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2026-10-12 07:55:22 +02:00

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Markdown

---
title: Tandy Radio Shack TRS 80 MODEL 16
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1982'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80 A
params:
name: TRS 80 MODEL 16
company: /companies/tandy-radio-shack
company_name: Tandy Radio Shack
specs:
- label: NAME
value: TRS 80 MODEL 16
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Tandy Radio Shack
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1982'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: None
- label: KEYBOARD
value: full stroke keyboard
- label: CPU
value: Zilog Z80 A + Motorola MC 68000
- label: SPEED
value: 4 MHz (Z80) + 6 MHz (68000)
- label: RAM
value: 128 KB (up to 512 KB)
- label: ROM
value: Unknown
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 40 or 80 columns x 24 lines
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: Unknown
- label: COLORS
value: Monochrome
- label: SOUND
value: Unknown
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: Unknown
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Centronics, RS232 (2)
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: One or Two 8'' floppy disk drives
- label: OS
value: New DOS / Xenix
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in power supply unit
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: Memory cards up to 7 MB
- label: PRICE
value: Unknown
tabs:
- adverts
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
adverts:
- title: ADVERT
subtitle: ''
text: First advert from 'Byte' magazine
image: null
hardware:
- title: REMOTE UNIT ACTIVE
subtitle: Serial# 26-1210
text: |-
This rare unit is meant for teachers to control up to 16 TRS-80 Model 1 from a another TRS-80 equiped with min-disk. All the controled TRS-80 model 1 must be equiped with Level II.
It cost 2895fr (France, 1981)
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_remote-unit-active.jpg
- title: NETWORK II BOX
subtitle: p/n 26-1211
text: |-
This box allowed up to 16 TRS computer to be networked. Three network boxes were released by Tandy (I, II and III).\
The Network II required verbal communication between the server operator and the remote user, and data transfer had to be completed one user at a time.\
The network III allowed automated control of the network so that users could easily access programs and data stored on the server's storage device.
Thanks to **David Sutherland** for the pictures.
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_network2_s1.jpg
- title: DMP-200
subtitle: ''
text: 80-column, 100 cps dot matrix printer.
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_model3_dmp200_s1.jpg
- title: DAISY WHEEL PRINTER II
subtitle: Serial# 26-1158
text: |-
This is a high-quality printer meant to be used with wordprocessors. Some interchangeable daisy-wheels were available (Courrier, Elite, Madeleine). It could print 163 characters per line (34cm), at a 43 cps rate.
It cost 9595fr (France, 1981)
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_daisy-wheel-printer-2_1.jpg
- title: LINE PRINTER I
subtitle: Ref# 26-7017
text: |-
This printer was a custom version of the Oki Microline 80.\
Printed lower and upper case on paper rolls or listing paper (24cm wide) from 40 to 80 columns/line, at a speed rate of 28 lines/minute.
It cost 716 Euros in 1981 (France).
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_model1_lineprinter1_s1.jpg
- title: LINE PRINTER III
subtitle: Serial# 26-1156
text: This printer can print lower and upper case, at a speed rate of 120 c/s, on paper up to 38cm wide. It is conceived for intensive use ! It cost 9950fr in 1981 (France).
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_line-printer-3_1.jpg
- title: LINE PRINTER VI
subtitle: Serial# 26-1166
text: |-
This large printer can print lower and upper case, graphic characters and symbols at a speed rate of 100 c/s ! This is definately a professional printer.
It cost 5495fr in 1981 (France).
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80-m1_line-printer-6_1.jpg
- title: TP-10 THERMAL PRINTER
subtitle: Box
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_trs80_tp-10_thermal-printer_box.jpg
- title: EXATRON
subtitle: Stringy Floppy drive
text: |-
The Exatron Stringy Floppy (ESF) was a low-cost data—storage system that fitted the gap, between cassettes and disk drives.\
The system was based on a miniature endless—loop tape cartridge called a "wafer".\
The amount of data that could be recorded on a wafer depended on the length of tape in it, typically, a 50—foot wafer could hold at least 40 KB of programs or data.
