Timex/Sinclair 2068 software?

[vwestlife]

Anybody have any tape images of software for this rare American offshoot of the ZX Spectrum? About a year ago, there was a bunch of original, boxed Timex 2068 software on eBay, but of course now that I actually own one, none are to be found.

And failing that, does anyone know any ZX Spectrum titles known to run on a 2068, without the elusive Spectrum emulator ROM cartridge?

 

[jltursan]

Never found a software compatibility list; but given that the problem is the Timex ROM, I wonder if it can be solved by means of a 27256 EPROM burned with a 2068 ROM + original Spectrum ROM and a switch to cold swap the ROMs...
The Spectrum motherboard can easily adapted to mount a standard EPROM. No idea about the TS2068, never opened mine...

 

[billdeg]

There's a club very helpful place to start.
http://ncmedals.com/catug/

 

[Unknown_K]

There are ROM carts out there so you can use some speccy software with a 2068, but games will have issues because the joystick port and sound chip are different (or located in different areas then programmers expect).

 

[jltursan]

The ROM swapping (the emulator cart does it) it's enough to run the vast majority of the 48K model (no sound chip to emulate). If you forget the joysticks and use only keys to play, you can use a lot of software...
I'm not sure if the cart does more trickery apart the ROM replacement...

 

[carlsson]

The original 48K ZX Spectrum also doesn't have an on-board joystick port. They all came as expansions, following at least two or three different implementations. While most games support them all, some will anyhow only support some of the joystick interfaces so you could just pretend your 2068 is equipped with one of the non-supported joystick interfaces.

Anyhow, how difficult or expensive would it be to produce new cartridges? I know some people layout and produce cartridges for very uncommon systems which have about a dozen or two active users around the world, so theoretically there would be some offset for a run of ZX Spectrum emulator cartridges. The only question is who has the capacities to do the board layout and send to a PCB fab.

 

[Al Hartman]

The original 48K ZX Spectrum also doesn't have an on-board joystick port. They all came as expansions, following at least two or three different implementations. While most games support them all, some will anyhow only support some of the joystick interfaces so you could just pretend your 2068 is equipped with one of the non-supported joystick interfaces.

Anyhow, how difficult or expensive would it be to produce new cartridges? I know some people layout and produce cartridges for very uncommon systems which have about a dozen or two active users around the world, so theoretically there would be some offset for a run of ZX Spectrum emulator cartridges. The only question is who has the capacities to do the board layout and send to a PCB fab.

One of the board members Mark J. Blair nf6x@nf6x.net. You can buy boards from OSHPark here: https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/6ihON5Uq

Or, I have singles for $17.00 shipped. Add $14.00 for each additional board.





PM me for Paypal info. I just ordered a new batch, and I'll have them in a few weeks.

Attached thumbnails show a built board without an EPROM.

 

[rittwage]

I believe I just burned a ROM with the 2048 firmware [not 2068] and mine works fine with Spectrum software that way.

However, I need to do the video output fixes to mine. It has heavy interference...

 

[ColorComputerStore]

Actually, I do see lots of software pop up on eBay.... but usually apps... not so much games.