website/content/museum/timex-computers-tc-2048.md

---
title: TIMEX COMPUTERS TC-2048
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Portugal
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Z80A
params:
  name: TC-2048
  company: /companies/timex-computers
  company_name: TIMEX COMPUTERS
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: TC-2048
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Timex Computers
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Portugal
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1984'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Sinclair BASIC
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: 42 plastic keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3.5 MHz.
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: Custon ULA chip
  - label: RAM
    value: 48 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 32 chars. x 24 rows, 80 columns extended mode
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 256 x 192 dots in colour mode, 512 x 192 dots in monochrome mode
  - label: COLORS
    value: '8'
  - label: SOUND
    value: 1 voice, 10 octaves, built-in speaker
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: Unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Tape recorder IN & OUT, RF TV video output, Composite video output, Joystick connector (DB9), expansion bus connector
  - label: OS
    value: BASIC based
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External power supply unit (ground in the center), 9v DC at 1000 mA.
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: All the Sinclair Spectrum and third party expansions
  - label: PRICE
    value: About 200 (Portugal, 198?)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - hardware
  - links
  photos:
  - title: LARGER VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Dimitri Kokken**
    image: null
  - title: LEFT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: We can see here the joystick connector
    image: null
  - title: REAR
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From left to right:

      (1) External AC power supply connector\
      (2) Spectrum compatible I/O connector\
      (3) Composite video output\
      (4) Tape recorder In/Out jacks\
      (5) RF/TV modulator
    image: null
  - title: OPENED
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Alejandro Cifuentes**
    image: null
  - title: TC-2048 MAINBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Joystick connector\
      **(2)** RF/TV modulator\
      **(3)** Tape recorder In/Out jacks\
      **(4)** Composite video output\
      **(5)** Keyboard connector\
      **(6)** Spectrum compatible I/O connector\
      **(7)** Z80A processor, here a Nec D780C version\
      **(8)** 16 KB ROM chip holding the BASIC interpreter\
      **(9)** External AC power supply connector\
      **(10)** On/Off switch\
      **(11)** internal 5v DC regulator and its cooler\
      **(12)** 4264 RAM chips\
      **(13)** Custom ULA chip made by NCR\
      **(14)** Loudspeaker

      Picture from **Alejandro Cifuentes**
    image: null
  hardware:
  - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 2020
    subtitle: Tape recorder
    text: ''
    image: null
  - 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: null
  - title: TIMEX SINCLAIR 2040
    subtitle: Box
    text: ''
    image: null
  - 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: null
  - 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: null
  links:
  - 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.'
  comments:
  - author: Rui (Portugal)
    date: Tuesday 25th October 2011
    text: Hi everyone! This was my firt computer, bought in 84 for 20.000$ (100€) and it came with the game Kickstart. I still have it and it works like a charm. I also have the sinclair joystic interface as this computer only works with kempston joysticks by default. I had the termic printer but i really don''t know where i left it. That''s it!
  - author: MrWho
    date: Monday 21st June 2010
    text: |-
      I had one of those. I''m now looking for a working one, so I''ll have one soon - I got a broken one which has been given to me, but I got sorely disappointed when it didn''t work (turns on, but only gives out blinking squares).\
      Great machine - my childhood''s toy of choice.
  - author: Alan Petrik (Czech Republic)
    date: Saturday 17th September 2005
    text: I've had this great computer since 1986, when my father bought it from "Baltona" store in Poland (it was very popular ZX colne in Poland, but almost not known in CZ/SK) for the prize of 145 USD. Some games don't work because of different mapping of keyboard ports. Also some third party add-ons cause problems, because TC2048's bus connector is not 100% compatible with original Spectrum's one (there is no 5V output on Timex's bus port). Especially disk interfaces made in CZ/SK. We've been using Opus Discovery 1, which worked perfectly. Anyway, my father bought another TC2048 in 1988 for me so we had two Timexes at home. The older one had no sign "TC 2048" in the upper right corner of the keyboard and the tape EAR/MIC sockets were made from plastic, while the newer version had the sign I mentioned and the jack sockets were metallic. I sold both in early 90's but I got one again from Poland this year because I want to have my very first computer :)
  - author: Nuno Anjos (Portugal)
    date: Monday 5th April 2004
    text: |-
      well the price was allways droping. I got mine by cristmas of 85 and it cost about 20.000 escudos (100 euros), witch at that time was a thirth of many people monthly income, the only problem with mine was it send very strong signals to the TV and it wrekc the frequency modulator,\
      after that i bougt a black a orange monitor for it.
  - author: Alejandro Cifuentes (Santiago, Chile)
    date: Thursday 25th September 2003
    text: There is a NTSC version of this computer.. I have one, and I'll take some pictures.
  - author: Pedro Glória (Portugal)
    date: Friday 19th September 2003
    text: |-
      I'm Portuguese and I've had a Timex.\
      The information I have is this: when I bought my TC 2048, new at the time, it costed 150/200?. Just after I bought mine the TC 2068 came out with the revolutionary Emulator that was able to run about 10 games in some seconds, it was fantastic compared with the tape recorder we had to run for some 5/10 min., or more, to have a game runing with some luck in the 2048.
  related:
  - /museum/timex-sinclair-1500
  - /museum/timex-sinclair-2068
  oc_id: 935
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20221224085219/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=935
    date: '2022-12-24'
---

In fact, two different systems were called Timex 2048.\
The first, called **TS-2048** (for **T**imex-**S**inclair) was designed by Timex USA but never passed the prototype stage. It was a 16K version of the [TS-2068](/museum/timex-sinclair-2068/) with the same silver case but reduced features, a Kempston joystick interface and additional video modes. At the time when it was ready to be launched, the market had moved to 48K and 64K systems, and there was no future for a new 16K machine.

The second, named **TC-2048** (for **T**imex **C**omputers) was designed and made in Portugal by the Timex Portuguese subsidiary. It kept some features of the US prototype - joystick interface and extra video modes - and was 99% compatible with the [ZX Spectrum](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum/). Slight differences in BASIC ROM and edge connector prevented some rare game software or peripherals to run correctly.

However, it was a better quality machine than the genuine Sinclair. Plastic-key keyboard was more reliable and had a full-sized space bar, a power switch and power Led were added and the custom ULA chip offered better IRQ and memory management.

Thanks to its extra video modes, the TC-2048 was able to display 80 columns text. Coupled with an external floppy disc unit - generally, the FDD-3000 - it could run CP/M O.S. and software.

As Timex Computers was only allowed to distribute the TC-2048 in countries where the Sinclair Spectrum wasn't established, it was only sold in Portugal and Poland. it met a great success in both countries where several ten-thousands machines were sold.

Thanks to **Alejandro Cifuentes** for the picture.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>