Book Review: "Inside the Timex Sinclair 2000 Computer"
1 message · 2008-02-28 → 2008-02-28 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org
Participants: Adam Trionfo
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1. Book Review: "Inside the Timex Sinclair 2000 Computer"
Adam Trionfo · Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:05
"Inside the Timex Sinclair 2000 Computer: A Guide to the Anatomy of the Hardware"
By Jeff Naylor and Diana Rogers.
Book Review by Adam Trionfo
This slim, but informative, 114 page book was published in 1984. Unlike so many of the books that swamped the market in 1984, this is not another "me too" book that covers BASIC for the Timex / Sinclair 2068. Instead, this book covers the hardware side of the machine. It doesn't go into great detail like the TS 2068 Technical Manual, but it isn't meant to. In fact, this book would make a fantastic companion piece to the tech manual.
I'm not sure what the front cover of the book represents. Maybe it is showing electrons flying around inside the computer? More likely it is a cool illustration to attract attention.
The back cover of "Inside the Timex Sinclair 2000 Computer" states that "this is a book for people who want to know how their Timex ticks. It will guide you, even if you have no knowledge of electronics, to an understanding of what is going on inside the case of your computer." This seems to be the truth.
Here is the detailed table of contents of this book:
Part 1 - First Principles
Chapter 1 - Electronics of the Digital Kind
The fundamentals of electronics with special emphasis on digital techniques. An introduction to the nature of electricity, and simple analogue and digital circuits.
Chapter 2 - Numbers and Data
Why computers think us humans have the wrong number of fingers: a look at Data Buses; A Binary demonstration program.
Chapter 3 - The Microprocessor
An exterior examination of the device that runs your computer-- the Z80 CPU: some of the signals required to get it going, including the clock.
Chapter 4 - Inside the Box
All the contents of the CPU revealed plus a step-by-step account of how a very simple program is executed.
Chapter 5 - RAM and ROM
Which types of memory are available, why they are needed and a clear distinction between the two main types.
Chapter 6 - Language for Machines
The interpretation of instructions that are typed in as BASIC commands; how the same principles apply to the running of a machine code program. An introduction to the machine code operations, a monitor program and, finally, a challenge to write your own program.
Part 2 - The TS 2000 Series
Chapter 7
Introducing the Timex
The development of the 2000: a detailed look at the facilities it has to offer and the hardware structure with which it achieves them.
Chapter 8 - The Memory Map
How the Timex uses its ROM and RAM memory: the way in which extra space is created in the map by bank switching.
Chapter 9 - The Keyboard
The way that the keyboard is constructed, scanned and decoded. How we can use the keyboard from machine code; plus a demonstration program that shows a method of scanning the keyboard.
Chapter 10 - Picture on the Screen
The nature of television pictures and how they are displayed; the method by which the Timex generates the signals, and where it stores the information; how we may manipulate the screen by using machine code; the additional video modes.
Chapter 11 - Sound
The way that the BEEP port makes sound and how to use it; its role in the tape routines. The secrets of the sound chip explored with the aid of a program.
Chapter 12 - The Joysticks
All you need to know to use the joystick ports.
Chapter 13 - The Only Safe Chunk in a Storm
Why Chunk 3 of the memory map is so important; an explanation of the Function Dispatcher and the Bank Switching routines.
Through simplification these thirteen chapters are squeezed into 114 pages. If you're looking to come away from this book as an expert on the T/S 2068, then you would be disappointed. If you are expecting to come away with a MUCH better understanding of the computer then you will be delighted.
This book is really a jumping-off point for other kinds of books. After this book you'll have a basic understanding of several topics, mostly hardware and machine language. Pick up a book on Z80 coding and you will be able to get right into it. Pick up the TS 2068 Technical Manual and you should be able to comprehend what's going on a bit.
Although the above detailed chapter listing does mention some included programs, here is a list of the nine programs included in the book:
Program 1 - Binary Numbers (BASIC)
Program 2 - Square Wave Graph (BASIC)
Program 3 - Machine Code Demo (Machine Language and BASIC)
Program 4 - Machine Language Monitor (BASIC)
Program 5 - Machine Code for Keyboard Scanning (Machine Language and BASIC)
Program 6 - Screen Layout Examination (BASIC)
Program 7 - Screen Addresses (Machine Language)
Program 8 - Sound FX (Machine Language and BASIC)
Program 9 - PSG Register Program (BASIC)
This book is kept short with very few illustrations and no index. Not having an index really turns me off, but this book isn't meant to be a reference manual. Still, an index would be helpful. In all other respects this book more than lives up to its subtitle of "A Guide to the Anatomy of the Hardware."
Adam
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