Sinclair Users Network January 1983

Date: January 1983
See all issues of Sinclair Users Network

Articles

TitleDescriptionComputers
A BASIC UnderstandingA beginner’s glossary defining BIT, BYTE, BINARY, CPU (Z80A), MACHINE CODE, RAM, ROM, PROM, and EPROM in plain language for new TS1000 users.Timex/Sinclair 1000
A Big KeyboardA DIY project for building a full-size keyboard for the ZX/TS using a bare keyboard board purchased at a hamfest for $15, attributed by context to Bob Ziskind.Timex/Sinclair 1000
Basically Speaking — Earth DefenderA type-in arcade-style game (87 lines, ZX/TS BASIC) submitted by reader Jorge Salazar in which the player defends the Earth from incoming attackers.Timex/Sinclair 1000, Type-in program
Bookshelf — Computers for Kids: Sinclair ZX-81 EditionA review of Sally Greenwood Larsen’s Computers for Kids: Sinclair ZX-81 Edition ($4.95), a computing introduction aimed at young TS1000 users.Timex/Sinclair 1000
Bookshelf — The Watchmaker's Guidebook to the TS1000A review of TSG Enterprises’ Watchmaker’s Guidebook to the TS1000 ($3.95), a directory of over 170 hardware and software producers for the machine.Timex/Sinclair 1000
Bookshelf — Timex Sinclair 1000 (Jones/Stewart) & The ZX81 Companion (Maunder)Reviews of two introductory TS1000 books: Creative Computing Press’s Timex Sinclair 1000 by Jones and Stewart ($9.95) and The ZX81 Companion by Maunder from Birkhauser ($10.95).Timex/Sinclair 1000
From Theirs to OursA BASIC command comparison mapping equivalents for CALL/USR, SAVE, LOAD, RAND, CLEAR, DATA/READ, COLOR, and DIM across Apple, PET, TRS-80, and ZX/TS 1000, to help users port programs.Timex/Sinclair 1000
Line RenumberingA machine code routine entered via hex loader that renumbers BASIC programs in increments of 5 or 10, addressing the lack of a built-in renumber command on the ZX/TS.Timex/Sinclair 1000, Type-in program
Machine Code MagicFirst in a machine code series, introducing a BASIC disassembler program to examine ZX/TS memory addresses. Includes a complete program listing as a starting point for machine language exploration.Timex/Sinclair 1000, Type-in program
Modem & Serial I/OA review of the Byte-Back MD-1 modem with RS232C serial port ($119.95 kit/$149.95 assembled), covering its features and connection to the ZX/TS 1000.Timex/Sinclair 1000
Power Line Filter by HB IndustriesA review of a $19.95 power line noise filter from HB Industries that reduces voltage spikes from 600-800mV to under 10mV, protecting the ZX/TS from power irregularities.
Program ExchangeA standing column listing programs available in the S.U.N. program bank, organized by category: Math, Lab, Home/Business, Statistics, Engineering, Games, Conversions, Astronomy, Education, and Miscellaneous.Timex/Sinclair 1000
Sinclair [News]Brief news items from Sinclair Research’s Boston office covering software tape availability for ZX/TS machines and an upcoming flat-screen television product.Timex/Sinclair 1000
The Power of VU-CalcA tutorial on using the VU-CALC spreadsheet for the TS1000, using an adding machine example to demonstrate formula entry, display navigation, and the exponentiation operator (2^16 = 65536).Timex/Sinclair 1000
The Truth About 'DATA & READ'A tutorial on replicating the DATA/READ construct on the ZX/TS using string slicing and DIM arrays, with two complete solution routines—one for numeric data and one for alphanumeric.Timex/Sinclair 1000, Type-in program
Timex [News]CES announcements from Timex including the TS2000 (Spectrum for North America), the $99.95 TS2040 printer, a Timex modem, and the Frogger game.Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2000
TipsA collection of practical tips covering cassette preparation, TV picture improvement, DIM array explanation using a train analogy, TV monitor hookup from Bob Ziskind, a warning about peripheral memory conflicts, and a FOR-NEXT loop tutorial.Timex/Sinclair 1000
To Buy or Not to Buy? — CIOUTIL by CosmonicsA review of CIOUTIL, a $17 cassette I/O utility (~500 bytes) from Cosmonics that loads above RAMTOP to provide enhanced tape data handling.Timex/Sinclair 1000
To Buy or Not to Buy? — Crash Guard by Expense Cutter ProductsA review of the Crash Guard acrylic RAM pack stabilizer ($19.95) from Expense Cutter Products, designed to prevent the notorious RAM pack wobble on the ZX/TS.Timex/Sinclair 1000
To Buy or Not to Buy? — Flight Simulation by Timex/Sinclair (Psion)A review of the Psion-developed Flight Simulator for the 16K ZX/TS ($19.95), evaluating its realism and playability as an early flight sim for the platform.Timex/Sinclair 1000
To Buy or Not to Buy? — MW-100 Printer by MindwareA review of the Mindware MW-100 impact printer ($129), evaluating its 16-characters-per-line output at approximately 1 line per second.Timex/Sinclair 1000
To Buy or Not to Buy? — Programmers Toolkit & Graphics KitReviews of two Softsync packages: Graphics Kit with 23 machine code routines ($14.95, 16K) and Programmers Toolkit with 8 programming utilities ($14.95, 16K), both from Softsync Inc., New York.Timex/Sinclair 1000
What's Under the S.U.N.Newsletter editorial announcing new columns for the coming year and reporting on plans for a club bulletin board system to run on an Osborne I computer with a modem.
Z Extra by SinwareA review of Sinware’s Z Extra ($19.95), a display manager and screen editor supporting 28-99 screens, sprite-like animation, and BASIC integration via ZEXBAS. Available in 16K and 64K versions.Timex/Sinclair 1000