WE GET A NUMBER OF NEWSLETTERS IN SWAPS WITH OTHER USER GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND CANADA, AND NOW MEXICO. HOPEFULLY WE CAN EXPAND OUR SWAPS TO INCLUDE A FEW MORE GROUPS IN MORE COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD-I THINK WE’LL BE THE BETTER FOR IT. READ THE LETTER FROM THE MEXICO GROUP, AND IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO CORRESPOND WITH.
ATSU, OF OHIO, POB 16274, COLUMBUS, OHIO 43216 REPRINTED MY ARTICLE ON SOFTWARE PIRATING-AND THEN GAVE THE CREDIT TO WES. I CHECKED WITH WES, AND ITS OK! IT IS CONFUSING AS TO WHO WRITES WHAT IN THIS PAPER, SO I’LL ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY AUTHORS. ANYWAY, IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT OTHERS THINK ENOUGH OF WHAT ONE SAYS TO REPEAT IT-THANKS TO ATSU.
I learned a new way to open up programs on the TS2068, the ones with the ON ERR GOTOs, etc, well LOAD on a TS2068 with an emulator, and bingo, you get a listing to play with and save! When I mention this to a couple members, yeah, old hat, been doing it for months, thought everyone knew that! Hey, if you’re doing something, write or tell me, and I’ll pass it on, so I’m not the last person to find out these things!
Reading all the newsletters, that we get on swaps, I see several things happen, about the same to all at about the same time. Now almost every newsletter is coming out every other month, instead of monthly. The use of Artworx on the full size printer, etc, etc. I feel that ALL newsletters in the Sinclair User Groups around the nation ought to get a “1st Class” ribbon for the mountains of time and energy that go into their production. And our brother groups in Canada and Mexico are the TOPS!. I hope the writers and producers of each newsletter KEEP ON PRINTIN’.!!!
Two years now since that &?%*# watch company dropped the ball- I wish nothing but the best to all the vendors, suppliers and manufactors of equipment and software for our TS2068/TS1500 and TS1000s. If you have the chance, support your computer vendor!
FROM ED GRAY, PO BOX 2186, INGLEWOOD, CA 90305- 2050 MODEMS-SANS THE CABIENT AND POWER SUPPLY-LIMITED SUPPLY-WRITE OR CALL 213-516-6648—$25.00, CHEAPER IN LARGER QUANTITIES. TESTED AND 10 DAY RETURN PRIVILEGE….LIMITED SUPPLIES-THIS AD WAS RECEIVED IN DECEMBER 1985. CHECK TO SEE IF ANY LEFT!
ENGLISH MICRO CONNECTION, 15 KILBURN CT.NEWPORT RI 02840 ARE SELLING THE SPECTRUM 128 FOR $259.96 PLUS S+H. AND THE QL FOR $299.95 PLUS S+H. CALL 401-849-3805 FOR DETAILS.
RMG Enterprises, 1419 1/2 7th Street, Oregon City, OR 97045 have the 2050 stripped down models for $25, and the QL and much much more, send a SASE for latest catalog. Tell Rod,SINCUS sent you.
FROM THE COLUMN OF IAN ROBERTSON, SINC-LINK, NOV-DEC 85 also a SINCUS corresponding member, Islington, Ont. Canada
-YOU CAN CONTACT IAN VIA COMPUSERVE [e-mail address omitted] OR FIDO NET 111/NODE 608.
UPDATES: The revised Larken DOS-EPROM- has been delivered and those who have used it say-“it works like a charm, all the bugs are gone.” This is the ONLY system compatiable with the Spectrum…the new Spectrum 128 has 128K and is compatiable with the 48K Spectrum…it is only being made and sold in Spain …Sinclair is coming out with the “Enigma”, which will have two 3.5″ drives built in, all QL programs bundled on a ROM and a RGB monitor and printer, to be sold in the 500-1000# range.
