Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Let's upgrade my TRS-80 Model 12 by adding additional expansion slots, a Lo-Tech TRS-80 IDE hard drive interface, and a CompactFlash card for storage. This was an involved project that I figured out as I went along. As a result I made a few mistakes along the way, which I left in the video. Therefore, this video is much longer than usual. The chapter names will indicate key points for those of you who want to see only the highlights. Those chapters start with KEY.
Links:
I didn't write and don't support any of the below. These links are a courtesy only; please reach out to the folks who maintain these pages for support.
You can find the Hans adapters for sale here: http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/Hans/
Lo-Tech TRS-80 IDE adapter: texelec.com/product/lo-tech-trs-80-ide-adapter
The StarTech CF-IDE adapter: amazon.com/StarTech-com-Pin-Compact-Flash-Adapter/dp/B0026OYEEQ
Lo-Tech Xdriver for CP/M can be at: vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/tandy-radio-shack/56252-trs-80-model-ii-lifeboat-cp-m-lotech-ide-adapter-extended-driver-v1-9
Lo-Tech drivers for LS-DOS can be found on the same page where you buy the Lo-Tech:
texelec.com/product/lo-tech-trs-80-ide-adapter (at the bottom of the page)
Music:
Ella Vator by The Mini Vandals
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)
Disco Knights by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)
Chapter Index:
Forward (0:00)
KEY - Intro (0:30)
KEY - A Closer Look At The Components (0:45)
The Plan (3:00)
KEY - Model 12 Disassembly (4:41)
Video Card Serial Number (5:37)
Working out expansion board placement (6:23)
Removing the cage assembly (7:31)
The importance of lining up pin 1 (8:39)
Hans-04 Adapter (motherboard interface card) Install (9:16)
KEY - Hans-03 Expansion Slots Installed / Re-installed Hans-04 (12:27)
Video card install, ground extensions, and CRT connection (14:54)
KEY - Power-up test I (16:30)
Lo-Tech and Hans-02 Combo Overview - First Attempt (17:00)
KEY - Whoops - Cooling fan and CF card collide (21:22)
The fan fits and the new plan for the CF adapter (23:36)
CF adapter and card installed, next steps, and power-up test II (24:37)
KEY - Reassembled and ready to power on (or so I thought) (27:66)
KEY - Two weeks later - disassembled - things went wrong (28:41)
CP/M demo - What went wrong (29:44)
LS-DOS demo - More of what's wrong (31:05)
The fix (34:02)
KEY - Reassembled again, new CF card, CP/M Xdriver setup (35:28)
KEY - LS-DOS setup, format, system disk config (37:46)
Future plans, thank you's and outro (42:00)
I do these videos unscripted, so I apologize if the in-the-moment descriptions of things are a bit scattered. If you have any questions/comments about this video, you can find me in any of these fine locations:
The CoCoTALK! Discord Server
The Tandy Discord Server
The TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo) group on Facebook
The CoCo Crew Podcast group on Facebook
On the Vintage Computer Forums (vcfed.org)
The TRS-80 Models I-4/4P Group on Facebook
Tandy / Radio Shack Model II /12 / 16 / 16B / 6000 Owner's Group on Facebook
Thanks for watching!
Let's upgrade my TRS-80 Model 12 by adding additional expansion slots, a Lo-Tech TRS-80 IDE hard drive interface, and a CompactFlash card for storage. This was an involved project that I figured out as I went along. As a result I made a few mistakes along the way, which I left in the video. Therefore, this video is much longer than usual. The chapter names will indicate key points for those of you who want to see only the highlights. Those chapters start with KEY.
Links:
I didn't write and don't support any of the below. These links are a courtesy only; please reach out to the folks who maintain these pages for support.
You can find the Hans adapters for sale here: http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/Hans/
Lo-Tech TRS-80 IDE adapter: texelec.com/product/lo-tech-trs-80-ide-adapter
The StarTech CF-IDE adapter: amazon.com/StarTech-com-Pin-Compact-Flash-Adapter/dp/B0026OYEEQ
Lo-Tech Xdriver for CP/M can be at: vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/tandy-radio-shack/56252-trs-80-model-ii-lifeboat-cp-m-lotech-ide-adapter-extended-driver-v1-9
Lo-Tech drivers for LS-DOS can be found on the same page where you buy the Lo-Tech:
texelec.com/product/lo-tech-trs-80-ide-adapter (at the bottom of the page)
Music:
Ella Vator by The Mini Vandals
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)
Disco Knights by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)
Chapter Index:
Forward (0:00)
KEY - Intro (0:30)
KEY - A Closer Look At The Components (0:45)
The Plan (3:00)
KEY - Model 12 Disassembly (4:41)
Video Card Serial Number (5:37)
Working out expansion board placement (6:23)
Removing the cage assembly (7:31)
The importance of lining up pin 1 (8:39)
Hans-04 Adapter (motherboard interface card) Install (9:16)
KEY - Hans-03 Expansion Slots Installed / Re-installed Hans-04 (12:27)
Video card install, ground extensions, and CRT connection (14:54)
KEY - Power-up test I (16:30)
Lo-Tech and Hans-02 Combo Overview - First Attempt (17:00)
KEY - Whoops - Cooling fan and CF card collide (21:22)
The fan fits and the new plan for the CF adapter (23:36)
CF adapter and card installed, next steps, and power-up test II (24:37)
KEY - Reassembled and ready to power on (or so I thought) (27:66)
KEY - Two weeks later - disassembled - things went wrong (28:41)
CP/M demo - What went wrong (29:44)
LS-DOS demo - More of what's wrong (31:05)
The fix (34:02)
KEY - Reassembled again, new CF card, CP/M Xdriver setup (35:28)
KEY - LS-DOS setup, format, system disk config (37:46)
Future plans, thank you's and outro (42:00)
I do these videos unscripted, so I apologize if the in-the-moment descriptions of things are a bit scattered. If you have any questions/comments about this video, you can find me in any of these fine locations:
The CoCoTALK! Discord Server
The Tandy Discord Server
The TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo) group on Facebook
The CoCo Crew Podcast group on Facebook
On the Vintage Computer Forums (vcfed.org)
The TRS-80 Models I-4/4P Group on Facebook
Tandy / Radio Shack Model II /12 / 16 / 16B / 6000 Owner's Group on Facebook
Thanks for watching!
