SYNTAX

Serving Timex-Sinclair Personal Computers

A PUBLICATION OF THE HARVARD GROUP

VOL. 5 NO. 4

ISSN 0273-2696

APR. 1984

IN THIS ISSUE

8K Programs Direct Character Output . 10

TS2068 Programs

Graphic Pointer . 3

Videograph . 9

Book Reviews

Three How-tos . 4

Classified Ads . 10

Dear Editor . 5

New Products and Services . 2

News . 1

Software Reviews

CHECK-B . 8

DeathChase . 8

Supporting Companies .... 6

TS2 068 Input/Output . 3

Users' Groups . 2

Vendor Report . 2

Index to Advertisers

A&J Micro Drive . 11

Byte-Back Co . 10

CHANGES AHEAD FOR SYNCWARE NEWS

Fred Nachbaur's publication will continue on to volume 2, but shift locations, upgrade its format, take on additional personnel, publish quarterly instead of bi-monthly, and keep its editorial policies. Inquire of Syncware.

$100 FOR YOUR ZX/TS; UP TO $330 FOR MEMOTECH

Memotech will buy back your Memotech Timex- Sinclair add-ons at 50% of current suggested retail value and even take your ZX/TS for $100 — all credited toward your purchase of your MTX or FDX system. This offer is made only by Memotech Direct Sales Division. The trade-in values are:

16K	$2 0	Keyboard	$40
32K	$4 0	Memotext	$2 0
64K	$60	Memocalc	$2 0
RS2 32	$4 0	HRG	$40
Cent	$30	Z80 Assembler	$2 0

You may trade-in 1 Timex or Sinclair computer with manual for $100 purchase credit. This offer expires 30 June 1984.

We will not be covering Memotech's line of computers in SYNTAX — but this is one thing you can do with your ZX/TS. For additional information call the marketing department at 617/449-6614 and tell them SYNTAX sent you.

UK SOURCE FOR SPECTRUM MANUALS AND PARTS

Bob Dyl of the Ocean State Users Group in RI tells us that you can get manuals and repair parts for the ZX Spectrum from:

Computers of Wigmore St.

87 Wigmore St.

London WlH 9SA Tel. 01-486-0373 Bob also reports that some Sears surplus stores sell 2068 software for $9.95.

OVER 130 VENDORS CONTINUE TO SERVE ZX/TS AND 2068 OWNERS IN THE US. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE MORE THAN 100 BOOKS LISTED LAST ISSUE

VENDOR REPORT

Biocal Software has moved to 167 Wilson St., Petaluma, CA 94952. They have a lot of software for the TS1000 and will begin developing for the TS2068. They have a tape, called "Display” ($10), that shows off the color graphics and sound capabil¬ ities of the TS2068 and includes over twenty different PLOT routines.

Howard W. Sams book Timex Sinclair 2068 Inter mediate/ Advanced Guide is on hold until Jul.84.

Knighted Computers (707 Highland St., Fulton, NY 13069 315/593-8219) carries Panasonic and Faxam monitors, AERCO disc and printer interfaces, and Textwriter 2000+ (80 col. word processor for TS2068).

ZX/TS USERS* GROUPS

To check for a local group that's not listed, or to announce a new group, call 617/456-3661 or write SYNTAX, RD 2 Box 457, Bolton Rd., Harvard, MA 01451. Send SASE for name of group in your area.

Jacksonville, FL: New group forming, contact Andrew Y. Lin, 2815 Cortez Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32216, 904/642-0430.

NEW PRODOCTS AND SERVICES

Z-Extender Version 1.4 consists of 13 graphics and programming utilities for the ZX/TS, allowing fill screen, border, reverse screen, store/recall screen, 24 line screen, 24 line COPY, free bytes, renumber BASIC lines, and autoSTOP (to overcome autoRUN programs). $5.95 from Len Harmon, 4909 Clear lake Dr., Metairie, LA 70002.

BBS Directory (POB 4150, Beach Station, Vero Beach, FL 32964 305/466-5515) offers a quarterly listing of over 700 computer¬ ized bulletin board systems, including comments on program downloading, purpose of each bulletin board, etc. $5.95 ppd. each quarter.

Textwriter 2000+, a TS2068 word processor using the AERCO Centronics I/F and Epson compatible printers (can be modified for other printers) includes full edit and text reformatting features, word wrap, condense, print margin control, page num¬ bering, header, flexible enhancements. $24.95 on cassette from Bob Fingerle,

39639 Embarcadero, Fremont, CA 94538.

International Software Database Corp. brings you .MENU, the world's first and largest database of detailed information about the availability of computer software. ISD publishes the information three different ways: two printed volumes (minicomputer and microcomputer), a toll- free phone number (1-800-THE-MENU), and through DIALOG Information Retrieval Service (file 232) or The Knowledge Index (database C0MP2), 3460 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304 800/227-5510, 415/858-3796. For more information, about .MENU, call 303/482-5000 or write ISD, 1520 South College, Fort Collins, CO 80524.

Andre Baune (304 Scott, Chateauguay, Quebec, J6J 4H5, CANADA, 514/691-6933) presents 5 Arcade Games for IK ZX/TS (Laser, Goalie, UFO, Le Vorace, and Bomb), and Artist/Turtle (graphics/CAI) for 2K RAM. French version available.

