Part II: TRS-80 Network 3 Overview and Demo #septandy @TJBChris

TJBChris Part II of my SepTANDY series: TJBChris' Tandy Education Connection (TEC). In this video, we take a look at the TRS-80 Network 3 controller and software for the TRS-80 Model III and Model 4 computers. I discuss the Network 3 overall, its topology, aspirations, and a provide a high-level look into how it operates. I also demonstrate the Network 3 OS, Network BASIC, and some of the sample programs that came with the Network 3.

Music/SFX (in order):
None. Just me jabbering.

External links:
TRS-80 Microcoputer News Issues: colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Magazines/TRS-80%20Microcomputer%20News
A Byte Behind Network III web page: abytebehind.com/trs-80-network-3
Vintage Geek's web site: vintagegeek.com
The CoCo Nation: thecoconation.com

References:
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - July/August, 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - September, 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - October, 1983
Radio Shack Catalogs: RSC-4 (1981), RSC-5 (1981), RSC-7 (1982), RSC-20 (1989), RSC-21 (1990)

Chapters:
Intro / Follow-up To My Last Video (0:38)
Network 3 Overview (1:40)
A Closer Look At The Controller / How It Works (7:22)
Bootstraping The Network (10:20)
Network 3 Operating System Overview (15:19)
Sample Program: MAILBOX / Running Incompatible Programs (17:47)
BASIC Program Protection (22:01)
Sample Program: MENU generator (26:42)
Simultaneous Request Handling & Capacity Planning (30:05)
Let's Play Some Games! (35:12)
What's Next / Feedback on Your Comments / Outro (37:29)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

updated 1 year ago

Part II: TRS-80 Network 3 Overview and Demo #septandy

TJBChris 2023-09-14 | Part II of my SepTANDY series: TJBChris' Tandy Education Connection (TEC). In this video, we take a look at the TRS-80 Network 3 controller and software for the TRS-80 Model III and Model 4 computers. I discuss the Network 3 overall, its topology, aspirations, and a provide a high-level look into how it operates. I also demonstrate the Network 3 OS, Network BASIC, and some of the sample programs that came with the Network 3.

Music/SFX (in order):
None. Just me jabbering.

External links:
TRS-80 Microcoputer News Issues: colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Magazines/TRS-80%20Microcomputer%20News
A Byte Behind Network III web page: abytebehind.com/trs-80-network-3
Vintage Geek's web site: vintagegeek.com
The CoCo Nation: thecoconation.com

References:
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - July/August, 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - September, 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - October, 1983
Radio Shack Catalogs: RSC-4 (1981), RSC-5 (1981), RSC-7 (1982), RSC-20 (1989), RSC-21 (1990)

Chapters:
Intro / Follow-up To My Last Video (0:38)
Network 3 Overview (1:40)
A Closer Look At The Controller / How It Works (7:22)
Bootstraping The Network (10:20)
Network 3 Operating System Overview (15:19)
Sample Program: MAILBOX / Running Incompatible Programs (17:47)
BASIC Program Protection (22:01)
Sample Program: MENU generator (26:42)
Simultaneous Request Handling & Capacity Planning (30:05)
Let's Play Some Games! (35:12)
What's Next / Feedback on Your Comments / Outro (37:29)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Fall Back Radio Shack Clock Setting Party

TJBChris 2023-11-05 | It's that time of year...the time when we have to change every darn clock in our house. Fortunately, I have a bunch of Micronta, Realistic, Chronomatic, and other Radio Shack clocks to set. Watch as I set my clocks. You'll love it...or not!

Music: None

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Chronomatic 251 (0:59)
Realistic Model 34 (1:46)
Chronosette 256 (2:02)
Chronomatic 260 (2:22)
Chronofone 255 (2:45)
Micronta 1.8" LED Wall Clock (3:11)
Outro (4:42)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TJBChris Tandy Time - Tandy 1000 RLX-HD with DeskMate Home Organizer

TJBChris 2023-10-26 | The TJB Shopping Network presents: The Tandy 1000 RLX-HD computer, complete with keyboard, mouse, and VGM-220 monitor! I demo the computer and its included software, primarily DeskMate and the DeskMate Home Organizer. Major features are covered, including connectivity and Tandy Sound. This video is cut-free, so when a mistake happens, you see it. Just like a real shopping channel.

There was a little static on the mic, mostly toward the beginning. Not my day job, folks.

Music: None

Chapters:
Video Intro (0:00)
What's Included (0:49)
Hardware Specs (2:47)
The Center of Your Life (5:20)
A Closer Look (8:31)
DeskMate Home Organizer (13:10)
DeskMate Information Center (24:52)
Sound and Music / Text / Teach Me (27:50)
PC-Link / The On-line Frontier (32:28)
Final Pitch (34:10)
Outro (30:33)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TEC TRS-80 Educational Software Demo #septandy

TJBChris 2023-09-28 | Part IV of my SepTANDY series: TJBChris' Tandy Education Connection (TEC). In this final installment, I'm diving into some the educational software offered for the TRS-80 Models I/III/4 and the Color Computer. We take a look at Third Grade Math, Color Math, Kinetic Theory, TRS-80 Color Logo, Boyle's Law, and Ernie's Magic Shapes. Each demo shows how the programs interacted with the user and has a little discussion and commentary on the state of educational software in the 1980's. While discussing Ernie's Magic Shapes, I also launch into a commentary about how screen time has changed over the generations.

Music/SFX (in order):
None. Just me jabbering.

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Model III - K-8 Math Series: Third Grade Math (1:42)
CoCo - Color Math (9:11)
Model III - RS Chemistry Lab Volume I - Kinetic Theory (15:44)
CoCo - TRS-80 Color Logo (19:51)
Model III - RS Chemistry Lab Volume I - Boyle's Law (26:32)
CoCo - Ernie's Magic Shapes & Sreen Time Commentary (30:44)
Outro (37:34)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Part III: TRS-80 Model 4 Network 3 Auto-Boot ROM Upgrade #septandy

TJBChris 2023-09-21 | Part III of my SepTANDY series: TJBChris' Tandy Education Connection (TEC). In this part, I convert one of my TRS-80 Model 4 computers into a Network 3 Student Station, allowing it to boot the Network 3 software over the serial port. Watch the process from ROM burning/installation all the way to booting over the network. This was an impromptu project early on a Thursday morning, so this video isn't as pretty as it could be...

Music/SFX (in order):
None. Just me jabbering.

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Burning the A and C ROMs(0:27)
Installing the ROMs (3:03)
Smoke Test (4:33)
Serial Boot Test (4:56)
Student Station ROM Discussion (6:47)
Outro (7:18)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Part I: Tandy in Education & TRS-80 Network 2 Demo #septandy

TJBChris 2023-09-08 | Part I of my SepTANDY series: TJBChris' Tandy Education Connection (TEC). I'm exploring Tandy/Radio Shack's educational offerings, focusing on connected classroom and networking solutions for TRS-80 computers. Part I explores Tandy's overall education offering and dives into the cassette-based Network 2 controller using my TRS-80 Model III and 4 computers.

Music/SFX (in order):
None. Just me jabbering.

