I know those old boxes pretty well, and most of the TRS 80 line. The COCO is what I was involved with on a hobby level, mostly doing mods and engaging in various nefarious activities. I like that Tandy was open about letting people purchase service manuals on any of their computers and electronics equipment. I've seen probably all of their computers naked, but those days are long past. All those boxes belong in a museum. If you had an acoustic coupler and terminal software you were able to login to plenty of mainframes and mini computers. There was almost no security even on government systems back then.
I remember our library in 6th grade (1990/91) having one of these. I also worked for RadioShack from 99 though the mid 00s, and we actually had one of the TRS (cant remeber if it was a 2, 3, or model 4) come in for repair. We still did service on them... Parts availability withstanding, I'm sure. But it was sent off and came back repaired, so it most likely was a more standard discret part that failed (power supply transformer or something, maybe.)
This computer is the very first model that my high school had for students to use. I think we had 2 or 3 of them at first. This was in 1981 (?). Ultimately they weirdly went and got an IBM System 36, I guess to computerize school operations and records, and the plethora of terminals on it became the student computer lab where they taught BASIC programming. I would only assume that later they moved to IBM PC's or compatibles, who knows.
Having recently picked up an Olimex Agon Light 2, I dug out my old copy of Z80 Assembly Language for Student by Roger Hutty (the textbook for the assembly portion of my degree in the mid 80s). In the back there's an extensive number of handwritten notes on the idiosyncrasies of the assembler we were using on a motley mix of Model Is and Model IIIs we had in the Microcomputer Lab. Since I'm in the UK, the use of Tandy kit was vanishingly rare.
Radio Shack stores were ubiquitious even in small town America so people living in these smaller communities, Radio Shack would be one of the first places they would have encounters with personal computers. It was an ideal situation for Tandy to capitalize on and they did for the entire decade of the 80s, but alas it got harder and harder to differentiate from all the PC clones and acces to computer retailers itself became ubiquitious - until the Internet destroyed everything bricks and mortar
The Model 3 could even be upgraded to a Model 4, right? With 80 columns switchable? In the old days I used to say real computing begins with 80x24. That was a real breakthrough on the Apple II, Z80-CP/M + 80 columns + dBASE II for some real database work. The model 4 probably also ran a good CP/M? Today I work on TWO 4K monitors...
Oh, I learned basic in a local clone of one of those, the CP-500. Coming from the apple II clone I had at home, I thought those were monstruous but still attractive.
I do remember that Radio Shack did sell such an amplifier/speaker unit for this purpose. Prior to getting one of those, it was common for folks to put pocket AM radio next to the cassette port to get a somewhat "noisy" version of the sounds. Moving the radio around different parts of the CPU unit you could pick up various types of sounds.
You could also get similar RF noise out of a pocket calculator (usually with the older type with red LED display) when put near the antenna of an AM radio. If you had a programmable calculator and started running a program that rapidly changed the display contents, you could get all sorts of interesting "sound effects" (some of which sounded like the various blips and beep sound effects from the TV show "Six Million Dollar Man"). I vaguely recall a magazine article in a magazine from around the mid-to-late 1970s that described using a pocket calculator to help locate a break in an in-window radio antenna in your car (some cars had radio antenna embedded in the windshield rather than having an aerial extending from the fender). By passing the calculator near the antenna you would pick up the RF -- you'll be able to locate the break as the noise would decrease near that point.
Okay, can you guys answer me one thing (after purchasing one in really good shape not 3 days ago), are you supposed to get the "Diskette" prompt with NO disk? I can boot to ROM Basic, I can boot TRSDOS, I can boot LDOS, I can OUT 2441,1 and 244,2, but the only way I can get the "DIskette" prompt is by putting a disk in without closing the door. I know it ultimately doesn't matter, and that it's behavior observed by many TRS-80 model 3 owners, but I'm just curious if this is IN FACT behavior. Any input would be appreciated (and figured this was a new video so this comment might get some attention). Thank you!
I had thought the Model III could be fitted with 64k? Looks like that was the Model 4 (which could actually go to 128k...) They were both neat systems, but a bit on the pricey side.
also does Donkey king and frogger and pacman and danger ranger ever end? on the Dragon 32 ?? or do they go on forever? also grand prix - on the dragon 32 - from a book from 1983 ? any ideas where i can find this book? thanks..................
The "CAUTION: Do not drop as CRT may IMPLODE" label on on the original box is worrying. The Frog in Frogger is a very rare species that can't swim. You need to jump onto the logs.
Thank you for the awesome video on the Model 3! I have one and I replaced the drive 0 with a go-tek floppy emulator after loading the "FlashFloppy" firmware on it. I also put 189 disk images on a USB drive so I have almost everything made for TRS-80 at my fingertips! Here is a video I made about it: ruclips.net/video/DmFtIaYe6pY/видео.htmlsi=0cZfMIRCilAAENZa
are all floppy drives the same?? ds dd and 720k 360k and 800k and 1.44 mb and 1.2 mb what about 1.6 mb or 1.76 mb? too or higher even 1.8 or 1.9 mb ?? thanks................... NFormat formats (msdos 4.01 and above) to 800 and 900k!!!!!!!!!! thanks.................
This computer was not a good deal in 1980 and a terrible deal later on, especially the 4. Once the 1000 came out, this was just majorly obsolete. But even earlier, a CPM machine would be similarly priced but just with a ton more software.
I know those old boxes pretty well, and most of the TRS 80 line. The COCO is what I was involved with on a hobby level, mostly doing mods and engaging in various nefarious activities. I like that Tandy was open about letting people purchase service manuals on any of their computers and electronics equipment. I've seen probably all of their computers naked, but those days are long past. All those boxes belong in a museum. If you had an acoustic coupler and terminal software you were able to login to plenty of mainframes and mini computers. There was almost no security even on government systems back then.
