Radio shack computer history. The same applies to computers.

Radio shack computer history The final Tandy 1000 model, the Tandy 1000 RSX is unique to all other Tandy 1000 systems. The Tandy 2000 is a personal computer introduced by Radio Shack in September 1983 based on the 8 MHz Intel 80186 microprocessor running MS-DOS. Feb 6, 2025 · On March 8, 2017, General Wireless Operations Inc. ". B&W image of Radio Shack TRS-80 Microcomputer System. Thanks to https://pcbway. View All; Computer Cables; RadioShack Transparent Case navy blue TWS Earbuds, White, IPX5, Bluetooth 5. RadioShack has partnerships with a number of major consumer electronics and computer companies, including Sprint Communications Company in the area of telecommunications; Compaq Computer Corporation, whose Compaq brand is the exclusive computer brand sold at RadioShack; Thomson Multimedia, for a line of RCA-branded digital audio/video products Nov 1, 1995 · One problem was that Tandy computers used only Radio Shack software, limiting users at a time when IBM and Apple were flooding the market with new software. Honestly, this released after I left Radio Shack and was not featured in a Radio Shack Computer Catalog, so Wikipedia says it better. History of the Radio Shack Computers: 1921: - Radio Shack begins as a one-store retail and mail-order company catering to ham operators and electronics buffs. Description: In the early 1970s, most personal computers came as hobbyist kits requiring a high level of technical expertise to assemble. At the same time, some of Tandy's electrical engineers were ordering something called a MITS Altair 8800. They always seemed so fun. Mar 31, 2022 · And one of these enthusiasts was Donald French, and he said, ‘we ought to start selling these kits at Radio Shack. Radio Shack announces its TRS-80 Model I, the company's first personal computer. 1981: January - Radio Shack ceases production of the TRS-80 Model I, and recalls units from the US market, due to failure to meet new FCC radio-frequency interference regulations. MAIN RADIOSHACK MASTER 2200X MODEL 60-2213 GAME CHARACTERISTICS History of the Radio Shack Computers 1921: - Radio Shack begins as a one-store retail and mail-order company catering to ham operators and electronics buffs. They dealt in many different electronic products, but introduced two computers that were important in fostering the personal computer revolution. pdf catalogs catalogues From 1982 to 1991, Radio Shack/Tandy produced a series of comic books called, Whiz Kids (Cat. I remember seeing the Sensation in a local Raleigh, NC Radio Shack store circa 1993 and wanting one. By 1990, growth of Tandy Corporation's Radio Shack chain of electronics stores and Tandy personal computers had stalled. Along the way […] 1980: July - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Color Computer, and sells for US$400. The same applies to computers. Right. To reduce cost, early models employed “half-bad" 64K chips that had 32K bits guaranteed. (RadioShack) filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 and that it started closing all its stores. Feb 16, 2015 · FORT WORTH, TEXAS – RadioShack’s humble beginnings as a small, 1920s Boston ham radio shop and mail-order business belie its later role as an American retail icon with 7,000 stores and a bevy of innovations under its belt, most notably the clunky TRS-80, acclaimed as the first mass-marketed, fully assembled personal computer. 15 ] Discussion Topic: Have you ever owned a Tandy IBM These were arguably the first personal computers that could be purchased, brought home, taken out of their boxes, setup, and then used in some productive way – right away. The left half is the back. Recto bottom Margin: " Radio Shack TRS-80 Microcomputer System" Archive of 1939-2011 Radio Shack Catalogs of electronics, computers and technology. Feb 11, 2015 · Not so successful but equally important to computer history was Radio Shack’s answer to the IBM PC, the Model 2000, which appeared in the fall of 1983. The RadioShack TRS-80 Color Computer, later marketed as the Tandy Color Computer, is a series of home computers developed and sold by Tandy Corporation. Black and white brochure for the TRS-80 Model I and SCRIPSIT. Nov 24, 2024 · On August 3, 1977, Radio Shack revealed the TRS-80 Computer (Tandy Radio Shack) at a New York City press conference after spending less than $150,000 on development. Price is US$230. Radio Shack The Tandy 1000 EX was designed as an entry-level IBM compatible personal computer. 