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48K Sinclair ZX Spectrum Compatibility Cartridge for the Timex Sinclair 2068

In what is surely good news for those of us with Timex Sinclair 2068's, an entirely new production run of Sinclair ZX Spectrum Compatibility cartridges are being made available by Jarek Adamski. This is the number one most sought after add-on for Timex Sinclair 2068 users, as there never was an official US release of the emulator, only in Portugal. The US-based Timex Sinclair 2068, as a follow-up to the Timex Sinclair 1000 and 1500, was a fairly nice system, but didn't last long before Timex pulled out of the market and was mostly incompatible with the computer that it was based off of and to which it exceeded in capabilities, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. By adding a compatibility cartridge (some performed an internal modification), you can open up the world of the majority of software for the 48K Sinclair ZX Spectrum, which rivaled the Commodore 64 in terms of software depth and breadth in England, but never saw release in the US. While a comparatively underpowered specification, the 48K Sinclair ZX Spectrum was and still is well loved by a huge population of users. The only real incompatibilities - a very small number - arise when Spectrum software tries to check for or utilize peripherals, such as joysticks, whose ports are at entirely different locations on each system. Of course this does not make the system compatible with the 128K version of the UK Spectrum, which itself matched and exceeded most of the features of the US Timex Sinclair 2068.

Jarek's site is rather confusing, but after confirming with him, all you need to check off is "16kB PROM "Spectrum emulator" (Dock - OUT 244,3)" for the exact device you'll need specifically for the Timex Sinclair 2068. After you plug that in, the Timex OS is replaced with a version of the original Spectrum OS, opening up the world of cassettes that are still readily available.


Comments

Matt Barton's picture

Timex 2068 one of the stupidest flops in history

Ah! This was a rather timely post, since I was just working the entry for the Timex Sinclair 2068. From what I've ascertained, Timex's "innovations" to the unit, which rendered it virtually incompatible with the ZX Spectrum, was one of the dumbest design decisions in home computing history. Then again, apparently Timex didn't do a very good job of importing popular European titles for the earlier Timex Sinclair 1000/1500 (clone of the Spectrum ZX81).

It's really interesting to think about what might have been if Timex hadn't been so foolish. It's astonishing to think that games like 3D Monster Maze are virtually unknown in the US, yet represented huge leaps forward in videogame concepts. Most American gamers still think that iD was doing something unheard of with its Doom and Wolfenstein games. Little do they know that clever Brits were doing this stuff on their humble ZX81s! ;-)

Of course, most of the really popular Spectrum games got ported to the C-64 and/or Atari 8-bit systems, which is how most of us Americans experienced them.


Bill Loguidice's picture

By the way, Jarek is

By the way, Jarek is offering the Spectrum emulator for only $20 US, shipped anywhere. Considering Timex Sinclair 2068's by themselves run in the $40+ range and those same systems with compatibility ROM's or cartridges go for more than double that, it's a great deal. In any case, don't be put off by the bizarre order form or the highly confusing content. He accepts Paypal and credit cards as well...

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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
(A PC Magazine Top 100 Website)
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