ScuzzBlog: Diaries 2018
March 07: Entry 1805: scuzzblog: Post: 2
TRS80 Model 4 - Now I didn't know they were there !!
I generally watch a video off YouTube while having tea and yesterday
I was viewing a video about the very wonderful TRS80 Model 4. During
the video the guy suggested that if you have a black screen on your
computer it could be that the brightness control on the bottom of the
computer has been adjusted fully one way. I never even knew there
were controls on the bottom of the computer.
And so today I hired a large crane and hoist plus a full gang of men
to help me move the TRS80 onto the bench. Slight exaggeration but if
you had ever picked one of these beasts up you would know what I mean.
I first cleaned the computer casing and keys and did my usual picture
taking for the blog. I noted that the serial number was just 602 which
is a very low number, need to check that. Also the computer had a
Radio Shack Service Center seal [ American spelling ] still intact on
one of the screws showing that it hadn't been opened since being
serviced. Also I found those two controls on the base.
Sadly one of my keys is missing, though it still appears to function.
Otherwise not in bad condition seeing I have been using the thing as
a table for my Amstrad monitor for this last year now. And so I stood
back after plugging in and as previously nothing on the screen after
switching on. The floppy drive kicks into gear which is encouraging.
So moving to the base of the machine I twiddled the dial controls....
and up popped the green screen. Well I never !! Kinda odd lines but
that's probably a blown capacitor or something like that. But the
screen was as bright as you like and seriously made my day.
There you have it the very wonderful TRS80 Model 4. A pig of a machine
to move about and even more tricky to photograph given my very limited
space on the small bench I now have here.
TRS80 Model 4 made by Tandy Radio Shack in the USA in 1983
Sadly no built in language and I don't have a disk.
The keyboard has 83 (less one) typewriter style keys plus numeric
The processor is a Zilog Z80 running at 4MHz
RAM is 128KB from the label (may be less) and ROM 14KB
Screen is monochrome green screen
Fitted with two 5.25" floppy drives
Needs a disk with TRSDOS 6.0 or LDOS or CP/M even.
This computer would have cost $2000 at launch. My goodness.
Those two hidden controls on the base
She's alive ... Well I never !!
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