**Matt** reports to us:\
A curiousity about the model 1, CPU SPEED had a direct relatonship with STORAGE CAPACITY. if you doubled the clock speed of your MODEL 1 CPU you doubled the amount of data you could store on your stringy floppies. this is a feat that no other computer no matter how many ghz you have in your PC can do today without using compression.
Thanks to **David Sutherland** for the pictures
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_model3_exatronwafer_s1.jpg
screenshots:
- title: XENIX BOOTSTRAP SCREENSHOT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
emulators:
- title: David Keil's TRS-80 Model III/4/4P Emulator Page
url: http://discover-net.net/~dmkeil/trs80/model4.htm
platform: MS DOS
text: This program emulates a complete TRS-80
- title: Matthew Reed's TRS-80 Emulator Web Site
url: http://www.arrowweb.com/mkr/
platform: MS DOS
text: This page offers shareware versions of a TRS-80 Model 4 emulator and a TRS-80 Model 1-2 emulator
- title: TRS-80 Model III/4 Emulator
url: http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/trs80.html#model4
platform: MS DOS
text: This TRS-80 Model III/4 Emulator is a commercial product
- title: 'xtrs: TRS-80 Model I/III/4 Emulator for Unix'
url: http://www.tim-mann.org/xtrs.html
platform: Unix / Linux
text: xtrs is a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I/III/4/4P emulator for Unix and the X Window System
- title: TRS-80 Level I BASIC in a browser
url: http://www.vavasour.ca/jeff/trs80.html#simulator
platform: Other platform
text: With this Java emulator, you'll be able to write a BASIC program directly in your browser!
- title: Ira Goldklang's TRS-80 Revived Pages
url: http://www.trs-80.com/trs80-e.htm
platform: Multiplatform
text: A complete list of TRS-80 emulators for various platforms !
- title: MESS
url: http://www.mess.org
platform: Multiplatform
text: MESS emulator also emulates a TRS-80 systems
links:
- title: 8bit-micro.com - Online TRS-80 Computer Magazine
url: HTTP://WWW.8BIT-MICRO.COM
text: Online Magazine dedicated to the TRS-80 and other Vintage - Monthly Issues
- title: David's TRS-80 Page
url: http://freespace.virgin.net/david.sampson/
text: ''
- title: Ira Goldklang's TRS-80 Revived Pages
url: http://www.trs-80.com/
text: Lof of infos about all TRS-80 computers
- title: Java TRS-80 Model 1 BASIC Interpreter
url: http://ganley.org/software/trs80.html
text: ''
- title: Mike's Personal Computer Museum
url: http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mclays/trsmod1.html
text: Level 1 & 2 Basic summaries, Tandy time-lines, price-list, etc ... !
- title: RadioShackCatalogs.com
url: http://www.RadioShackCatalogs.com
text: Here, you can actually/virtually flip-through the pages to view the content of every RadioShack catalog!
- title: The TRS-80 Home Page
url: http://www.kjsl.com/trs80
text: Full of infos
- title: Tim Mann's TRS-80 Page
url: http://www.tim-mann.org/trs80.html
text: Infos, tools and home of xtrs, a Model I/III/4 emulator for Unix
- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
text: Discussion about Tandy computers
comments:
- author: Ray MacDonald (Canada)
date: Saturday 16th July 2016
text: Sadly missing a lot of info here. The Model 16b/6000 running the Motorola 68000 and Xenix became a large population of the Usenet network (BBS-like global chat/messaging environment based on UNIX UUCP). I developed my career on the 6000 doing UNIX (Xenix) multi-user environments running up to 15 dumb terminals from 1 unit. Installed into many companies with the Profile/filePro16 database system and Realworld accounting systems. Specifically the 6000 was very capable and used frequently as a Mini killer. We knocked many a Mini computer out of transport/shipping companies with these. As an example would install one 6000 running core accounting with 10+ terminals, and a second unit running another 5 to 10 terminals running the custom shipping applications. Very effective and had longevity. Took me to HPUx on HP9000 then Symetrics sac parallel computing and onwards...
