yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
b274874139
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
342 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
342 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Dick Smith VZ300
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Home Computer
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origins:
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- Hong Kong
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years:
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- '1985'
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cpus:
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- Zilog Z80 A
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params:
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name: VZ300
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image: /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz300_system_s1.jpg
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company: /companies/dick-smith
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company_name: Dick Smith
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: VZ300
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Dick Smith
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- label: TYPE
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value: Home Computer
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: Hong Kong
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- label: YEAR
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value: '1985'
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- label: END OF PRODUCTION
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value: '1987'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: Microsoft Basic
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: QWERTY, 46 mechanical keys, Basic instructions and graphic symbols
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- label: CPU
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value: Zilog Z80 A
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- label: SPEED
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value: 3.54 MHz
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- label: CO-PROCESSOR
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value: 'Video chip : Motorola 6807'
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- label: RAM
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value: 16 kb (up to 64 kb)
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- label: VRAM
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value: 2 kb
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- label: ROM
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value: 16 kb
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 32 columns x 16 lines, 8 colors (Mode 0)
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: 128 x 64 dots, 4 colors (Mode 1)
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- label: COLORS
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value: '8'
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- label: SOUND
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value: built-in piezzo loudspeaker 1 voice, 2.5 octaves, 9 note lengths
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 30,5 x 18,5 x 5,5 cm
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: Tape-recorder (600 bauds), TV (RF modulator), Composite video, Memory expansion port, general expansion port
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: None
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: External AC adaptor 10V DC 800 mA
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- label: PERIPHERALS
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value: 16 and 64 KB RAM plug-in modules, tape recorder, FDD unit
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- label: PRICE
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value: $99.00 AU Dollars (Australia, 1985)
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tabs:
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- photos
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- hardware
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- software
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- emulators
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- links
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- docs
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forum_thread: 954
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photos:
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- title: LARGER VIEW
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz300_system_s2.jpg
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hardware:
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- title: LASER 16K RAM EXPANSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: This thing fits in the memory expansion port and adds 16k RAM. It cost 590fr in 1984.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtehc_laser200_16k_cart.jpg
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- title: LASER LIGHT PEN
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subtitle: ''
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text: Cool little light pen... But the only software using it was the on demo tape sold with it !
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_lpen.jpg
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- title: LASER JOYSTICK
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subtitle: ''
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text: Nice shape. Two joysticks and their interface cost 320fr in 1984.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_jstck.jpg
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- title: DR-10 / DR-20
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subtitle: Tape-recorder
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text: |-
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A originally designed tape-recorder available for the whole Laser family.\
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It cost 590fr in 1984..
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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...
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr10.jpg
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- title: DR-30
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subtitle: Tape-Recorder
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text: |-
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Another cool tape-recorder for the Laser serie.\
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This one was also found for many other computers of that time.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr30.jpg
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- title: DD-20
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subtitle: 5''1/4 Disk-drive
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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.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20.jpg
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- title: DD-20
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subtitle: The inside
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20_2.jpg
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- title: PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE
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subtitle: ''
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text: This enables the Laser computers to use ''parallel'' printers.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/vtech_vz300_printer-interface.jpg
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screenshots:
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- title: CIRCUS
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_circus.png
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- title: CRASH
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_crash.png
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- title: DAWN PATROL
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dawn.png
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- title: DEFENCE PENETRATOR
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_defpen.png
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- title: DIGOUT
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_digout.png
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- title: DRACULA'S CASTLE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dracula.gif
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- title: DUEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_duel2.png
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- title: GALAXON
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_galaxon.png
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- title: GHOST HUNTER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ghosth.gif
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- title: HAMBURGER SAM
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hamsam.png
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- title: HOPPY
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hoppy.gif
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- title: INVADERS
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_invaders.png
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- title: KAMIKAZE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_kamikaze.png
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- title: LADDER CHALLENGE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ladder.png
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- title: LUNAR LANDER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_llander.png
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- title: MISSILE ATTACK
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_missile.png
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- title: PENGUIN
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_penguin.png
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- title: SPACE RAM
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_spaceram.png
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- title: STAR BLASTER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_starblst.png
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- title: VZ PANIK
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_vzpanik.png
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emulators:
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- title: VZEM
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url: http://www.powerup.com.au/~intertek/VZ200/vz.htm
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platform: MS DOS
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text: The emulator is written in Borland C++. It emulates a VZ200/300 with 34k RAM
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- title: Emulator2001
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url: http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/
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platform: Windows
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text: The VZ-200 has been added to this multi-emulator
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- title: James's VZ 200 emulator
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url: http://www.geocities.com/EMUCOMPBOY/
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platform: Windows
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text: Emulator for the NTSC version of this computer
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- title: WinVZ
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url: http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/emulators/
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platform: Windows
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text: Play your VZ games in Windows
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- title: MESS Project
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url: http://www.mess.org/
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platform: Multiplatform
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text: Emulates a lot of systems for all platforms.
