website/content/museum/video-technology-laser-100-110.md

---
title: Video Technology LASER 100/110
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Hong Kong
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Z80A
params:
  name: LASER 100/110
  image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser110_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/video-technology
  company_name: Video Technology
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: LASER 100/110
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Video Technology
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Hong Kong
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1983'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Microsoft Basic
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: |-
      QWERTY, 45 rubber keys\
      Basic instructions and graphic symbols
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3,58 Mhz
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: Motorola 6847 video processor
  - label: RAM
    value: |-
      Laser 100 = 2 KB or 8 KB?\
      Laser 110 = 4 KB or 8 KB ?\
      Upgradable to 64 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 32 columns x 16 lines (Mode 0)
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 128 x 64 dots (Mode 1)
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: Beeper, 1 voice & 3 octaves
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 29 (W) x 17 (D) x 4 (H) cm / 800g
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Tape-recorder (600 bauds), RF tv out, Composite video out, Memory upgrade port, Expansion port
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External 9V AC adaptor
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  tabs:
  - photos
  photos:
  - title: LARGE VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser110_system_s2.jpg
  - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The spongy keyboard doesn't allow fast typing.\
      Most of the keys have 4 functions: letter, graphic symbol and two Basic commands.
    image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser110_keyboard_s1.jpg
  - title: 'INSIDE #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: The Laser 100-200 series were probably the most poorly manufactured computers ever seen. Glue was used instead of connectors for the keyboard cable, the main power condenser was also sticked to the case. Notice also the mass of solder used to join the metallic cover with other components.
    image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser110_inside_s1.jpg
  - title: 'INSIDE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Except for the Motorola 6847 video chip, all other main chips are located below the metallic protection which is soldered to the main board. Not really easy for servicing.
    image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser110_inside_s2.jpg
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From left to right:\
      • 9V external AC adaptor jack\
      • Tape recorder jack\
      • Composite video jack\
      • Memory expansion connector\
      • Peripheral connector\
      • RF/TV output
    image: /media/museum/photos/videotech_laser110_rearside_s1.jpg
  comments:
  - author: John (australia)
    date: Tuesday 24th August 2021
    text: Laser 100 was a TRS-80 copy, unlike the 200 In the 200 the ROMs are changed substantially and the memory locations are different. The extra commands equivalent to level II Tandy Basic on the 200 (which are in the extra 8 kb of the BASIC ROM) are different and were coded by VTech, they are not direct copies. The 100 afaik was not sold outside of the far east because it would violate Tandy''s copyrights. BTW, is there any reason why the VTech Creativision (aka Dick Smith Wizzard) is not listed ? They were a lot more common than the Laser 100.
  - author: ohn (australia)
    date: Tuesday 24th August 2021
    text: Laser 100 was a TRS-80 copy, unlike the 200 In the 200 the ROMs are changed substantially and the memory locations are different. The extra commands equivalent to level II Tandy Basic on the 200 (which are in the extra 8 kb of the BASIC ROM) are different and were coded by VTech, they are not direct copies. The 100 afaik was not sold outside of the far east because it would violate Tandy''s copyrights. BTW, is there any reason why the VTech Creativision (aka Dick Smith Wizzard) is not listed ? They were a lot more common than the Laser 100.
  - author: ohn (australia)
    date: Tuesday 24th August 2021
    text: Laser 100 was a TRS-80 copy, unlike the 200 In the 200 the ROMs are changed substantially and the memory locations are different. The extra commands equivalent to level II Tandy Basic on the 200 (which are in the extra 8 kb of the BASIC ROM) are different and were coded by VTech, they are not direct copies. The 100 afaik was not sold outside of the far east because it would violate Tandy''s copyrights. BTW, is there any reason why the VTech Creativision (aka Dick Smith Wizzard) is not listed ? They were a lot more common than the Laser 100.
  - author: Christoph
    date: Wednesday 31st October 2012
    text: There was a RAM extension module, which extended the memory by 16KB. It was a quite bulky unit to be plugged into the Laser computer. The price was about 160€ (for 16 KILObyte!!!!)
  - author: Dinis (Austria)
    date: Friday 25th May 2012
    text: I owned a Laser 110. As far as I remember it had 4KB of memory.
  oc_id: 448
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608154933/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=448
    date: '2023-06-08'
---

The Laser 100/110 was the first model of the Laser 100/[200](/museum/video-technology-laser-200-210/)/[300](/museum/video-technology-laser-310/) family.

The ROM was nearly identical to the one of the Tandy Radio-Shack [TRS-80 Color Computer](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-color-computer/), with only minor changes. It's so close that when people write Laser emulators, they use TRS-80 CoCo ROM documentations (Laser detailed documentations are hard to find, especially about the ROM itslef).

The Basic was a Microsoft Basic just slightly modified to avoid lawsuits, some statements being stored in the ROM but not available on the machine!

Like the most of the Vtech products, the Laser 100/110 was "cheaply" conceived: chicklet keyboard, plastic case, light-weight... It was produced to compete against the first wave of micro-computers like the famous Sinclair [ZX-81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/).

The difference between the Laser 100 and the Laser 110 must be the RAM size (like the [Laser 200 and 210](/museum/video-technology-laser-200-210/)), though very little information on the Laser 100 is available.

The biggest difference with its big brother the Laser [200](/museum/video-technology-laser-200-210/) was that it only had a black & white display.

An obscure VZ-100 version was also released but this wasn't the same machine as the VZ series sold in Australia and New-Zealand by Dick Smith Electronics.

---

More information about the BASIC ROM from **James Diffendaffer**:\
Actually, the Laser 100/110 (and VZ200/300 etc...) are TRS-80 Model 1 clones (also Z80 machines). The major difference is in the use of the 6847 video chip which is also used in the TRS-80 Color Computer (based on the 6809 so it's ROMs wouldn't be suitable).

The ROMs are a very close copy of the Model 1 with patches for different hardware (video for example). They use a different line editor than Tandy; and to help keep Tandy off their back, designers intentionally disabled some ROM routines in the BASIC function tables so it wouldn't be 100% compatible. Some of the routines were easily re-enabled by patching the ROM vector table (pointers in RAM to the ROM routines).

People writing emulators use the COCO docs for the video chip but most of the ROM docs are based on the Model 1. It's common to use the Model 1 ROM disassembly.

<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>