15 ] Discussion Topic: Have you ever owned a Tandy IBM Launched in 1980, this was the first Radio Shack computer to use 64K DRAMs. Performing far better than the company projections of 3,000 units for the first year, in the first month after its release Tandy Radio Shack´s first desktop computer — the TRS-80 — sells 10,000 units. There were a few different DOSes available with TRSDOS being Radio Shack's OS. Origin of the Color Computer. Equipped with 4KB of RAM, cassette-tape storage, and a built-in BASIC interpreter, the TRS-80 was one of the first mass-marketed personal computers (along with the Commodore PET and Apple II). S. Their TRS-80 (1977) and TRS-80 Color Computer ("CoCo") (1980) line of home computers were popular in the years before the IBM PC became commonplace, and had wide distribution in Radio Shack stores at a time when there were few computer stores. I miss the ebullient joy of Radio Shack computer bundles aimed at families. Let's explore the history of the TRS-80 and see if any of my TRS-80 gear is still working. For terminals and the Electric Crayon, go to Radio Shack Terminals. Other number: 11 A0: Printed on a label attached to the inside and outside of the computer case: Part number: 26-3501: Printed on the bottom of the computer History of the Radio Shack Computers: 1921: - Radio Shack begins as a one-store retail and mail-order company catering to ham operators and electronics buffs. Tandy had 60 Radio Shack Computer Centers by 1980, and expected to have 250 Radio Shack stores that Aug 3, 2015 · On Aug. Radio Shack produced four different lines of monitors from the release of the TRS-80 Tandy 2000 to end of Tandy Computers with the 4000 line. Most of the manuals were published by the Tandy Corporation or Radio Shack for use with the TRS-80 Model I, II, III, and 4. the computer in this post is the second of the computer for the masses, the Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Micro Computer System, later to be called the TRS-80 Model I. Date 1982 Publisher Radio Shack - Tandy TRS was formed by the 1963 merger of Tandy Leather Company and Radio Shack (which was almost bankrupt at the time). Computer Accessories & Gaming. Between 1977 and 1979, it sold 100,000 units. The company was started as Radio Shack in 1921 in Boston, Massachusetts, by two brothers, Theodore and Milton Deutschmann, who wanted to provide equipment for the cutting-edge field of amateur, or ham, radio. A brief history of Radio Shack Computers In 1976, the CB radio market (a big money-maker for RadioShack) had died, and Tandy was looking for a new product line to exploit. Charles Tandy bought Radio Shack for $300,000. Bill Loguidice is a computer historian, founder of Sep 28, 2021 · An ad promoting the 'Pocket Computer' line of Tandy's computer, a 1982 RadioShack advertisement. This form factor would have been familiar to users upgrading from home computers such as the Commodore 64 or Atari 800XL. Published by Archie Comics, these comic books were designed to help young students become computer literate by blending the entertainment features of a comic book with facts and useful information about computers. The brothers opened a one-store retail and mail-order operation in downtown Boston at 46 Brattle Street. The Model 2000 was intended to beat the IBM PC with twice the speed, more storage, and higher-resolution graphics. Don French, a buyer for the consumer electronics chain Tandy Radio Shack (TRS), believed that Radio Shack should offer an assembled personal computer and hired engineer Steve Leininger to design it. History of the Radio Shack Computers 1921: - Radio Shack begins as a one-store retail and mail-order company catering to ham operators and electronics buffs. The front panel also has a label that reads, "64K RAM," and a label that reads, "Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4 Microcomputer. Fast-forward seven years, and by 2000, the Tandy name was gone from retail history, as the company was only known as Radio Shack. Tandy 1000 RSX. The cover features a picture of the TRS-80 and the phrase "Word Processing" as a background. Description Object consists of nine pieces: The main CPU/keyboard box, a power supply, a standard (Phillips audio-type) C-20 cassette tape with box and label (Catalog No. Radio Shack teamed up with Motorola in 1977 to create a lower-cost home computer. Machines with less than 32 KB can be expanded in 8 KB increments of plug-in static RAM modules. Among the Tandy employees who purchased a MITS Altair kit computer was buyer Don French, who began designing his own computer and showed it to the vice president of manufacturing John V. Processor: 8-bit Oki 80C85, CMOS, 2. But Radio Shack had 5,000 company-owned locations and franchisees in 1977, many of which were located in malls. Nov 26, 2012 · Radio Shack's first computer was an underpowered but accessible and affordable unit -- and as with nearly any platform, quickly became home to games. TRS-80 was a brand associated with several desktop microcomputer lines sold by Tandy Corporation through their Radio Shack stores. The internals of the TRS-80 Model 100. 