Video clip:
Bites & Bytes Episode 3: How Programs Work (TVO, 1983)

External links:
TRS-80 Microcoputer News Issues: colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Magazines/TRS-80%20Microcomputer%20News
Radio Shack Computer Catalogs: colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Catalogs/Radio%20Shack
Ian Mavric's Web Site: http://www.trs-80.com.au/trs80/index.htm

References:
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - July/August, 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - September, 1982
TRS-80 Microcomputer News - October, 1983
Radio Shack Catalogs: RSC-4 (1981), RSC-5 (1981), RSC-7 (1982), RSC-20 (1989), RSC-21 (1990)

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Overview: Tandy's Educational Offerings (2:58)
TEC Series Outline (7:57)
Network 2 Hardware and Topology Overview (8:30)
Overview of Network Stations (13:44)
Sending A Program To All Stations (16:23)
Different Programs For Different Stations (21:00)
Saving Student Work To The Host (24:01)
Experiment: Can All Hosts See Student Work? (26:52)
What's Next, Thanks, And Outro (29:39)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Retro Game Night - TJBChris-Style!

TJBChris 2023-08-25 | I like to set up a small subset of my collection and host Retro Game Nights for the enjoyment of my friends. Check out my most recent game night setup, with a quick walk-through, complete with a look at the little touches of detail I add to make it extra fun!

The systems:

Tandy 4825 SX
Apple IIe Platinum
Memorex VIS
Tandy 1000 RLX
Super NES Classic
NES Classic

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 4 128K RAM Upgrade and Test

TJBChris 2023-07-25 | Now that the TRS-80 Model 4 has fancy graphics, let's put the cherry on top and upgrade it to 128K of RAM. I'll upgrade it using 41256 RAM chips in place of 4164s. Following that, we do a long-run memory test, set up a RAM disk (MEMDISK), use VisiCalc (poorly, I have no idea what I'm doing), and try out Fuzix (a UNIX-like OS for many older micros).

Music/SFX (in order):
Day Breeze by Giovanni Lodigiani - Licensed from Digital Juice
Pacesetter (no artist info available) - Licensed from Digital Juice

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
RAM Installation (0:53)
Smoke Test Boot (3:43)
Memory Diagnostics (4:29)
MEMDISK - LS-DOS RAM Drive (7:55)
VisiCalc (12:22)
Fuzix (14:40)
Outro (18:24)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 4 Hi-Res Graphics Upgrade

TJBChris 2023-06-09 | My TRS-80 Model 4 gets even better with high-resolution graphics! I install Ian Mavric's "Improved Grafyx 4.2(.1)" HRG board, which is his reproduction of the MicroLabs Grafyx board from the 1980s. After installation, I test some high-resolution software including Post Master, a Slot machine program, and some Graphics BASIC programs. I swear a little more than usual in this video...

Links:
Ian Mavric's Grafyx board site (includes software): http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/hires/hires.htm
Catalog images from RadioShack Catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com/flipbook/c1984_rsc-10.html

Music/SFX (in order):
D A T Recorder Fast Forward (Digital Juice)
Corky Dodges Traffic by Richard Ames (Digital Juice)

Video clip:
Rain Main (Four-second Slot Machines clip at 16:10), [official MGM link not found], MGM/UA Communications Co., 1988

Chapters:

Intro / Background (0:00)
Machine Apart / VGA Connector / Gate-Array vs. Non-Gate-Array (1:53)
Installing the Grafyx Card (4:14)
Smoke Test / GBASIC with GTEST/BAS / Spare Parts? (5:19)
Software - GBASIC - Missile (7:22)
Software - Post Master (9:12)
Software - Tournament Chess (13:40)
Software - Slot Machine (15:17)
Software - GBASIC - Tunnel (17:01)
Bonus - Comprehensive HRGTEST/CMD (17:54)
Outro (20:05)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Tandy 2500 SX/25 - Adding a 80387SX math co-processor

TJBChris 2023-05-10 | Let's add a 80387SX-25 math coprocessor to my Tandy 2500 SX/25! I'll install the processor, verify the computer sees it with Microsoft Diagnostics (MSD), and give it a quick test with CheckIt.

Music (in order):
None. Just my melodic voice.

Chapters:

Intro / Background (0:00)
Installing the 80387 and Smoke Test (1:23)
Re-assembly / Checking It With CheckIt (3:06)
Outro (4:24)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

CoCo SDC Firmware and SDC-DOS Upgrade

TJBChris 2023-05-05 | My CoCo SDC on my Tandy Color Computer 3 needs a firmware upgrade as well as an upgrade of SDC-DOS. In this video, I'll briefly demonstrate the CoCo SDC and then perform the firmware and SDC-DOS upgrades. Afterward I do a brief post-upgrade check and talk about a few other capabilities of the cartridge. This video is far from exhaustive; the CoCo SDC supports quite a bit more than I demonstrated here.

Apologies for the moire pattern...the camera's LCD doesn't give me a good sense of how bad it looks.

Links:
CoCo SDC Documentation and Firmware: http://cocosdc.blogspot.com
CoCo SDC Explorer Download: colorcomputerarchive.com/search.php?q=sdc+explorer
NitrOS-9 Info: http://www.nitros9.org/battle.html

Music (in order):
None. Just me jabbering.

Chapters:

Intro / 3D-Printed CoCo Items (0:00)
Brief Demo & Description (1:53)
Prepping For The Upgrade (4:34)
Performing the Upgrade Using the CoCo (6:52)
Post-Upgrade Check / NitrOS-9 Boot (9:41)
Outro (13:03)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Tandy 2500 SX/25: Intro, Video Memory Upgrade, and Multimedia Experience

TJBChris 2023-04-28 | Meet my Tandy 2500 SX/25! I do an overview of the system and then upgrade the video RAM from 256K to 512K using MT4C1664Z-10 ZIP chips. I also go over the motherboard and how this system differs from its cousin, the Tandy 2500 RSX. After verifying the upgrade works, I configure Windows 3.1 and demo some Windows software which requires a 256-color video mode: Microsoft Encarta and Microsoft Wine Guide. The video during the demo portion is a tad washed-out...sorry. I couldn't tell on my camera's LCD.

The Tandy 2500 RSX motherboard picture was from Part 2 of Retro Tech Time's restoration of his 2500 RSX: youtube.com/watch?v=kGGqZkAqpB8 Check out his channel!

Music (in order):
Carnival De Brazil by Doug Maxwell (from The YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters:

Intro (0:00)
Basic System Specs & Some Additions (1:08)
System Disassembly (3:12)
A Look At The Motherboard / 2500 RSX Differences / More Additions (4:28)
A Look At The RAM / The Upgrade (6:53)
Testing It Out (9:59)
Reconfigure Windows / Start / 256-Color Wallpaper (12:14)
Microsoft Encarta (14:20)
Microsoft Wine Guide (19:47)
Outro (24:09)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B Real-Time Clock and XENIX 3.4

TJBChris 2023-03-20 | The fine folks at Tandy Emeritus were nice enough to send me a board for their real-time clock add-on to the SRAM expansion card. I Install it into my TRS-80 Model 16B and install XENIX 3.4, which contains native support for the SRAM card and the RTC.

Check out a detailed overview of the SRAM card, MMU, and XENIX 3.4 here: youtube.com/live/7jBKwWGcpl8?feature=share

Music (in order)
None. Just rambling. Lots of it.

