The TRS-80
Color Computer 1 was the Tandy Corporation's first color
computer sold through its chain of Radio Shack stores geared for
the home computer market. Tandy was an early participant in the
micro- computer market with it's business line of computers, TRS-80
Models I, II, III, and IV.
The TRS-80 Color Computer
1, (nicknamed the 'CoCo' by loyal fans of the computer),
was designed to penetrate the home market which at that time was heating
up with more entries with color capabilities. The CoCo 1 was
initially released with 4K or 16K of user RAM and on later models
expanded to 32K. There were actually 3 versions of the CoCo 1 all
with distinctive cosmetic differences. The first two came in a one piece
silver-gray plastic case.
The earliest version, which is
exhibited in this museum, came
with a chiclet style keyboard and only 4K or 16K of user RAM. It can be
distinguished from later versions by the position of the Radio Shack
logo above the keyboard, it is not centered but shifted to the far left,
and a small 4K or 16K button on the lower right corner on top of the case above
the keyboard.
The middle version retained the chiclet style keyboard but came
with a whopping 32K of user RAM. This version can be distinguished
by the positioning of the Radio Shack logo in the center above the
keyboard and the absence of the 16K button on the top of the case.
The third and final version
of the CoCo 1 saw the end of the silver-gray color case, to be
replaced with a white color case and gone was the chiclet style keyboard,
replaced by an improved keyboard.
On the rear of the CoCo
are a number of ports and pushbuttons, starting from left to right a
pushbutton reset switch, an RCA type plug for RF output to a TV, a
select channel output 3 or 4 slide switch, a round 5 pin DIN, ( an
acronym for the Deutshe Industrie Norm ) connector port for
connecting a cassette recorder for mass storage, a round 4 pin DIN
connector port for connecting a modem or printer, two round 6 pin DIN
connector ports for connecting joysticks, and a pushbutton off/on power
switch.
Unlike other one piece
computers of the era the CoCo's power supply was built in. The norm
was a large 'brick' like power module that added to the tangle of wires
and confusion behind the computer.
On the right side is
an opening for the expansion slot to insert ROM cartridges called
'Program Packs' or the disk controller for the single sided 156K Model 500
Disk Drive.
The 4K CoCo 1 in
this exhibit was acquired at a flea market complete in its original box
along with a model 500 disk drive.
