website/content/museum/dick-smith-vz200.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Dick Smith VZ200	Computers	Home Computer	Australia	1982	Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware screenshots emulators links docs related oc_id source VZ200 /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz200_system_s1.jpg /companies/dick-smith Dick Smith label value NAME VZ200 label value MANUFACTURER Dick Smith label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Australia label value YEAR 1982 label value END OF PRODUCTION Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Microsoft BASIC label value KEYBOARD 45 rubber keys, Basic instructions and graphic symbols label value CPU Z80A label value SPEED 3.58 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Motorola 6847 (video processor) label value RAM 8 KB (6 KB for user, 2 KB for video) up to 24 KB label value VRAM 2 KB label value ROM 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 32 columns x 16 lines, 8 colors (Mode 0) label value GRAPHIC MODES 128 x 64 dots, 4 colors (Mode 1) label value COLORS 8 label value SOUND built-in piezzo speaker 1 voice, 2.5 octaves, 9 note lengths label value SIZE / WEIGHT 29 (W) x 17 (D) x 4 (H) cm / 800 gr label value I/O PORTS Tape-recorder (600 bauds), TV (RF modulator), Composite video, Memory expansion port, general expansion port label value BUILT IN MEDIA None label value POWER SUPPLY external AC adaptor 9V DC 800 mA label value PERIPHERALS 16 KB RAM plug-in module, tape recorder, label value PRICE AU$299 photos adverts hardware software emulators links docs 953 title subtitle text image LARGER VIEW /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz200_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/dicksmith_vz200_keybcloseup_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT (FEB. 1984) From New-Zealand Bits & Bytes magazine /media/museum/pubs/dick-smith_vz200_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image 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 title subtitle text image 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 title subtitle text image LASER JOYSTICK Nice shape. Two joysticks and their interface cost 320fr in 1984. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_jstck.jpg title subtitle text image 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 title subtitle text image 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 title subtitle text image 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 title subtitle text image DD-20 The inside /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20_2.jpg title subtitle text image PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE This enables the Laser computers to use ''parallel'' printers. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_vz300_printer-interface.jpg title subtitle text image 16K RAM PLUG-IN MODULE /media/museum/hardware/dicksmith_vz200_16kram_s1.jpg title subtitle text image TAPE RECORDER /media/museum/hardware/dicksmith_vz200_taperecorder_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CIRCUS /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_circus.png title subtitle text image CRASH /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_crash.png title subtitle text image DAWN PATROL /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dawn.png title subtitle text image DEFENCE PENETRATOR /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_defpen.png title subtitle text image DIGOUT /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_digout.png title subtitle text image DRACULA'S CASTLE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dracula.gif title subtitle text image DUEL /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_duel2.png title subtitle text image GALAXON /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_galaxon.png title subtitle text image GHOST HUNTER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ghosth.gif title subtitle text image HAMBURGER SAM /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hamsam.png title subtitle text image HOPPY /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hoppy.gif title subtitle text image INVADERS /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_invaders.png title subtitle text image KAMIKAZE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_kamikaze.png title subtitle text image LADDER CHALLENGE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ladder.png title subtitle text image LUNAR LANDER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_llander.png title subtitle text image MISSILE ATTACK /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_missile.png title subtitle text image PENGUIN /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_penguin.png title subtitle text image SPACE RAM /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_spaceram.png title subtitle text image STAR BLASTER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_starblst.png title subtitle text image 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 title url platform text Emulator2001 http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/ Windows The VZ-200 has been added to this multi-emulator title url platform text James's VZ 200 emulator http://www.geocities.com/EMUCOMPBOY/ Windows Emulator for the NTSC version of this computer title url platform text WinVZ http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/emulators/ Windows Play your VZ games in Windows title url platform text MESS Project http://www.mess.org/ Multiplatform Emulates a lot of systems for all platforms. title url text Planet VZ http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/laser/184/ Useful infos here... title url text Steve75 Laser 310 page http://utenti.lycos.it/STEVE75/laser.html Pictures, info, games, emulators and online manual. title url text The VZ200 http://vz200.tripod.com/ Growing website aimed at the new modern user. title url text Tricky's VZ200 page http://www.trickynz.com/VZ200.html Photos and downloadable docs title url text Video Technology official site http://www.vtech.com Nothing remains about the old computers... title url text VZ Alive http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/ Excellent site dedicated to the VZ computers title url text VZ Online http://www.vz200-online.de.vu/ a German VZ 200 homepage title url text VZ-200/VZ-300 http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/6771/vz/ Lots of information and links about the Dick Smith VZ series. title url text Yahoo Discussion Group - The VZ Color computer mailing list http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/vzemu/ Quite active discussion group title url cover text 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) title url cover text 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/) title url cover text 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/) title url cover text 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/) title url cover text 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/) title url cover text 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 title url cover text 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-vz300 /museum/salora-fellow /museum/texet-tx-8000 /museum/video-technology-laser-200-210 /museum/video-technology-laser-310 979 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608085933/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=979 2023-06-08

The Dick Smith VZ-200 and VZ-300 were very popular in Australia and New Zealand from 1983 to 1990. The VZ200 was the same model as the VTech Laser 200.

Despite of its poor chicklet keyboard and short RAM space, users could find hundreds of programs from local magazines, Dick Smith store or from several very active VZ user clubs.

Several peripherals and add-on were quickly available, among them, a 16 KB RAM plug-in module, a tape recorder, a mouse, a Speech Synthesiser and later a floppy disc drive unit.

See a complete review of the VZ 200 in the 'Read more' page.

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.