ASZMIC is a plug-in replacement ROM that turns the TS1000/ZX81 from a BASIC computer into an assembly-language programming machine. The product page lists a full-screen editor with 16 shift keys, a multi-file system, a full Z80 assembler, a debugger and 255×144 high-resolution graphics under program control. The name stands for “Assembler for Sinclair Zx MICrocomputers”. It was sold by Comprocsys; developer Chris Johnson recalled many TS1000 sales after it was mentioned in Sol Libes’ column in Byte.
What’s in the download
ASZMIC E07 (1983)(Comprocsys)(TS1000)(UK)(ROM).rom: a 4,096-byte ROM image. “E07” in the file name appears to be the version.
Program Analysis
The image is new code, not a patched Sinclair ROM. It has its own keyboard decode table at 0082h, in the same key order as the ZX81’s, and its own 64-character set at 0E00–0FFFh in the ZX81 character order. The glyphs differ from Sinclair’s: the zero, for example, has a diagonal slash. No sign-on or copyright text was found in either ASCII or the ZX81 character set, so the assembler’s messages and mnemonics appear to be stored in a coded form. The code itself has not been disassembled.
Image Gallery
Note: Type-in program listings on this website use ZMAKEBAS notation for graphics characters.