• Tag Archives TRS-80

  • The TRS-80 Color Computer 2

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    The Radio Shack Color Computer was sort of a follow-up to the original TRS-80. It was designed more as a home computer to compete with the likes of the VIC-20 and Apple II originally. As the years went by, Radio Shack continued to upgrade the Color Computer line to keep up with the competition. However, the Color Computer never really got the third party support that Commodore, Apple and even Atari had.

    The original Color Computer had quite an advanced 16-bit CPU for the time with the Motorola 6809E though it typically ran at a slow 0.895 MHz. However, it was quite limited in other ways. For instance, it only shipped with 4K of RAM which was even less than the VIC-20.

    The Color Computer 2 was introduced in 1983 (the original Color Computer had been introduced in 1981). It featured a variety of improvements both in functionality and to reduce costs. Much of the circuitry was reduced to a handful of custom chips enabling the size of the unit to be reduced along with the power supply. This both reduced cost and increased reliability. This did break compatibility with some peripherals though.

    Also, the keyboard was vastly improved. The original Color Computer had a chicklet style keyboard whereas the Color Computer 2 had a real keyboard. The RAM situation was improved as well. The Color Computer 2 was initially sold with 16K or 64K, both of which were big improvements over the original 4K model. There were also a few other improvements such as an upgraded BASIC, improved disk controller and enhanced VDG (allowing lowercase characters for instance). The Color Computer 2 was made from 1983 until 1986 when the Color Computer 3 was released.

    The Color Computer line seemed to fit within a strange market segment. Though it was made for home and educational use, it was not well covered by computer magazines at the time. The vast majority of the software made for it was made by Radio Shack themselves as there was not a lot of third party support. Though supposedly supporting education, I never saw these in schools growing up. All I ever saw were Apple IIs. Commodore was also around though I think they were bigger in the education market in Canada than the U.S. My high school also had some TRS-80 Model IIIs and IVs which were already pretty old at the time but no Color Computers.

    Having said that, the Color Computer was pretty powerful for its time and if you were a hobbyist or programmer perhaps not a bad choice. It’s just that if you were counting on lots of games or commercial software packages you were going to have a hard time. Radio Shack did support this line for a very long time though.


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  • Ghost Gobbler (Color Computer)/ Game Loader (VIC-20)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Creative Computing: Video & Arcade Games – Volume 1, Number 1 – Spring 1983

    This review and ad come from Creative Computing’s Video & Arcade Games. Creative Computing was a 1980s computer magazine that wasn’t really around all that long. This magazine was a spin-off that was around even less time…only two issues were made in fact. This particular page has a couple of interesting items.

    The first item is a review of a game called Ghost Gobbler for the TRS-80 Color Computer. This was a blatant rip-off of Pac-Man. Such complete rip-offs of successful arcade games were very common in this era though it was rare that they were ever as good as the original. This one seems to be a pretty typical example though from the review it sounds like the joysticks that were available for the Color Computer weren’t really suitable for this type of game…or most games.

    There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about Ghost Gobbler except that it was a 3rd party piece of software and 3rd party software and hardware for the Color Computer line seems to have been pretty limited. I’m not sure why. Radio Shack made Color Computer hardware in various iterations and supported it with software and hardware from the early 1980s all the way into the early 1990s. However, it was rare that a popular 3rd party game made it to that system whereas the Commodore 64, Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, Atari 8-bit, etc. all had tons of 3rd party support in their lifetimes.

    The other item of interest is an ad for something called the Game Loader that supposedly allowed you to play Atari 2600 games on the VIC-20. There were a couple of different companies that advertised similar devices. Protecto was a well known mail order company (for Commodore owners anyway) throughout the 1980s and probably into the 1990s. However, for whatever reason, none of these magical devices ever saw the light of day as far as I can tell.