TS2068: …got the RAMEX/Amdek III system from RAMEX Int. Ltd., 313-781-5800, 17620 26 Mile Rd. Washington, MI 48094, for $299 which includes the DD IF, the cables, utility disc and the Amdek III drives,(2-3″ Hitachi model FD305S drives, power supply and fan.) This system uses SPDOS by Abbeydale Designers. I get 184K usable per side after formatting the DDDS diskettes …only draw backs-1.DOS occupies from 48999 to 53599 in RAM amd 2. documentation should be improved to cover all aspects of this system in a more ‘user friendly’ manner.
QL…Sinclair is producing 5000 QLs a week and cannot keep up with demand. Hardware and software people are getting more and more involved, because now they can sell in quantity.
EDITORIAL COMMENT…with the increase in business software, telecommunications capabilites, word processing capabilites and a general improvement in programming techniques, we have one of the “BEST, MOST COST EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS ON THE MARKET”. Remember that, the next time someone says something disparaging about OUR SYSTEM.
NOTES from Ian: If anyone is thinking about buying the Ramex system, but is reticent about buying a Tasman C CPI, I have converted my Tasman B into a combination Tasman B/C by simply putting a 6 switch DIP on the front of the CPI. I can switch between the B and C modes and also turn OFF the CPI when the 2050 is attached( a must)… Anyone know where to get WD1770 controller chips? Need for the John Oliger DDI bare board systems. Cost in Canada $25 US), any one have a line on these, contact me, or Ian, at above modem connections.
From The John Oliger Co., 11601 Whidbey Dr. Cumberland, IN 46229-has the expansion board and disc boards “A” and “B” available and cables for the 2068, bare boards, and assembled and tested available, write for info and prices. As of his 11/85 info release, the software is not finialized and will be available in the future.
Letter from the User Group of Mexico->
Their excellent newsletter is in our swap file well worth reading.
Below is a copy of an article run in the local SUNDAY paper. Reprinted with permission of the Press & Sun Bulletin. Another story, which says MORE for LESS…
NEWS, NEW, VIEWS and REVIEWS CON’T.
Budget Robotics & Computing, Box 18616, Tuscon AZ 85731 sent a catalog early in January, and I’ll pass on some of the highlights-if you’re interested send for the catalog, as I’ll just hit on a few of their products. First is their book BUILD A MICROCOMPUTER CONTROLLED ROBOT, by B.C. Taylor, for $13 s+h inc. you get the plans and ideas to build H.E.N.R.Y., as you might guess, a droid, or as some call a robot. They have the rights to manufactor the computer Continuum Buffered Buss Development Board. This will work with the ZX80/ZX81 and the TS1000/1500 computers. A RX81 input/output board is also sold, and these can be plugged into the Buffered Buss Board. The RX81 will work with the TS2068. Several versions of each board are available, and various prices and options listed. A second list of Underdevelopment boards is included, to what your appetite perhaps. If you still have the old 80s or 1000s gathering dust in the closet, you might want to consider putting it to work, and these boards just might help.
N.Y.T.S.E. NETWORK, 473 WESTMINISTER RD., BROOKLYN, NY 11218- A NEW NEWSLETTER AND VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE, ORGANIZED AND WELL WRITTEN! AND THIS IS ISSUE #2, YET! AFTER READING THEIR LETTER SEVERAL TIMES, THIS IS GOING TO BE WORTH READING. TWO BOOK REVIEWS,POWERFUL PROJECTS FOR YOUR TIMEX SINCLAIR BY JIM STEPHENS-AN INSPIRING BOOK BUT WITH A NUMBER OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BASIC ELECTRONICS AND PROGRAMMING. PERHAPS SOME ARE PRINT ERRORS, BUT…T/S 2068 BASICS AND BEYOND BY SHARON AKER, OK, BUT…SEVERAL POINTS ON AKER’S BOOK LEAD ONE INTO PROBLEMS IN PROGRAMMING, BUT ALL IN ALL WELL DONE AND USEFUL…AN ARTICLE ON MACHINE CODE, WM. LINDEN GOES AFTER THE VARIABLE POINTER, BETTER KNOWN AS DEST. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY INTERESTING NEWSLETTER. SEND A SASE FOR INFO
TRIANGLE USER GROUP, c/o Doug Dewey, 206 James Street, Carrboro, N.C. 27510 November and December 1985 issues showed up on about the same day. Dick Scoville is continuing to provide Machine Code tutoring, and it is fairly easy to follow, I am going to run out of excuses for not learning MC yet. A review of a surveryors program, called PRO, for $500, apparently it is a BARGIN compared to what Hewlett Packard or IBM produces! To order this:contact Ken Pankow, Pankow Engineering Co.,1278 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville NC 28803.
