Recent Pickup: CoCo 1 & 3 Computer/Software/Document Collection

[Z-JunkEmporium]

Hey All,
I mentioned in the introductions section that I had recently picked up a decent sized lot of Radio Shack/Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer items. Finally got time to sort through everything, pick up a nice CCR-81 cassette drive for testing cassettes, and figure out what works, what needs attention, etc. Here's a general idea of what was in the lot:

Modified Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer 1 Model 26-3002 (composite video/audio, power indicator LED, extra venting, upgraded keyboard, original 16k memory upgraded to at least 64k)
Tandy Color Computer 3 (complete w/ box and manuals)
SMD CM13L Color Monitor
Subscription/Game Software on Cassettes (about 90 cassettes total, approximately 70 still work reliably)
12 issues of Rainbow on Disk
Small lot of service and technical manuals, hint cards, software documentation, etc. (some not pictured)
2 unbranded 5.25" floppy disk drives (not currently working, not pictured)
CTR-80 Cassette Drive (not currently working, replacement CCR-81 is in the pictures)
General Automation Inc. Color Computer Expansion Interface (CX-3001A Chassis, CX-2001A Expander Card, CX-2401A Extension Cable)
Approximately 100 issues of Color Computer related subscription magazines (Rainbow, Hot CoCo, Color Computer News, etc., not pictured)
Lots of other little odds and ends (some not pictured)…

This all came from a local guy who was highly active in the CoCo club scene back in the early/mid 80s, and there were many issues of a local Color Computer club newsletter included. The old CoCo 1 shows LOTS of use, with obvious wear to the silver paint around the front portion of the case. However, it still seems to be working perfectly. I ended up giving the owner more than I normally pay for vintage computer items, but it was such a nice, complete collection that I couldn't pass it up. Notice the close-up picture of the October 1982 issue of the Chromasette newsletter… this is supposedly where the "CoCo" nickname originated.

If anyone has some documentation about the General Automation expansion interface, I'd love to see it! I'm trying to figure out how to get it hooked up and functioning, but haven't had much luck. The original owner used it with a modified 26-3022 Disk Drive Controller, so it'd be nice to have some more info to know exactly what everything is supposed to be doing.

Feel free to comment!

 

[NF6X]

That's a beautiful pile of stuff there! I lusted after those fancy aftermarket keyboard upgrades back when I used my original CoCo as a teenager, but was always stuck with the chiclet keyboard until I upgraded to my Amiga 1000 in 1986. Now I have a CoCo2 and CoCo3 that both have nice-looking keyboards, but they don't feel as good as they look. I wonder how that aftermarket keyboard upgrade for the CoCo1 compares to the CoCo2/CoCo3 keyboards?

 

[random_rodder]

I just won a CoCo1 with the same keyboard as above on eBay. There's no comparison. Hands down, the HJL-57 keyboard is light years better than the stock CoCo2 & CoCo3 keyboards.

 

[jayeson]

Very nice collection. Any chance you could photograph the rest of the HJL-57 keyboard manual? I have one which came with a bag of hardware and it is not clear to me how it should be installed.

 

[pski]

I love the extra venting on the CoCo 1 and the matching monitor stand! It's a nice collection that should keep you busy for awhile.

 

[Z-JunkEmporium]

Jayeson- I just saw your post above! I'll try and get a copy of the manual in the next few days, if you still need it.

pski- Definitely! The CoCo 1 is a great looking 1980s computer. A very capable, very under-appreciated machine. This setup is definitely keeping me busy. I sold off some of the cassettes and accessories I wasn't using to other collectors, but I still have the core system, the documentation/manuals, and some of the cassettes. Not pictured here is the 100+ pounds of Rainbow Magazine from 1983-1987ish I also picked up as part of the collection.

The monitor stand is actually an expansion interface, with some additional memory on board and floppy drive controller mounted onto it. A very weird and rare CoCo accessory!

 

[random_rodder]

If anyone has some documentation about the General Automation expansion interface, I'd love to see it! I'm trying to figure out how to get it hooked up and functioning, but haven't had much luck. The original owner used it with a modified 26-3022 Disk Drive Controller, so it'd be nice to have some more info to know exactly what everything is supposed to be doing.

That's quite the collection you have there! I've never seen the CX-P1 in the wild before - and didn't notice it when I first commented on your original post. Would you be willing to post some pictures of just that? I've got a page on my website where I'm trying to list all of the CoCo Accessories along with images. Currently for the CX-P1, I've got an ad from the Rainbow. I would love to have an image of the real beast! You can see the page here: http://tandycoco.com/hardware




Thanks,

Brian