Lab Program 2068 calculates Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids, Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids, Total Suspended Solids, Total Solids, and correlation factors. User friendly pro¬ gram allows data tabulation and is ZX/TS printer compatible. Full documentation to follow. $24.95 on cassette from John Kuhn, 1707 King St., Jacksonville, FL 32204 904/384-8054.

T.E.J. Computer Products (859 N. Virgil Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029 213/665-5111) announces the Anchor Telecommunications Modem (works with ZX/TS and TS2068 machines). Comes with Smart Terminal I cassette; Smart Terminal II cartridge optional.

In War in the East (Invasion of Russia, Jul.41) you try to take control of Moscow while dealing with combat, weather, and supply lines (for ZX/TS 16K, $14.95 + $2 P&H; for 32K ZX/TS or TS2068, $17.95 + $2 P&H). Fall of the Third Reich (Dec. 44 to Apr.45) plays a similar but more involved game in a different context (for TS2068, $17.95 + $2 P&H). Both available from Sharp's, 127 Nine Mile Rd., Sandston, VA 23150 804/737-4895 MC/VISA.

RAM Products, 4736 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60630 announces the Solid State Disk Drive, a ZX/TS peripheral kit which stores 8K in EPROM (includes EPROM burner). ^vCan be used to copy, read, program, or verify EPROMs. $99.95 kit + $2 P&H, $5 P&H foreign.

GRAPHIC POINTER — TS2068

TS2068 DEVICE INDEPENDENT INPUT/OUTPUT

Use this machine code routine to quickly specify a PLOT position on the normal 2068 screen. The machine code is entirely relocatable and may be loaded into any safe area of memory.

In the sample program, the routine begins at 65000. When line 15 executes, the machine code takes over and you position a flashing pixel with the joystick. When you press the joystick fire button, the machine code routine returns to BASIC. The value returned (and stored in P) equals Y*256+X, where X and Y represent PLOT coordinates. Lines 25 and 30 convert P back into X and Y. The machine code also sets the system variable COORDS, the last PLOT position.

Line 10 turns on OVER writing: in this mode, PLOTs will set a point if it is reset, or reset it if it is set (also called XOR writing). The machine code routine always PLOTs each point twice, so it will leave the display intact and still flash visibly. If you call the machine code with OVER set to 0, it will leave a line behind as you move the joystick.

This routine includes two 65535 iteration delay loops, so the dot won't move around the screen too fast. You can see the loop constants as double 255's in the DATA statement.

If you set BRIGHT, FLASH, INVERSE, PAPER color, or INK color prior to calling the machine code, each character position you pass through will have its attribute byte set accordingly.

This program runs only on TS2068s, because it uses joystick hardware and ROM calls for plotting points. We welcome modifications for Spectrums or mice.

1 CLEh P 55000*

2 FDR a =55000 TO 55083

4- POKE a d 10 OUER 1

15 LET_p=U5R 55008

25 LET* Y = JNT (P /25S )

3 0 L ET X = P - Y +256 40 PR I NT PT 0,0; X , Y

10C	' ns t s	001 :255	255 : 015 : 254
237	075 = 125	0=*2 0b2	0 14 , P 1 1 . P4Fi
062	001 : 219	246,057	Pi^n . i7? 7 P . SfiP
007	120 :254	000 ,040	001 : 085 : 122
203	071 : 0 3 2	007,120	C~=4- : J. 7 b : 04-0
001	004 ... 122	203 :037	032,007, 121
254	000 : 040	=001,013.	• 122 = 203 0Q5
032 ,	007, 121	: 2b‘4_ . Phh	: 040 : 001 I, 012
122	24b , 19	= 205 ■ 062	: 038 , 881 , 255
255 ’	015 : 254	: 193 : 1 Q7	: 205 : 0 5 2 0 3 5
193 ,	P 4- ' l ■ 20";	= 127.: 200	, 024 , 172

Your TS2068's ROM operating system contains routines to assign input and output to different physical devices without changing the program taking the input and generating the output. This is called device-independent input/output.

When you turn on your 2068, it sets the output according to the following:

Command	Out Duts to	Stream	Device
LPRINT	Printer	3	Tf ptf
LLIST	Printer	3	If pif
COPY	Printer	3	»T pit
PRINT	Screen Top	2	"S"
LIST	Screen Top	2	"S"
INPUT	Screen Bottom	1	"K"

You can assign any physical device ("K", "S", or "P”) to any stream number (0-255). So if you want PRINT to output to the printer instead of the screen, you use:

OPEN #2,"P"

This says to take all the output going to stream 2 and give it to the printer. LIST output will go to the printer too, since it goes to stream 2.

Suppose you want to be able to choose between screen output and printer output every time you RUN the program. You could write your program to output to the screen all the time, and if you have a printer insert OPEN #2,f'P”; or you could write for the printer and if you don't want to use it insert OPEN #3,,fS”.

If you want to be neater, you could pick a new stream number (say 4), and write your program with PRINTS where you always want to output to the screen, and LPRINTs where you always want the printer, and PRINT #4 when you want a choice. Then you either OPEN #4,"P" or OPEN #4,"S'».

