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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
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---
title: Video Technology LASER 200 / 210
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Hong Kong
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80 A
params:
name: LASER 200 / 210
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser200_2.jpg
logo: /media/museum/logos/vtech_laser200_logo.gif
company: /companies/video-technology
company_name: Video Technology
specs:
- label: NAME
value: LASER 200 / 210
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Video Technology
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: Hong Kong
- label: YEAR
value: November 1983
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: '1985'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: Microsoft Basic
- label: KEYBOARD
value: |-
QWERTY, 45 rubber keys\
Basic instructions and graphic symbols
- label: CPU
value: Zilog Z80 A
- label: SPEED
value: 3.58 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: Motorola 6847 (video processor)
- label: RAM
value: |-
2 KB (Laser 200) / 6 KB (Laser 210/ VZ 200 / Salora Fellow)\
Up to 64 KB with memory addons
- label: VRAM
value: 2 KB
- label: ROM
value: 16 KB
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 32 x 16, 8 colors (Mode 0)
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 128 x 64, 4 colors (Mode 1)
- label: COLORS
value: '8'
- label: SOUND
value: 1 voice, 3 octaves
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 29 x 17 x 4 cm / 800 gr
- label: I/O PORTS
value: |-
Tape-recorder (600 bauds)\
RF video out\
Composite video out (DIN)\
Memory upgrade port\
Expansion port
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: 10-12v, 800ma
- label: PRICE
value: |-
$99 USD\
196 (France, december 84)
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
- docs
photos:
- title: DICK SMITH VZ-200
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Same case as the Laser 200, but with more memory (8k).
[Thanks to S. Walgenbach for the picture](http://www.homecomputer.de)
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_vz200_1.jpg
- title: THE LASER 210
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Same case as the Salora Fellow, different from the Laser 200.
[Thanks to S. Walgenbach for the picture](http://www.homecomputer.de)
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser210.jpg
- title: THE SALORA FELLOW
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Different case from the Laser 200, but the same one as the Laser 210.
[Thanks to S. Walgenbach for the picture](http://www.homecomputer.de)
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_salora_fellow.jpg
- title: THE LASER 200
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser200.jpg
- title: REAR OF THE LASER 200
subtitle: ''
text: |-
From left to right:
Power supply | Tape-recorder | Monitor | Memory expansion port | Peripheral port | Video output
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser200_back.jpg
- title: INSIDE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
A poor quality manufacturing
Thanks to **www.zonadepruebas.com**
image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser200_inside_1.jpg
adverts:
- title: FRENCH ADVERT (SEPT. 83)
subtitle: ''
text: '"The incredible Secam color micro-computer !"'
image: /media/museum/pubs/vtech_laser200_fr-pub_2.jpg
- title: FRENCH ADVERT (JULY 84)
subtitle: ''
text: '''''The Laser 200, a Secam color micro-computer really very suprising'''''
image: /media/museum/pubs/vtech_laser200_pub_couleur-secam.jpg
hardware:
- title: SOME EXTENSIONS
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_complete.jpg
- title: LASER 16K RAM EXPANSION
subtitle: ''
text: This thing fits in the memory expansion port and adds 16k RAM. It cost 590fr in 1984.
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtehc_laser200_16k_cart.jpg
- title: LASER LIGHT PEN
subtitle: ''
text: Cool little light pen... But the only software using it was the on demo tape sold with it !
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_lpen.jpg
- title: LASER JOYSTICK
subtitle: ''
text: Nice shape. Two joysticks and their interface cost 320fr in 1984.
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_jstck.jpg
- title: DR-10 / DR-20
subtitle: Tape-recorder
text: |-
A originally designed tape-recorder available for the whole Laser family.\
It cost 590fr in 1984..
The DR-10 and DR-20 tape-recorders seem identicals in all points. Apparently, the DR-20 was sold for Dick Smith models, and the DR-10 for Laser machines...
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr10.jpg
- title: DR-30
subtitle: Tape-Recorder
text: |-
Another cool tape-recorder for the Laser serie.\
This one was also found for many other computers of that time.
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr30.jpg
- title: DD-20
subtitle: 5''1/4 Disk-drive
text: A small 5"1/4 floppy disk drive for the Laser computers. But its capacity is a bit short with only 78k per formated disk. One disk drive and its controller cost 2380fr in 1984.