Chapters:

Viewer Discretion Is Advised (0:00)
Intro / Overview (0:10)
Powering Up / XENIX 3.4 Install (2:03)
XENIX 3.4 First Boot / Setting The Clock (4:08)
Reboot With 3.4 Default and Shtudown Command (6:12)
Outro (7:59)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Rapid Fire RAM Test: TRS-80 Model 16B 8 MB Checkerboard Test

TJBChris 2023-03-16 | How long does it take to test all 8 MB of RAM on my Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 16B? Find out in 52 short seconds! My Realistic Chronomatic 260 alarm clock serves as our timer for our test.

Music: So's Your Old Man (licensed from Digital Juice)

TRS-80 Model 16B - 8 MB Upgrade Part IV - MMU Installed, Weve Got 8 MB!

TJBChris 2023-03-13 | The final part of my quest for 8 MB of RAM on my Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 16B! In this video, I modify the 68000 CPU card for the MMU upgrade, install the MMU, and test it out.

Music (in order)
"Elevator Music" (Digital Juice, used under license)

Chapters:

Intro (0:00)
Installation / Test I (1:46)
68000 CPU Board Modifications (0:56)
CPU Removal and Burndy Sockets Suck (3:50)
Installing MMU and CPU (6:32)
Jumpering the SRAM Board (7:06)
Moment of Truth (7:43)
Outro (10:56)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B - 8 MB Upgrade Part III - Testing the SRAM Board

TJBChris 2023-03-11 | Part three in my quest for 8 MB of RAM on my Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 16B! In this video, I install the SRAM-specific GAL on the 68000 board and test out the SRAM board by itself, configured for 1 MB of RAM. As usual, it doesn't work right the first time. Or the second. But I previal in th end!

Music (in order)
None – just me prattling on endlessly.

Chapters:

Intro / A Look At The Cards (0:00)
Installation / Test I (1:46)
GAL Issue and 68000 Memory Diagnostics (3:22)
Stacked Socket Removal (6:39)
Test II - Failure Revisited (8:00)
Test III - Success! 68000 Diagnostics and XENIX (9:48)
Discussion - What Went Wrong (11:40)
Where We Are / What's Next / Outro (13:56)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B - 8 MB RAM Upgrade - Part II: DMA Burst Mods

TJBChris 2023-03-03 | Part two in my quest for 8 MB of RAM on my Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 16B! In this video, I perform four modifications in Tandy Technical Bulletin TB 12/16B:44 on the 6 MHz “short board” 68000 CPU card. These upgrades enable the DMA burst mode functionality required to use XENIX 3.x un-patched, as well as correcting PAL and other issues that were revised on 8 MHz versions of the 68000 board.

Music (in order)
None – just me prattling on endlessly.

Chapters:

Project Intro / Attempting Boot of XENIX 3 (0:00)
The Mod Kit (1:46)
A Look At The 68000 Card And Mod Process (3:02)
U48 PAL Upgrade and U36 Prep (5:45)
Knife-to-Board: BERR and WAIT Modifications (8:12)
First Test Boot…And Failure! (13:43)
Second Attempt…It Works! (15:08)
What’s Next / Outro (16:22)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Lawn Tractor Tire Squeal

TJBChris 2023-02-18 | How better to make use of a difficult driveway than to squeal the tires on my lawn tractor. Yeah, life beyond the computer room is whimsical, too.

TJBChris Tandy Time - Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4

TJBChris 2023-02-17 | The TJB Shopping Network is back! We take a look at the 2-Disk 64K Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4, demoing LDOS for the Model III, LS-DOS for the Model 4, and CP/M. Software demoed includes 13 Ghosts, DeskMate, and dBase. What potential! This video is cut-free, so when a mistake happens, you see it. Just like a real shopping channel.

There was a little static on the mic; I’ll investigate that. But I’m happy with the take so I decided it was worth the audio irregularities. Not my day job, folks.

Links:
TRS-80 Trash Talk: trs80trashtalk.com
TRS 8-Bit Newsletter: http://trs-80.org.uk/downloads.html

Music (briefly, at the end): Viewer's Choice Pay-Per-View

Chapters:
Video Intro (0:00)
Overview and Specs (0:28)
Who Is The Model 4 For / A Closer Look (5:18)
Accessories And Options (10:07)
But Wait, There’s More – CP/M (13:23)
Let’s Try A Demo (15:05)
Let’s Try Again – Model III Games (16:53)
Model 4 Mode – LS-DOS and DeskMate (20:17)
CP/M Demo – MBASIC, dBase, and Zork (22:25)
Shipping And Handling (26:35)
The Community (28:00)
Debrief / Outro (30:33)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Bloopers and Outtakes II - The Quest For More Bloopers

TJBChris 2023-02-04 | WARNING: ADULT LANGUAGE! Lots of it! This is not your safe space; if you watch this video, you picked it. You’ve been warned.

Welcome to another installment of bloopers and outtakes! I screw up a lot, and nobody is tougher on me than I am. Fortunately, hilarity usually ensues.

Volume Notice: The volume will be…varied. These clips were recorded over a long time and some of the audio was in the background.

Music: Your Old Man (licensed from Digital Juice)

Chapters:

The Fragile Viewer’s Chance To Scram (0:00)
A (Bad) Spaceballs Reenactment (0:10)
SCRIPTSIT By A “Crappier” Name (0:33)
Windwaker Breaker…Of Wind (1:03)
Can’t Say Goodbye If I Can’t Get It Right (1:11)
Gotta Quit Hittin’ That Button (1:32)
Timer Tantrum (1:49)
Getting Folksy (2:20)
Fin (2:38)

If you have any questions/comments about this video, you can find me in any of these fine locations:

The TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo) group on Facebook
The CoCo Crew Podcast group on Facebook
The TRS-80 Models I-4/4P Group on Facebook
Tandy / Radio Shack Model II /12 / 16 / 16B / 6000 Owner's Group on Facebook
On the Vintage Computer Forums (vcfed.org, as TJBChris)
Twitter (I'm also TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)
The Tandy Discord Server (Still…TJBChris)
The CoCo Nation Discord Server (See previous line item)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B - 8 MB RAM Upgrade - Part I: Build

TJBChris 2023-02-02 | My TRS-80 Model 16B could use more 68000-side RAM for XENIX. A group of former Tandy engineers called Tandy Emeritus has designed a 3-bit MMU board and companion 8 MB SRAM board for these systems for just that purpose. These boards are not generally available for sale. If you wish to contact Tandy Emeritus members for availability, join the Tandy Discord server. For part one, let's build the boards and talk about next steps!

This video is more akin to my older ones with lots of time-lapse/music. These projects are a lot of work, and take a lot of patience and time. That's hard to convey if I gloss over it...as it is only about 60% of the footage made it into the video.

And for some reason, I kept saying SRAM card while referring to the MMU board mid-video. I don't know what was wrong with me that day. Hopefully I caught them all.