1980: July - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Color Computer, and sells for US$400. Tandy Corporation released several computer product lines starting in 1977, under both TRS-80 and Tandy branding. Sep 18, 2020 · A retrospective look back at the original TRS-80 Color Computer, 40 years later! Radio Shack sold the CoCo range of machines from 1980 to 1991, and although The Radio Shack collection contains materials related to Tandy Corporation/Radio Shack’s microcomputer, the TRS-80. Apr 15, 2022 · Years later, as a working journalist covering the computer industry in 1983, I bought and became obsessed with another Radio Shack computer: the Model 100. The Tandy Pocket Computer or TRS-80 Pocket Computer is a line of pocket computers sold by Tandy Corporation under the Tandy or Radio Shack TRS-80 brands. com for sponsoring this video!Be sure to History of the Radio Shack Computers 1921: - Radio Shack begins as a one-store retail and mail-order company catering to ham operators and electronics buffs. Furthermore, when the computer market declined and VCR sales exploded in the mid-1980s, Radio Shack had an insufficient inventory on hand and lost out. The computer is on aounter in a business establishment. ’ And the rest, I guess, is history, because those TRS-80s started flying off the shelves, even though a lot of people didn’t really have a sense of what computers, or personal computing could do. Microchess, by Peter Jennings, was the first commercially-available microcomputer-based chess program. The Radio Shack TRS-80 Microcomputing System (catalog number 26-1001), later known as the TRS-80 Model I, was introduced by Radio Shack on August 3, 1977. Description TRS-80 microcomputers catalogs RSC-6 and RSC-7 for 1982. Incredible Universe was created with the intention to compete with rapidly growing electronics superstores like Circuit City, Best Buy, and CompUSA that were taking market share from Radio Shack. This article is only for the Compatible PC Radio Shack and Color Computer 3 machines. It was first introduced in a small advertisement for the KIM-1 user magazine, known as KIM-1 User Notes. that dealt primarily in radio and electronics equipment. The history of the TRS-80 begins with Don French, a computer hobbyist and executive for what was then called Tandy Radio Shack (TRS), a Fort Worth, Texas based company with around 3,500 retail stores across the U. You can count Radio Shack and its parent company Tandy among computer companies that failed, but they enjoyed a good run. The bulk of the collection is made up of manuals, including both originals and photocopies. 68-2030). 4576 MHz; Memory: 32 KB ROM; 8, 16, 24, or 32 KB static RAM. See more ideas about radio shack, computer history, vintage electronics. The TRS-80 PC-4 was one of the low-end pocket PCs offered by Radio Shack in the early 1980s. The 1975 Radio Shack catalog identified Radio Shack as “the world’s first and only billion-dollar company specializing in retail consumer electronics. In the mid-1970s, Tandy Corporation's Radio Shack division was a successful American chain of more than 3,000 electronics stores. has the broadest reach of any computer manufacturer through its 8,012 Radio Shack stores. The image featured at the top of this post is ©Around the World Photos/Shutterstock. The Fort Worth-based Tandy Corp. Launched in 1980, this was the first Radio Shack computer to use 64K DRAMs. 4, Noise Cancelling 3304411. A man is behind the counter typing on the keyboard while a customer is on the other side with his wallet in his hand. 1980: July - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Pocket Computer. Miniaturization and portability continue to be major design goals of electronics: TV, stereo, amateur radio, calculators, auto, home, etc. May 25, 2017 · Radio Shack released one of the first home computers, the TRS-80 Model I, in 1977. Motorola sold it as the AgVision terminal, while Radio Shack called it the VideoTex Terminal (right). The Radio Shack collection consists of materials related to Tandy Corporation/Radio Shack’s microcomputer, the TRS-80. The EX was a compact computer that had the keyboard and 5. Jul 9, 2023 · On August 3, 1977, Radio Shack revealed the TRS-80 Computer (Tandy Radio Shack) at a New York City press conference after spending less than $150,000 on development. 