TEC-1D

The TEC-1C and TEC-1D were designed after the last issue of Talking Electronics was published. So no articles to show here, only a component list.

The design is identical to the TEC-1B. Only the PCB had some improvements, simple cheap tactical switches are used for example, function names are printed as part of the silkscreen on the PCB.

While the original TEC-1D is still available as a kit from Talking Electronics, a recent production run of the PCB as Reproduction 2018 is available from Ben Grimmett via ebay e.g. The latest is double sided, so no more wires!

Reproduction TEC-1D by Ben Grimmett, note the nice keycaps available on Ali Express.

TEC-1 and TEC1-A

Specifications: Z80 with variable clock speed (IC 4049 oscillator).20 keys for the main input (16 hexadecimal keys for numeric input and keys labelled AD (for address), GO (to execute a program), + and -. Scanned with a 74C923 keyboard encoder. 6 seven segment displays with 8212 latch IC’s, also the source of a 1 bit speaker for sound.2716 EPOM with monitor MON1 or MON1b. 6116 SRAM for 2K RAM.
Memory decoding with 74LS138. Expansion connector in the form of a IC socket, 6116 compatible, extra chip select signals available. The expansions used this for extra RAM (RAM stack) e.g.

There was also a reset key in the standard configuration and the 1A optional upgrade had a function key.

Published in Talking Electronics Issue 10, 11 and 12.
PDF of the articles here.

TEC-1 addons

Addons published, most of those to be inserted in the expansion connector, so one at a time.
The crystal oscillator gice the TEC-1 a real crystal fixed clock.

8×8 matrix
Crystal oscillator
EPROM burner
Input Output module
NVRAM
Printer plotter
RAM stack
Relay board
Speech module
TEC Power supply
The DAT board

Talking Electronics TEC-1

The TEC-1 is a single-board kit computer introduced by Talking Electronics in the early 1980s. The design by John Hardy and Ken Stone was based on the Zilog Z80 CPU, had 2K of RAM and 2K of ROM in a default configuration. Later versions used a 4k ROM with two different versions of the monitor software, selectable via a switch. This allowed the early software presented in the magazine to be used with the later version of the TEC-1. It was featured in 1983, in Volume 1, Issue 10 of the Talking Electronics magazine.

Talking Electronics or TE was an Australian electronics magazine from the 1980s aimed at beginners and hobbyists, founded and produced by Colin Mitchell in Cheltenham, Australia. The general magazine lasted 15 official issues, but there were many one-off publications produced in addition to the issue-based magazine. Some of these included the FM Bugs series of books, The Electronics Notebook series, and model railway projects. The first issue was in 1981, with the last issue being #15 in May 1989. Colin Mitchel has still an operational Talking Electronics website and business.

Versions of the TEC-1:

– TEC-1
– TEC-1A Change to 74LS374/74LS377 latches, other PCB changes.
– TEC-1B Addition of Shift key.
– TEC-1C Released after issue 15.
– TEC-1D Released after issue 15.
– TEC-1D Reproduction by Ben Grimmett in 2018 based upon the PCB artwork of thr TEC-1D

Information on the TEC-1 in the following pages:

The TEC-1 and TEC1-A
TEC-1B
TEC-1D
My TEC-1D
TEC-1 addons