Great memories when I worked for Tandy Australia as a teenager from 1893 to 1987. Great times.
Great memories and very informative
I remember our library in 6th grade (1990/91) having one of these.
I also worked for RadioShack from 99 though the mid 00s, and we actually had one of the TRS (cant remeber if it was a 2, 3, or model 4) come in for repair.
We still did service on them... Parts availability withstanding, I'm sure. But it was sent off and came back repaired, so it most likely was a more standard discret part that failed (power supply transformer or something, maybe.)
We had these in my school and I was a big fan. I still love the look of the model 3 today, such a classic.
A very neat machine.
xcellent review!!
This computer is the very first model that my high school had for students to use. I think we had 2 or 3 of them at first. This was in 1981 (?). Ultimately they weirdly went and got an IBM System 36, I guess to computerize school operations and records, and the plethora of terminals on it became the student computer lab where they taught BASIC programming. I would only assume that later they moved to IBM PC's or compatibles, who knows.
Having recently picked up an Olimex Agon Light 2, I dug out my old copy of Z80 Assembly Language for Student by Roger Hutty (the textbook for the assembly portion of my degree in the mid 80s). In the back there's an extensive number of handwritten notes on the idiosyncrasies of the assembler we were using on a motley mix of Model Is and Model IIIs we had in the Microcomputer Lab. Since I'm in the UK, the use of Tandy kit was vanishingly rare.
Radio Shack stores were ubiquitious even in small town America so people living in these smaller communities, Radio Shack would be one of the first places they would have encounters with personal computers. It was an ideal situation for Tandy to capitalize on and they did for the entire decade of the 80s, but alas it got harder and harder to differentiate from all the PC clones and acces to computer retailers itself became ubiquitious - until the Internet destroyed everything bricks and mortar
The Model 3 could even be upgraded to a Model 4, right? With 80 columns switchable? In the old days I used to say real computing begins with 80x24. That was a real breakthrough on the Apple II, Z80-CP/M + 80 columns + dBASE II for some real database work. The model 4 probably also ran a good CP/M? Today I work on TWO 4K monitors...
Nope. To save $$$ the folks used nearly the same case for Mod-IV. Power switch under the right side of keyboard.
Oh, I learned basic in a local clone of one of those, the CP-500. Coming from the apple II clone I had at home, I thought those were monstruous but still attractive.
While playing, hook a speaker up to the Cass headphone out line, many games played sound effects/music over it.
I do remember that Radio Shack did sell such an amplifier/speaker unit for this purpose. Prior to getting one of those, it was common for folks to put pocket AM radio next to the cassette port to get a somewhat "noisy" version of the sounds. Moving the radio around different parts of the CPU unit you could pick up various types of sounds.
You could also get similar RF noise out of a pocket calculator (usually with the older type with red LED display) when put near the antenna of an AM radio. If you had a programmable calculator and started running a program that rapidly changed the display contents, you could get all sorts of interesting "sound effects" (some of which sounded like the various blips and beep sound effects from the TV show "Six Million Dollar Man").
I vaguely recall a magazine article in a magazine from around the mid-to-late 1970s that described using a pocket calculator to help locate a break in an in-window radio antenna in your car (some cars had radio antenna embedded in the windshield rather than having an aerial extending from the fender). By passing the calculator near the antenna you would pick up the RF -- you'll be able to locate the break as the noise would decrease near that point.
While watching this video I'm playing on my 1979 Mattel Electronics Computer GIN handheld LCD game
Yes, I couldn't listen to the radio while mine was on... AM and some FM....
Okay, can you guys answer me one thing (after purchasing one in really good shape not 3 days ago), are you supposed to get the "Diskette" prompt with NO disk? I can boot to ROM Basic, I can boot TRSDOS, I can boot LDOS, I can OUT 2441,1 and 244,2, but the only way I can get the "DIskette" prompt is by putting a disk in without closing the door. I know it ultimately doesn't matter, and that it's behavior observed by many TRS-80 model 3 owners, but I'm just curious if this is IN FACT behavior. Any input would be appreciated (and figured this was a new video so this comment might get some attention). Thank you!
I had thought the Model III could be fitted with 64k? Looks like that was the Model 4 (which could actually go to 128k...) They were both neat systems, but a bit on the pricey side.
also does Donkey king and frogger and pacman and danger ranger ever end? on the Dragon 32 ?? or do they go on forever? also grand prix - on the dragon 32 - from a book from 1983 ? any ideas where i can find this book? thanks..................
The "CAUTION: Do not drop as CRT may IMPLODE" label on on the original box is worrying.
The Frog in Frogger is a very rare species that can't swim. You need to jump onto the logs.
hmm. perhaps it's electrified water. 🐸
Thank you for the awesome video on the Model 3! I have one and I replaced the drive 0 with a go-tek floppy emulator after loading the "FlashFloppy" firmware on it. I also put 189 disk images on a USB drive so I have almost everything made for TRS-80 at my fingertips! Here is a video I made about it: ruclips.net/video/DmFtIaYe6pY/видео.htmlsi=0cZfMIRCilAAENZa
are all floppy drives the same?? ds dd and 720k 360k and 800k and 1.44 mb and 1.2 mb what about 1.6 mb or 1.76 mb? too or higher even 1.8 or 1.9 mb ?? thanks................... NFormat formats (msdos 4.01 and above) to 800 and 900k!!!!!!!!!! thanks.................
This computer was not a good deal in 1980 and a terrible deal later on, especially the 4. Once the 1000 came out, this was just majorly obsolete. But even earlier, a CPM machine would be similarly priced but just with a ton more software.
It is pronounced 'TRIS DOS" not TRS DOS