Music (in order)
Disco Knights by Quincas Moreira
Who's using who? by The Mini Vandals
Paradox by Quincas Moreira

Chapters:

Project & Series Intro (0:00)
New Work Area & Looking At The Boards (1:43)
SRAM Board: Install SRAM/Jumpers/Sockets (2:27)
Caps/Voltage Regulator/Resistor Networks (8:00)
Logic Chip Testing & Install (11:12)
MMU Board CPU Headers/Socket (13:07)
Protecting CPU Header Pins (15:40)
SRAM Sockets/Caps/Resistors (16:13)
Completed MMU Board & Parts Stuffing (17:11)
Finished Product & GAL Programming (18:25)
Pulling 68000 Cards & A Look (19:59)
What's Next / Outro (22:07)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

Tandy CoCo 2 - Fixing My Keyboard With Keyfix2

TJBChris 2023-01-22 | Let's revitalize the keyboard for my Tandy Color Computer 2 with the Keyfix2! I'll walk through the issue with stock keyboards, installation, and testing.

You can find Keyfix boards and kits here: computerconect.com

Chapters:

Intro (0:00)
Keyfix2 Board Overview (0:59)
Disassembly, Screw Talk, A Look At Old Keyboard (1:49)
Install Considerations and Installation (3:46)
Testing It Out (5:57)
Reassembled, Ready To Go, And Outro (7:07)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCo Nation 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

TJBChris Tandy Time - Series Intro & Color Computer 3

TJBChris 2023-01-05 | Let's take a look at the possibilities the Tandy Color Computer 3 provides in my satire on 80s and 90s home shopping television networks (like QVC, CVN, and HSN). After a short intro, we dive right into a sales pitch like no other featuring the Tandy Color Computer 3, the CoCo SDC, joysticks, cassette recorder, Program Pak cartridges, and more!

I forgot to list The CoCo Show while mentioning online content - many apologies to Amigos Retro Gaming...it was on my list!

For the nit-pickers out there: I realized after the fact that OBS was recording in 720p. Whoops. Sorry. Also, the camera focus goes in and out at points, so consider this my apology.

Links:
The CoCo Crew podcast: http://cococrew.org
The CoCo Nation (formerly CoCoTALK!): @The_CoCo_Nation
The Color Computer Archive: colorcomputerarchive.com
TRS-80 Trash Talk: trs80trashtalk.com
The CoCo Show (Amigos Retro Gaming): youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaD3XRYu1lQQ-8wxg3bWIptLYN6-hmstB

Chapters:

Series Intro / Background (0:00)
Introducing the TJB Shopping Network & CoCo 3 (2:21)
Specs And Dazzling Graphics with Rad Warrior (5:28)
A Closer Look and CoCo 3 Connections (7:12)
A Plethora Of Hardware and Software (11:02)
Demo - Soothing Color and Flexible Graphics (14:35)
Demo - So Fun - Robocop (18:04)
Demo - So Productive - Color File II (19:52)
Magazines, Podcasts, and Community (22:13)
The Tandy Gateway Drug (24:09)
Brief Debriefing/Outro (25:06)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

I Got A TRS-80 Color Computer 1!

TJBChris 2022-11-18 | I got a TRS-80 Color Computer 1! Let's take a look at everything I got with it and take it for a spin! It ncludes the original boxes, manuals, black beauty joysticks, CCR-81 cassette recorder, Color SCRIPSIT, and some cassettes. I'll power it up, look at the installed memory, and then run a hacked copy of Zaxxon, Color SCRIPSIT, and OS-9 Level 1 Version 1.

This is the first video where I'm using my new wireless lavalier microphone. Please bear with me as I figure out how to best configure and use it. It should help me keep audio more consistent going forward.

Chapters:

Intro/What Was Included (0:00)
Boxes, Boxes, Boxes (1:06)
Diving Into The Box (3:18)
Powering Up, Board Rev, And Memory Info (8:42)
Loading (Hacked) Zaxxon From Cassette (11:08)
Color SCRIPSIT (13:42)
Booting OS-9 Level One From CoCo SDC (17:34)
What's Next And Wrap-Up (20:09)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

BIG-ly Tandy Part V: Running Teleterm From A Real Disk

TJBChris 2022-09-29 | The fifth and final video in my #SEPTandy series, BIG-ly Tandy. Using my TRS-80 Model 16B, I connect the (recently-restored) 8-inch floppy drive and make real disk copies of today's application: Teleterm. Then, we boot from my real disk and explore a little of Teleterm's functionality including the terminal, text editor, and terminal emulation editor. Using Terminal, I connect to FozzTexx's Level29 BBS and print a portion of my session.

Update - Around 9 minutes in, I mention the orientation of the label when inserting a disk, incorrectly stating the diskettes are why the label must face the operator. I meant to say big Tandy machines other than the Model II require the label to face the operator.

Level29 BBS Website: bbs.retrobattlestations.com
Particles BBS Website: http://www.particles.org/particlesbbs

Check out the catalog entries for these systems here:
radioshackcatalogs.com

Other links:

TRS-80 Model II Archive: github.com/pski/model2archive
RadioShack Catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com
The Color Computer Archive: colorcomputerarchive.com

Chapters:

Intro (0:00)
About The 8" Floppy Drive & Disks (0:27)
Machine Apart / Working w/ The Drive / First Format (2:03)
Back-up to Diskette And First Disk Boot TRSDOS-II (4:22)
Booting The Teleterm Disk / Looking at the STARTUP file (6:56)
Starting The Teleterm Application (9:43)
Exploring The Menu System / Configuration (11:40)
Adding A Phone Number To A Profile (16:09)
Connecting to Level29 / Loggin In (19:20)
Moving Around In Level29 (20:54)
Printing Our Session (21:45)
Looking At The Games List / Logging Off (23:27)
Checking Out The Teleterm Editor (24:29)
Exiting Teleterm and Proper Shutdown (26:31)
A Look At The Printout (27:52)
Series Wrap-Up / What's Next (28:39)
The Thank You Part / You're Gettin' Me For Free (30:22)
Outro (32:02)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS (I'm TJBChris there, too.)
Particles BBS (Guess who I am here? Yeah, TJBChris.)

Thanks for watching!

BIG-ly Tandy Part IV: Tandy 6000 DeskMate #septandy

TJBChris 2022-09-27 | The fourth video in my #SEPTandy series, BIG-ly Tandy. Using my TRS-80 Model 16, I work through Tandy 6000 DeskMate's Sample Session from the Owner's Manual. Each application has its own section: Text, Worksheet, Filer, Calendar, Mail, as well as the many DeskMate accessories. This video is very long as the sample session is comprehensive. There's some mildly-suggestive dialog later in the video. The reverse video sections are a bit washed out...consider me apologetic.

Check out the catalog entries for these systems here:
radioshackcatalogs.com

Other links:

TRS-80 Model II Archive: github.com/pski/model2archive
RadioShack Catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com
The Color Computer Archive: colorcomputerarchive.com

Chapters:

Intro (0:00)
A Little About Tandy 6000 DeskMate (1:43)
Starting The Session & Deploying the Sample Data (2:22)
Starting DeskMate & Main Menu (4:24)
Text (8:43)
Calculator Accessory (15:43)
Worksheet (17:55)
Filer (30:23)
Scratchpad Accessory (35:16)
Calendar (37:56)
Phone Directory Accessory (43:19)
Adding Events to Alarm File (44:43)
Mail (46:08)
Alarms/Events Accessory (47:19)
Permissions Utility (51:47)
Ending The Sample Session & Clean-Up (52:32)
Outro/Next Time (54:23)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS
Particles BBS

Thanks for watching!

