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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: Tandy Radio Shack MC 10
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Motorola 6803
params:
name: MC 10
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_1.jpg
company: /companies/tandy-radio-shack
company_name: Tandy Radio Shack
specs:
- label: NAME
value: MC 10
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Tandy Radio Shack
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1983'
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: '1984'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: Microcolor Basic 1.0 (Microsoft)
- label: KEYBOARD
value: |-
QWERTY / AZERTY, Calculator style keyboard, 48 keys, Basic statements written above keys\
SHIFT, CONTROL, ENTER, BREAK
- label: CPU
value: Motorola 6803 (6800 compatible)
- label: SPEED
value: 0.89 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: MC-6847 Video Generator
- label: RAM
value: 4 kb (up to 20 kb), 3142 bytes left for user
- label: ROM
value: 8 kb (Microcolor Basic)
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 32 x 16
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: |-
With Basic : 64 x 32, 8 colors\
With machine-code : up to 128 x 192, 2 colors\
With machine-code and 16k expansion RAM : 256 x 192, 2 colors
- label: COLORS
value: '9'
- label: SOUND
value: Beeper with variable pitch and duration
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 216 mm x 180 mm x 50mm / 836gr
- label: I/O PORTS
value: RGB DIN8 or RF jack (USA) video out, Expansion port, Tape (DIN6), Serial (DIN5), power IN
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: 8.0v AC 1.5A (MATRA Alice PSU can be used)
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: 16k RAM expansion, Printer
- label: PRICE
value: £99.95 (UK, 1983), $119.95 (USA), 16K RAM upgrade $49.95
tabs:
- photos
- hardware
- connectors
- software
- emulators
- links
- docs
forum_thread: 174
photos:
- title: THE MC-10
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_2.jpg
- title: TOP VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: |-
I have a little game for you :
Search for the "V" key...
Yes, this must be a fabrication default...
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_above_1.jpg
- title: UNDER...
subtitle: ''
text: 4 small feet...
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_under_1.jpg
- title: LEFT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_l-side_1.jpg
- title: RIGHT SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: Spot the ON/OFF switch !
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_r-side_1.jpg
- title: FRONT VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_front_1.jpg
- title: REAR VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: |-
From left to right :
\- power IN\
\- RGB video out (DIN8)\
\- Expansion slot (cached)\
\- Reset button (soft reset)\
\- Serial socket (DIN5)\
\- Tape-recorder (DIN6)
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_rear_1.jpg
- title: MC-10 MOTHERBOARD
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_mobo.jpg
- title: BOX
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_box.jpg
- title: EUROPEAN BOX (?)
subtitle: ''
text: Maybe this box was blue (instead of red for the US version) in order to differenciate the MC-10 from the Alice which all visual communication was based on the red color...
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_box_2.jpg
- title: DOCUMENTATION
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/tandy_mc10_doc_1.jpg
hardware:
- title: TP10 PRINTER
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Could print graphics and alphanumerics, 32 characters per line at 30 characters per second on 4''1/8 wide thermal paper. Measures 3 x 8 x 5''.
The TP-10 was also compatible with "Coco" computers.
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_mc10_tp10-printer_1.jpg
- title: DISK-DRIVE AND JOYSTICK INTERFACE
subtitle: Vaporware !!!
text: |-
This is the only known picture of the vaporware 3.5'' disk-drive and joystick interface for the Alice. They were presented at the Micro-Expo exhibition in Paris in february 1985, along with a modem (not pictured here).
Only the disk-drive and modem are vaporware. The joystick interface was indeed released.
image: /media/museum/hardware/matra_alice32_disk_1.jpg
- title: JOYSTICK EXPANSION
subtitle: ''
text: |-
With this add-on, you can use a joystick with the Alice. But you can't use a memory expansion at the same time :-(
Thanks to [www.mapetitecollection.com](http://www.mapetitecollection.com/) for the picture
image: /media/museum/hardware/matra-hachette_alice_extension-joystick_1.jpg
- title: 16 KB RAM MODULE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_mc10_16k_2.jpg
- title: 16 KB RAM
subtitle: back
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_mc10_16k_3.jpg
- title: 16 KB RAM
subtitle: box
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/tandy_mc10_16k_box.jpg
connectors:
- title: SERIAL INTERFACE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
1 - CD (Carrier Detection)\
2 - RD (Receive Data)\
3 - GND (Ground)\
4 - TD (Transmit Data)
image: /media/museum/connectors/tandy_mc10_serial-port_d.jpg
- title: TAPE INTERFACE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
1 - Audio DATA out\
2 - Ground\
3 - Audio DATA in\
4 - Not used\
5 - Not used
4 & 5 were planned to be used for Remote control of the tape-recorder, but this function was not implemented into the MC-10 / Alice.
image: /media/museum/connectors/tandy_mc10_tape_d.jpg
- title: RGB VIDEO / AUDIO OUTPUT
subtitle: ''
text: |-
1 - Commutation\
2 - Ground\
3 - Red\
4 - Video\
5 - Green\
6 - Audio\
7 - Blue
image: /media/museum/connectors/tandy_mc10_rgb-video_d.jpg
- title: EXPANSION PORT
subtitle: ''
text: |-
The sketch represents the connector when you look at the back of the MC-10 / Alice (see Reset button on right).
