Lmst

With March coming up, I was thinking about the computer-themed month names. (eg #Marchintosh, #SepTandy, etc.) If August is Commodore month, does that make it Augudore or Commogust?

#retrocomputing

For the USA, the TRS-80 PC-1 was the “The Trash Computer That Became Your Phone”; the rest of the world could enjoy the hardware identical Sharp PC-1210/1211/1212 years earlier

Earlier this year, I bumped into [Wayback/Archive] The Trash Computer That Became Your Phone – YouTube which discusses the Tandy TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-1, . The video includes a lot of history about Tandy Corporation, Charles Tandy and Radio Shack including quite a few bits I didn’t know yet.

It was part of the Tandy Pocket Computer, and succeeded by the Z80 powered TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-2 (which was actually a rebadged Sharp PC-1500).

The TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-1 itself was also a rebadged Pocket Computer, this time a Sharp PC-1211 powered by a duo of 4-bit CPUs so totally incompatible with the PC-2. Actually none of the Tandy Pocket Computer line were compatible with each other (nor with the desktop TRS-80 which itself was incompatible TRS-80 Color Computer). With the PC-4 and on Tandy even switched to Casio as manufacturer, then back to Sharp for the final PC-8.

Anyway: this video was a trip down memory lane and reliving my 2012 blog post The calculators that got me into programming (via: calculators : Algorithms for the masses – julian m bucknall), and I was glad that by now there are more videos covering the calculator I started with, for instance via [Wayback/Archive] sharp pc-1211 – YouTube:

Plus this overview video [Wayback/Archive] Pocket Computers from the 1980s – YouTube (via [Wayback/Archive] A Computer In Your Pocket, 1980s Style | Hackaday)

They even are to be found on auction sites in working of untested order, like:

The Internet Archive has quite a few books on them (all of them have been OCR-ed):

[Archive] 119 practical programs for the TRS-80 pocket computer, 1982 : Craig, John Clark
- and also [Archive] 119 practical programs for the TRS-80 pocket computer, 1982 : Craig, John Clark which looks like the same files but uploaded with a different ID
- ans also [Archive] 119 practical programs for the TRS-80 pocket computer, 1982 : Craig, John Clark which looks like a rescanned copy
[Archive] Games instruction manual TRS-80 Pocket Computer (1980) : Radio Shack which according to the meta-data is too for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-3
[Archive] Games II instruction manual TRS-80 Pocket Computer (1981) : Radio Shack the booklet that went with a cassette tape with BASIC programs; according to the meta-data is for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-3 (which used microcassette tapes), so if that is not a typo this is incompatible with the PC-1 (which used compact cassette tapes)
[Archive] Programs for a target position estimation procedure, 1983: Forrest, R. N., 1925-
[Archive] Sharp PC-1211 Applications Manual, 1980 : Sharp
- also as [Archive] Applications Manual : Sharp Corporation, 1980 : Sharp with more elaborate meta-data
[Archive] Sharp PC-1211 Beginners Textbook For Basic, 1980 : Sharp Corporation
- also as [Archive] Beginners Textbook For Basic, 1980 : Sharp Corporation with more elaborate index in meta-data, but prior has better abstract in meta-data
[Archive] Sharp PC-1211 / CE-121 Service Manual, 1980 : Sharp (note: includes PCB-board layouts, parts, explosion diagrams, signal timing diagrams, etc)
- also as [Archive] Sharp PC-1211 Service Manual, 1980 : Sharp Corporation (but the first is better)
- and as [Archive] Service Manual : Sharp Corporation, 1980 has a strange page ordering (first 1..3, then 4..43)
[Archive] Sharp PC 1211 Instruction Manual OCRed, 1982 : Sharp (note: 1982 is purchase date)
- also as [Archive] Sharp PC-1211 Instruction Manual, 1980 : Sharp Corporation with more elaborate meta-data
- and as [Archive] Instruction Manual, 1980 : Sharp Corporation with even more elaborate meta-data (except for the title)
[Archive] TRS-80 Manual: Engineering Math III (1981)(Tandy)
[Archive] TRS-80 PC-1 Pocket Computer and Cassette Interface Service Manual, 1980 : Radio Shack (which at 40 pages is 3 pages shorter than the Sharp PC-1211 Service Manual)
[Archive] TRS-80 PC-1 Pocket Computer Manual, 1980 : Radio Shack
[Archive] TRS-80 PC-1 Pocket Computer Printer/Cassette Interface Manual : Radio Shack
[Archive] TRS-80 PC-1 Pocket Computer Reference Card, 1980 : Radio Shack a super convenient 2 page 3-fold reference card
[Archive] TRS 80 Pocket Computer Programs, 1981 : Radio Shack
- also as [Archive] TRS-80 pocket computer programs, 1981: Cole, Jim, 1940-2015 with more elaborate meta-data
- and as [Archive] TRS 80 Pocket Computer Programs, 1980 : Radio Shack with even more elaborate meta-data (a better abstract)

These are the most relevant collections some of these books are in:

[Archive] Manuals: Sharp : Free Texts: Sharp Corporation (シャープ株式会社, Shāpu Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese multinational corporation that is a partially-owned subsidiary of Taiwan-based Foxconn Group. The company was founded in September 1912 in Tokyo and takes its name from the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil, which was invented by company founder Tokuji Hayakawa in 1915.
[Archive] Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Manuals: A collection of manuals, pamphlets, information leaflets and other materials regarding the Tandy TRS-80.

Repair related:

--jeroen

#SepTandy

MikeyN6IL's VLOG $1B: MAME4iOS - The Holy Grail of Retro Emulation
https://youtu.be/Mx8gYfw8YwU #septandy #retrogaming #retrocomputing #trs80coco

Last second SepTandy post -- BBSing on the 1000HX via WiFi232

#SepTandy #Tandy #RadioShack #TRS80 #vintagecomputing #retrocomputing #BBS #BBSing #CRT #1000HX #CRT #vintagecomputers #retrocomputers #intel8088

Today we (attempt to) join the #sepTandy movement with this new video https://youtu.be/ff_45ua5KhE
Looking at the world of the community driven #cocopi emulator distro project for #RaspberryPi #colorcomputer #tandy #radioshack

Finally got a chance to check out the MCX-128 expansion on my Tandy MC-10! #septandy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRLVYzIm6cA

Okay, one of the few good things about getting older is (supposedly) not being able to hear the 15KHz whine from old monitors anymore.

My new-to-me Tandy CM-5 CGA/TGA monitor is indicating that my ears are younger than the rest of my body. Not as loud as in my youth, but still annoying.

#CGA #sepTandy #15KHz #retroComputing #aging

Unlike in the US, the Tandy 1000 series of computers were very uncommon in Germany, so they are rather rare over here. Almost one decade ago, I was able to get this nice Tandy 1000RL/HD. 🙂

#RetroComputing #Tandy #SepTandy

Learned yesterday there were multiple versions of the CM-5 monitor, mine being an early one from 1987 (25-1023). Finally found the correct owner's manual for it, the one I initially downloaded was for a 1990 model. Still looking for the service manual - Tandy was good at publishing those (found some for other monitors, just not this one).

Found it here, in case someone else is looking for Tandy documentation: http://www.oldskool.org/guides/tvdog/documents.html

#sepTandy #retroComputing

Fake Tandy bootup message on a real Tandy monitor generated by an Apple IIe with an RGB card (because why not). 80 column text looks a bit fuzzy but not terrible - most CGA/EGA monitors were sharper than this, but the CM-5 was meant to be a low cost option mainly for their cheaper wedge PCs (1000 EX/HX) and was fine for Tandy graphics 16 color 320x200 games.

Note: lights are off because the glass is really, really reflective and my useless phone could never focus well on the text.

#sepTandy #retroComputing #CRT #appleII

Late 80s Tandy computer/MS-DOS bootup message on a Tandy CRT computer monitor.

Whoa. It just works - image is a bit fuzzy due to the .63 dot pitch and colors are a bit off, but I'm quite happy. Note that it's a lot sharper than composite, just fuzzy compared to most CGA monitors.

Thank you @MuseumJoe for the universal apple RGB adapter, it works perfectly with this Tandy CGA monitor and my Apple IIe with a Taxan Video 7 board from 1983.

https://jcm-1.com/product/universal-video-adapter-for-apple3/

#CGA #CRT #sepTandy #appleII #retroComputing

Mario's Bros game on an old color CRT monitor.

Old color CRT monitor displaying the Mario's bros game next to an open Apple IIe computer.

It's alive! No visible damage, the door is missing but I already knew that.

Hopeful this Tandy CM-5 will work when connected to a computer.

Edit: whoever packed this monitor did a fantastic job and is now in my book of greatest people on earth.

#CGA #CRT #sepTandy #retroComputer

A 4x3 14" CRT Monitor with a lit screen and a red LED at the lower right.

A sticker at the back of a monitor with the following text on it "Tandy RGB COLOR MONITOR CM-5
VOLTAGE 120V FREQUENCY 60Hz AMPERAGE 0.75A
MODEL NO. 25-1023"

It's #Septandy so today's a great day to take a look back at 80 Micro, the largest independent monthly magazine for TRS-80 owners. It was so successful, it directly influenced monthly magazines that followed. #retrocomputing https://dfarq.homeip.net/80-micro-the-magazine-for-trs-80-owners/

It's #septandy so I've been working on the lil mc-10 recently. Swapped out the rf modulator for a composite a/v board from Zippster. Thanks to @pcbwayofficial for sponsoring this one!
https://youtu.be/W5J2541Huh4?si=xMbTURRWfPB8s8Fu

It is time to look at the #SepTandy goodies I picked up at VCF MidWest 2024
https://youtu.be/HGzmXWiXsI8

A note to Europeans who still don't understand why Amigas and Atari STs - USA designed computers - were not that successful in their home country.

The reason isn't IBM or Apple.

It was Tandy: the Tandy 1000 line, specifically. An affordable PCjr clone done well enough to be a decent option for work and school... Also good enough graphics and sound for games. And was sold at all Radio Shack locations, so support and upgrades were easy to get.

So many of my friends had a Tandy 1000 variant at home in the mid to late 80s (and even early 90s). Amigas and STs were comparatively few and far between.

#septandy #retroComputing

“It’s #septandy, and I have given away all my Tandys!”

It is #SepTandy and time for #VCFMW2024 so took my Tandy Computers to Chicago!
https://youtu.be/TAD6KAFF6Xs

Happy #SepTandy It is time to finish unboxing all of my new #TRS80Model1 goodies!
https://youtu.be/3rDxYuvARfI

A bit of an unexpected bonus upload from me today, but I have a little something for #SepTandy.

Here's a video showcasing a Tandy 1000 HX store demonstration I got as a bonus with my machine.

Download link provided.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-QzUmDP7lQ

#SEPtandy

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