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CoCo Modems
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This page was last updated on 08/16/2024. Total Pages: 744. Total Files: 994.
CoCo modems came in essentially two types.
Ones that were specifically designed, made, and advertised with the CoCo in mind, and those that were not and which the CoCo had to use adapters or other products for.
The vast majority of computer modems in the 8-bit era used standard serial ports with the large D-shaped 25-pin connector.
Modems made with the CoCo in mind have this, but also have the round, 4-pin DIN connector which accepts Radio Shack' six-foot male-to-male 4 pin to 4 pin serial cable, Catalog Number 26-3020, sold for $4.95 starting in 1982's RSC-07, going all the way to RSC-21 in 1990 for $5.95.
| Brand | Name | Full Name | Cat. No. | Type | Color | Speed | RSC | Year | Price | Notes | RSC/SF Price History |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radio Shack | Modem I | Direct Connect Modem I | 26-1172 | Direct | Silver | 300 | RSC-6, p. 13 | 1982 | 149.00 | $69.95 SF-375 | |
| Radio Shack | Modem II | Direct Connect Modem II | 26-1173 | Direct | Silver | 300 | RSC-6, p. 13 | 1982 | 249.95 | $199.95 RSC-10 | |
| Radio Shack | Modem IB | Direct Connect Modem IB | 26-1175 | Direct | White | 300 | RSC-10, p. 29 | 1984 | 99.95 | ||
| Radio Shack | DCM-3 | Direct Connect Modem 3 | 26-1178 | Direct | White | 300 | RSC-15, p. 49 | 1986 | 59.95 | ||
| Tandy | DCM-3 | Direct Connect Modem 3 | 26-1178 | Direct | White | 300 | RSC-15, p. 49 | 1986 | 59.95 |
Tandy also sold a CoCo modem under Tandy Data Products branding. It came out in 1982 and had a white case. The TDP-branded version of Radio Shack's CoCo serial cable (Cat. No. 26-3020) was Stock Number 10-1270, also sold for $4.95. One authorized seller was Spectrum Projects.
| Brand | Name | Stock No. | Type | Color | Speed | Year | Price | Notes / Price History |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDP | Modem I | 10-1290 | Direct | White | 300 | 1982 | 149.00 |
Before the advent of modems with CoCo-specific serial ports, Tandy promoted its existing modems for which the CoCo needed to use an adapter cable with a 4-pin DIN for the CoCo end of the connection, and a 25-pin DB25 connector for the modem's side. Radio Shack's offering, Catalog Number 26-2014, sold for $19.95 starting fall 1980 in the 1981 RSC-4.
Another way to make use of such modems was the Deluxe RS-232 Program Pak, which has a DB-25 female serial port on its other side, allowing CoCos to connect to the modem with a standard RS-232C serial cable like Radio Shack's own Model III RS-232C cable (Catalog Number 26-1408).
Manuals for these modems would at times ignore the CoCo but would at other times specifically mention how to connect it to a CoCo. For example, the DCM-6 manual, p. 10.
| Brand | Name | Full Name | Cat. No. | Type | Color | Speed | RSC | Year | Price | RSC/SF Price History |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radio Shack | Telephone Interface II | Telephone Interface II | 26-1171 | Acoustic Coupler | Silver | 300 | RSC-04, p. 30 | 1979 (1981 for CoCo) | 199.00 | |
| Radio Shack | DC-1200 | Direct-Connect 1200 Modem | 76-1005 | Direct | White | 300/1200 | RSC-10, p. 29 | 1982 | 699.00 | |
| Radio Shack | DCM-6 | Direct-Connect Modem 6 | 26-1393 | Direct | White | 300/1200 | RSC-17B, p. 41 | 1987 | 59.95 | $19.95 SF-460 |