply is “I didn’t know you could do it that way, thanks” This article is the result of my being in that same

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Modern Tools for Working With TS Computers and Software

Modern Tools for Working With TS Computers and Software

By David Anderson

Here are some of the tools and programs I’ve been using to archive cassettes and disks for Timex/Sinclair computers. Audacity Available for Windows, Linux and Mac computers, Audacity is my go-to for converting cassette tapes to digital files. Audacity can record from just about any audio input source on your computer. My MacBook does not

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Machine Language Programming on the Timex/Sinclair 2068

By David Anderson

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TS 1500 Composite Video Output

TS 1500 Composite Video Output

By David Anderson

The TS 1500 video signal includes the back porch, a part of the video signal important to setting the black level and overall contrast. This is an improvement over most Sinclair ZX81 and some Timex/Sinclair 1000 computers, which did not produce the signal. Composite video output is available on pin 53 of the TS 1500 standard cell

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Bulletin Board Systems

By David Anderson

In the late 1970s, computer hobbyists in Chicago set up the first public-access computerized bulletin board system (BBS). Inspired by physical bulletin boards in grocery stores and other public locations, bulletin board systems offered computer enthusiasts a way to communicate directly outside of user group meetings. Many BBSes provided an private user-to-user email system, open

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CP/M for the Timex Sinclair 2068

CP/M for the Timex Sinclair 2068

By David Anderson

What Was CP/M? CP/M was a command-line disk operating system, initially developed for Intel 8080-based home and small business computers. Gary Kildall, who developed it, brought features and tools he’d used on mainframes and minicomputers to small computers with CP/M. CP/M offered a universal, consistent interface to between the hardware, operating system and software. Instead

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Upgrading the Power in Your Timex/Sinclair 2068

Upgrading the Power in Your Timex/Sinclair 2068

By David Anderson

Two power supplies in the TS 2068 provide the 5 volts necessary for the computer’s CPU, ROM, RAM, SCLD, logic chips, and 12 volts for the video modulator. The primary power supply uses the LM78S40 switching voltage regulator to produce 5 volts. This voltage regulator has an op amp that drives the internal speaker. The

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Overview: Timex Sinclair Color Graphics, Chapter 1: “Colour Plotting”

Overview: Timex Sinclair Color Graphics, Chapter 1: “Colour Plotting”

By Adam Trionfo

This week I began reading and using “Timex Sinclair Color Graphics” by Nick Hampshire. I mentioned this book in my first blog entry. As a reminder, you can find a description and a pdf of the book here. As far as I can tell, all of these BASIC programs are available in the original version of the

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Timex Sinclair Color Graphics

Timex Sinclair Color Graphics

By Adam Trionfo

I have not always been a fan of the Timex/Sinclair 2068 computer. Maybe this isn’t the best way to begin my first blog entry on David Anderson’s TimexSinclair.com website. Yet, that first sentence does show a bit of hope, don’t you agree? I haven’t always been an admirer of this relatively rare home computer from the

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An RGB Converter for the TS 2068 in the Wild

An RGB Converter for the TS 2068 in the Wild

By David Anderson

In 2021, Neil Cohen sent a few TS 2068 computers in various states of repair. One computer had a home-brew RGB converter built inside and around the composite video output jack. Here’s what it looked like when I opened the case. I extracted the board, disconnected it and traced the circuit as best I could.

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Plotting Compressor Performance with the T/S 2068

Plotting Compressor Performance with the T/S 2068

By David Anderson

In late 1983, an employee at an energy company submitted a request for improved performance maps for a gas compressor. The employee felt that the existing maps were inaccurate and prevented him from doing his job correctly. Keith Watson, a shift supervisor at the time, saw an opportunity to use his Timex/Sinclair 2068 to generate

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“The Trident” Adventure Game for the Timex 1000

“The Trident” Adventure Game for the Timex 1000

By David Anderson

by George Green It’s been 39 years since I wrote the adventure game “The Trident” and submitted it to Timex for inclusion in their software collection. Back then, I had played all of the Adventure International games by Scott Adams, Zork, the Original (Colossal Cave) Adventure with all its various enhancements, to name just a

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RIP Sir Clive Sinclair, 1940-2021

RIP Sir Clive Sinclair, 1940-2021

By David Anderson

Without Clive Sinclair’s vision, none of this would exist. I am deeply in debt to his intellect, vision and inventions. Home computing pioneer Sir Clive Sinclair dies aged 81

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Designing a Video Interface with No Prior Experience

Designing a Video Interface with No Prior Experience

By David Anderson

Daniel Roy’s interest in computers started in high school, where he encountered his first computer. It had a video camera attached to it and he had his photo taken. It was enough to get him hooked. Years later, he received a Sinclair ZX81 as a Christmas gift from his wife. Working late into the evenings,

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VLSI Technology SCLD Engineering Samples

VLSI Technology SCLD Engineering Samples

By David Anderson

Timex had several companies to work with in 1983 when they designed the replacement for the Spectrum ULA in the Timex Sinclair 2068. We know that Timex eventually selected NCR to make the SCLD in the 2068 that replaced the ZX Spectrum’s ULA. According to Rex Naden, VLSI Technology actively encouraged Timex to consider their

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An RGB Converter for the TS 2068 in the Wild

DIY RGB Monitor Connection for T/S 2068

By David Anderson

I recently purchased a Timex/Sinclair 2068 that had an 8-pin DIN socket on the back. I figured it might be a connection for an RGB monitor and, as it turns out, I was right. This circuit looked nothing like the other RGB designs I’ve seen. Most of those use transistors to generate the sync signals;

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