BIG-ly Tandy Part III: Banner #septandy

TJBChris 2022-09-15 | The third video in my #SEPTandy series, BIG-ly Tandy. Using my TRS-80 Model 16B, I try out a Model II-mode program named Banner running on TRSDOS-II Version 4.2.5. I print three banners, with varying success, using the program's different text, font, and style options. And, since it's a BASIC program, I look at a small portion of the listing and modify it for my printer.

Check out the catalog entries for these systems here:
radioshackcatalogs.com

Other links:

TRS-80 Model II Archive: github.com/pski/model2archive
RadioShack Catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com
The Color Computer Archive: colorcomputerarchive.com

Chapters:

Intro (0:00)
First Look At The Program Files (1:21)
Starting Banner (02:58)
Printer and Banner Settings and First Print (3:42)
Fix Attempt and Re-Print (7:12)
Looking At My First Banner (10:01)
New Settings, New Banner (11:22)
One More Try With Outline Letters (13:56)
Third Banner = Fail! (16:01)
A Brief Look At The BASIC Program (16:43)
Outro / The Banner Adorns The Wall! (18:30)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS
Particles BBS

Thanks for watching!

BIG-ly Tandy Part II: SCRIPSIT 2.1 and SCRIPSIT 16 #septandy

TJBChris 2022-09-11 | The second video in my #SEPTandy series, BIG-ly Tandy. I cover Model II SCRIPSIT version 2.1 running on TRSDOS 2.0b as well as SCRIPSIT 16 on XENIX 3.3 for the Models 16/16B/6000. I revisit some of the topics covered by Don Herbert in his 1980s show "Mr. Wizard's World". I cover working with blocks of text, global search and replace, the Help system, and some of the differences in key sequences between these two versions.

Check out the catalog entries for these systems here:
radioshackcatalogs.com

Other links:

TRS-80 Model II Archive: github.com/pski/model2archive
RadioShack Catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com
The Color Computer Archive: colorcomputerarchive.com

You can see the Mr. Wizard's World segments I referenced, showing the TRS-80 Model 12, here:
Word Processing Tricks: youtube.com/watch?v=pdz_8AjIgfA
Turn Your Computer Into A Stopwatch: youtube.com/watch?v=xRnznr2kioo
Drawing On The Computer (only has Model 12 keyboard): youtube.com/watch?v=oGUFHP7gz6I
Computer Spell Check: youtube.com/watch?v=T4BwQht4srY

Mr. Wizard's World YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/MrWizardStudios

Chapters:
Viewer Warning (0:00)
Intro (0:10)
The Printer and "New" Printer Cable (1:00)
SCRIPSIT 2.1 - Open A Document, Help, and Test Print (4:15)
Printer Problems and Quick Solution (6:09)
SCRIPSIT 2.1 - Copy/Paste, Mr. Wizard's Search/Replace (7:26)
SCRIPSIT 2.1 - Trying To Format Text (12:03)
SCRIPSIT 2.1 - Document Password Protection (14:51)
SCRIPSIT 2.1 - Startup Screen (17:35)
SCRIPSIT 16 - Quick Reference Card (18:19)
SCRIPSIT 16 - Starting Up, Main Menu, Opening A Document (19:54)
SCRIPSIT 16 - Struggling To Copy/Paste (20:45)
SCRIPSIT 16 - More Struggling On Mr. Wizard's Search/Replace (22:18)
SCRIPSIT 16 - Formatting Markers, Underlining Text, Quitting (25:18)
SCRIPSIT 16 - Wrapping Up (27:12)
The Missing Spell Checker (28:03)
Post Mortem, What's Next, and Outro (29:12)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS
Particles BBS

Thanks for watching!

BIG-ly Tandy Part I: An Intro to 8 Tandy Systems #septandy

TJBChris 2022-09-09 | The Intro to my #SEPTandy series, BIG-ly Tandy, where I'll cover productivity software for the "Big" Tandy systems. In this first video, I kick things off with an overview of each of the systems in the Tandy 8" line and take a look the 8" Tandy systems in my collection. This includes the TRS-80 Model 16, Model 12, and the Model 16B. I also discuss the Model II and the Tandy 6000.

This video is a tad long; the remainder of the series should be faster-paced. :)

Links:
TRS-80 Model II Archive: github.com/pski/model2archive
RadioShack Catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com
The Color Computer Archive: colorcomputerarchive.com

You can see the Mr. Wizard's World segments I referenced, showing the TRS-80 Model 12, here:
Word Processing Tricks: youtube.com/watch?v=pdz_8AjIgfA
Turn Your Computer Into A Stopwatch: youtube.com/watch?v=xRnznr2kioo
Drawing On The Computer (only has Model 12 keyboard): youtube.com/watch?v=oGUFHP7gz6I
Computer Spell Check: youtube.com/watch?v=T4BwQht4srY

Mr. Wizard's World YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/MrWizardStudios

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
What's a "Big" Tandy? (0:55)
TRS-80 Model II (2:45)
TRS-80 Model 16 (5:31)
TRS-80 Model 12 (9:33)
What's Don Herbert Got To Do With This? (12:14)
TRS-80 Model 16B (15:34)
Tandy 6000 (19:34)
Outro/What's Next (24:23)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS
Particles BBS

Thanks for watching!

Installing TRSDOS-II onto the TRS-80 Model 16B Hard Disk

TJBChris 2022-08-31 | Watch me install TRSDOS-II version 4.2.5 onto the FreHD4Eight (F48) connected to my TRS-80 Model 16B. I prepare the SD card, format the "disk" and copy the OS over to it, and then attempt to boot under hard disk control.

Music: There's no music. Just 10 minutes of me jabbering.

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Preparing the SD card (1:02)
Booting TRSDOS-II from Floppy Disk (1:52)
Format and Install (3:00)
Attempted Reboot (3:48)
Attempted Reboot II and FreHD Issue Overview (4:52)
Testing The System and FreHD Issue Discussion (6:10)
Attempted Reboot III and Outro (9:22)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)
The Level29 BBS
Particles BBS

Thanks for watching!

Tandy 1000 SX - Replacing The Original SmartWatch and a TRS-80 Model I Update

TJBChris 2022-05-27 | Today I replace the original Tandy SmartWatch in my Tandy 1000 SX with a new SmartWatch+ from dJOS. I remove the old one, install the new one, and get the SMWCLOCK software (patched for Y2K) onto the 1000 SX. I also provide a couple of project updates for the TRS-80 Model I restoration and a new aquisition for that system. I mistakenly call the Q3 transistor in the Model I a "cap" at 2:10...not sure why. Sorry. Finally, we look at some bonus goodies that I got along with the 1000 SX back when I acquired it. Enjoy!

Music:
There's no music. Just twelve minutes of me droning on.

Links:
SmartWatch+ Info/Order Page: tindie.com/products/cyberneticsys/smartwatch-clock-calendar-module
TvDog's Utilities Page; you want smwy2k.zip: http://www.oldskool.org/guides/tvdog/utilities.html

Chapters:

Intro/Project Overview (0:00)
TRS-80 Model I Update (1:05)
Looking At The SmartWatch+ (3:14)
A Look At The Old SmartWatch / Installing The New One (3:46)
Software Download / Trying It Out (5:10)
Cool Bonus Items (8:22)
Outro (12:26)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there, too...)
Level29 BBS (I'm also TJBChris there...)
Particles BBS (And I'm TJBChris there)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model III - FreHD Auto Boot Upgrade - EEPROM Burn and Installation

TJBChris 2022-04-13 | I burn a FreHD Auto Boot EEPROM and use it to replace the existing C ROM in my Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III. This time, I do it rapid-fire-style with very little commentary. Bonus points for identifying the sound effect I used for the time lapse sequences...it's a throwback as well! Enjoy!

