Katana VentraIP

Timex Sinclair

Timex Sinclair was a joint venture established in December 1982[1][2] between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly growing early-1980s home computer market in North America.[3]

Company type

Joint venture

Home Computer

December 12, 1982 (1982-12-12)

January 10, 1984 (1984-01-10)

Dissolved

Waterbury, Connecticut
,
United States

Sinclair Research, Timex Corporation

History[edit]

The choice of partnership was natural, as Timex was already the main contractor for manufacture of Sinclair's ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers at its Scottish plant in Dundee.[3]


Due to large demand another manufacturer was needed, so Timex Portugal (TMX Portugal Lda, a Portuguese Timex subsidiary[4]), with skilled and relatively cheap labor force,[4] took on the production of models to be exported to the U.S..[5]


Timex Portugal sold the Timex Sinclair (ex: T/S 2068) models in Portugal and Poland under the Timex Computer (ex: TC 2068)[6] brand. In order to market Timex Sinclair products in the United States, Timex Corporation created a subsidiary named "Timex Computer Corporation", and sold machines under the brand Timex Sinclair.[7][1]


Timex Sinclair ended as Timex Corporation withdrew from the U.S. home computer market in January 1984[1][2] but Timex Portugal continued to manufacture, sell and develop hardware in Portugal and Poland[8] for another ten years, with some machines also being sold in Canada and Argentina (see Czerweny computers).[4][5] A 1986 report mentions that 800.000 systems, between TC 2048, TC 2068 and FDD3000, were sold to Poland.[8]


Overall, Timex Sinclair machines were nowhere near as successful as their UK progenitors; in contrast with the ZX Spectrum, which was the best-selling computer in Britain at the time, the T/S 2068 was a relative failure, partly due to Timex Corporation leaving the computer business shortly after its introduction.[9]

introduced in July 1982 and essentially a modified ZX81 with 2 KB RAM.[10]

T/S 1000

introduced in August 1983, it was a T/S 1000 with 16 KiB RAM and a ZX Spectrum-like case and keyboard.[14][16]

T/S 1500

(TC 2068), released in November 1983, was a ZX Spectrum-based machine with enhancements, namely a cartridge port to make it compete with videogame consoles, which resulted in poor compatibility with software developed for the original. Based on the T/S 2000 prototype. It was marketed under the Timex Computer brand in Canada, Argentina, Portugal and Poland[17] as TC 2068.[18][19]

T/S 2068

released in 1984, was a ZX Spectrum-based machine with a T/S 2068-like keyboard. Based on the T/S 2000 prototype and featured improved compatibility with the ZX Spectrum. Only sold in Portugal and Poland under the Timex Computer brand.[6][8][20][21]

TC 2048

TS1016 - Timex 16K RAM Pack for use on a T/S 1000. Can be used on a T/S 1500.

[34]

TS1050 - Not a real peripheral, but a "suitcase" to carry T/S 1000, tapes and peripherals

[35]

TS1510 - A cartridge player for T/S 1500. It can be used on T/S 1000 with a 16K RAM Pack

[36]

TS2020 - Analog Tape Recorder[38]

[37]

TS2040 - Thermal Printer[40][41]

[39]

TP2040 - Thermal Printer (badging variation, with "Printer" instead of "Sinclair")

- Communications Modem[42][43]

TS2050

TS2060 - Bus Expansion Unit ()[44][45]

vaporware

TS2065 - Timex Microdrives (vaporware)[47]

[46]

TS2080 - 80 column dot matrix printer (vaporware)[49]

[48]

TS2090 - Command stick. Joystick to be used on T/S 2068 internal ports[51]

[50]

Software[edit]

Timex Sinclair[edit]

Timex Computer Corporation, under the Timex Sinclair brand, released 9 business, 20 home management, 30 education and 25 game titles on cassette for the T/S 1000 and T/S 1500.[72][73] Four titles on cartridges were also released.[72]


For the T/S 2068, 4 business, 13 home management, 29 education and 24 game titles were released on cassette.[74] Seven titles were released on cartridges.[74]

Timex Computer[edit]

Timex Portugal sold/developed the following software, under the Timex Computer brand:[75]

TIMEXsinclair Showcase

Timex/Sinclair 1000 User Manual

Timex Sinclair 1500 User Manual

Timex Sinclair 2068 User Manual