--- title: Dick Smith VZ300 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - Hong Kong years: - '1985' cpus: - Zilog Z80 A params: name: VZ300 image: /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz300_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/dick-smith company_name: Dick Smith specs: - label: NAME value: VZ300 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Dick Smith - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: Hong Kong - label: YEAR value: '1985' - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: '1987' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Microsoft Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: QWERTY, 46 mechanical keys, Basic instructions and graphic symbols - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80 A - label: SPEED value: 3.54 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: 'Video chip : Motorola 6807' - label: RAM value: 16 kb (up to 64 kb) - label: VRAM value: 2 kb - label: ROM value: 16 kb - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 columns x 16 lines, 8 colors (Mode 0) - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 128 x 64 dots, 4 colors (Mode 1) - label: COLORS value: '8' - label: SOUND value: built-in piezzo loudspeaker 1 voice, 2.5 octaves, 9 note lengths - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 30,5 x 18,5 x 5,5 cm - label: I/O PORTS value: Tape-recorder (600 bauds), TV (RF modulator), Composite video, Memory expansion port, general expansion port - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: None - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External AC adaptor 10V DC 800 mA - label: PERIPHERALS value: 16 and 64 KB RAM plug-in modules, tape recorder, FDD unit - label: PRICE value: $99.00 AU Dollars (Australia, 1985) tabs: - photos - hardware - software - emulators - links - docs forum_thread: 954 photos: - title: LARGER VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz300_system_s2.jpg hardware: - 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: VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL url: null cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_getting-started_cover.jpg text: |- **VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL**\ written by Tim Hartnell/ Neville Predebon / Dick Smith  compiled/archived by Unknown\  type of document : PDF\  size : 325 KB\  source : [ManualZZ.com](https://manualzz.com/download/1086812) - 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) related: - /museum/dick-smith-vz200 - /museum/salora-fellow - /museum/texet-tx-8000 - /museum/video-technology-laser-200-210 - /museum/video-technology-laser-310 oc_id: 980 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608091718/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=980 date: '2023-06-08' --- Dick Smith released the VZ-300 (same model as the VTech [Laser 310](/museum/video-technology-laser-310/)) in 1985. It was basically a VZ-200 with 16K RAM (the VZ-200 had 8K RAM), a slightly updated BASIC ROM and a better standard keyboard. The 16K cartridge could be plugged into the VZ300, as well as a new 64K version, but it only gave a total of 34 KB. Only language machine programs could take advantage of the extra 32 KB thanks to the Z80 bank switching facility.