The #4 is just another PRINT modifier, so you end it with a semicolon:

PRINT #4; "Hello", A

One last command, CLOSE #, will help you get things back to normal. CLOSE #1 resets stream 1 to the initial setting (Screen Bottom). CLOSE #2 and #3 do the same. CLOSE #4 (or any other user-defined stream) will just make PRINT # to that stream number invalid.

Warning: some operations ignore the

settings of the streams. COPY will always output to the printer, LOAD will always display the file nqmes on the Screen Top. INPUT works only with Screen Bottom.

BOOK REVIEWS: THREE HOW-TOS

Author: Pages : From:

P-E-icg-l- Title : Editor: Pages : From:

Price : Title:

Editor: Pages : From:

How To Market Your Timex^ Sinclair Software R.A. Favro 52 Softcover Softmark Associates 191 Munro Ave.

Toronto, Ontario Canada M4M 2B8 416/465-7791

-£11*35 _

1984 Programmer 1 s Market Brad M. McGehee 268 Softcover Writer's Digest Books 9933 Alliance Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45242 513/984-0717

Christine Leu 98 Softcover Kern Publications 190 Duck Hill Rd. Duxbury, MA 02332 617/934-0445 $28.50

If you've considered turning your programming efforts into a little cash, three books purport to tell you how. Of the three, one seems better for self-marketers, one better for selling to software publishers, and one really doesn't hit the mark on either count.

How to Market Your Timex/ Sinclair Software delivers more pro¬ fessional advice than its poorly reproduced typewritten appearance would indicate. It addresses itself primarily to programmers who prefer to market their own work. Starting with an overview of the size and composition of the TS market, HMYTSS covers developing your product, de¬ veloping your market plan and choos¬ ing a software publisher. The last four chapters deal with running a mail-order business, direct mail marketing, advertising and other marketing opportunities.

Although HMYTSS can help you

promote your product to software publishers (it lists 11), its strength definitely lies in its do- it-yourself approach. It also gives many references to other sources.

Put out by the same people who give us Writer's and Photographer's Market, 12M Programmer's Market contains much the same kind of information as the other Market books. It starts with a chapter on the submission process, copyrights, royalties, and other business.

Then it discusses writing manuals and documentation, designing easy- to-use software and writing the successful game. The remainder of the book (248 pages) lists soft¬ ware, book and periodical pub¬ lishers in the microcomputer field, including 28 software publishers specifically mentioning TS com¬ puters. Unlike HMYTSS, this book gives information for all machines. Listings include name and address, contact, what kind of programs they need and payment arrangements.

Based on much the same idea, 1983 Software Writer's Market gives you lists of micro manufacturers plus software, book and periodical publishers. It also lists computer shows, distributors and director¬ ies. This book contains no helpful- hint information (in fairness note that Kern Publications offers a book entitled Freelance Software Marketing, not reviewed here) and deals with a wide range of micros.

I presume Kern will update it year¬ ly. I found two software publish¬ ers mentioning TS software speci¬ fically and six book publishers.

Many listed no specific machine.

If you plan to market your own software. How to Market Your Timex/ Sinclair Software will benefit you most of the three books. If you prefer to deal with a software pub¬ lisher, check out the second two. I found Programmer's Market more sub¬ stantial and recommend it of the two list! rigs- type books.

Ann L. Zevnik, Allston, MA

DEAR EDITOR:

Some person on your staff is well acquainted with the technical aspects of computers, but is totally incapable of teaching others what he knows; his writing is obscure; he fails to give examples which would enable the tyro to make sense out of what he is saying. These remarks apply aptly to recent articles on address¬ ing and keyboard scanning, to mention just two. A suggestion: show the article to a tyro before publication; his questions will serve as a guide to fuller and simpler explanations.

A Reader, Clifton Park, NY

Syntax opted, at its founding, to serve a continuing audience. Novices rapidly progress to more knowing states. Much of what goes in Syntax builds on previously published material (our collected back issues are available as The Works II — see our order blank on page 1 1 ). Tyros should also use books and users' groups to learn fundamentals. Syntax does take care to present programs in recipe form — you need not understand, you may simply use. But when you reach understanding, Syntax wants you to see value still.

The Timex pullout was a disappoint¬ ment, but one I felt I could live with. What I see as the real threat to ZX/TS computing is the alarming number of panic stricken third party software and hardware producers leaving the Timex scene.

This wholesale desertion perplexes me because, contrary to what those leaving the industry may say about the ZX/TS mar¬ ket being dead, I have been inundated with calls and letters from people who say, "Please don't give up on ZX/TS computers."

A healthy market is there for people who offer quality, honesty and fair prices. I would encourage those in the business to stick with their Timex line. Opportunity still knocks for anyone who wants to get started and is willing to see their project through.

If the ZX/TS computer does eventually fade away, it will not be because Timex quit. The real reason, rather, will be that there isn't any software or hardware available for it. Users will simply lose interest. To keep the machine alive, we must all pull together and communicate. SYNTAX offers a rare opportunity to coordinate this.

Thomas B. Woods, Jefferson, NH

I tried "Recipes for Advanced Video" [SYNTAX Feb.84], and I got 64 columns, but could only use every other one. Printer output did not change. Why?

John Kuhn, Jacksonville, FL

Although the TS2068 hardware can display 64 columns per line, none of the software included in the BASIC ROM takes advantage of this feature. When in 64 column mode, every other character in a line comes from DFILE2 (BASIC always uses DFILE1 ). The TS2040 and ZX Printers cannot COPY the 64 column display because they cannot print 512 dots per line.

Supelco sells thermal paper for the HP 3390 Integrator, the same paper used with TS2040 printers except in 400 foot rolls. I have used both the black and blue, and both work very well. I like the blue because the paper is whiter.

[Supelco, Inc., 3110 Forest Oaks Dr. Suite 250, Houston, TX 77017 713/947-8640, Cat. number 2-2337 (blue); 2-2355 (black)]

I also found gold PC board edge connector fingers that can be soldered to the fingers of the ZX/TS [Elfab Corp., POB 810555, Dallas, TX 75381 214/233-3033].

David Huebsch, Chesapeake, VA

Why do you print ZX/TS programs and say "Translate with FIRSTLOADER, then make these changes"? Why don't I just type them into my TS2068 with the changes?

Why did you put Syntactic Sum for the 2068 in the UDG memory? Why did you then CLEAR 65499, since the UDG area is already protected from NEW?

Why was the data in "Recipes for 2068 Advanced Video" [SYNTAX Feb.84] in hex, then translated?

James F. Brezina, Elmhurst IL

You can certainly enter TS1000 programs directly into your TS2068, with the published changes. Or you can translate.

We considered the UDG area one which was safely out of the way so that Syntactic Sums could be calculated for programs that fill all of memory. The CLEAR was a harmless oversight.

The source document for "Recipes" contained the code in hexidecimal. We opted to publish it in hex to avoid translation errors. The BASIC code which converts hex to decimal is useful in other ways and very compact, relying on the VAL function's ability to evaluate a variable.

ZX/TS RELATED COMPANIES STILL ACTIVELY SUPPORTING TIMEX/SINCLAIR COMPUTERS

Organization ♦A&J MicroDrive A.F.R. Software ♦AERCO Aardvark 80 Apropos Technology ♦Audio Vision Systems Audiograph

BASICally Programming ♦Banta Software Barlog Software Baune , Andre Biocal Software Bird Software Brainchild Computer Works ♦Brown, E. Arthur Co. ♦Byte-Back Co.

Cinagro Software Compusa Corporation ♦Computer Continuum Computerware Publishing ♦Crystal Coast Software ♦Curry Computer ♦D. Lipinski Software DHS

Delphic Enterprises Discount Software Doc’s Software Down East Computers ♦E-Z Key ENER-Z Company ♦EZRA Group II ♦Executive Workshop ♦Fingerle, Robert ♦G. Russell Electronics ♦Games to Learn By Ganhart Earthings General Systems Consulting ♦Gesang Associates Geschwind, Herman Gibson Data Systems Gladstone Electronics ♦Group Technology Ltd. Harmon, Len Hawg Wild Software ♦Heath Computer Serv. ♦Heller Paper Co.

Hobby Robot Co.

Hunter

Huron Valley Research Independence Research Integrated Data Systems JK Audio ♦JM Software ♦JRC Software ♦K-Soft

K2 Electronic Design Kimbrough, B. F.

♦Knighted Computers

Address State Zip Telephone

1050 E Duane Ave Suite I, Sunnyvale CA 94086 408/732-9292

1605 Penn. Ave. # 204, Miami Beach FL 33139 305/531-6464

POB 18093, Austin TX 78760 512/331-0719

2352 S. Commerce, Walled Lake MI 48088 313/669-3110

1071 A Abenida Acaso, Camarillo CA 93010 805/482-3604

1279 N. Normandie, Los Angeles CA 90027 213/660-5217

3584 Leroy St., Ann Arbor MI 48103 313/769-6859

2528 West Olive Dept S, Fullerton CA 92633 714/738-0666

8088 Highwood Way, Orangevale CA 95662 916/722-4895

401 N. Geyer Rd. , Kirkwood MO 63122

304 Scott, Chateauguay QU J6J 4H5 514/691-6933

167C Wilson St., Petaluma CA 94952

2091 Carrick St., Victoria BC V8R 2M5

POB 506, Pewaukee WI 53072 414/691-3903

3404 Pawnee Drive, Alexandria MN 56308 612/762-8847

Rt 3 Box 147 Brodie Rd, Leesville SC 29070 803/532-5812

155 7th St., Rochester NY 14609 716/654-7614

1101 Bristol Rd., Mountainside NJ 07092 201/654-7220

301 16th Ave, San Francisco CA 94118 415/752-6294

92 Ruskin St., Ottawa ON K1Y 4B2

POB 233, Morehead City NC 28557

5344 W. Banff Lane, Glendale AZ 85306 602/978-2902

2737 Susquehanna Rd., Roslyn PA 19001 215/572-6812

POB 681, Or land CA 95963 916/865-5188

POB 72205, Corpus Christi TX 78472 512/854-5873

POB 2035, New York NY 10185 212/486-0980

4339 Keysville Ave., Spring Hill FL 33526

POB 3096, Greenville NC 27834 919/752-7817

Suite 75, 711 S. Artery, Quincy MA 02169 617/773-1187

POB 635, Fort Washington PA 19034 215/757-0284

POB 5222, San Diego CA 92105

7420 SE Woodstock, Portland OR 97206 503/771-8564

39639 Embarcadero, Fremont CA 94538

RD 1 Box 539-S, Centre Hall PA 16828 814/364-1325

2 South St Box 575, Williamsburg MA 01096 413/268-7505

115 N. Racky River Dr., Berea OH 44017

2312 Rolling Rock Dr., Conley GA 30027 404/243-7369

POB 452, Randallstown 1714 Clarendon Dr., Greensboro 9 Orchard Dr., Durham 90 Furhmann Blvd., Buffalo POB 87, Check