89 MHz Motorola 6809E RAM: 4K-16K Price: $399 (about $1,151 today, adjusted) Three years after the debut of its first PC, RadioShack launched an entirely new platform, the Color Computer RadioShack (formerly written as Radio Shack) is an American electronics retailer that was established in 1921 as an amateur radio mail-order business. Sold exclusively through Radio Shack, the TRS-80 was part of a a new generation of tiny, lightweight personal computers you could take on The Color Computer was part of Radio Shack’s attempt to diversify their computer product line. The Manuals series consists of manuals published by Tandy and others concerned with the TRS-80 and also programs authored by Radio Shack and other companies. The first product was a home terminal that could be used with an ordinary color TV, eliminating the cost of a computer monitor. The first Radio Shack store in Canada was opened on April 20, 1970, in Rexdale, Ontario. Here's what was special about it. Dec 17, 2021 · I miss the ebullient joy of Radio Shack computer bundles aimed at families. Radio Shack company started in 1921 by two brothers, Theodore and Milton Deutschmann, who wanted to provide equipment for the field of amateur, or ham radio. Apr 25, 2008 · The Radio Shack ROM came to be there because the very first shack computer had the operating system in a ROM and the programmer simply started at address one and used the available space. The authors have backgrounds in computer history and the Color Computer itself. It was fully programmable in BASIC but had limited memory and display capabilities. 25" drive was accessible from the side of the computer, on the right hand side august 3, 1977 Radio Shack Announces TRS-80 Computer . Introduced in 1984, the Tandy 1000 line was designed to offer affordable yet capable systems for home computing and education. 3, 1977, the TRS-80 computer went on sale. Beginning in 1969, Radio Shack introduced a series of do-it-yourself experimental kits under the Science Fair® brand, aimed at educating both children and adults in electronics . Despite sharing a name with the earlier TRS-80, the Color Computer is a completely different system and a radical departure in design based on the Motorola 6809E processor rather than the Zilog Z80 of earlier models. Aug 4, 2024 · Such is the story of Tandy and its TRS-80 Pocket Computer. Expanded with a docking station it had a small printer, micro-cassette and, potentially, a bit more RAM. 25" floppy drive built into the computer casing. Take a look at where we've been through the years. Although named after the TRS-80 line of computers, they were not compatible with any TRS-80 desktop computer and did not use the Z80 CPU. The TRS-80 was therefore the first computer widely sold in stores frequented by typical consumers, not just geeks. Radio Shack sold them just as quickly as Tandy could make them. The second TRS-80 computer, the incompatible business computer Model II, part of the TRS-80 Model II Family, was released in 1979. The UK Computer and Videogame Museum. The Source began as the Canadian branch of Radio Shack (later "RadioShack"). They sell RadioShack products within HobbyTown's 100+ locations nationwide. There is a white adhesive label on the bottom of the object with illustrated instructions on how to connect cables to the computer, and with the number "87891196" printed at the bottom. The company hoped that The Tandy 1000 was the first in a series of IBM PC compatible home computers produced by the Tandy Corporation, sold through its Radio Shack and Radio Shack Computer Center stores. By mid ’80s, Tandy had released a fourth iteration of the original TRS-80, Model 100 and Model 100 laptops, and a series of ‘Pocket Computers’ marketed by non-other than the master of sci-fi Isaac Asimov himself. TRS-80 Revived Site is an archive of everything related to the Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 home microcomputer lines. It made computer history as one of the first mass marketed, fully assembled microcomputers. The book doesn’t end when Radio Shack discontinued the Color Computer 3 in 1990; it continues with more stories about the companies and people who still supported the Color Computer after the “official” end. TRS was formed by the 1963 merger of Tandy Leather Company and Radio Shack (which was almost bankrupt at the time). Aug 3, 2010 · Don French, a buyer for the consumer electronics chain Tandy Radio Shack (TRS), believed that Radio Shack should offer an assembled personal computer and hired engineer Steve Leininger to design it. pdf catalogs catalogues Archive of 1939-2011 Radio Shack Catalogs of electronics, computers and technology. It cost $399 ($1704 now) or $599 ($2558 today) with a 12″ display and a Radio Shack tape recorder; the previous most costly product produced by Radio Shack was a $500 stereo. It was an inch-and-a-half-thick keyboard Aug 3, 2012 · The Apple II and other microcomputers were initially sold mostly in funky little mom-and-pop computer stores. Computers; Performing far better than the company projections of 3,000 units for the first year, in the first month after its release Tandy Radio Shack´s first desktop computer — the TRS-80 — sells 10,000 units. ” With 11 million customers at over 3,000 stores, it had a larger base of potential customers than most other companies considering a computer product. Its original parent company, Radio Shack Corporation, was purchased by Tandy Corporation in 1962, shifting its focus from radio equipment to hobbyist electronic components sold in retail stores. Aug 3, 2022 · 45 years ago, Radio Shack released the TRS-80 Micro Computer System, a 1977 personal computer that launched an era of low-cost PCs along with computers from Apple and Commodore. In 2018, Radio Shack was reborn, partnering with HobbyTown, calling itself RadioShack Express, a store-within-a-store. 00 for its basic model, it was designed to compete with other lower-cost computers, such as the Atari 400 and the Commodore VIC-20. Site contains emulators, programs, manuals, books, patches, games, hints, discussions, and tons more. An Inexpensive, Ready-To-Use Computer Mar 26, 2012 - RadioShack has been part of the American retail landscape for more than 90 years. To the right is a cash register. By the way — Merry Christmas! [ From a Radio Shack mail flyer, June 1993, p. Flip-through every page of these Radio Shack catalogs that included stereos, speakers, CB radios, tube radios, computers, communication equipment, electronic test equipment & gadgets. Roach, Tandy's former electronic data Apr 15, 2017 · CPU: 0. 2 Costing only $399. 77 MHz Intel 8088 processor, and the IBM PC/AT (introduced in 1984) would later use the newer 6 MHz Intel 80286. Since bother the proprietary Shack system and CP/M used hard coded addressing, ou couldn't have both. No. The computer also displays information that can help you improve your chess skills. com. The 5. The display has come math problems displayed. Tandy Radio Shack introduces its TRS-80. You can let the computer act as a referee while you play against another person, turn the computer’s sound on or off, and display and hear a ticking game clock during play. Tandy/Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I. The chain was originally owned by Radio Shack's American parent company Tandy Corporation, but was spun off in June 1986, along with the rest of Tandy's international operations, as InterTAN. The teacher is standing behind the computer smiling at the student while another student is standing at the chalk board pointing to a math problem. May 18, 2018 · Tandy responded by closing its Radio Shack Computer Center chain and by instituting an extensive marketing strategy that emphasized the high quality of both Radio Shack products and service. [2] By comparison, the IBM PC XT (introduced in March 1983) used the older 4. 26-301), a pamphlet titled "Start-up," a "game/antenna to TV?" Description: In the early 1970s, most personal computers came as hobbyist kits requiring a high level of technical expertise to assemble. What are Science Fair® Kits? Radio Shack/Tandy didn't merely sell electronics; some of their product range was tailored toward students and hobbyists, fostering learning, experimentation, imagination, and exploration. It has the same low-profile case like the RL and RLX. The computer is on a teacher's desk with a student seated at the keyboard. In this retrospective, Gamasutra pays homage to a system beloved by many but mostly forgotten by everyone else. But the Color Computer inspired a wide range of uses, multiple support magazines, and a vibrant Jun 20, 2021 · we are convinced that the Pocket Computer is the wave of the future. LDOS and DoubleDOS were two very popular third-party DOSes. In June 1991, Tandy announced plans to open Computer City, a new chain of computer superstores that was the first to offer IBM, Hewlett – Packard, Apple Sep 30, 2024 · As soon as the sale was completed, Radio Shack stores began carrying computers from other manufacturers, including IBM and Compaq. 1963: - Charles Tandy buys the chain of stores, and within two years turned a $4 million dollar loss into a $20 million dollar profit. It has a TRS-80 Video Display, Keyboard and tape cassette. pfwcb kyrvp ttcqb mhwjtyw samziy miisfu zfc bkoqh zfw wjogvbus ozbkqe zvplh yaj oceu aqmquiou