Links:
FreHD Auto Boot ROM images can be found on Ian Mavric's Downloads page: http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/trs80/downloads.htm

Music: None

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
ROM Burn, Installation, and Test (0:15)
EPROM Notes & Outro (0:42)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there, too...)
Level29 BBS (I'm also TJBChris there...)

Thanks for watching!

Best Reaction Ever - Open House Lady Reacts to Cancelled Open House

TJBChris 2022-04-01 | My mother-in-law recently sold her house, and during the process had to cancel a scheduled open house event. Watch this woman, whom I'm calling Open House Lady, have the best reaction ever. I've done my best to blur faces; YouTube's automatic face blur didn't detect any faces, so I had to do it myself during editing.

** This video contains strong language **

Music: Lucky Rubber Ducky by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Please respect my rights and ask first before you copy/use any part of this video in your own content. Asking does not guarantee I'll grant permission. I apologize in advance for the watermark, but the times necessitate it.

Tandy 4825 SX - CD-ROM Drive Replacement - Everything Goes Wrong

TJBChris 2022-03-23 | Watch everything go wrong as my Tandy 4825 SX gets a new IDE CD-ROM drive to replace the failed 2X Creative drive. I try to use the IDE interface that's integrated into my SoundBlaster 32 (CT-3930) card without success. After many tries, I give up, go with Plan A (using the Tandy's single drive controller for both the CD-ROM and hard disk), and finally get it working in MS-DOS, Windows 95, and OS/2 Warp 3.

Please note: I swear more than usual, mostly later in the video. Also, I apologize for the screen flicker in the at points during my tests.

Music: Who's Using Who by The Mini Vandals
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Case Open / Surveying The Landscape (2:24)
Removing The Old Controller / A Quick Look At It (3:56)
Removing The Old Drive / A Quick Look / The New Drive (4:54)
Win 95 First Try / Nope / Add New Hardware Wizard #1 (6:48)
"I Know What's Wrong" #1 (8:09)
Win 95 Try #2 & #3 / "I Know What's Wrong #2 & #3 / CMOS Corruption (9:12)
WTF, Jumper Adjustment, Win 95 Try #4 / Controller Detected (10:52)
Another Hardware Wizard / Jumper Revist / Trying MS-DOS (13:29)
Going With Plan A / Trying MS-DOS and Windows 95 (15:57)
Making It Work in OS/2 Warp 3 (17:58)
Rabbit Holes, Other Struggles, And Outro (21:39)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there, too...)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model III RAM Upgrade - 16K to 48K

TJBChris 2022-03-18 | My TRS-80 Model III gets a RAM upgrade from 16K to 48K. After the upgrade, I check the available memory in BASIC, and finally boot my TRS-IO (masquerading as a FreHD), start LDOS 5.3.1, and run a reolcating memory test. Finally, a new RAM size badge is installed and we button it up and play around in LDOS a bit.

Links:
Replacement case badges for TRS-80s can be found on Jay Newirth's website (newSOFT): plaidvest.com/newsoft
The BASIC program for FreHD/TRS-IO boot can be found in the comments here: github.com/apuder/TRS-IO/issues/23

Music: Lukewarm Hazy by Asher Fulero
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Revisitng My Thoughs About Case Repainting (1:03)
The Plan and System Disassembly (2:12)
Installing the new RAM and Jumper Settings (3:16)
A BASIC Memory Size Check and New RAM Badge (5:12)
TRS-IO/FreHD Boot Using BASIC (6:55)
Getting the Memory Test Onto The LDOS Image (9:31)
Running the Memory Test (10:24)
Playing Around in LDOS (12:44)
What's Next/Outro (13:55)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there, too...)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model III Restore - CRT Repair and Calibration - Part II

TJBChris 2022-03-10 | Part two of my TRS-80 Model III restoration. In this video, I try to diagnose the source of the issues preventing my Model III from displaying video. I test the computer using the CRT and driver from a Model 4, ultimately leading to the installation of a spare video driver board I had lying around and repairing a break in the horizontal deflection coil. The CRT is then calibrated, the system reassembled, and some brief testing is performed. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for Part III: Upgrading the RAM to 48K

Music: There is no music. Just me jabbering for 28 minutes.

Chapters:
Intro & Spare Video Driver Board (0:00)
Discharging the CRT (1:37)
Removing/Inspecting the Video Driver (2:41)
Video Board Comparison and Installing Model 4 Board (4:31)
Testing With Model 4 Video Board (5:35)
Testing With a Model 4 CRT and Driver (7:05)
Musing And Pontificating - Narrowing Down the Problem (7:50)
Model III Deflection Coil - Overview and Testing (9:45)
Deflection Coil Repair and Meter Test (13:40)
Deflection Coil Test in the Model III (16:01)
Whiskey Celebration (17:36)
CRT Adjustments (18:21)
CRT Safety Spiel (18:59)
Checking Out the Assembled System (24:43)
Outro (27:10)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there, too...)

Thanks for watching!

My new TRS-80s - Model I and Model III - First Restoration Steps on the III

TJBChris 2022-03-07 | I picked up a TRS-80 Model I with Expansion Interface and a disk-less 16K TRS-80 Model III. In this video, I look over the machines and start to dive deeper into the Model III. The power cord, which had been cut on the III, gets replaced. I test out the power supply, and with the help of the oscilloscope, I start to diagnose issues powering the system up. Prior to shooting this video, I did a basic clean-up and prep of these machines.

Music: Night on the Town by TrackTribe
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters:
Intro & A Look at the Model III (0:00)
A Look At The Model I (1:34)
The Model III - Condition (3:23)
Disassembling the Model III (5:09)
First Look: Power Supply and Video Driver Board (6:28)
Looking At The Motherboard (7:20)
Installing The New Power Cable (8:39)
First Power-Up Attempt (10:42)
Contrast and Brightness Control Rehab (12:14)
Power Supply Voltage Check (15:54)
Do the Contrast and Brightness Pots Work? (18:14)
Hunting for Video Signals Using the Oscilloscope (21:10)
A Little Pop...And A Burning Smell (23:58)
Recap and Next Steps (25:03)
Outro (26:07)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there, too...)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B - Installing TRS-XENIX 1.3.5 onto the FreHD Hard Disk

TJBChris 2022-01-25 | In this video, I install TRS-XENIX 1.3.5 onto my newly-restored TRS-80 Model 16B computer. I then create my user account and install Radio Shack's MBasic multi-user BASIC interpreter. The computer is using a FreHD4Eigth (F48) as its hard drive and a Lotharek HxC in place of the floppy drive.

