Tandy TRS-80 Model 1

Summary

The TRS-80 is one of the first home computers. The Z80 processor gives the computer its name: TRS-80 = Tandy Radio Shack - Z80. The American electronics company Tandy Radio Shack puts it on the market in 1977. The Radio Shack TRS-80 Microcomputer System achieves great sales, making it the most popular home computer in the United States. Contrary to the predictions, it sells itself with 10,000 units so fast that Radio Shack has to resume production.

Part of the success is the combination of monitor, computer and external datasette. The hardware quality is problematic, which brings the TRS-80 the derisive nickname “TRaSh-80”.

After the first TRS-80, Model II, Model III and Model 4 follow and with color reproduction of the Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer — with a certain success. However, one more computer from Radio Shack could never repeat the success of the TRS-80.

The original version has 4 KiB RAM and a 4 KiB ROM (with the Level I BASIC) and so lowercase letters can only be used after a memory extension. However, the popularity does not decrease and there are tons of hardware extensions, such as the official expansion interface of Radio Shack (including memory expansion, floppy disk controller, parallel port, 2 ports for datasette), but also clones like the Hong Kong manufacturer EACA (sold under the name Video Genie in Germany) or System 80 by Dick Smith; the TRS-80 itself is hard to find in Germany.