Timex Sinclair

Timex Sinclair

Timex Sinclair wordmark Timex Sinclair wordmark
Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Home Computer
Founded	December 12, 1982 (1982-12-12) (Timex Computer Corp.)
Defunct	January 10, 1984 (1984-01-10) (Timex Computer Corp.)
Fate	Dissolved
Headquarters	Waterbury, Connecticut , United States
Owners	Sinclair Research, Timex Corporation

Timex Sinclair emerged in December 1982 as a joint venture between the British firm Sinclair Research and the American company Timex Corporation, aiming to penetrate the burgeoning North American home computer sector of the early 1980s.

History

The collaboration capitalized on Timex's position as the chief producer of Sinclair’s ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers at its manufacturing facility in Dundee.

To address increasing consumer demand, production was extended to Timex Portugal (TMX Portugal Lda), a subsidiary known for its skilled labor force at competitive costs, which handled manufacturing of units destined for export to the U.S. market.

In Portugal and Poland, Timex Portugal sold Timex Sinclair models such as the T/S 2068 under the Timex Computer brand. Meanwhile, in the United States, Timex Corporation formed "Timex Computer Corporation" to distribute products under the Timex Sinclair label.

The joint venture concluded when Timex Corporation withdrew from the American home computer arena in January 1984. However, Timex Portugal persisted in producing and enhancing hardware for an additional ten years, supplying markets including Poland, Canada, and Argentina.

Although Sinclair’s UK-originated models like the ZX Spectrum achieved notable success, Timex Sinclair’s offerings did not fare well in North America. The T/S 2068, in particular, was considered a commercial disappointment, largely due to Timex Corporation’s premature exit from the computer industry shortly after its introduction.

Products

Introduced in July 1982, the T/S 1000 was promoted as America’s first home computer priced below $100. Despite initial technical issues, it sold approximately 550,000 units by the end of that year. In 1983, sales across Canada and the U.S. reached around 500,000 units with prices falling to $49.95.

That same year saw the announcement of the T/S 2000, modeled after the ZX Spectrum and intended to be available in two memory configurations: 16K and 48K RAM versions priced at $150 and $200 respectively. The 16K variant was ultimately cancelled; only the 48K version was released as the T/S 2068.

Also launched in 1983 were the T/S 1500 and T/S 2068, retailing at $79 and $199 correspondingly; however, both models experienced limited market traction.

Released computers

Four computer models derived from Sinclair Research designs were issued by Timex Sinclair:

• T/S 1000 (July 1982): A ZX81 derivative featuring 2 KB of RAM.
• T/S 1500 (August 1983): An upgrade of T/S 1000 with increased memory of 16 KB RAM and a casing styled after the ZX Spectrum.
• T/S 2068 (November 1983): Based on the ZX Spectrum with added functionalities such as a cartridge port aimed at competing with gaming consoles; marketed as Timex Computer in Canada, Argentina, Portugal, and Poland.
• TC 2048 (1984): Another ZX Spectrum-based model offering enhanced compatibility and a keyboard similar to that of the T/S 2068; distributed exclusively in Portugal and Poland under the Timex Computer brand.

Hardware Developments

• TC3256 represented the intended third-generation model from Timex Computer Technology but was discontinued following the shutdown of production at Timex Portugal.
• Timex FDD or FDD 3000 is a Z80-based computer compatible with CP/M, often incorrectly perceived solely as a floppy disk drive controller. It operated as an independent system without integrated graphics hardware. The FDD 3000 supported three operational modes:
  • As a disk drive controller for TC 2048, T/S 2068, or ZX Spectrum running the Timex Operating System (TOS)
  • As a CP/M system utilizing TC 2048 or T/S 2068 with the Timex Terminal Emulator serving as the console
  • As a CP/M system using the Timex Terminal 3000 keyboard as the console

Peripheral Devices

Timex Computer Corporation and Timex Portugal developed a variety of peripherals under the Timex Sinclair and Timex Computer labels to complement their computer product lines:

Timex Sinclair

• TS1016 - A 16K RAM expansion pack compatible with T/S 1000 and T/S 1500 models.
• TS1050 - Protective carrying case designed for the T/S 1000 and its accessories.
• TS1510 - Cartridge player intended for T/S 1500; also compatible with T/S 1000 when combined with the 16K RAM Pack.
• TS2020 - Analog cassette tape recorder.
• TS2040 - Thermal printing device.
• TP2040 - Variant of the thermal printer labeled simply as "Printer."
• TS2050 - Communications modem unit.
• TS2060 - Bus Expansion Unit (never released).
• TS2065 - Microdrive storage devices (never released).
• TS2080 - 80-column dot matrix printer (never released).
• TS2090 - Command Stick joystick designed for internal ports of the T/S 2068.

Timex Computer

• TS1040 - Multi-voltage power supply compatible with printer, tape recorder (T/S 2020), T/S 1000, TC 2048, and T/S 2068 units.
• TC2010 - Digital cassette tape recorder.
• TC2080 - Serial interface 80-column dot matrix printer.
• Timex FDD - Simplified computer functioning primarily as a floppy disk controller.
• Timex FDD3000 - Enhanced version of the floppy disk controller, extending Timex FDD capabilities.
• Timex Terminal 3000 - Compact CP/M terminal computer designed for compatibility with FDD3000.
• Timex RS232 - Serial communication interface using RS232 standard.
• Sound/Joystick Unit - Device combining sound amplification and joystick interface for SLCD systems.

• Neptun 156 - A 12-inch green monochrome monitor produced by Poland's Unimor, marketed in Poland as Unipolbrit UK2086. Timex Portugal imported the Neptun 156 as part of barter transactions and often bundled it with TC computers, enhancing their market competitiveness.

• Timex Printer 2040 - Functionally identical to the TS2040 thermal printer.

These offerings demonstrate Timex Computer's deliberate move to broaden its peripheral lineup and penetrate international markets by leveraging strategic partnerships and local manufacturing arrangements to strengthen its global presence and sales volume.

Timex Sinclair

Under the Timex Sinclair brand, Timex Computer Corporation provided an extensive range of software titles including nine business applications, twenty home management programs, thirty educational packages, and twenty-five games distributed on cassette tapes for the T/S 1000 and T/S 1500 models. Additionally, four cartridge-based titles were introduced. For the T/S 2068 platform, the software catalog expanded to include four business applications, thirteen home management programs, twenty-nine educational titles, and twenty-four games on cassette, along with seven cartridge releases.

Timex Computer

Under the Timex Computer label, Timex Portugal created and distributed various software products, such as:

• TOS (Timex Operating System) designed for the FDD and FDD3000 models
• CP/M for FDD3000 – a sophisticated operating system variant
• Basic 64 – Sinclair BASIC enhancements tailored for the TC 2048 and TC 2068, enabling improved video capabilities
• Timeword – a word processing cartridge compatible with TOS-formatted disks and tape media
• ZX Spectrum Emulator – cartridge software developed for use with the TC 2068 and T/S 2068

External links

• TIMEXsinclair Showcase
• Timex/Sinclair 1000 User Manual
• Timex Sinclair 1500 User Manual
• Timex Sinclair 2068 User Manual