4909 Clearlake Dr. , Metairie

POB 7668, Little Rock

950 East 52 South, Greentown

2123 E. 38th St., Brooklyn

POB 887, Hazlehurst

1630 Forest Hills Dr., Okemos

POB 732, Highland

POB 1497, Orem

11 Brighton Ave, Toronto

POB 3295, Escondido

1852 Appleford St., Gloucester

POB 448, Scottsburg

845 Wellner, Naperville

3990 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor

723 Roselle Ave. Floor 2, Akron

707 Highland St., Fulton

MD 21133 NC 27410 NH 03824 NY 14203 VA 24072 LA 70002 AR 72217 IN 46936 NY 11234 GA 31539 MI 48864 MI 48031 UT 84057 ON M4M 1P3 CA 92025 ON K1J 6T4 IN 47170 IL 60540 MI 48104 OH 44307 NY 13069

301/922-0767

716/874-5510

703/651-3153

501/227-7817

317/628-3130

912/375-7821

619/741-5132

613/746-7869

812/752-6071

312/961-1250

313/973-6266

315/593-8219

Konder, Arnold 2 Jane St., New York NY 10014

♦Kuhn, John 1707 King St., Jacksonville FL 32204

♦Lake, Virginia T. POB 351, Hockessin DE 19707

Luxtron Inc 241 Winter St, Haverhill MA 01830

♦Magic World Software POB 1184, Olympia WA 98507

♦Maryland Book Exchange 4500 College Ave., College Park MD 20740

Mech. Design Analysis 1235 Madera St., Dubuque IA 52001

Cons.

Microsync Services 162R Marlboro St, Keene NH 03431

Mill Research 32749 Avalon Crescent, Abbotsford BC V2T 3W9

Monixware PO Box 318, NFLD NJ 07435

Orange Coast Software POB 951, Midway City CA 92655

Corp

People’s Computer 2S 700 Cerny, Warrenville IL 60555

♦Pheonix Enterprises 1780 N. Dupont Hwy No. 17, Dover DE 19901

♦Pyramid Electronics 2174 Gulf Gate Dr., Sarasota FL 33581

Quicksilva 426 West Nakoma, San Antonio TX 78216

RAM Products 4736 N. Wilwaukee Ave., Chicago IL 60630

♦RIST Computers POB 499 Ft Hamilton Sta, Brooklyn NY 11209

ROMpak 8206 Blackburn Ave, Los Angeles CA 90048

♦Ramex International 48945 Van Dyke, Utica MI 48087

Robotec 59 C St Ampoint Ind Park, OH 43551

♦S & S Company Second Base Seymour, Paul F. , P.E. ♦Sharp’s

Sidorski, Edward Simulusion Sinclair Research ♦Sinware Siriusware

Skinner Electronic Ent. ♦SmallTyme Software

Smith, Kendric ♦Soft-Way ♦Softsync

Software Solutions Speedware

Starburst Software Stock Market Software ♦Story Software ♦Stueber, Mark ♦Sunset Electronics SyncWare TAG Software ♦TEJ Computer Products ♦TS Training Info Serv. Tidwell, Vernon Timensa Software UAS

Perrysburg

388 W. Lake St., Addison 700 Lexington Ave, Altoona POB 1 1 , Hamburg 127 Nine Mile Rd., Sandston POB 842, Susquehanna POB 2382, L£ Jolla 50 Staniford St., Boston POB 8032, Santa Fe 6 Turning Mill Rd., Lexington POB 787, Fallbrook 519 Independence Ave. SE, Washington

927 Mears Ct., Stanford

3308 Midway Dr. #124, San Diego

14 E. 34th St, New York

927 Mears Ct. , Stanford

POB 19138, Austin

2214 Horine Rd., Festus

IL 60101 PA 16601 NJ 07419 VA 23150 PA 18847 CA 92038 MA 02114 NM 87504 MA 02173 CA 92028 DC 20003

CA 94305 CA 92110 NY 10016 CA 94305 TX 78760 MO 63028

1556 Halford Ave. #236, Santa Clara CA 95051 3838 S 97th St, Milwaukee WI 53228 127 9-Mile Rd., Sandston VA 23150 2254 Taraval, San Francisco CA 94116 POB 5177, El Monte CA 91734 POB 688, Naugatuck CT 06770 859 N. Virgil Ave., Los Angeles CA 90029 POB 15214, Red Bank TN 37415 1303 Whitehead St., Key West FL 33040 3707 Downey Dale Dr., Randallstown MD 21133 POB 612, Haddenfield NJ 08033

