#### Back to index | # Info for coco

#### Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer / Dragon Data Ltd. Dragon 32

Usage:

- Cassette images (.cas):

Not all of these work; don't panic.
You can pick the cassette image you wish to run from the FILE MANAGER in the Tab/Options menu.
Once you've selected the image, go back into the CoCo emulation, and use "scroll lock" to set
it back in keyboard emulation mode.
type CLOAD (if it's a BASIC program) or CLOADM (for assembler programs)
then EXEC (if it's an assembler program)
or RUN (if it's a basic program)
If you include the name of the file (eg. CLOAD "PROG") it will skip any files preceding the
one you specified.

- Snapshot images (.PAK)

Go to file menu pick the .pak
Should automatically start running the game.
if it does not run, it isn't supported yet.

- Cartridge rom images (.ROM)

Go to file menu and pick the .rom
Reset to CoCo and it will start running the game.
if it does not run it isn't supported yet.

- Diskette images (.DSK)

Basically the same as cassette images, except you insert the image in Floppy Disk#1
from the file manager. Once you return to the coco emulation, switch back to keyboard

emulation mode by pressing SCROLL LOCK and type:
DIR
To load a binary file (/BIN), type LOADM "GAME/BIN:1" (replacing the ":1" with the
appropriate drive designation ":0" through ":3" )
then EXEC
To load a basic file (/BAS), type LOAD "GAME/BAS:0"
then RUN
Thanks to "Axe" for the command summary.

Known Issues:
Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.

History and Trivia:
The Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer was typically called 'CoCo'. It was compatible with the
Welsh Dragon 32: they can use same software and cartridges. Unlike the Dragon, though, it
used its own basic, Tandy Basic instead of the Microsoft basic. It was followed by the
TRS 80 color computer II. The two BASICs use different tokens so they are not binary
compatible.
The Tandy/TRS-80 Color Computer 2 (CoCo 2) replaced the original in 1983. It has the same
characteristics than the first. It has 16 KB RAM and can have a 16 KB ROM which contains
Microsoft Basic. It was replaced with the Tandy Color Computer 3 in 1986.
The Tandy Color Computer 3 is the successor of the Tandy/TRS-80 Color Computer 2. It can
work with OS-9 Level II (an operating system designed for 6809 processors). As this processor
is an 8 bit (strange choice when Atari and Commodore were using a 68000), it can't access
simultaneously to the 128 KB (or 512 KB), it uses several RAM banks (as the Thomson TO8, or
MSX 2 computers) which can be switched in 8K blocks.
Tandy made several prototypes of a Tandy Color Computer 4 but it was never released. The
DRAGON 32 enjoyed a pretty good success in Europe. Its ROM holds the Operating System and a
BASIC programming language by Microsoft. One of its characteristics is partial compatibility
with the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer Series: they can use same peripherals and some
cartridges. Two years later, Welsh launched the DRAGON 64 which has the same
characteristics except the added memory (64 KB instead of 32 KB), a RS232c port and a keyboard
with repetitive keys.

created on Wed May 15 07:18:19 2002