    Such a device would not have been impossible. The ColecoVision had an Atari 2600 adapter and I believe the Intellivision had such a device as well. Internally, they were basically complete Atari 2600s that plugged into the system and just used the power and video output of the host system. so, no doubt a similar device COULD have been made for the VIC-20.

    So what happened to them? I saw some speculation that these ads were intentional fakes to bring in more funding. It was also rumored that these were import devices from Hong Kong and were facing possible legal action from Atari. However, I think it is more likely that it was just a matter of timing. For instance, this ad appeared in Spring 1983. This would have been just after the video game crash hit. My guess is the sudden downturn in the video game market made manufacturing and selling such a device far more of a risk so they were probably just quietly cancelled. Video game and game system prices, including the Atari 2600, were falling rapidly. Computers and computer games on the other hand were just really entering their golden age.


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  • Family Computing (June 1984)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Family Computing – Issue Number 10 – June 1984

    Family Computing was a 1980s U.S. computer magazine published by Scholastic, Inc. It covered all the major home computer platforms of the day including the Apple II series, Commodore Vic 20 and 64, Atari 8-bit family as well as the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh among others. The June 1984 issue includes:

    Features

    • The “Hard-Boiled” School of Software – An interview with Infocom’s revolutionary adventure-game designers., the creators of Zork, Starcross, and The Witness.
    • Whistle While You Word Process – There’s a new crop of word-processing programs that are perfect for family use – they’re inexpensive and easy to operate. Inside…find out how they rate. Plus: How to Judge Word-Processing Software
    • Looking For A Summer Job? – Ten ways to earn money with the help of your computer.
    • A New-Age Mom-And-Pop Business – Many people dream of running a computer store. The Seran family of Colorado took the plunge. Plus: Starting A Computer Store – Tips From The Serans
    • Five-Year-Old Authors – IBM’s Writing to Read System has kindergartners reading and writing as if they were born knowing how.
    • Buyer’s Guide to Computers – A look at the 10 leading models for home use, with a comparison of prices, graphics capabilities, and other features.
    • A Preview: Apple IIc – Apple heads for the home market with its new product: a sleek 7.5-pound transportable computer with a built-in disk drive.

    Programming

    • The Programmer – For enthusiasts of all levels.
    • Beginner Programs – Print disk labels and create an original Father’s Day gift for your dad with programs for ADAM, Apple, Atari, Commodore, IBM, TI, Timex, and TRS-80 computers.
    • Puzzle – Recipe for Disaster: Can you retrieve the stolen recipe in time for the culinary competition?
    • Programming P.S. – Sorry, we goofed. Here are some corrections for programs from previous months, plus some program enhancements from readers.
    • Reader-Written Program – Fishtank: Create a sea of tropical fish on your computer screen.

    Products

    • What’s In Store – Ten pages of product announcements and reviews.
    • New Hardware Announcements – The latest in the field: the IBM Portable Computer; a new Kaypro 4; the Smart-Cable 817, a module that connects to the serial port on many computers; the MicroRam 64K Memory Board for the Atari 600XL; and Mikel’s serial interface for the Ti-99/4A.
    • Software Guide – Quick takes on two dozen new and noteworthy programs.
    • Software Reviews

    Departments

    • Editor’s Note
    • Letters
    • Behind The Screens – Keeping your Timex ticking; a programmer’s windfall; microfloppies; and more.
    • Home-School Connection – Tomorrow’s VisiFarmers: In Ortonville, Minnesota, teenagers are applying what they learn in school about computers to help their parents run the family farm.
    • Home Business – Keeping the Lincoln (Illinois) Log: The Strasmas tell how they run a national computer information service from their rec room.
    • Computer Clinic – Questions from readers are answered.
    • Games – Games People Play: The state of the art and a survey of your gaming habits.
    • BASIC Booth – A monthly cartoon.
    • Books
    • The Primer – A reference guide that appears each month.
    • Classified
    • Advertisers’ Index

    …and more!


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