Val Corporation 1621 N. Wakefield St., Arlington VA 22207

Wasserman, Harvey 4604 Apple Tree Dr., Alexandria VA 22310

♦White Lightning Rte 4 Box 2240, Lufkin TX 75901

White, A1 308 18 1/2 Ave. SW, Rochester MN 55902

Wizard Works POB 65, Walkerville MI 49459

♦Woods, Tom POB 64, Jefferson NH 03583

York 10 Computerware 9525 Vassar Ave, Chatsworth CA 91311

ZX-Panding, Ltd. POB 25, Newton NC 28658

♦Zebra Systems Inc. 78-06 Jamaica Ave, Woodhaven NY 11421

♦Indicates a company that provides support for the TS2068

904/384-8054

617/372-5211

301/927-2510

319/556-2133

312/393-1507

302/734-0179

813/922-9574

512/340-3684

212/259-4934

313/463-1795

419/666-2410

312/628-8955

814/942-1871

201/827-9151

804/737-4895

619/454-1023

617/742-4826

505/988-2096

619/728-6904

202/543-5891

212/685-2080

415/493-7210

512/447-8087

804/737-4895

415/665-8330

213/448-4113

213/665-5111

615/877-6328

305/296-8657

301/655-6195

609/667-0031

703/243-0545

703/971-7593

409/632-3757

507/282-2416

213/710-1430

704/464-2742

212/296-2385

SOFTWARE REVIEW

Program: CHECK-B

Machines: TS2068 Form: Cassette

Listing: No

Listable: Yes Language: BASIC Display: Good

Author: Dale Lipinski

From: D. Lipinski Software

2737 Susquehanna Road Roslyn, PA 19001 215/572-6812 Price: $20

CHECK-B, a menu-driven package intended to help you keep your checkbook in order, consists of several functions. You can enter data into your electronic checkbook, including check number, payee, amount, and an optional memo, look for a particular transaction, display or print all of the entries, locate and change any entry, balance (reconcile) your checkbook, delete reconciled entries, and SAVE program and data.

CHECK-B contains many good features, among them ease of use, complete, understandable document¬ ation, input error checking and crash recovery. You can enter transactions in any order. After reconciliation, CHECK-B reports correct balances for your checkbook and your bank statement.

CHECK-B has some drawbacks, too. It beeps too much and is too verbose (I prefer output like my checkbook register to CHECK-B's ten lines per transaction). It displays the current balance after each transaction, instead of a more useful running balance, and finds partial names during a search only if they match the first letters in the field. CHECK-B uses its own "quit" key to mean "go ahead and delete entries" in one section.

Not very clever human engineering.

Overall, I cannot recommend this package unless you intend to modify it to make it more useful.

Program: DeathChase

Machines: TS2068

Form: Cassette

RAM Req: 48K

Listing: No

Listable: No

Language: MC

Display: Excellent

Author: Mervyn J. Estcourt

From: Games to Learn By

POB 575

Williamsburg, MA 01096

413/268-7505 Price: $19.95

Even if you don't believe it's 2501 and you belong to a group of mercenary motorcyclists , DeathChase ought to keep you occupied forever trying to reach the ellusive Sector 8. According to the instructions, there lies a great reward beyond the miles of day and night motorcycle patrols through the woods. I have yet to reach it.

In Cyclepath, you ride through the woods in 3D, slowly approach enemy motorcyclists and destroy them with photon bolts. When you've managed to clear out a sector, night falls and the scenario repeats. It's quite difficult just to avoid hitting the trees, never mind shooting your enemies (or special bonus helicopters and tanks). Realistic sounds accompany all your travels, although a bit loud for my taste.

This program originally ran on the ZX Spectrum and has been modified for the TS2068. It appears to be bug-free, LOADed easily, and displays some of the nicest graphics I've ever seen on any small microcomputer. It uses the keyboard or the left hand joystick for steering and firing.

If all programs were this well written, computing would be a lot more fun and a lot less work.

If arcade-style graphics makes your day, you can count on this game for hours of challenging play.

VIDEOGRAPH — TS2 068

You can create up to 4 user defined graphics characters at a time, using a 16 X 16 grid provided by VIDEOGRAPH. All 21 UDGs can be defined, but assigning a character to UDG "U" may distort the display, since the program uses this char¬ acter to print the grid.

Move the cursor with the 4 arrow keys (unshifted). Blacken a pixel with the 1 key; erase a pixel with 0. When you want to define one or more UDGs from the grid, hit 9. The program will prompt you to assign each quarter of the grid to a letter: if you don't want to assign a certain quarter of the grid, just hit ENTER. It takes about 10 seconds to store a UDG.

In the program listing, line 8030 contains 8 graphic U's, line 8130 contains only one graphic U (the last U on the line), and line 8530 contains two graphic U's.

J. Showalter, Akron, OH

DIRECT CHARACTER CODE OUTPUT — 8K/1K

Since the ZX/TS machines do not use ASCII internally, printer interfaces must translate ZX/TS character codes into ASCII before sending them to the printer. The ASCII code runs from 0 to 127, and uses the eighth bit of each byte for parity. Some printers, how¬ ever, use the ASCII code from 0-127 and an extension to ASCII from 128- 255. Some interfaces filter out certain codes (less than 32 or over 128). If you need to send codes to your printer that your interface won't allow, use this.

