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---
title: Video Technology LASER 310
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Hong Kong
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80 A
params:
name: LASER 310
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser310_side_s.jpg
logo: /media/museum/logos/vtech_laser310_logo.gif
company: /companies/video-technology
company_name: Video Technology
specs:
- label: NAME
value: LASER 310
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Video Technology
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: Hong Kong
- label: YEAR
value: '1984'
- 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 x 16, 8 colors (Mode 0)
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 128 x 64, 4 colors (Mode 1)
- label: COLORS
value: '8'
- label: SOUND
value: Beeper, 1 voice, 3 octaves
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 30,5 x 18,5 x 5,5 cm / 800g ?
- label: I/O PORTS
value: |-
Tape-recorder (600 bauds)\
RF tv out\
Composite video out\
Memory expansion port\
Expansion port
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: 10-12V 800MA dc
- label: PRICE
value: 257 (France, february 85)
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
- docs
photos:
- title: THE LASER 310
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser310_side.jpg
- title: SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser310_side2.jpg
- title: FRONT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser310_face.jpg
- title: REAR
subtitle: ''
text: |-
From left to right:
Power supply | Tape-recorder | Monitor | Memory expansion port | Peripheral port | TV output
image: /media/museum/photos/vtech_laser310_rear.jpg
- title: THE DICK SMITH ELECTR. VZ-300
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Same case as the Laser 310, but sometimes the colours change (here the keyboard is not black...) and the sticker is different...of course.
Thanks to Stephan Walgenbach
image: null
adverts:
- title: FRENCH ADVERT.
subtitle: ''
text: '"Your computing teacher at home !"'
image: null
- title: FRENCH ADVERT.
subtitle: ''
text: '"For 1690 FF, wire all your family to the Laser 310"'
image: null
hardware:
- title: SOME EXTENSIONS...
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
- 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: http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_getting-started_cover.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL**](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/)written by Tim Hartnell/ Neville Predebon / Dick Smith
 compiled/archived by VZ-Alive\
 type of document : HTML\
 size : 357 KB\
 source : [VZ-Alive](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/)
- title: VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL
url: http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_technical-ref-manual_cover.jpg
text: |-
[**VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/)written by Jamieson Rowe / Dick Smith
 compiled/archived by VZ-Alive\
 type of document : ZIP\
 size : 22.6 KB\
 source : [VZ-Alive](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com)
- title: VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS
url: http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200-300%20assembly%20language%20programming%20for%20beginners.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 : [The VZ200](http://vz200.tripod.com/id4.html)
**... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :**
- title: USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING
url: http://vz200.tripod.com
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/useful%20rom%20subroutines%20for%20assembly%20programming.jpg
text: |-
[**USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING**](http://vz200.tripod.com)written by Unknown
 compiled/archived by The VZ200\
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 110 Ko\
 source : [The VZ200](http://vz200.tripod.com)
**... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :**
comments:
- author: Legend Chen (China)
date: Saturday 12th October 2019
text: Same as MagNet. I was about 10 in 1988 when my father, chief engineer of a local computer factory, brought me a LASER 310 from Hong Kong. That was one of my best childhood memories ever since. The BASIC language, the official demo cassette including a very attractive game, and the whole configuration that needs several minutes to set up.
- author: Dave
date: Sunday 2nd June 2019
text: |-
The intro-to-computing courses with the Laser 310 / VZ300 must nearly have been worldwide, as these were also advertised in various magazines in Australia between 1985 to \~1988.
For any VZ fans, come on over to our ''VZ / Laser'' Facebook page.
- author: MaGNeT (Netherlands)
date: Wednesday 8th March 2017
text: Back in 1988, when I was 12, my parents put me on a "BASIC programming for the youth" course by the Scheidegger Institute. The Laser 310 came in a small suitcase, together with a course folder. Back then it was my first experience with a computer and got totally hooked.
- author: Steve Van Nieuwenhoven (Belgium)
date: Thursday 8th January 2015
text: Same story as Enrico. My dad went on a computer course at Sheidegger Industries to learn "computer" and afterwards he could purchase the machine in 1984 for 27000 BEF $ a half months wages back then.
- author: Enrico Barbisan (Italy)
date: Saturday 31st August 2002
text: |-
So, finally I've found a Laser 310 Clor Computer! I have to say that, on the back, production year is 1983, not 1984!\
And this computer was not sold only in Australia and NZ: in Italy there was computer courses to learn computer science with this computer, and at the end of the course people could buy Laser 310!
related:
- /museum/dick-smith-vz200
- /museum/dick-smith-vz300
- /museum/salora-fellow
- /museum/texet-tx-8000
- /museum/video-technology-laser-200-210
oc_id: 157
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230324114221/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=157
date: '2023-03-24'
---
The Laser 310 is an improved version of the [Laser 200/210](/museum/video-technology-laser-200-210/). Both computers are compatible with each other, for both software and hardware.
Basically, it has an enhanced keyboard and more memory.
This model was also sold worldwide, the most popular version being the VZ-300 from Dick Smith Electronics.
<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>