The Timex Sinclair 2068 was Timex’s American version of the ZX Spectrum, with real keys, an AY-3-8912 sound chip and two joystick ports, and it ran almost none of the Spectrum’s software.
Why it matters
The 2068 fixed most of what Spectrum owners complained about: a proper keyboard, three-voice sound, a 512 x 192 text mode and joystick ports. Then the new ROM broke the programs people already owned. Fewer than one in ten British Spectrum titles ran, and Timex left the US home computer market within months of launch. The hardware lived on in Portugal as the TC 2068 and in Poland as the Unipolbrit Komputer 2086.
What to check before you buy
- Check the keyboard. The keys are real typewriter-style switches, and sticky or dead ones are the usual fault.
- Ask which version it is. A US T/S 2068, a Portuguese TC 2068 and a Polish 2086 differ in video standard and ROM.
- Look for a cartridge or ROM board if you want to run Spectrum software.
- Test the picture on a TV or monitor for the video flaw reviewers noted.
- Make sure the cartridge slot cover and the power adapter are present.