Music: Ella Vater by the Mini Vandals
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Booting the Install Disk (1:15)
Making the File System and Core File Copy (2:10)
Why Watch An Old OS Install? (5:35)
First HD Boot / Installing Disks 2 and 3 (6:38)
Post-Install Startup and Login (9:10)
Changing Root Password / Creating A User Account (9:29)
Trying Out My User Account (10:22)
Installing and Trying MBasic (10:52)
Some Poking Around In /etc (12:58)
Shutting Down / What's Next / Outro (14:15)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration - 68000 CPU and Memory Cards - Part VII

TJBChris 2022-01-20 | The last video in my TRS-80 Model 16B restoration series. Here I focus on the Motorola 68000 CPU board and its matching RAM boards. Based on the issues uncovered in Part VI, I run diagnostics on the boards, perform clean-up, and try to locate the source of the issues. I also cover the process for selecting a RAM board's location in the 68000 address space.

You can find Model II/12/16/16B/6000 software and technical documentation on Peter Cetinski's Model II Archive on GitHub: github.com/pski/model2archive

Music: Who's Using Who by The Mini Vandals (from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters
Intro (0:00)
The Turbo Fan Turbo Fan (0:57)
A Look at the 68K Card Set (1:18)
Installing the Boards (3:36)
Running 68K Diags w/ One 256K Board (5:14)
Booting XENIX 1.3.5 Installation Disk (9:03)
Running 68K Diagnostics on the Second 256K Board (11:51)
A Look At the Failing 256K Board (13:52)
Socket Cleaning / Deox-it and a Re-Test (14:48)
Component Swap Between Working And Non-Working Boards (18:47)
Testing the Newly-Ordered RAM Chips in the Non-Working Board (22:11)
Probable Root Cause and More Diagnostics (23:33)
Configuring Memory Board Address Space Location (24:34)
Installing Second Memory Board (27:11)
Testing 512K Configuration and The 16B's Future (28:06)
Restoration Complete, Next Steps, and Outro (29:57)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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
Twitter (I'm TJBChris there...)

Thanks for watching!

TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration - Calibration, Socket Cleaning, Power Supply, Troubleshooting - Part VI

TJBChris 2022-01-11 | Part VI of my TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration. Attempting to make LS-DOS work, I check floppy controller calibration with my oscilloscope, clean and re-seat all socketed chips, and check out the power supply. After an unexpected revelation, I decide to move on, and attempt to boot the XENIX 1.3.5 installation diskette.

Sorry for the length...troubleshooting LS-DOS led me down some rabbit holes. Be warned: This video has a couple instances of strong language. Whoops.

Music: Disco Knights by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters
Intro (0:00)
Floppy Controller Calibration w/ Scope (2:04)
Trying LS-DOS Again (7:11)
Deoxit Floppy Controller Chip Socket (7:51)
U54 ROM - Is It Factory? (10:37)
Testing LS-DOS Again...Again (12:38)
U54 Is An EPROM (13:19)
Reseating/Cleaning First Set of Socketed Chips (16:42)
I'm a Moron (17:18)
More About U54 - It IS Factory (17:52)
Dump, Erase, and Reprogram the EPROM (20:41)
EPROM Re-Installation / Power Cable Deoxit (24:33)
Cleaning The Expansion Sockets, Card Cage, Expansion Card Connectors (25:50)
Diagnostics Redux - TRSDOS MEMTEST, MEMII, etc. (30:57)
Power Supply DC Rail Voltage Checks (36:32)
Q7 Collector Waveform Check (40:06)
I've Been Chasing A Waterfall (41:58)
Booting XENIX 1.3 Install Disk (43:43)
Wrap-Up and Next Steps (45:15)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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!

TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration - Diagnostics and Testing - Part V

TJBChris 2022-01-02 | Part V of my TRS-80 Model 16B restoration. In this video, I run the Model II/12/16/6000 Diagnostics on the system to test the RAM, PIO, DMA, and Interrputs. I also try booting CP/M, LS-DOS, TRSDOS 2.0b, and TRSDOS-II 4.2.5, with less-than-perfect results. I repeat some of the tests on the Model 12 for comparison purposes as well.

Be warned: This video has a couple instances of strong language. Whoops.

Music:
This video is just me jabbering. There's no music. Sorry...

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Hard Disk Interface RAM and CTC Interrupt Test (1:41)
Video Test (2:43)
Video RAM Test (3:22)
Shadow ROM Checksum (4:15)
RAM Tests (4:32)
PIO, CTC, DMA, and Interrupt Tests (6:14)
TRSDOS-II 4.2 Memory Test (8:51)
Testing TRSDOS-II (10:32)
Testing TRSDOS 2.0b/Teleterm (13:18)
Testing Lifeboat CP/M 2 (15:46)
CP/M Memory Test (18:10)
Testing LS-DOS (18:44)
Model 12 Comparison Tests (21:16)
Next Steps and Outro (23:38)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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!

TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration - Floppy Drive and NF6X Adapter - Part IV

TJBChris 2021-12-29 | Part IV of my TRS-80 Model 16B restoration. Today I cover the floppy drive removal, cleaning, and lubrication. I also build the 34-to-50-pin floppy adapter, adjust the vertical size of the CRT image, and test it all out by booting TRSDOS 2.0b and TRSDOS-II 4.2.

Music (in order of appearance):
Sideways Samba by Audionautix (http://audionautix.com) is licensed under a Creative Commons license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

Ella Vator by The Mini Vandals
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Floppy Drive - Drive and Bay Removal (1:24)
Floppy Drive - A Look At / Removing Circuitry / Board Cleanup (3:00)
Floppy Drive - Removing Chassis Corrosion (5:17)
Floppy Drive - Cleaning the Heads (5:37)
Floppy Drive - Lubrication (7:06)
Floppy Drive - Reassembly And End Result (9:07)
Floppy Drive - Re-installation And Connection (10:02)
Floppy Drive - Initial Power-On (12:17)
Floppy Drive - Boot Test (12:39)
Floppy Adapter - Assembly (13:57)
Floppy Adapter - Installed And Boot Test (14:47)
CRT - Adjusting Vertical Size (17:40)
Back Together And Turbo Fan (19:03)
Coming Next Time / Outro (19:46)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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!

TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration - Power Supply, Video Card, and Motherboard - Part III

TJBChris 2021-12-25 | Part III of my TRS-80 Model 16B restoration. Today I replace the RIFA (safety) capacitors on the power supply, remove the system card cage, and inspect the motherboard. Finally, I reassemble the system, clean and install the video card, and give the system a power-up test.

Music (in order of appearance):
Studio 2020 by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapter Index:
Intro (0:00)
Cleaning The Power Supply (1:36)
Removing The Chassis (2:02)
RIFA Capacitor Replacement (2:52)
Re-Attaching the Chassis (4:36)
Card Cage Removal (5:21)
Looking Over the Motherboard (6:44)
Motherboard Cleaning (7:47)
Reassembly (8:14)
Cleaning The Video Card (9:28)
Installing the Video Card (10:16)
First Power-Up Test (11:51)
Next Steps / Outro (12:57)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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!

TRS-80 Model 16B Restoration - Keyboard - Part II

TJBChris 2021-12-21 | Part II of my TRS-80 Model 16B restoration. This time, I'm focused on the Keytronic keyboard: I test it out using my TRS-80 Model 12. I then clean it up and replace the capacitive foam pads. Afterwards, we verify operation and reassemble it. Unlike previous videos, I did not leave the time lapse sequences fully intact. This was done to keep the video down to a reasonable length.

