--- title: TIMEX / SINCLAIR 1500 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1983' cpus: - Zilog Z80A params: name: '1500' image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/timex-sinclair company_name: TIMEX / SINCLAIR specs: - label: NAME value: '1500' - label: MANUFACTURER value: TIMEX / SINCLAIR - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: August 1983 - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Sinclair Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: Chicklet keyboard (ZX Spectrum style), 40 keys - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80A - label: SPEED value: 3.5 MHz - label: RAM value: 16 KB - label: ROM value: 8 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 columns x 24 lines (2 lines are reserved for system messages and commands) - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 64 x 44 dots - label: COLORS value: Black and white - label: SOUND value: None - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 23 x 14,4 x 3 cm / 550g - label: I/O PORTS value: Expansion bus (Z80 bus), tape interface, RF video output - label: POWER SUPPLY value: 9V AC adaptor - label: PERIPHERALS value: 16 KB RAM, printer + all the Sinclair ZX81 peripherals - label: PRICE value: US $79.95 (USA, 1983) tabs: - photos - hardware - links - docs photos: - title: LARGE VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_system_s2.jpg - title: BOTH SIDES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_sides_s1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_keyboard_s1.jpg - title: REAR SIDE subtitle: '' text: All of the Sinclair ZX-81 peripherals could be plugged into the expansion connector. image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_rearside_s1.jpg - title: TIMEX LABEL subtitle: '' text: The Timex 1500 were made in Portugal by the Timex Portuguese subsidiary. image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_label_s1.jpg - title: RAM EXPANSION subtitle: '' text: The Timex 1500 could be expanded up to 32 KB RAM thanks to a 16 KB expansion module (here a Sinclair model). However, some Poke commands had to be entered so that the computer regognizes the module. image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_rammodule_s1.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: |- Like the ZX-81's, this mainboard holds only 5 chips, but with 16 KB of RAM. Two versions were actually produced, the first one had 8 x 4116 RAM chips instead of 2 x 4264. **(1)** UHF TV modulator\ **(2)** Keyboard connector. A second keyboard connector is located near the CPU\ **(3)** 16 KB RAM chips (2x4264)\ **(4)** Sinclair BASIC 8 KB ROM chip\ **(5)** Custom Timex chip made by NCR, in charge of... virtually everything! It deals with the keyboard, the tape recorder interface, the RAM & ROM management, the video and the expansion I/O port\ **(6)** Zilog Z80 processor\ **(7)** 5V power regulator with it heat sink, the black metal plate. image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_inside_s1.jpg - title: DISMANTLED subtitle: '' text: Dismantling a Timex 1500 is quite easy, apart from the two fragile keyboard connectors which have to be gently disconnected and reconnected. image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_dismantled_s1.jpg - title: USER MANUAL subtitle: '' text: This Timex 1500 was part of a 6-unit Basic programming course. Like other Sinclair and Timex user manuals, the Timex 1500's manual was very complete and detailed. image: /media/museum/photos/timex_1500_manual_s1.jpg - title: SUITCASE VERSION subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/timex-sinclair_1500_suitcase.jpg hardware: - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 2020 subtitle: Tape recorder text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_sinclair_2020_1.jpg - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 2040 subtitle: Printer text: The TS 2040 was the rebadged US version of the ZX Printer that could be connected to all of the Timex (and Sinclair ZX-QL) systems. It used the same thermal metallised paper rollers. LPRINT and LLIST commands redirected output to the printer. COPY did a screen dump. image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_1000_printer2040_1.jpg - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 2040 subtitle: Box text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_1000_printer2040_box_1.jpg - title: WESTRIDGE 2050 subtitle: Modem text: |- The TS 2050 Telecommunications Modem was designed for Sinclair Research by Westridge Communications CIE. At the same period first deliveries of this modem should occur, Timex went out of the computer business. Westridge which then had a large stock of unsold modems decided to release them with the 'Westridge 2050' name. The modem was compatible with TS100, 1500 and 2068 models. A specific software was delivered for each model. It used an Intel 8251 USART chip with 300 baud capability through a direct connexion to a telephone socket. image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_2068_modem2050_1.jpg - title: TIMEX FDD 3000 subtitle: Floppy Disk Drive text: |- The Timex FDD 3000 was a Full Computer made by Timex Portugal. It could also be used as a Floppy Drive System for ZX Spectrum, TC 2048 and Clones, including the Timex 2068.