Barn Find: Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 CoCo 2 Color Computer 2

[@TJBChris]

Great video, it cleaned up great! So nice to see another CoCo come back to life. To answer your question: Yes, that’s the melted keyboard. For software, check out the Color Computer Archive. For storage, THE solution is the CoCo SDC, which you can buy from Ed Snider or Retro Rewind. Ed Snider also sells a composite video board that replaces the RF modulator. I made a video installing one of his boards in my CoCo 2. And finally, there’s CoCo VGA if you’re feeling fancy. Enjoy! 😁

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Thank you for the kind words. So I have the melted keyboard. Neat LOL. I've heard from Tim that the CoCo SDC is awesome, so with your blessing as well, I'll look into getting one. I'm on the fence if I should just go composite or VGA video upgrade. I'm by no means fancy, however anything has to be better than the stock RF signal. I'm going to recap the machine as well and maybe that will help a little bit as well. We shall see. Thank you for all the suggestions. Much appreciated!

[@RobertEmery]

@@geekwithsocialskills I suggest keeping a composite output regardless of any other solution, so you don't lose PMODE4 artifact colors.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Thanks for the tip Robert.

[@anjanettepetty-kountz3785]

I loved seeing the old Radio Shack commercial! Only 99.00 on Sale! 🤩

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Just in time for Christmas too!

[@BollingHolt]

Nice! Like I told you before, I really cut my computing teeth on the CoCo2 I got for my fifth birthday. Mine was a later model that didn't have the melted keyboard. This was January of '86, so the 2 was on its way out as the 3 was rolling in. I still had it until 2009 or 2010 until my mom, without my knowledge, sold her house and threw away EVERYTHING in it after my dad died, with a ton of other priceless-to-me relics from my youth. I got a CoCo3 for Christmas last year, though, and still haven't even really done very much with it. It even came with a 512k expansion unit that isn't installed yet, and it also came with the CoCo SDC microSD solution. It's probably the way you'll want to go as well.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

It's a pretty neat computer and I'm enjoying it so far. I have some updates and upgrades to the machine that I didn't cover in this video, and I don't want to spoil them here in a reply comment ;-) however in my follow up video there will be some exciting new things to discuss and show off. As a side note, getting a CoCo 3 would be awesome, however the online prices for them are way more than I'm willing to pay, so unless I find one for a deal, get one in a trade or donation, this CoCo 2 will be my daily driver CoCo computer.

[@BollingHolt]

@@geekwithsocialskills They are definitely a ton of fun! The monitor that was in that Radio Shack commercial I THINK is the same one that I got with my CoCo2. I would love to track down a DMP-133 printer and a Direct Connect Modem Pak 300 baud modem to relive my first days of going onto BBSes!

[@jdmcs]

The only cooler serial number would be 12345 ("That's amazing. I've got the same combination on my luggage.") Great save!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

I know right!?! I'm still amazed at the serial number on this CoCo 2.

[@HansCampbell]

I did not know that the TRS-80 had a cartridge port. I can not wait until you show those.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Yep, the TRS-80 Color Computer 1, 2 and 3 all have cartridge ports that you can use ROM cartridges for games and other software. The cartridge port can also be used for a floppy drive controller and some other accessories. My next CoCo 2 video will go more of what the computer can actually do.

[@Phantom8Bit]

One of the best CoCos to get since you don't have to worry about the paint coming off, and the chips are still socketed so repairs or mods are easy. Also, the high speed POKE works on all CoCo 2s, where it might not on early CoCo 1s. If the CPU was dead, someone probably plugged in a cart with the power on.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Even if none of the chips were socketed, I know how to solder and de-solder, so adding sockets isn't hard for me to do, but agreed, it's nice the board is 99% socketed already. As for why the CPU was dead/having issues, the only prior history of this machine I know is it was stored in a barn for a long time with a pile of other stuff, so who knows what happened. At least it's up and working now. Side note, I'm working on a follow up video with the machine, so stay tuned! :-)