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20.jpg
- title: DD-20
subtitle: The inside
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20_2.jpg
- title: PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE
subtitle: ''
text: This enables the Laser computers to use ''parallel'' printers.
image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_vz300_printer-interface.jpg
screenshots:
- title: CIRCUS
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_circus.png
- title: CRASH
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_crash.png
- title: DAWN PATROL
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dawn.png
- title: DEFENCE PENETRATOR
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_defpen.png
- title: DIGOUT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_digout.png
- title: DRACULA'S CASTLE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dracula.gif
- title: DUEL
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_duel2.png
- title: GALAXON
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_galaxon.png
- title: GHOST HUNTER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ghosth.gif
- title: HAMBURGER SAM
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hamsam.png
- title: HOPPY
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hoppy.gif
- title: INVADERS
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_invaders.png
- title: KAMIKAZE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_kamikaze.png
- title: LADDER CHALLENGE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ladder.png
- title: LUNAR LANDER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_llander.png
- title: MISSILE ATTACK
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_missile.png
- title: PENGUIN
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_penguin.png
- title: SPACE RAM
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_spaceram.png
- title: STAR BLASTER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_starblst.png
- title: VZ PANIK
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_vzpanik.png
emulators:
- title: VZEM
url: http://www.powerup.com.au/~intertek/VZ200/vz.htm
platform: MS DOS
text: The emulator is written in Borland C++. It emulates a VZ200/300 with 34k RAM
- title: Emulator2001
url: http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/
platform: Windows
text: The VZ-200 has been added to this multi-emulator
- title: James's VZ 200 emulator
url: http://www.geocities.com/EMUCOMPBOY/
platform: Windows
text: Emulator for the NTSC version of this computer
- title: WinVZ
url: http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/emulators/
platform: Windows
text: Play your VZ games in Windows
- title: MESS Project
url: http://www.mess.org/
platform: Multiplatform
text: Emulates a lot of systems for all platforms.
links:
- title: Planet VZ
url: http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/laser/184/
text: Useful infos here...
- title: Steve75 Laser 310 page
url: http://utenti.lycos.it/STEVE75/laser.html
text: Pictures, info, games, emulators and online manual.
- title: The VZ200
url: http://vz200.tripod.com/
text: Growing website aimed at the new modern user.
- title: Tricky's VZ200 page
url: http://www.trickynz.com/VZ200.html
text: Photos and downloadable docs
- title: Video Technology official site
url: http://www.vtech.com
text: Nothing remains about the old computers...
- title: VZ Alive
url: http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/
text: Excellent site dedicated to the VZ computers
- title: VZ Online
url: http://www.vz200-online.de.vu/
text: a German VZ 200 homepage
- title: VZ-200/VZ-300
url: http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/6771/vz/
text: Lots of information and links about the Dick Smith VZ series.
- title: Yahoo Discussion Group - The VZ Color computer mailing list
url: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/vzemu/
text: Quite active discussion group
docs:
- title: DICK-SMITH VZ200 USER MANUAL
url: https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5639672
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_user-manual.jpg
text: |-
[**DICK-SMITH VZ200 USER MANUAL**](https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5639672)written by Video Technology
 compiled/archived by Archive.org\
 type of document : PDF\
 source : [Achive.org](https://archive.org)
- title: VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL
url: https://archive.org/details/VZ200-technical-reference-manual
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_technical-ref-manual_cover.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](https://archive.org/details/VZ200-technical-reference-manual)written by Jamieson Rowe / Dick Smith
 compiled/archived by Archive.org\
 type of document : Online reader\
 source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
- title: VZ-200 FIRST BOOK OF PROGRAMS
url: https://archive.org/details/vz-200-first-book-of-programs
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_first-book-of-programs.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ-200 FIRST BOOK OF PROGRAMS**](https://archive.org/details/vz-200-first-book-of-programs)written by Dick Smith
 compiled/archived by Archive.org\
 type of document : PDF\
 source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
- title: VZ-200 SECOND BOOK OF GAMES
url: https://archive.org/details/VZ200-second-book-of-games
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_second-book-of-games.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ-200 SECOND BOOK OF GAMES**](https://archive.org/details/VZ200-second-book-of-games)written by Dick Smith
 compiled/archived by Archive.org\
 type of document : PDF\
 source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
- title: VZ-200 FURTHER PROGRAMMING
url: https://archive.org/details/vz200fp
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_further-programming.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ-200 FURTHER PROGRAMMING**](https://archive.org/details/vz200fp)written by Dick Smith / Tim Hartnell
 compiled/archived by Archive.org\
 type of document : PDF\
 source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
- title: VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS
url: http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200-300_assembly-language-manual%5B1%5D.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS**](http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html)written by Steve Olney
 compiled/archived by The VZ200\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 6 MB\
 source : Old-Computers.com
- title: USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING
url: null
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_useful-lm-subroutines.jpg
text: |-
**USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING**\
written by Unknown
 compiled/archived by The VZ200\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 110 Ko\
 source : [The VZ200](http://vz200.tripod.com)
comments:
- author: Cynde (Australia)
date: Wednesday 23rd March 2022
text: Dianne, if you are interested in selling, I am looking to purchase a Vtech Laser 200.