\ It featured:\ Z80 Processor\ 64 KB RAM\ 2 x Serial Ports\ 2 x 3" floppy Disk Drives As it was a full computer it allowed to run CPM on it with Timex Computers acting as a terminal, or it could act as a Floppy drive system that kept the ZX Spectrum or compatible computer free because of the FDD own processor and RAM.\ On 'floppy drive mode' user ran TOS (Timex Operating system). Thanks to **Jose Pina Coelho** for the pictures image: /media/museum/hardware/timex_2048_fdd3000_s1.jpg links: - title: Timex Computer World url: http://members.fortunecity.com/johnnyred/home.html text: Very interesting site, presenting all Timex computers. - title: TS1000.US url: http://www.ts1000.us/ text: '"TS1000.US, a tribute to the most unique and powerful small computer ever built!"... with docs, tips & tricks, software, info, etc.' docs: - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 1500 HOME COMPUTER - USER MANUAL url: http://www.ts1000.us/usermanuals.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/ts1500_user-manual.jpg text: |- [**TIMEX SINCLAIR 1500 HOME COMPUTER - USER MANUAL**](http://www.ts1000.us/usermanuals.htm)written by Timex Computer Corporation / Charles F. Durang  compiled/archived by Bill Hicks\  type of document : PDF\  size : 36 MB\  source : [www.ts1000.us](http://www.ts1000.us/) comments: - author: Chulang SeaRLES (Barbados, West Indies) date: Tuesday 15th August 2006 text: in 9182 My mom brought me a Timex 1500 computer. I first wanted to power it off a 9 voly dry cell because the power adpator was rated 9 volts. it is how i learned to master programming in basic. I wanted to build my own interface circiut but th emembrain keyboard went faulty. I brought from th eUK in 1984 a magazine that you could make a keyboard for the computer and a joystick adaptor. I wish it had not stopped working. It lasted longer than commadore 64 because the PSU for the 64 normally blew and you had to replace th ePSU, memory modules and the rom chips related: - /museum/timex-computers-tc-2048 - /museum/timex-sinclair-2068 oc_id: 639 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604043655/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=639 date: '2023-06-04' --- The Timex-Sinclair 1500 is basicaly a [Sinclair ZX-81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/) in a [ZX Spectrum](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum/) case with 16 KB RAM. Timex marketed the Sinclair computers on the North American market. The ZX-81 was sold as the [TS-1000](/museum/timex-sinclair-1000/) (with 2 KB RAM instead of 1 KB of the original model) and the ZX Spectrum as the forth-coming TS-2000 (which remained a prototype). As the sales of the TS-1000 were dangerously falling, Timex produced a mix between the ZX-81 and the ZX Spectrum: the TS-1500. The goal was to correct the weaknesses of the TS-1000: too small memory and awfull keyboard. It's in fact just a ZX-81 with the 16 KB RAM expansion built inside a Spectrum style case. But the original black case turned silver for the TS-1500. To prove that it is exactly the Spectrum case re-used here, there is still the speaker grid underneath the system, whereas the TS-1500 has no sound feature! However there are minor cosmetic changes: the "sinclair" encarved logo on top of the case is replaced by a fake grid... In fact, this plastic case was the TS-2000 one (which was never produced), reused here for the TS-1500. The chicklet keyboard is also an improvement (really?) over the flat membrane keyboard of the ZX-81. The keys layout is exactly the same as the ZX Spectrum. You can even use keyboard membranes of the Spectrum 48KB to replace the existing one if it breaks. Apart from that it remains a TS-1000. The connectors are the same (RF TV ouput, tape recorder, expansion bus) and the Basic is still the Sinclair Basic. A 16k RAM expansion (the same as the one sold for the TS-1000) can be used to reach 32 KB RAM. However, the TS 1500 had a number of changes that made it different than just a TS 1000 / ZX-81 with 16k: 1\. The ROM was updated to check for 16 KB memory and correct faults in the TS 1000 version (which corrected faults in the ZX81 version).\ 2\. You could only add a 16 KB RAM pack (1016). To use any larger 3rd party RAM pack from the TS1000/ZX81 family you need to modify the motherboard.\ 3\. Circuitry was added to allow you to choose which channel to display, 2 or 3, when you turned on the system by holding down the "3" key on the keyboard.\ 4\. The motherboard is a complete redesign with 16 KB onboard and the ULA (Undefined Logic Array) was surface mounted and not socketed. Despite its funky look, the TS-1500 did not sell well either. In 1983, who wanted to buy a ZX-81 disguised whereas you could offer yourself a splendid [Commodore 64](/museum/commodore-c64/) for a few more bucks! --- Contributed to this page : Bill Hicks