1 - 2 = GND (Ground)\
3 - 10 = D0..D7 (Data Buses)\
11 = R/W (Read/Write signal)\
12 - 27 = A0..A15 (Address buses)\
28 = E (CPU clock, 1Mhz)\
29 = SEL (peripherals invalidation entry)\
30 = RESET (hard reset)\
31 = NMI (non-maskable CPU interrupts)\
32 = +5v (power in, 5v 300mA)\
33 - 34 = GND (ground)
image: /media/museum/connectors/tandy_mc10_expansion-port_d.jpg
screenshots:
- title: BOOT SCREEN
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/tandy_mc10_boot_ss.gif
emulators:
- title: DCAlice
url: http://alice32.free.fr/index.html
platform: Windows
text: Excellent working Alice emulator
- title: Emucompboy's MC-10 Emulator
url: http://www.geocities.com/emucompboy/
platform: Windows
text: Nice Windows emulator
- title: The MC-10 Emulation project
url: http://www.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~camennie/mc10/
platform: Unix / Linux
text: Still active ?
- title: The MESS project
url: http://www.mess.org/
platform: Multiplatform
text: This multi-platform emulator can emulate the MC-10
links:
- title: Alice FAQ
url: http://membres.lycos.fr/romualdl/alice/alice_faq.txt
text: Useful source of information about the Alice systems
- title: Alice page
url: http://membres.lycos.fr/romualdl/alice/alice.html
text: Excellent dedicated pages full of info by Romuald Line, includes a FAQ
- title: Inside the Radio Shack MC-10
url: http://www.slowcomputing.org/ssouth/mc10/
text: Simon South's excellent and useful page. Lot of hardware info.
- title: My MC10 Home Page
url: http://mymc10.tripod.com/
text: Lot of stuff here, especially software. Cool.
- title: The MC-10 archive
url: http://mc10archive.com
text: Small dedicated site with extended Basic available + utilities, games and documents to download !
- title: TRS-80 MC10 Club (Yahoo club)
url: http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/trs80mc10club
text: The heart of the MC-10 community. Quite active.
docs:
- title: DECOUVREZ LE BASIC
url: http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/alice_decouvrez-le-basic.jpg
text: |-
[**DECOUVREZ LE BASIC**](http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html)written by Matra & Hachette
 compiled/archived by Daniel Coulom\
 type of document : DJV\
 source : [DCAlice website](http://alice32.free.fr/)
- title: RÉSUMÉ DES COMMANDES ET FONCTIONS BASIC
url: http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/alice_resume-commandes-basic.jpg
text: |-
[**RÉSUMÉ DES COMMANDES ET FONCTIONS BASIC**](http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html)written by Matra & Hachette
 compiled/archived by Daniel Coulom\
 type of document : DJV\
 source : [DCAlice website](http://alice32.free.fr/)
- title: GUIDE D'INSTRUCTIONS DE L'ÉDITEUR ASSEMBLEUR
url: http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/alice_assembleur.jpg
text: |-
[**GUIDE D'INSTRUCTIONS DE L'ÉDITEUR ASSEMBLEUR**](http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html)written by Matra & Hachette
 compiled/archived by Daniel Coulom\
 type of document : DJV\
 source : [DCAlice website](http://alice32.free.fr/)
- title: ALLER PLUS LOIN AVEC ALICE
url: http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/alice_aller-plus-loin.jpg
text: |-
[**ALLER PLUS LOIN AVEC ALICE**](http://alice32.free.fr/doc/index.html)written by Ediciel / Matra & Hachette
 compiled/archived by Daniel Coulom\
 type of document : DJV\
 source : [DCAlice website](http://alice32.free.fr/)
- title: MC-10 SERVICE MANUAL
url: /media/museum/docs/tandy_mc10_service-manual.zip
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/tandy_mc10_service-manual.jpg
text: |-
[**MC-10 SERVICE MANUAL**](/media/museum/docs/tandy_mc10_service-manual.zip)written by Radio Shack
 compiled/archived by Jim Marek\
 type of document : PDF
- title: TP-10 OPERATION MANUAL
url: http://themc10archive.com/node/44
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/tandy_mc10_tp10-manual.gif
text: |-
[**TP-10 OPERATION MANUAL**](http://themc10archive.com/node/44)written by Tandy
 compiled/archived by Gary (JaGF)\
 type of document : PDF\
 source : [The MC10 archive](http://themc10archive.com)
related:
- /museum/matra-hachette-alice
- /museum/matra-hachette-alice-90
- /museum/sysdata-eletronica-microcolor
oc_id: 163
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608154729/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=163
date: '2023-06-08'
---
The Tandy MC 10 (MC means Micro Color) was designed as an "initiation" computer to compete with the [Timex Sinclair 1000](/museum/timex-sinclair-1000/), the american version of the [Sinclair ZX-81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/). It was more expensive than the Sinclair machine, but outpassed it in every category. It had sound, color, more memory and even a better keyboard.
In fact, the MC-10 is basically a cut down version of the [Tandy "Coco" computers](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-color-computer/), but didn't have as much success as its big brothers.
It is fully compatible with the first version of the [Matra Alice](/museum/matra-hachette-alice/) (a French computer). Actually both are the same computer (except for the case color, the Alice is red and the Tandy is white).
---
**Richard Vermeulen** adds:\
The Tandy MC-10 micro color computer was not a commercial success. Tandy did not support this machine. In Basic you could only use 8 color and a graphic resolution of 64x32 dots. However, the MC-10 had much more capabilities: 2 color 256x192 graphics, 4 color 128x192 graphics and the sound-chip had synthesizer posibilities. If all these extra functions were mentioned in the manual, I bet that these machine would have sold much more.
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