---
title: "Light Show"
id: 72891
type: "computer_media"
slug: "light-show"
url: "http://localhost/computer_media/light-show/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/computer_media/light-show.md"
published_at: "2026-10-27T15:54:35+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-10-27T15:54:35+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/l-1-1.png"
excerpt: "Turns music played into the EAR socket into a moving pattern on the screen, with keys for the sampling speed, the pattern and the paper colours."
post_tag:
  - name: "Downloadable"
    slug: "downloadable"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/downloadable/"
  - name: "TS 2068"
    slug: "ts2068"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts2068/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 2068"
    slug: "ts-2068"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-2068/"
indiv:
  - name: "David Hoshor"
    slug: "david-hoshor"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/david-hoshor/"
  - name: "Paul Munro"
    slug: "paul-munro"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/paul-munro/"
genre:
  - name: "Graphics"
    slug: "graphics"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/graphics/"
media_type: "Program"
programmers:
  - name: "David Hoshor"
    slug: "david-hoshor"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/david-hoshor/"
  - name: "Paul Munro"
    slug: "paul-munro"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/paul-munro/"
download_url: "https://archive.org/download/timex-sinclair-software-archive/Light%20Show%20%28198x%29%28Hoshor%2C%20David%29%28TS2068%29%28US%29%28Program%29.zip"
tsrun_member: "Light Show (198x)(Hoshor, David)(TS2068)(US)(Program)/Light Show (198x)(Hoshor, David)(TS2068)(US)(Program).tap"
mediadate: "198x"
images:
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/l-1-1.png"
article_media:
  - id: 36127
    title: "Light Show for Spectrum"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/light-show-for-spectrum/"
  - id: 36151
    title: "Light Show From Your Computer"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/light-show-from-your-computer/"
media_type_tags: "Graphics"
license: false
---

# Light Show

Light Show listens to music played into the computer through the EAR socket and draws a pattern that responds to what it “hears”. While it runs, s and f slow down and speed up the sampling, p changes the pattern, 1–4 change the paper colour at various levels, 0 resets the paper to black and SPACE ends the show.

The title screen reads “Based on a program in Oct. ’85 issue of Sinclair User by Paul Munro. Souped up by David Hoshor”. It came on RMG Enterprises’ public-domain disk of August 1991. ZX-Appeal printed Spectrum versions of the light show program in December 1985 and February 1986 (see the related articles).

## Program Analysis

The BASIC prints the instructions and calls the 750 bytes of machine code at 60000 with `RANDOMIZE USR 60000`; line 110 loads the code. The code reads the keys through `LAST_K` (23560) and samples the EAR input with `IN` from port 254, so the pattern follows the sound on the tape input.

## Notable Techniques

- The tape input port is used as a crude audio sampler.

This copy came from a Larken disk. The disk prefixes on its LOAD and SAVE lines were removed so it loads from tape, and it was tested in ZEsarUX, where the pattern needs a sound source on the EAR input.

## Source Code

```
   10 BORDER 0: PAPER 1: INK 7: CLS : PRINT TAB 10;"LIGHT SHOW"''"Based on a program in Oct.'85   issue of Sinclair User by Paul  Munro. Souped up by David Hoshor"
   20 PRINT '"Play music in to your computer  throught the earphone jack. A   pattern will be displayed in    response to what the computer   ""hears""."
   30 PRINT '"s) Slows down the frequency     f) Speeds up the frequency      p) Changes the pattern          1-4 Changes the paper color at      various levels."'"0) Reset paper to black."'"Space to end."
   40 PRINT '"Press any key to begin.": PAUSE 0: RANDOMIZE USR 60000: GO TO 10
  100 SAVE "LITSHW" LINE 110
  101 SAVE "LSCODE"CODE 60000,750
  110 LOAD "LSCODE"CODE 60000,750: GO TO 10
```