[@8BitBoyzRetro]

Another great video and that machine cleaned up really nice! I was surprised hearing Adrian didn't have a cpu for it, I think of him as having vaults of everything in his basement. ;) Glad you got it working in the end!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Thanks for your kind words. Once the case is retrobrighted, the machine will be perfect. It runs great now and having it upgraded to 64KB of RAM is sweet for games that require more than 16KB. Adrian at one point did have a single spare CoCo CPU (or SAM, I forget), however he had already used it in his CoCo repair on his channel a while back. When it comes to parts, he's got a lot of "stuff" for sure, but nothing CoCo related.

[@10MARC]

I had a friend back in the '80s whose dad had a Coco color computer. There's a missile command type game for it that works perfect with their analog controllers. We had a lot of fun playing that back in the day

[@geekwithsocialskills]

I had a few friends back in the 1980s who owned CoCo computers. It's an interesting machine, but it will never replace my Commodore 64 :-)

[@CurtisBoyle]

Fancy meeting you here! lol - I would guess that the game you are referring to is either Polaris (originally a Radio Shack cartridge) or Defense (a 3rd party game)

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Hey Curtis, what are your Top 10 CoCo 2 games?

[@CurtisBoyle]

@@geekwithsocialskills - That's a really tough call... and would change depending on my mood at the time. Grabber, Dungeons of Daggorath and Phantom Slayer will always be in that list, others will change.

[@fractalMD]

One of us! One of us!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Hahaha! I'll always be a Commodore 64 and Apple II kid, however this CoCo 2 is pretty cool! I'm looking forward to digging more into it as time goes on.

[@retrobitstv]

Huh, I didn't know there were different styles of keyboards on these machines. My CoCo2 definitely had taller keys. Mine had a much higher serial # though (0113031). Let me know if you want a CoCoEPROMpak PCB to build a multicart with, I am sure I have some kicking around.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

The first keyboards were the "melted" like what came with my machine and the later revisions came with the "full stroke" keyboards like you have. Since recording this video I've actually found a full stroke keyboard and will be swapping it out in my machine. I would be interested in one of your CoCoEPROMpak PCB's if you have one kicking around.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

There's a composite mod. There's either the CoCo SDC or the BackBit Pro with the CoCo adapter. I think that the SVI probably works with the tape port. Getting an SVI is very time consuming (parts availability, and so forth).

[@geekwithsocialskills]

I have a CoCo SDC in route. I'm pretty excited to receive it and will of course show it in my follow up CoCo 2 video once I have it in hand.

[@barron204]

I have followed you on Twitter for a while, unaware you have a KZbin channel till now. Interesting video and subscribed.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Thanks for following me on Twitter. Even though my KZbin channel is 13+ years old, my gwssrox Twitter account is only 2+ years old. I set it up to help promote my channel. Looks like it worked. Thank you for subscribing and commenting. Much appreciated!

[@dave4shmups]

Great job cleaning this CoCo 2 up and getting it working! BTW, that little Sony Trinitron TV is really cool-it’s the smallest one I’ve ever seen!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Thanks! As for my little Sony Trinitron TV, I have two of them. They are great. From what I recall they were originally used for campers or motor homes.

[@AngelusNielson]

This was my first computer. (or more accurately my dad's computer. My actual first computer was a Pentium 90.) I'm now on an Alienware laptop. We've come far.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Indeed, we've come along way with technology the past 30-40 years.