- author: Chuck Rose (Vermont, USA)
date: Friday 26th December 2014
text: |-
Dav is correct, the original Model 16 had the single full height 8" floppy drive like the Model II, not the two slimline drives shown here. However, the drive on the model 16 had 1.25 MB capacity as opposed to the Model II''s 500k capacity.
I worked on one of these briefly in Model II mode using COBOL language software to write a VHS tape inventory program. But, alas, the owner of the store (also a Radio Shack store) decided he''d rather have the system put on a Model III instead so he could sell it to other video renting businesses in the area. I did get to play with the COBOL compiler quite a bit though.
- author: computer geek
date: Friday 27th September 2013
text: |-
I loved this machine! Never had one, though - still in college no money.
In 2004 someone posted a query on how to get out their data - the best way with incompatible machines is over RS232 - the only common interface among almost all machines.
Write a program to dump $ read hex (with checksum if so inclined) on both systems, start transferring.
Did this so many times in the 1980''s and 1990''s working with industrial applications..
- author: Dav (USA)
date: Wednesday 12th December 2012
text: The picture displayed and the specs are for the TRS-80 Model 16b/Tandy 6000. The original Model 16 was a smaller cabinet based on the original Model II.
- author: Roberto Espinoza (Peru)
date: Tuesday 3rd May 2011
text: Model 16 was the most wonderfull design and perfomance ever conceived. It$s history is not very well kown. Model II was designed and manufactured waiting for the market right timing for multiuser, multitaskink features. The Unix version for it was Xenix it$s development started in 1978 which gave bill Gates the basis for the MS-DOS that sold to IBM without having it. The trial between them proves this.
- author: Chester Kwitowski (Tampa, FL)
date: Saturday 16th October 2004
text: I think the TRS-80 Model 16 is the best computer ever developed. The problem I have recently is that mine is failing and I was wondering if anyone out there knows how I can get my valuable data from my Model 16 to the current PC technology. Please respond to chet@bright-side.net. Thanks.
related:
- /museum/radionic-model-r1001
- /museum/sysdata-eletronica-jr
- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-12
- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-4
- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-4p
- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-i
- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-ii
- /museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-iii
oc_id: 242
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608082414/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=242
date: '2023-06-08'
---
The Model 16 was the same as a [Model 12](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-12/) with the 68000 add-on. It was launched a few time after the [Tandy TRS 80 model IV](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-4/). The Z80 processor was used for I/O. Up to four hard disks could be connected (8.4 mb each). It was compatible with the [Tandy TRS 80 model II](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-ii/) thanks to the Z80 and could run the Model II operating system.
This 68000 chip set and associated memory were much more than a speed improvement. It created a multi-user Unix-based system (actually Xenix, which was just a scaled down Unix). Interestingly, Xenix was developed in part by Microsoft, it was probably the basis upon which some Unix-like functionalities were added to MS-DOS 2.0, like sub-directories, pipes and re-direction.
The 16/6000 had a maximum memory capacity of 768K, and up to 9 serial ports for external terminals. These limits were partly just physical, due to limited card slot space. The 3-port serial cards had jumpers that would have allowed quite a few of them given an external card cage (never produced).
The 768K memory limit was later bumped to 1 MB when 64K memory chips became available. The original machine used a memory card of 256KB populated with 16K chips, and cables were available to support up to three cards. With 64K chips only one card was needed to give 1 MB of memory. Operating system limitations prevented using multiple 1 M cards to expand further in user memory space, but it was possible with software to utilize up to an additional 7 MB of memory as the system "swapper" which, given only 1 MB of user space, was almost always a source of performance loss if handled by the hard drive.
Thanks to **Mark Brumlik** for the main part of information.