Floppy Days Episode 28 - TRS-80 Model II

Main Topic: The TRS-80 Model II

At this point in the podcast run, we are still in the late 1970’s time frame, and the TRS-80 Model II falls into that time frame for its release. As usual, we’ll cover the history, technical specs, peripherals, Web sites, books, emulation and much, much more. I am joined by special guest host Myles Wakeham who will help me cover this machine. But first, I’ll cover new acquisitions, news, feedback, and an interview with Myles before diving into the TRS-80 Model II.

Links Mentioned in the Show:

New Acquisitions

• Holmes Engineering IM-2 TRS-80 Model I Memory Upgrade - http://www.trs-80.org/holmes-internal-memory/

News

• CoCo Coding Contest - http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.php/CoCoCoding_1980_Contest

• The MISE Project - http://home.comcast.net/~bartlett.p/MISE/

• DynoSprite - https://www.github.com/richard42/dynosprite

• RetroChallenge - http://www.wickensonline.co.uk/retrochallenge-2012sc/

• VCF East X - http://www.vintage.org/2015/east/exhibit.php

Feedback

• OSI Challenger advertisement on the back cover of the Dec 1980 Byte magazine - https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1980-12/1980_12_BYTE_05-12_Adventure#page/n403/mode/2up

Magazines/Newsletters/Books/Manuals

• manual for the TRS 80 Model II in PDF - http://electrickery.xs4all.nl/comp/trs80m2/doc/Model_2_Operation_Manual_(19xx)(Tandy).pdf

• Trs-80 Means Business: Trs-80 Model II, With 64K (Diskette and Book) Hardcover – July, 1982 by Ted G. Lewis - http://www.amazon.com/Trs-80-Means-Business-Model-Diskette/dp/0471875651

• User's Handbook to the Trs-80 Model II Computer Paperback – June, 1983 by Jeffrey R. Weber - http://www.amazon.com/Users-Handbook-Trs-80-Model-Computer/dp/0938862014/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418176303&sr=1-5&keywords=trs-80+model+II

• VisiCalc for the TRS-80 model II and model 16 computers (Microcomputer power series) 1982 by Edouard J Desautels - http://www.amazon.com/VisiCalc-TRS-80-model-computers-Microcomputer/dp/0697099555/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418176303&sr=1-7&keywords=trs-80+model+II

Ads

• Marketing brochure for the Model II - http://www.trailingedge.com/trs80/TRS80Mod2.pdf

Modern Upgrades

• FreHD hard drive emulator - http://ianmav.customer.netspace.net.au/trs80/emulator

Emulation

• MESS - http://www.progettoemma.net/mess/system.php?machine=trs80m2

Videos

• Model II Ramblings - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG0ABstKl4Q

• Unboxing a TRS-80 Model II by Devin2277 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTc7ceIwREA

• Reassembling the TRS-80 Model II (4 parts) by Devin2277 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKtbOwDVed0

Current Web Sites

• oldcomputers.net - http://oldcomputers.net/trs80ii.html

• home page of Kees Stravers - http://home.iae.nl/users/pb0aia/cm/modelii.html

• Ira Goldklang’s TRS-80 Revived Site @ trs-80.com - http://www.trs-80.com/wordpress/trs-80-computer-line/model-ii/

• VanNatta Computer History - http://www.vannattabros.com/history2.html

• old-computers.com - http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=243

• Dave’s Old Computers - http://classiccmp.org/dunfield/trs80/index.htm

• Digibarn Computer Museum - http://www.digibarn.com/collections/systems/trs80-model2/

• PDF documentation for the Tandy TRS-80 model II - http://electrickery.xs4all.nl/comp/trs80m2/doc/index.html

• Bill Degnan’s Model II Restoration Project - http://www.vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=184

• Computer Museum of FJKraan (Yet Another Computer Museum) - http://fjkraan.home.xs4all.nl/comp/trs80m2/

References

• Wikipedia - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80#Model_II_and_12