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yann64andClaude Opus 5.5 b274874139 All machines linked to their forum thread (full comment import) 
1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
2026-10-13 17:26:43 +02:00

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title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params
title categories types origins years cpus params
Dick Smith VZ300
Computers
Home Computer
Hong Kong
1985
Zilog Z80 A
name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos hardware screenshots emulators links docs related oc_id source
VZ300 /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz300_system_s1.jpg /companies/dick-smith Dick Smith
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NAME VZ300
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MANUFACTURER Dick Smith
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TYPE Home Computer
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ORIGIN Hong Kong
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YEAR 1985
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END OF PRODUCTION 1987
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BUILT IN LANGUAGE Microsoft Basic
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KEYBOARD QWERTY, 46 mechanical keys, Basic instructions and graphic symbols
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CPU Zilog Z80 A
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SPEED 3.54 MHz
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CO-PROCESSOR Video chip : Motorola 6807
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RAM 16 kb (up to 64 kb)
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VRAM 2 kb
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ROM 16 kb
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TEXT MODES 32 columns x 16 lines, 8 colors (Mode 0)
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GRAPHIC MODES 128 x 64 dots, 4 colors (Mode 1)
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COLORS 8
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SOUND built-in piezzo loudspeaker 1 voice, 2.5 octaves, 9 note lengths
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SIZE / WEIGHT 30,5 x 18,5 x 5,5 cm
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I/O PORTS Tape-recorder (600 bauds), TV (RF modulator), Composite video, Memory expansion port, general expansion port
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BUILT IN MEDIA None
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POWER SUPPLY External AC adaptor 10V DC 800 mA
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PERIPHERALS 16 and 64 KB RAM plug-in modules, tape recorder, FDD unit
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PRICE $99.00 AU Dollars (Australia, 1985)
photos
hardware
software
emulators
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docs
954
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LARGER VIEW /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz300_system_s2.jpg
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LASER 16K RAM EXPANSION This thing fits in the memory expansion port and adds 16k RAM. It cost 590fr in 1984. /media/museum/hardware/vtehc_laser200_16k_cart.jpg
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LASER LIGHT PEN Cool little light pen... But the only software using it was the on demo tape sold with it ! /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_lpen.jpg
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LASER JOYSTICK Nice shape. Two joysticks and their interface cost 320fr in 1984. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_jstck.jpg
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DR-10 / DR-20 Tape-recorder 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... /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr10.jpg
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DR-30 Tape-Recorder Another cool tape-recorder for the Laser serie.\ This one was also found for many other computers of that time. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr30.jpg
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DD-20 5''1/4 Disk-drive 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. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20.jpg
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DD-20 The inside /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20_2.jpg
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PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE This enables the Laser computers to use ''parallel'' printers. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_vz300_printer-interface.jpg
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CIRCUS /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_circus.png
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CRASH /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_crash.png
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DAWN PATROL /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dawn.png
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DEFENCE PENETRATOR /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_defpen.png
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DIGOUT /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_digout.png
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DRACULA'S CASTLE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dracula.gif
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DUEL /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_duel2.png
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GALAXON /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_galaxon.png
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GHOST HUNTER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ghosth.gif
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HAMBURGER SAM /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hamsam.png
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HOPPY /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hoppy.gif
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INVADERS /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_invaders.png
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KAMIKAZE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_kamikaze.png
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LADDER CHALLENGE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ladder.png
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LUNAR LANDER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_llander.png
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MISSILE ATTACK /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_missile.png
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PENGUIN /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_penguin.png
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SPACE RAM /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_spaceram.png
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STAR BLASTER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_starblst.png
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VZ PANIK /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_vzpanik.png
title url platform text
VZEM http://www.powerup.com.au/~intertek/VZ200/vz.htm MS DOS The emulator is written in Borland C++. It emulates a VZ200/300 with 34k RAM
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Emulator2001 http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/ Windows The VZ-200 has been added to this multi-emulator
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James's VZ 200 emulator http://www.geocities.com/EMUCOMPBOY/ Windows Emulator for the NTSC version of this computer
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WinVZ http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/emulators/ Windows Play your VZ games in Windows
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MESS Project http://www.mess.org/ Multiplatform Emulates a lot of systems for all platforms.
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Planet VZ http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/laser/184/ Useful infos here...
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Steve75 Laser 310 page http://utenti.lycos.it/STEVE75/laser.html Pictures, info, games, emulators and online manual.
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The VZ200 http://vz200.tripod.com/ Growing website aimed at the new modern user.
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Tricky's VZ200 page http://www.trickynz.com/VZ200.html Photos and downloadable docs
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Video Technology official site http://www.vtech.com Nothing remains about the old computers...
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VZ Alive http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/ Excellent site dedicated to the VZ computers
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VZ Online http://www.vz200-online.de.vu/ a German VZ 200 homepage
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VZ-200/VZ-300 http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/6771/vz/ Lots of information and links about the Dick Smith VZ series.
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Yahoo Discussion Group - The VZ Color computer mailing list http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/vzemu/ Quite active discussion group
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VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL null /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_getting-started_cover.jpg **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)
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DICK-SMITH VZ200 USER MANUAL https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5639672 /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_user-manual.jpg [**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)
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VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL https://archive.org/details/VZ200-technical-reference-manual /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_technical-ref-manual_cover.jpg [**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/)
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VZ-200 FIRST BOOK OF PROGRAMS https://archive.org/details/vz-200-first-book-of-programs /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_first-book-of-programs.jpg [**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/)
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VZ-200 SECOND BOOK OF GAMES https://archive.org/details/VZ200-second-book-of-games /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_second-book-of-games.jpg [**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/)
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VZ-200 FURTHER PROGRAMMING https://archive.org/details/vz200fp /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_further-programming.jpg [**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/)
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VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200-300_assembly-language-manual%5B1%5D.jpg [**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
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USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING null /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_useful-lm-subroutines.jpg **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)
/museum/dick-smith-vz200
/museum/salora-fellow
/museum/texet-tx-8000
/museum/video-technology-laser-200-210
/museum/video-technology-laser-310
980
url date
https://web.archive.org/web/20230608091718/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=980 2023-06-08

Dick Smith released the VZ-300 (same model as the VTech 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.

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