Synertek SYM BASIC. By Lee Davison.

Introduction.

The SYM 1 was a 6502 based SBC and was the 'big brother' to the KIM 1. Largely backward compatible with the KIM it offered more memory, a faster tape interface, more ports etc.

SYM BASIC.

This came later and is a full featured floating point BASIC with strings and arrays. It didn't use the built in keypad and LED display but was run from an RS232 terminal device.

The version presented here is V1.1. This version did not have built in SIN(), COS(), TAN() or ATN() but did have the hooks for them to be added by an expansion ROM. These missing trig functions were common in early BASICs and manny still had the string "WANT SIN/COS/TAN/ATN", or something similar, embedded in them long after these functions were added.

What's here.

Available here is a binary image of the V1.1 8k ROM (V1.0 was allegedly in two 4k ROMs) and a fully* commented disassembled listing that assembles back into that ROM using Tass 1.31.

  • The 8k ROM as a binary image.
  • The .asm source as a zip archive.

    * Almost, some bits I never finished. I may someday.

    • To come.

    I have a (somewhat tatty) copy of the reference manual. I hope to eventually post that as well.

    Last page update: 29th August, 2003. e-mail me