The 8K ROM board for the TS1000 is reviewed-called the Hunter Board by many users. Word Sinc II.5 is out- for the TS1000 people-$30(CAN) write to:
INTERGRATED DATA SYSTEMS
30 Brookmount Rd.
Toronto, Ont. Canada
M4L 3M1
5 type styles-wow for the TS1000 yet!!
The December issue, is more Dick Scoville, Paul Hunter’s article on ZX81 Bank switching! And a critial review of the Aerco FD-68 disc drive IF and dual drives. Their news by Lonnie Kendall gives a first hand report on the Ql, likes and dislikes and overall he’s buying a second one, and that pretty much tells it as it is! Sinclair Research is still working on wafer scale ICs-500K memory storage maybe for the QL-but dont hold your breath.
NEW MEMBERS:
Here’s an update on new members and a Hi, Hello and thanks for your support: Dick Northrup, Erin, NY; David Pranitis, Ann Arbor MI; David Harris, Seoul, Korea; Bill Pierson, Germany; Bill Nemitz, Ottumwa, Iowa; James Inacker, Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Charlie Day, Gastonia, North Carolina, Bob Redder, Biscoe, North Carolina; and Thanks to our reNEWals too! Mary Terry, Binghamton, NY and Ted Scarinzi, Conklin, NY. Thanks to one and all.
FLASH-from Jack Dohany, 325 O’Connor Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (415) 321-7684 CUSTOMIZED MSCRIPT Version 5 is now DONE. By now the documentation should be finished. Jack doesn’t put a price on his work, you like it, you pay what you you think it is worth. A trusting soul and lets you set your values on his work, I hope if you contact Jack, send a SASE if you want an answer, and some $, time is valuable. Version 5 should be available soon thru dealers. A high light of Jack’s #5 is:
1. Length of text file report corrected. 2. Auto reset to clear computer after terminating MSCRIPT. 3. All operator selected options can be preserved in backups. 4. Kinks in Block print option fixed 5. Extended documentation on disc or tape 6. the 3 menus-Main, Printer, and Disc/Tape are on one Main Menu 7.HEAD switch allows you to stop auto advance to next page 8.NCOPIES-print specific # of copies. 9.SAVE BLOCK 10.DIRECTORY, catalog your textfiles Two varieties available, one for tape, one for Aerco disc.
This is the latest version, and probably the last, as of January 9, 1986.
In Jack’s CMS Newsletter, the printer codes are explained. And I am now happily printing along in italic when ever I feel like it! Again if you write, send a SASE and a couple $ to help cover the basic costs, of putting out the info to you. This is a good time to remind all, that if you write any user group or individual in the quest of FREE help or info, use a SASE- that is a Self addressed and stamed envelope. We all appreciate it!
From Modern Electronics, January 1986, page 22, Sinclair’s 2″ TV, by Fred Blechman:…single IC designed by Sinclair and Ferranti…no need for horizontal hold, vertical hold, brightness and contrast controls because of a 50 times a sec check on picture “hold”…VIDEO Monitor – Computer use!-..I switched to a UHF modulator that generates a signal on Channel 14. I connected the video output of the Timex Sinclair 2068 to the video input of the UHF modulator…result was a nearly perfect picture, readable picture…forty column text was fine…
If interested in more technical details get the article, for a personal opinion of the flat screen TV, turn the page ……
News, New, Views and Reviews Con’t.
