24 Aug
1997
24 Aug
'97
4:57 a.m.
Whilst in a self-induced trance, Marvin happened to blather:
I was at one of the local thrift stores (a once a month
or so experience)
and found a Radio Shack TRS-80 Disk/Video Interface unit for $0.90 with
manual. Apparently it was marked down from about $3.95 or so to get it gone
and I was more than happy to help out at that price even not knowing what it
was. After reading the manual, I still don't know but it talks about the
portable computer and I see one reference to a model 100. Anyone have more
information on this thing as far as what it attaches to? The model 100 is
obvious but since it talks about the connecting it to the Portable Computer,
are there others this thing might work with? Also since it didn't come with
a floppy disk, is this just a standard TRS-DOS or is there something special
about it? Finally, it is missing the connecting cable and does anyone have
the pinout for it or know where I might find it on-line? Thanks!
Ohhhh... nice buy! They wouldn't happen to have 3 more at that price, would
they??? ;-)
The DVI as it was shortened to would give 180K floppy (40 track, SSDD,
18SPT) storage and 40x24 & 80x24 VT-52 compatible screen capability to a
Tandy 100, 102 (later, lighter, redesigned 100), or the Tandy 200 (which I
own).
[[ Editor's note: Obviously, you need one of the above-mentioned portables
to make use of the DVI... ]]
It needs a special cable that I have seen for sale on comp.sys.tandy, and
at the for-sale listing at:
http://www.value.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/~thedock/c100sale.pl
[[ Editor's note: this is a cgi-program accessable from the "For Sale" link
at:
http://www.the-dock.com/club100.html
They also have a wanted listing and a guestbook! ]]
It *does* require a boot floppy disk, I believe these are still available
at Radio Shack for a few $$$ apiece (at least in the US... not sure about
other countries) I have a boot disk for the DVI that boots the Model 100 --
too bad it doesn't seem to work with my T200. :-(
I do have the pinouts for the cable, but the connection to the M100 was a
specially wired 40-pin DIP cable, that I've heard is mongo-painful to try
to build yourself (and, of course, RS doesn't stock those IIRC). The cable
for the T200/T102 is easier to build with 40-pin IDC connectors and ribbon
cable (I successfully converted an IBM-PC Clone IDE data cable)
If you wish more information on this or most anything else from the "Model
'T'" world, just let me know.
"Merch"
--
Roger Merchberger | If at first you don't succeed,
Programmer, NorthernWay | nuclear warhead disarmament should *not*
zmerch(a)northernway.net | be your first career choice.