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links:
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- title: Planet VZ
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url: http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/laser/184/
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text: Useful infos here...
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- title: Steve75 Laser 310 page
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url: http://utenti.lycos.it/STEVE75/laser.html
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text: Pictures, info, games, emulators and online manual.
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- title: The VZ200
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url: http://vz200.tripod.com/
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text: Growing website aimed at the new modern user.
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- title: Tricky's VZ200 page
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url: http://www.trickynz.com/VZ200.html
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text: Photos and downloadable docs
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- title: Video Technology official site
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url: http://www.vtech.com
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text: Nothing remains about the old computers...
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- title: VZ Alive
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url: http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/
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text: Excellent site dedicated to the VZ computers
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- title: VZ Online
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url: http://www.vz200-online.de.vu/
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text: a German VZ 200 homepage
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- title: VZ-200/VZ-300
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url: http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/6771/vz/
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text: Lots of information and links about the Dick Smith VZ series.
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- title: Yahoo Discussion Group - The VZ Color computer mailing list
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url: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/vzemu/
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text: Quite active discussion group
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docs:
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- title: VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL
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url: null
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_getting-started_cover.jpg
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text: |-
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**VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL**\
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written by Tim Hartnell/ Neville Predebon / Dick Smith
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compiled/archived by Unknown\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 325 KB\
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source : [ManualZZ.com](https://manualzz.com/download/1086812)
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- title: DICK-SMITH VZ200 USER MANUAL
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url: https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5639672
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_user-manual.jpg
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text: |-
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[**DICK-SMITH VZ200 USER MANUAL**](https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5639672)written by Video Technology
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compiled/archived by Archive.org\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Achive.org](https://archive.org)
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- title: VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL
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url: https://archive.org/details/VZ200-technical-reference-manual
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_technical-ref-manual_cover.jpg
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text: |-
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[**VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](https://archive.org/details/VZ200-technical-reference-manual)written by Jamieson Rowe / Dick Smith
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compiled/archived by Archive.org\
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type of document : Online reader\
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source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
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- title: VZ-200 FIRST BOOK OF PROGRAMS
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url: https://archive.org/details/vz-200-first-book-of-programs
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_first-book-of-programs.jpg
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text: |-
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[**VZ-200 FIRST BOOK OF PROGRAMS**](https://archive.org/details/vz-200-first-book-of-programs)written by Dick Smith
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compiled/archived by Archive.org\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
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- title: VZ-200 SECOND BOOK OF GAMES
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url: https://archive.org/details/VZ200-second-book-of-games
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_second-book-of-games.jpg
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text: |-
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[**VZ-200 SECOND BOOK OF GAMES**](https://archive.org/details/VZ200-second-book-of-games)written by Dick Smith
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compiled/archived by Archive.org\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
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- title: VZ-200 FURTHER PROGRAMMING
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url: https://archive.org/details/vz200fp
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_further-programming.jpg
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text: |-
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[**VZ-200 FURTHER PROGRAMMING**](https://archive.org/details/vz200fp)written by Dick Smith / Tim Hartnell
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compiled/archived by Archive.org\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Archive.org](https://archive.org/)
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- title: VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS
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url: http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200-300_assembly-language-manual%5B1%5D.jpg
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text: |-
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[**VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS**](http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html)written by Steve Olney
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compiled/archived by The VZ200\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 6 MB\
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source : Old-Computers.com
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- title: USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING
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url: null
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_useful-lm-subroutines.jpg
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text: |-
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**USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING**\
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written by Unknown
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compiled/archived by The VZ200\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 110 Ko\
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source : [The VZ200](http://vz200.tripod.com)
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related:
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- /museum/dick-smith-vz200
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- /museum/salora-fellow
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- /museum/texet-tx-8000
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- /museum/video-technology-laser-200-210
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- /museum/video-technology-laser-310
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oc_id: 980
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608091718/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=980
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date: '2023-06-08'
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---
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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.
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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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