The Hampton Roads T/S User Group Newsletter, Ed Krampitz, Editor, 17 Rex Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23702-2925 writes a monthly newsletter and passes on in their January 1986 issue, a review of what happened in 1985, mostly what did NOT happen- the TC2068 from Portugal, SYNTAX, Dave Higgenbottom, Gladstone. Problems with vendors, Games to Learn By is having problems, Jack Deuber, Casselberry FL dropped out of the business, SYNTAX isnt taking subscriptions, and last spring Gladstone announce it was quitting the timex computer business. And the Westridge 2050 modem is no longer in production. The TC2068 is no longer being sold in the US, and likewise the disc drives from Portugal. So what is NEW for 1986? The Engima, with one megabyte built in, and 2 disc drives from Sinclair…the Pandora, about the size of a Tandy 1000, with a flat screen TV built in, 1200/ 300 baud modem, microdrives, 128K, 72K for a RAMdisc, about 300#…for #99, a cigarette pack size portable phone…on the cellular radio network. -much of this from Sep/Oct 85 issue of the Sinc Times, from the 27 Aug 85 issue of the Computer Currents, by Steve Gold, by way of CATS, Capitol Area TS users group Jan 1986 issue.
How straight I have this is up for grabs!-PAH
Next issue, I hope to be able to bring you the first installment of the program, that makes these Old English letters ! Written by Stan Livingston
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
CLONECLONECLONE……………CLONE…………CLONECLONECL
To make that back up tape for that $25 original program, Spectrum or 2068, get CLONE. Can BLOCK COPY most programs up to 47.5K, and 48K programs with two tape recorders and the LAST RESORT method. Can be LOADed into microdrives, maybe discs-we don’t have one to try, but may work. We are selling the rights only to other user groups. We are selling CLONE to dues paying members of SINCUS only! for $6 shipping included, gets you the only copier that will copy just about every program-we have yet to find the ONE it wont. You get documentation, tape and back up, yup! a telephone number or two to call for problems!
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NEWS,VIEWS,ETC…..
From ZEBRA SYSTEMS INC. 78-06 Jamaica Ave. Woodhaven, NY 11421, (718)296-2385-the LAST 160 2050 modems-$69.95, Anchor is outa the modem business, and all stock is being sold NOW. ZEBRA is continuing to support the TS2068 in a BIG way. If you are not on their mailing list drop a line to get a load of their stock items and prices. The Timex Portugal disc drives are the standard for the rest of the country, and now they are coming out with 64-80 column C/PM. What does this mean to you? Well, if you dont own a business, probably not much as the Timex Operating System (TOS) can provide one hellva system for the average home user!
A Bulletin Board Operating system on the C/PM will be available later in the Spring. The C/PM is due within the next couple weeks. In a couple more weeks, a Zterm to operate with the OS64 board and modem will be out, and have most all the goodies Mterm didnt have. Untested modem boards are available at $10 each. Less money for bigger orders, write for details. Zebra is planning on being at the Cincinnati Compterfest-see em there!
Keep the 3rd & 4th of May open—the first annual Midwest Timex/Sinclair Computerfest will happen at:
Cincinnati, Ohio-write for info-send a self addressed stamPed envelop to:
T/S COMPUTERFEST
3832 WATTERSON AVE.
CINCINNATI, OHIO 45227
USER GROUPS CAN RENT TABLES FOR $10 FOR THE WEEKEND-PROMOTE YOUR CAUSE-CLUB-ETC!!
News,views….
SUM-Sinclair Users Magazine-3224 Northwest Ave. Gainesville, Florida 32605-$15 a year-12 issues-Joe and Dick are into the QL and review it in the Dec 85 issue, along with the 128K Spectrum and a new low priced RGB!
Thanks to all, Wes, Stan, Ian Robertson and Mark Fendrick in particular for their help in getting this issue to print. We have had to switch printers, and no where can we meet the price we had, so we are cutting down on freebies, swaps only with those who swap with us. And HEY….. I hope you caught Gary on TV Friday, Jan 24, off to New Orleans for the SUPER BOWL-Lucky Gary !!!
Ooopps…last issue’s TRAINS listing, the Ls got left out of line 80…JKLMLMNO’ and in line 570 last three digits are 0,3,4…next page is Stan Livingston’s latest effort-if you copy this, you will need a character generator program to enter the ‘graphics’. Next issue we may include Stan’s hi resolution mode program.
Paul Hill, Editor