- author: Dianne (Geelong, Australia)
date: Saturday 19th March 2022
text: We are currently cleaning up an Estate and have found a Laser 200 in it''s box with (premium condition), including the User Manual and demonstration tape still with it, although there is no power chord / transformer. We still have to decide what we should do with it.
- author: Gavin (New Zealand )
date: Sunday 28th August 2016
text: 'My first computer, I wrote an emulator for the VZ200 here: http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/'
- author: Frank
date: Thursday 16th June 2016
text: The price for the computer 1984 in France was not 196 €. The Euro was implemented end of the millennium. The currency in France was franc in 1984.
- author: Krisztian (Hungary)
date: Sunday 17th April 2016
text: |-
TO: "Saturday 19th October 2013 Frank (Germany)"\
One is available here for some more days: http://szamitastechnika.vatera.hu/pc_asztali_szamitogep/retro_szamitogep_kiegeszito/egyeb/laser_color_computer_210_2236200248.html
- author: Martin (Hunsrueck / Germany)
date: Monday 28th July 2014
text: |-
Yessss!\
I just found one on eBay! And I won the auction!!
Fantastic!
- author: Frank (Germany)
date: Saturday 19th October 2013
text: |-
Iam looking for my old Laser210, it was my first computer 1984. If somebody knows where i can found them, please let me know. Also Lightpen or printer interface are interesting for me.\
Frank
- author: Miroslav Werner (Czech Republic)
date: Wednesday 13rd March 2013
text: Mine is brander VZ 200 colour computer, I think its the same stuff.
- author: Miroslav Werner (Czech Republic)
date: Wednesday 13rd March 2013
text: I have one for sale. Or better, trade for brands I am more interested to (Sinclair, Amstrad, Amiga).
- author: Erik (France)
date: Monday 7th January 2013
text: |-
I buy one because my shop was ZX81 out of stock and I have my all first programmer''s emotions with this machine.
Because of this machine I spent 20 years of my life in the Video Games industry as programmer. The best years of my professionnal life ever..
- author: Jeremy (Australia)
date: Monday 16th January 2012
text: I still remember the different memory addresses, such as using "POKE 30744,1" to invert the colours in text mode.
- author: Wildrose (Greece)
date: Wednesday 31st August 2005
text: |-
This machine was my very first 'computer' in age of 13!! I plug it to my B/W TV and i just look at the screen for 2 Hours...\
That was my very first step in to computers world!!\
Now i'm a Network Engineer/Cisco Expert in a big ISP.
- author: Erich Kitzmüller (Earth)
date: Monday 26th May 2003
text: The keyboard of the Laser 210 was surprisingly good, better than on the Sinclair Spectrum. The largest problem was the lack of Software, there was next to nothing available on the market. In Text mode, only special block characters could be colored (8 colors), text was eighter white-on-green or white-on-amber. In graphic mode, every pixel could have (independently) on of four colors; there were two colorsets, Red-Green-Blue-White and Magenty-Cyan-Yellow-White.
related:
- /museum/dick-smith-vz200
- /museum/dick-smith-vz300
- /museum/salora-fellow
- /museum/texet-tx-8000
- /museum/video-technology-laser-310
oc_id: 155
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608152429/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=155
date: '2023-06-08'
---
The Laser 200 / 210 was sold worldwide under different brands (Dick Smith, Texet, Salora, etc...). Maybe the most popular of these "foreign models" was the VZ-200 sold by Dick Smith Electronics.
The Laser 200 is the successor of the poor [Laser 110](/museum/video-technology-laser-100-110/) and was followed by the Laser [310](/museum/video-technology-laser-310/).
It was a good choice if you wanted to buy a cheap computer for initiation.
<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>