We need only find the routine in the interface firmware that actually accesses the printer port,

and send codes to the printer

without translation. This routine starts at 10549 in the Memotech Centronics I/F, and 11104 in the AERCO Centronics I/F.

Type in listing one and RUN. Enter the following numbers, depending on the interface you use:

Memotech: 62 65 205 53 41 201

AERCO: 62 65 205 96 43 201

Now if you POKE 16515 with the ASCII code you want to print and then execute RAND USR 16514, the printer will be sent the code in location 16515.

Virginia T. Lake, Wilmington, DE

CLASSIFIED ADS

Reach thousands of ZX/TS users — for just $9/line! Send your typed copy (35 characters per line) with check or MO to reach us by the 15th to be published in the next issue exactly as typed. No fractions or cent symbols. Include your phone No.

SYNTAX Classified RD2 Box 457, Harvard, MA 01451

In Stock! NEW MD-2B kit SMART MODEM $119.95

ASSEMBLED & TESTED $149

Now With Both

ORIG./ANS.

• Send Text from Memory

• Send and receive FYogra ms by Ph

• Copy Information into memory Print it. Review it. Save it on Tape

• Use Timex 2040 Printer or RS-232

• RS-232 Printer Port provided

• No extra memory Required.

See Review in Feb. ’84 SYNTAX • 2 FREE Hours on COMPUSERVE

COMPUSERVE PACKAGE WITH 5 FREE HOURS ONLY $39.95

NEW MD-68 FOR THE 2068

SAME FEATURES & SAME PRICE AS THE MD-2B

64-K MEMORY $109.“ k,t Racket

the “ULTIMATE MEMORY” $119.95 assembled SEE REVIEW IN JANUARY ’84 SYNTAX

KEYBOARD without case . . . . . $39.

GORILLA/BANANA PRINTER . $199.

-y nnA/ril C Cassette & Book $16.95

£- A rnU/rILt including shipping

Clearly the Best File Management Program Avaiable.

NEW PRO/FILE 2068 including shipping

A new version of the Popular ZX PRO/FILE Program with many new features for the 2068. Includes a 100 Page Manual.

RS-232 PRINTER INTERFACE Only $S9.M KIT $69“ ASSEMBLED

CONTROL MODULE 8 relays, 8 inputs. $59.” KIT $69.” ASSEMBLED

BYTE BACK CO.

RL 3, Box 147, Brodis Road LaaavtHa, S.C. 23070 ORDER PHONE M3-532-5012 Add $4.03 shipping and handling 90 Day Warranty On All Modules. 10— Day Raturn Prlvlladga

PRO/FILE UPDATES the newsletter for ZX Pro/File owners. Get mods, uses, enhancements, and explanations as they occur for $9.95 per year.

Get the PRQ/FILE program for $16.95 on AERCO disk w/instructions $39.95 New PRO/FILE 2068 on tape $29.95 VISA/MC welcome-call (603) 586-7734 Tom Woods Box 64 Jefferson, NH 03583

T/S-TIS PRODUCTS CATALOG AND GUIDE This program lists over 90 products for your TS 2068. A great Place to advertise. Send $3.00 to TSTIS-CAT P.O. Box 15214, Red Bank TN 37415

Tax Planner as pub. in SQ Summer 83 with improvements, '84 Tax Rates, from author on cassette. $9.50 MO. or check. Geschwind, 1714 Clarendon Greensboro NC 27410

SCREEN-CALC SPREADSHEET -1008 cells each holds label & value -180 user functions + loops/sum/average/more 26 page instructions - 2068 $19.95

small version/others for 1000/1500 * BANTA SOFTWARE 8088 Highwood Way* *Orangevale CA 95662 (916)722-4895*

SYNTAX is published monthly by a wholly-

owned subsidiary of The Harvard Group.

Syntax ZX80, Inc.

RD 2, Box 457, Harvard, MA 01451.

Telephone 617/456-3661.

12 issues, $29. Single issue, $4.

Publisher: Editor: Consulting Editor: Technical Consultant:

Kirtland H. Olson Eric K. Olson Ann L. Zevnik Kirtland H. Olson

OUR POLICY ON CONTRIBUTED MATERIAL

SYNTAX invites you to express opinions related to any Sinclair or Timex com¬ puter or peripheral, or the newsletter. We will print, as space allows, letters discuss¬ ing items of general interest. Of course we reserve the right to edit letters to a suitable length and to refuse publication of any material.

We welcome program listings for all levels of expertise, written in either Sinclair BASIC or Z80 machine code. Programs can be for any fun or useful purpose. We will test run each one before publishing it, but we will not debug programs; please send only workable listings. Ptograms submitted on cassette can be tested more quickly and with less chance of error.

In return for your listing, we will pay you a token fee of $2.00 per program we use. This payment gives us the nonexclusive right to use that program in any form, world-wide. This means you can still use it, sell it, or give it away, and so can we.

We will consider submissions of news and hardware or software reviews. Please keep articles short (350-400 words). Again, we reserve the right to edit accepted articles to suitable length. We will pay 7 cents per 6 characters, including spaces and punctuation, for accepted articles.