[@NPrescott]

I love that commercial right before the out-of-box reveal. Such a stark contrast from that beautiful snow white CoCo 2 and this one! 😅 1234...that's my debit PIN! Just kidding...but is that a super low serial!? Imagine if that was a C64! I had a few CoCo and I think the "melted" one had the rivets melted together so you would have to cut it apart. Its like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 1\2, the entire device has "sonic rivets" or basically melted plastic and glue holding it all together. No way to it apart but excessive heat and breaking it apart. Can't wait to see what else you do with this. Are you into CoCo now? You should checkout the CoCo 3

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Glad you liked the Radio Shack commercial right before the out-of-box reveal. It had the desired effect I was going for based on your comment. There will be more to come with this machine for sure in a follow up video. I'll always be a C64 and Apple II kid, however the CoCo 2 is interesting to me now. I had friends who owned them BITD and I always preferred my C64. As for a CoCo 3, I've actually got a possible trade for one in the works.

[@rager1969]

What the heck was that rapid clicking noise on first power up? It sounded like something really bad was happening to the CoCo

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Agreed, I was thinking "uh oh" when I first heard it. Basically it was the relay on the motherboard freaking out LOL. Now that everything is working correctly with the machine, it only "clicks" once on boot up which is normal.

[@ChadDoebelin]

Lets void the warranty!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Indeed, it's time to crack the seal!

[@aa-au]

Thanks for this video - I would love a CoCo 2 and 3. My first computer was a Tandy Color Computer (or CoCo), with a whopping 4k of RAM and a cassette deck. I upgraded it with Extended BASIC, maxed out the RAM to 32k (only 20k accessible), added a 4 port expansion pack, added a floppy controller with 2x double sided TEAC floppy drives, 2x Tandy joysticks, and a cartridge pack called Color-Eyes (I may have spelt this wrong.) I still have all these components somewhere amongst all my Apple stuff. How I would like to get it all out and play with it all again.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Thanks for watching. BITD I had friends with CoCo computers, but I was using Apple II's at school and my C64 at home. The Tandy Color Computer line is pretty cool. The CoCo 2 in this video has been passed along to a friend, however I now have a CoCo 3, so I'll be showing that at some point on my channel, so stay tuned.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

The 6809E can be replaced with the modern(ish) 6309E which is a drop in replacement.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

I've ordered a 6809E and like the CoCo SDC, I'll be showing it in a follow up video.

[@ChadDoebelin]

Here we go!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

LOL!

[@Tuxon86]

Yeah… the box and coco2 are dirty but the styrofoam was pristine white…

[@geekwithsocialskills]

The styrofoam was actually a little dirty but I wiped it down a tiny bit before hand off camera. As a side note this machine was passed along to a fellow KZbinr and will be featured in an upcoming video on their channel, so it would be great if you could give it a watch when it drops in the next few days. Here's the channel www.youtube.com/@8BitBoyzRetro

[@mydrunksibling]

Thanks for the mention. But be careful, CoCos are like crack! A helluva of drug.

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Not a problem. Thanks for the fun content. As for CoCos being like crack... crack is wack LOL. Are you saying CoCo computers are wack? :-p

[@sloopymalibu]

@@geekwithsocialskills Yes, I started using my only CoCo in Sept 2020, I now have 6 or 7 of them!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Unless I come across a good deal, trade or donation for a CoCo 3, this CoCo 2 and the "parts" CoCo 2 I have will be my only CoCo computers.

[@genjii931]

Can you upgrade the CPU to an Hitachi 6309, then go full upgrade to Nitros-9?

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Indeed I can upgrade to a Hitachi 6309 CPU and I've already got one on order along with some other goodies to be featured in my follow up to this video. Stay tuned!

[@JoesComputerMuseum]

COCO!

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Exactly!

[@winstonsmith478]

"Double Insulated"?

[@geekwithsocialskills]

Yeah I was wondering what that label meant too. No idea LOL. Maybe someone else will chime in on the comments and let us know...

[@geekwithsocialskills]

"Double or reinforced insulation is another method of protection against electric shock, consisting of an extra layer of supplementary insulation over the basic insulation, or a single layer of special reinforced insulation directly over the live parts." electrical.theiet.org/wiring-matters/years/2019/75-may-2019/mythbusters-4-double-insulated-cables/