You can find the replacement capacitive foam pads for Keytronic keyboards at TexElec: texelec.com/product/foam-capacitive-pads-keytronic

Music (in order of appearance):
Lukewarm Hazy by Asher Fulero
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Paradox by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapter Index:
Intro (0:00)
Testing The Keyboard (0:46)
What's Wrong / How These Keyboards Work (1:40)
Disassembly (3:10)
Examining The Internals (6:15)
Cleaning the PCB (8:07)
PCB Results (8:57)
Testing the PCB (9:40)
Keyboard Assembly - Plan of Attack (10:54)
Old Foam Clean-Up (11:41)
Removing Key Assemblies (13:33)
Cleaning The Metal Frame (14:18)
Cleaning The Key Assemblies (15:29)
Re-installing Key Assemblies (16:42)
Installing New Capacitive Foam Pads (17:18)
All Re-Foamed and Ready To Test (19:01)
Partial Reassembly and First Test (19:44)
Complete Reassembly (20:53)
Final Test & Outro (21:30)

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 Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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!

TRS-80 Model 16B - Overview And Restoration - Part I

TJBChris 2021-12-16 | I just picked up a TRS-80 Model 16B! I look at what the system included, the expansion cards (including three-port multi-terminal card), and begin the process of restoration, including: inspecting the power supply and motherboard, discussing basic clean-up, and outlining my future plans. This is Part I of a multi-part series.

CORRECTION: I twice refer to the hard disk interface as a Type 4 adapter. This is incorrect; it’s a Type 2 adapter. It essentially creates a Model III/4 bus connection in the II/12/16 line. For a card reference, see: https://fjkraan.home.xs4all.nl/comp/trs80m2/ModelIIBusCardZoo.html

If you like to jump around, here's the index:
Intro (0:00)
System Overview (0:20)
Keyboard Overview and Improvements (0:44)
What I've Already Done...cleaning, etc. (1:17)
A Closer Look/Turbo-Fan Mod (2:18)
System/Expansion Cards (3:15)
Short-Term Plan (4:29)
Disconnecting the Fan and Uncovering the Power Supply (6:36)
A Look at the Power Supply (7:48)
Removing the Power Supply Unit (8:40)
A Look At The Main Logic Board (10:09)
Back to the Power Supply (10:32)
Caps on Hand and Outro (11:07)

I do these videos unscripted, so I apologize if the in-the-moment descriptions of things are a bit all-over-the-place. If you have any questions/comments about this video, you can find me in any of these fine locations:

The Tandy Discord Server
The CoCoTALK! 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!

Color Computer 3 - Replacing the Capacitors in the CM-8 Monitor

TJBChris 2021-11-12 | Following up on my CoCo 3 restoration and repair video, I'm recapping my broken CM-8 monitor. It is largely successful, but due to a couple remaining issues, I will have to revisit it in a future video. Thanks for watching!

WARNING: Working with CRTs is dangerous! This video is *NOT* a step-by-step guide or how-to of any kind. If you don't know what you're doing, find an expert. Don't risk your life or property!

Music (in order of first appearance):
Who's Using Who? - Taken from the YouTube Audio Library
The Machine Assembly - Taken from the YouTube Audio Library
The Jam by Slynk & Mr Stabalina - Taken from the YouTube Audio Library

If you like to jump around, here's the index:
Intro (0:00)
The Cap Kit and Tools Overview (0:35)
A Look At The CM-8 (1:33)
Case Disassembly (2:56)
De-energizing the CRT (3:36)
Separating the CRT and Driver Circuitry (4:18)
Looking at the Boards (6:39)
Replacing the First Set of Capacitors (8:13)
Removing the RF Shield and the Next Set of Caps (11:46)
The Next Set of Capacitors (13:02)
All finished - one lifted trace and a bodge wire (16:55)
Reinstalling the RF shield (17:32)
First power-up test (17:46)
Video Test - Connected to the CoCo (19:00)
A Couple of Issues (19:44)
Outro (20:33)

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!

TRS-80 Model 12 - Adding Expansion Slots and IDE Hard Disk Storage

TJBChris 2021-11-05 | 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!

My New Tandy Color Computer 3 - Repairing Shipping Damage

TJBChris 2021-11-01 | I bought a new Tandy Color Computer 3! Unfortunately it was damaged in shipping, causing considerable damage to the case. In this video I cover the damage to the system, attempt to it, and test out the results of my work.

This video is a bit longer as repair was a multi-day process and quite involved.

Music: Sideways Samba by Audionautix (http://audionautix.com) is licensed under a Creative Commons license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode).

If you like to jump around, here's the index:
Intro/Why I Bought Another CoCo 3 (0:00)
The Damage (1:04)
A Closer Look At The Individual Components (2:09)
A Look At The Case (4:51)
Cloud-9 512K SIMMM Memory Upgrade (6:38)
Testing Out The Main Board, Keyboard, and Power Supply (8:03)
Testing The 512K RAM Upgrade (9:00)
Case Repair - Bottom Case - Keyboard Mount Posts (9:45)
Case Repair - Top Case - Keyboard Guide/Screw Post (11:56)
Case Repair - Bottom Case - Rear Screw Guide (13:37)
Next Morning - Overview And Keyboard Fit Test (14:31)
Case Repair - Main Board Mount Post/Power Supply Mount (16:37)
Case Repair - Remaining Keyboard Mount Post (17:59)
Case Badge Arts and Crafts (19:12)
Case Repair - Keyboard Post Gap - Bondo Repair (21:08)
Putting It Back Together (23:46)
Testing It Out - No Multi-Pak Connected (26:25)
Testing It Out - NitrOS9 / CoCo SDC (27:26)
Wrap-Up and Outro (28:18)

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!

Boat Burning I - Cargo Ship

TJBChris 2021-10-19 | We built a model boat...and burned it! As you can see, things didn't go as well as planned; I had to help it along a couple of times. See just how well (or badly) burining model boats can be. We have two more boats to burn, so stay tuned!

As you can tell, I'm experimenting with the format of these videos and the process for getting the best result. I'll be applying what I've learned while burning this boat to future burn videos. Comments are disabled, sorry.

Music:
Jazzerton
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Sleepless Aloha by Reed Mathis
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Bloopers and Outtakes I

TJBChris 2021-09-28 | ** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE **
This video contains explicit language. And some suggestive dialogue. You have been warned.

Here are some behind-the-scenes outtakes, bloopers, and other general wackiness that happens when I do my videos. I often stumble over words, fart unexpectedly, and get annoyed at myself as I'm working through a presentation. Enjoy!

This video is an "After Dark" video because it contains ADULT LANGUAGE and CRUDE HUMOR. You have been warned. If this isn't your particular brand of content, I'd invite you to take the advice of the late George Carlin and "change the channel". At least for this video. Then come back later for more great retro-computing goodness!

Comments are disabled for this video. Sorry.

Music: Lucky Rubber Ducky by Quincas Moreira
(Taken from the YouTube Audio Library)

Chapters

Intro (0:00)
What did I do to this Model 4? (0:07)
Moving the camera...with my... (0:35)
X-rated cap-on-cap action (0:53)
Intellimice and the eBay douche (1:27)
Where's the fart detector when you need it? (1:56)
Interrupted by peppers (2:22)