When you send in articles for possible publication in SYNTAX, please include the following information:

• How to operate the program, including what to input if it does not contain prompts.

• Whether you can run the program over again and how.

• How to exit the program.

• The Syntactic Sum (program published in June 81; send SASE for a free copy).

• What RAM size program requires.

• What ROM program uses (8K, 2068, Spectrum).

• For MC programs, what addresses must change to relocate the code and what ROM calls are used.

We pay for this explanatory text at the same rate as we pay for articles in addi¬ tion to payment for the program itself.

If you want us to return your original program listing or article, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Otherwise, we cannot return submitted material.

FAST, RELIABLE, EASY-TO-USE!

REPLACE YOUR CASSETTE NOW!

• Load 16K in 15 seconds

• 30 times faster than cassette

• Automatic verify with save

• Multiple drive systems

STRINGY FLOPPY

Starter Kit . $149.50

Add $6.50 Shipping Includes Drive 1 , Interface , Manual, Operating Software, Power Supply, Cable,

3 Microwafers.

ESF Drive 2 . $99.50

ESF Owners Manual _ $4.95

• Complete digital operation

• Saves and loads programs

• Automatic data chaining

• No rewinding or volume controls

MICRO WAFER

5 ft . $3.50

10 ft . $3.50

20 ft . $4.00

35 ft . $4.00

50 ft . $4.50

SOFTWARE

“ZX PRO/FILE” by Tom Woods . . $19.95 Machine Language Monitor .... $19.95 HI-RES Graphics . $19.95

A&J Micro Drive

1050 E. Duane Ave., Suite I Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 732-9292

□ Check or Money Order Enclosed □ C.O.D. add $1.65

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3 Rolls ZX Printer Paper $13.50 MeDAC 1235 Madera St Dub. IA. 52001

HIGH RESOLUTION GRAPHICS PROGRAM ( 192*128) $5 Wordprocessor with low¬ ercase on printer $6 Highres space invaders $9 C.Bird 2091 Carrick St. Victoria, B.C. Canada V8R2M5

Fill out the coupon below and mail to: SYNTAX, RD 2, Box 457, Harvard, MA 01451

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Telephone orders call 617-456-3661

These offers expire 6/15/84 — SUBSCRIBE NOW.

SYNTAX

ZX PRO/FILE CARTRIDGE $39.95 The #1 Timex database manager plus: QUICKLOAD-saves/loads a 16K file in 30 sec! Stores 1 MEGABYTE ON 1 tape Next best thing to a disk. ..with 59 pg. manual. Send 39.95 + 2.75 sh to ROMPAK 8206 Blackburn Ave.

L.A. CA 90048 Send SASE for catalog

**NAMES** A Genealogical File Program for the ZX-81 and T/S 1000. Holds complete data on 100 persons. Searches, lists and prints data. Requires 64K memory. Also available for Timex 2000 series (holds data on 70 persons). $30 pp. Send Check or money order to V.T. Lake,

P.0 . Box 351, Hockessin, DE 19707

4 Fast fun TS1000-1500 machine code games on cassette (16K) . Only $5. DHS PO Box 681, Or land , CA 95963

2040 paper $5.30/2rl, ZX paper $11/ 3rl. 8" ribbon cable gold ends $17. P&H $1.5 0/or d catalog $2 VISA/MC OK INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEMS 11 BRIGHTON AVE TORONTO ONT M4M 1P3

TEXTWRITER 2000- WORD PROCESSING FOR TS2068. FULL EDIT FEATURES. FOR 2 04 0 OR 8 0 COL AERCO I/F.FREE INFO. 2040- $18.95, 80 COL- $24.95 CASS. ROBERT FINGERLE, 39639 EMBARCADERO FREMONT, CA 94538

THE BOOKKEEPER

for expanded TS1000's and TS2068's. Up to 650 entries with carry for¬ ward. Up to 99 user definable ac¬ counts. Printout for Journal, Ledg¬ er, Chart of Accounts Income State¬ ments and Balance Sheets. Item search and check register main¬ tenance. Send $25.00, MC or VISA for manual, cassette, and reference cards to GIBSON Data Systems,

9 Orchard Dr., Durham, NH 03824

CASSETTES-C2 0 with cases. 10/$7.50 25/$18, 5 0/$34 , 1 00/$63. WMJ Data Systems, 4 Butterfly Dr, Hauppage,

NY 11788. T/S software available.

SERIOUS SOFTWARE — 7 available for TS-1000 group, a Checkbook, Ledger, Expense sheet, 2 Inventories, Quiz maker. File keeper. For the TS-2068 a Checkbook, a General Ledger. More coming Info LIPINSKI SOFTWARE, 2737 Susquehanna Road, Roslyn, PA 19001

FOR A CHINESE RING PUZZLE THAT DEMONSTRATES BINARY COUNTING SEND $5 TO EDWARD SIDORSKI RD3 BOX 842 SUSQUEHANNA PA 18847

CLEAR TV DISPLAY WITH UHF MODULATOR on TS1 000/15 00. COMPUTER CONTINUUM 301 16th Avenue, San Francisco CA 94118. $10 includes SH 415-742-6294

Tl-E

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