Timex Sinclair 1000

 Home > Browse Our Collection > Computers > Timex > Timex Sinclair 1000
 

The Timex Sinclair 1000 (TS1000) was the first computer produced by Timex Sinclair, a joint-venture between Timex Corporation and Sinclair Research. It was launched in July 1982.

The agreement gave Timex exclusive marketing rights to the ZX81, who were making the computer in their Dundee factory. An article from the Electronics Times on 18 February 1982 writes that "Timex will pay Sinclair a royalty of 5% for every unit sold, both on machines designed by Sinclair and units which have been modified by Timex. Sinclair will also receive a 5% royalty if Timex supplies the machines with his own version of Basic, which it plans to do initially, and 2.5% if it provides software from another source... When sales have reached a satisfactory level Sinclair's Boston office, which has been selling 15000 units a month by mail order, will stop handling the ZX81".

The TS1000 was a slightly-modified Sinclair ZX81 with an NTSC RF modulator instead of a UK PAL (units sold in Portugal have a PAL RF modulator) device and the onboard RAM doubled to 2K. The TS1000's casing had slightly more internal shielding but remained the same as Sinclair's, including the membrane keyboard. It had black-and-white graphics and no sound. It was followed by an improved version, the Timex Sinclair 1500.

Like the Sinclair ZX81, the TS1000 used a form of BASIC as its primary interface and programming language. To make the membrane keyboard less cumbersome for program entry, the TS1000 used a shortcut system of one-letter "keywords" for most commands (e.g. pressing "P" while the cursor was in "keyword mode" would generate the keyword "PRINT"). Some keywords required a short sequence of keystrokes (e.g. SHIFT-ENTER S would generate the keyword "LPRINT"). The TS1000 clued the user in on what to expect by changing the cursor to reflect the current input mode.

The TS1000 sold for $99.95 in the US when it debuted, making it the cheapest home computer to date at the time of its launch (its advertising angle was "the first computer under $100".) This pricing initiated a price war with Commodore International, who quickly reduced the price of the VIC-20 to match and later announced a trade-in program offering $100 for any competing computer toward the purchase of a Commodore 64. Since the TS1000 was selling for $49 by this time, many customers bought them for the sole purpose of trading it in to Commodore.

The black-and-white display showed 32 columns and 24 lines, 22 of which were normally accessible for display, with 2 reserved for data entry and error messages. The limited graphics were based on geometric shapes contained within the operating system's non-ASCII character set. The only form of long-term storage was a home tape cassette recorder. The 16K memory expansion sold for $49.95. A shortage of the memory expansions coupled with a lack of software that would run within 2K meant that the system had little use for anything other than an introduction to programming. Home computer magazines of the era such as Compute! showed enthusiasts how to interface the computer with various kinds of equipment, providing the opportunity for learning about early speech synthesis technology through a Speak & Spell, robotics control through the memory port, and scrolling text displays for advertising.

Over time, the TS1000 spawned a cottage industry of third-party add-ons designed to help remedy its limitations. Full-size keyboards, speech synthesizers, sound generators, disk drives, and memory expansions (up to 64K) were a few of the options available. Languages such as Forth and Pascal, as well as BASIC compilers and assemblers augmented the TS1000's programming possibilities. Microcomputing magazine published an article in April 1983 decrying the membrane keyboard ("The designers of the Timex-Sinclair 1000 ... reduced this important programming tool to a fraction of the required size") and describing how to wire up external full-size keyboards.

Type Home computer
Discontinued 1983
Operating system Sinclair BASIC
CPU Zilog Z80A @ 3.25 MHz
Memory 2 KB

Our model is missing the sticker with the model number and a serial number, but is otherwise in excellent condition and complete with the original packaging and manual.

Manufacturer: Sinclair
Date: 1982



Comment on This Page

Other Systems Related To Timex Sinclair 1000:

Item Manufacturer Date
Prototype of MK14 Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK 14 + Original Keyboard Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK 14 - Original Kit Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK14 + Memory Expansion in wooden case Sinclair 1977
Science of Cambridge MK14 Sinclair 1977
Sinclair ZX80 8K Basic Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX81 with Basic EPROM Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX80 Prototype PDZ 4732 Basic ROM - Nine Tiles Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX80 Updated to ZX81 Sinclair 1980
Sinclair ZX80 Sinclair 1st June 1980
Sinclair ZX81 Kit Sinclair 1981
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Prototype Sinclair 1981
Sinclair ZX81 Sinclair 1981
Sinclair ZX81 - Signed by Rick Dickinson Sinclair 5th March 1981
Sinclair ZX81 with Custom Case/Keyboard Sinclair 5th March 1981
Argentinian Sinclair Spectrum Sinclair 1982
Sinclair Spectrum with Homemade Keyboard Sinclair 1982
White Replica ZX Spectrum (Millionth Edition) Sinclair 1982
Early Sinclair ZX Spectrum Computer Sinclair 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Console Sinclair 1982
ZX Spectrum Issue 2 With ULA Modification Sinclair 1982
Timex Sinclair 1500 Sinclair 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K (BBC) Sinclair 1st March 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Case (Signed) Sinclair 1st March 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum Computer - Early Issue Sinclair 23rd April 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k Sinclair 23rd April 1982
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16K Sinclair 23rd April 1982
Sinclair Spectrum (Assembled in Portugal) Sinclair 1983
Sinclair QL + Schön Keyboard Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (German) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (Signed) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (US) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL (Property of Sinclair) Sinclair 1984
Sinclair QL Sinclair 1984
Sinclair ZX Spectrum+ Sinclair 1st June 1984
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2 Sinclair 1986
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128 Sinclair January 1986
Cambridge Z88 All In One Pack Sinclair 1987
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 (Currys Box) Sinclair 1st June 1987
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 Sinclair 1st June 1987
Sinclair PC200 Sinclair 1988
Cambridge Z88 With PC Link Kit Sinclair 1988
SJL 68008-PC Sinclair 1988

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH44376. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 

Timex Sinclair 1000


Click on the Image(s) For Detail


Articles

Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum