TRS-80 Color Computer

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The first version of the TRS-80 Color Computer has a calculator-style "chiclet" keyboard, and was available with memory sizes of 4K (26-3001), 16K (26-3002), or 32K (26-3003). This is the 16K model and therefore shipped with Microsoft Color Basic installed. No monitor was supported; instead the user was expected to connect the computer to a regular TV.

The TRS-80 Color Computer started out as a joint venture between Tandy Corporation of Fort Worth, Texas and Motorola Semiconductor, Inc. of Austin, to develop a low cost home computer in 1977.

The Color Computer, referred to by many by it's nickname CoCo (Color Computer), with its Motorola 6809E processor, was a radical departure from the Z80-based TRS-80 Models. Indeed the "80" in "TRS-80" stood for "Z80". For a time, the CoCo was referred to internally as the TRS-90 in reference to the "9" in "6809". However this was dropped and all CoCos sold as Radio Shack computers were called TRS-80 in spite of the processor change. The CoCo was produced between 1983-1986.

During the CoCo 1 production run, much of the discrete support circuitry had been re-engineered into a handful of custom integrated circuits, leaving much of the circuit board area of the CoCo 1 as empty space. To cut production costs, the case was shortened by about 25% and a new, smaller power supply and motherboard were designed. The "melted" keyboard from the white CoCo 1 and the TDP-100 style ventilation slots were carried over. Aside from the new look and the deletion of the 12 volt power supply to the expansion connector, the computer was essentially 100% compatible with the previous generation. The deletion of the 12 volt power supply crippled some peripherals such as the original floppy disk controller, which then needed to be upgraded, installed in a Multi-Pak interface, or supplied with external power.

Manufacturer: Tandy
Date: 1980



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TRS-80 Color Computer Manuals:

Item Manufacturer Date
TRS-80 Colour Graphic Printer Manual Radio Shack Unknown
TRS-80 RS-232-C Interface Manual Radio Shack 1978
The Electric Pencil for TRS-80 Operator's Manual Small System Software 1978
TRS-80 Model III Disk System Owner's Manual Tandy 1980
Instructions for Converting Specified Model I Programs for use on TRS-80 Model III Radio Shack Aug 1980
TRS-80 Model I/III Series 1 Editor Assembler Radio Shack 1981
Trackcess 3.0 "Access to Tracks" The Alternate Source 1981
TRS-80 Model III Technical Reference Manual Tandy 1981
TRS-80 Model 100 Portable Computer Owners Manual Radio shack 1983
Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 Quick Reference Guide Tandy 1983
TRS-80 Model 4/4P Disk System Owner's Manual Tandy 1983
TRS-80 Model III Hard Disk System Start-up Manual Tandy 1984

Magazines RELATED to TRS-80 Color Computer in our Library

Item Manufacturer Date
REM 80 - Volume 3, Issue 4 The North West TRS-80 USers Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 4, Issue 2 The North West TRS-80 USers Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 4, Issue 4 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 5, Issue 2 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 5, Issue 3 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 5, Issue 4 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 7, Issue 1 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 6, Issue 5 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 8, Issue 4 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 9, Issue 4/5 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 8, Issue 3 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 11, Issue 1 The North West TRS-80 USers Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 6, Issue 1 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 7, Issue 4 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 9, Issue 6 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 6, Issue 3 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 9, Issue 1 The North West TRS-80 Users Group Unknown
REM 80 - Volume 9, Issue 2 The North West TRS-80 USers Group Unknown
Popular Electronics - October 1977 Oct 1977
Personal Computer World - August 1978 Aug 1978
Personal Computer World - September 1978 Sep 1978
Personal Computer World - October 1978 Oct 1978
Practical Computing - October 1978 ECC Oct 1978
Practical Computing - November 1978 ECC Nov 1978
Practical Computing - December 1978 ECC Dec 1978
TRS-80 Computing - Volume 1, Number 1 Computer Information Exchange Inc. 1979
Practical Computing - July 1979 ECC Jul 1979
Practical Computing - August 1979 ECC Aug 1979
Practical Computing - September 1979 ECC Sep 1979
Practical Computing - November 1979 IPC Electrical Electronic Press Nov 1979
Practical Computing - January 1980 IPC Electrical Electronic Press Jan 1980
Practical Computing - April 1980, Volume 3, Issue 4 IPC Electrical Electronic Press Apr 1980
Personal Computer World - June 1980 Jun 1980
REM 80 - Volume 3, Issue 1 The North West TRS-80 USers Group 1981
REM 80 - Volume 3, Issue 3 The North West TRS-80 USers Group 1981
Personal Computer World - July 1981 Jul 1981
Personal Computer World - September 1981 Sep 1981
Your Computer - December 1981 Dec 1981
TRS-80 Microcomputer News Volume 1 Number 1 Radio Shack - Tandy Jan 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - Volume 1, Number 2 Radio Shack - Tandy Feb 1982
Personal Computer World - May 1982 May 1982
Personal Computer World - December 1982 Dec 1982
REM 80 - Volume 5, Issue 5 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1983
REM 80 - Volume 5, Issue 6 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1983
REM 80 - Volume 6, Issue 2 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1983
Personal Computer World - August 1983 Aug 1983
TRS-80 Microcomputer News October 1983 Oct 1983
Practical Computing - October 1983 Oct 1983
Call-A.P.P.L.E. - November 1983 Nov 1983
REM 80 - Volume 7, Issue 2 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1984
REM 80 - Volume 6, Issue 4 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1984
Personal Computer World - February 1984 Feb 1984
The War Machine Issue No. 25 - March/April 1984 Mar 1984
Personal Computer World - May 1984 May 1984
Byte May 1984 May 1984
Personal Computer World - August 1984 Aug 1984
Byte March 1984 Oct 1984
REM 80 - Volume 7, Issue 5 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1985
REM 80 - Volume 8, Issue 1/2 The North West TRS-80 Users Group 1986

Catalogues RELATED to TRS-80 Color Computer in our Library

Item Manufacturer Date
TRS-80 Applications Software Sourcebook Volume 2 Unknown
TRS-80 Applications Software Sourcebook Volume 3 1981
TRS-80 and Genie Software Molimerx Ltd 1982

Other Systems Related To TRS-80 Color Computer:

Item Manufacturer Date
Tandy TV Scoreboard Tandy 1976
TRS-80 Microcomputer System Model I (26-1003) Radio Shack - Tandy 1977
TRS-80 Model 100 Portable Computer Tandy Radio Shack 1983
Tandy 102 Portable Computer Tandy Radio Shack 1983
TRS-80 Colour Computer 2 Radio Shack Tandy 1983
Tandy TRS-80 Model IV Tandy 1983
Tandy TRS-80 Model 4 P Tandy 1983
TRS-80 Model 102 Portable Computer Tandy Radio Shack 1983
Tandy Color Computer 3 (CoCo 3) Tandy 30th July 1986
Tandy 1000 EX Personal Computer Tandy December 1986
Tandy 1400 Professional Computer LT Tandy 1987
Tandy 1000 HX Personal Computer Tandy 1987
Tandy 1100FD Laptop Computer Tandy Radio Shack November 1989

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH42148. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 

TRS-80 Color Computer

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