TRS-80 Model 100
For 2023’s first entry in my never-ending “Zscaler Logo on an Old, Unusual or Obsolete Device” series, I’m delighted to present one which until recently I thought would be impossible: the TRS-80 Model 100!
The “TRS-80” (aka “Trash-80”) series was launched by Tandy and marketed through RadioShack stores (hence the “TRS” portion of the name) from the late 1970’s through early 1990’s. Released in 1983 (40 years ago!), the Model 100 was a stunning breakthrough in portable computing. While the hardware was developed by KYOCERA Global, the built-in operating system and software was provided by Microsoft - supposedly, this is the last computer for which Bill Gates personally wrote the software himself. Maybe Bill will see this post and confirm?!
With its high-quality keyboard, rugged design and ability to run for 20+ hours on 4 AA batteries, the Model 100 quickly became a favorite among journalists. Reporters loved being able to type up articles in the field before transmitting their writing back to their editor via the built-in 300-bits-per-second dialup modem - a high-tech advantage in the 1980’s. Of course, with only 24 kilobytes of RAM and a 2.4MHz Intel CPU, the Model 100 is not exactly a speed-demon, but its wide screen and excellent keyboard make it a pleasure to use even today.
When I first started putting the Zscaler logo on my retro systems, the Model 100 was one of my earliest targets. Sadly for my purposes, the Model 100 is an entirely text-based system, with virtually no graphics capabilities. However, a skillful programmer and Model 100 fanatic named Ken Pettit responded to my inquiries and shared that he’s been developing a graphics library for the Model 100 called “ASCIIpixels,” and offered his assistance with creating a Model 100-compatible Zscaler graphic! With his help I had a file containing a pixel-by-pixel rendering of the Zscaler logo, but I had no way to actually get that file over to the Model 100.
I then used “TS-DOS,” a file management tool which was designed for a serial-port-based floppy disk system… which I don’t own. Thankfully, I found a Windows app called “LaddieCon” which emulates the TRS-80 floppy drive. I installed LaddieCon on my PC, connected the PC and Model 100 via null-modem serial cable, and suddenly the TRS-80 could “see” the files on the PC. From there it was a cinch to copy the file to the Model 100 and display it onscreen! Given the almost nonexistent graphics capabilities on this system (seriously, Ken Pettit is a wizard), it’s almost certain that I’m the first person in history to display a fullscreen corporate logo on a Model 100. Neat!
I have a few other fun projects in this series in the works (including one system so primitive that it only *just barely* qualifies as a full-fledged computer!), so stay tuned for more retro fun in 2023.
Happy New Year to you all, happy Friday, and happy 40th birthday to the TRS-80 Model 100!
