Tandy 286 - What Was It?

[pearce_jj]

My Dad had two Tandy badged 286 based PCs, IIRC with 1MB RAM, 40MB "smart drive" as it was branded (I presume, an IDE hard disk) and VGA, c.1991.

I can't recall their model number so wondered if anyone could give me some ideas! I can't seem to find much (well, anything!) about models online beyond the 1000SL3. I suspect they were badged, but anyway....

Many thanks!

 

[krebizfan]

The systems you describe are likely to be the Tandy 1000 RLX.

 

[pearce_jj]

Thanks. I don't think they were 1000 series; they had quite different cases (curved front profile), Award BIOS (IIRC), no Tandy sound either.

 

[krebizfan]

The Tandy 3000 is unlikely to be the system (being rather old by 1991) but you may try finding pictures of the various models to see if any match your memory. Both Compaq and Gateway had slightly curvy cases in the early 90s; just another set of images to look at.

The term "smart drive" I only saw Tandy use for their oddball IDE drives shipped in a few systems (mostly late model 1000s) around 1990.

 

[pearce_jj]

Thanks. You've got me wondering now.., but they had DeskMate on them so I'm pretty sure they were Tandy (or at least, sold in Tandy's).

 

[kb2syd]

They pushed a lot of re-badged AST equipment at the end. Some may have included Deskmate. Did you try http://radioshackcatalogs.com/ and browsing the catalogs toward the end? Look at the RSC catalogs.

 

[pearce_jj]

I can't see anything in there. Different products in the UK maybe? I'd be surprised.

But I do remember really wanting the speakers on the front of the '86 sale brochure!

 

[pearce_jj]

As it happens an old invoice finally surfaced... the machines were "DT-286", purchased 1992. I can't find any information at all about them though.

 

[kb2syd]

Maybe the Tulip Vision Line DC/DT 286?
http://www.tulipgv.nl/tvldc.htm
http://www.tulipgv.nl/tvldt.htm

 

[pearce_jj]

Tulip..., now there's a name from the past! Good catch, but not those either!

 

[kb2syd]

Then my guess is a clone in a nice case. We had a lot of those here in the states. Everyone and their brother were putting these together. Even the local Radio Shack was not a corporate store. Once RS stopped carrying computers they sold their own out the side door.

If you have the reciept, where was it purchased? That may provide a few clues.

 

[Eudimorphodon]

Given the timeframe (1991-ish?) if they were really Tandy products my best guess would be something from the 2500 line. (2500 XL?) They were full-up ATs (not hybrids like most of the 286s in the 1000 series), had VGA, and Tandy used "Smartdrive" to describe their hard drive interface (Even though in these models it was actually standard IDE)...

 

[pearce_jj]

Found it! Here's a picture: http://www.leboncoin.fr/informatique/207154625.htm

InterTAN DT-286, purchased from a Tandy branch in the UK in 1992 it turns out.

Thanks for the ideas and pointers on this one

 

[GaZx]

Found it! Here's a picture: http://www.leboncoin.fr/informatique/207154625.htm

InterTAN DT-286, purchased from a Tandy branch in the UK in 1992 it turns out.

Thanks for the ideas and pointers on this one

Snap :D guess what I just pulled out of the barn i'll get some pictures up soon for ya mate ...