TDP-100

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Home / CoCo Relatives - TDP-100

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TDP-100

Name	TDP-100
Year	1982
Notes	gold 64K badge is aftermarket
Info Source	see references
About the Info Box

The Tandy Data Products System 100, or TDP-100, was a Color Computer made by Tandy but marketed by Radio Corporation of America (RCA). The TDP-100 was notable in being marketed outside Tandy's traditional distribution channel of Radio Shack stores; instead being sold by retailers that sold RCA products. Tandy also made some otherwise-standard CoCo software and peripherals that were TDP-branded.

Tandy announced the TDP-100 in July 1982. [1]

Articles

Bob Rosen of Spectrum Projects gave the TDP-100 a favorable review in the February 1983 issue of The Rainbow and in the April 1983 issue of The Color Computer Magazine. Somewhat strangely, he called TDP "Tandy Distributor Products" instead of "Tandy Data Products". Anyway, he was clearly impressed enough with the machine to have Spectrum Projects become a TDP-100 retailer, as advertised in the November 1982 Rainbow. (Hmm several months before writing his reviews, which did not mention him selling the product. CoCo fans can most likely forgive the apparent conflict of interest from such a stalwart supporter of the platform.)

In May 1983, John Steiner, in Issue 60 of Micro (formerly Micro 6502 Journal), warned users of early-model TDPs: "There is no buffering between the processor and ROM slot, nor is there any between the controller input and ROM. A failure of either unit can easily damage both. As a precaution, be sure the power is off several seconds before reinstalling a card in the slot." [2]

In September 1983, Steiner, in Issue 64 of Micro, passed along an important tip from Ron Krebs of Mark Data Products. It provides specifics (including part names and numbers) to fix a problem with high-resolution color graphics in early-model TDP-100s. [3].

Official TDP-Branded Accessories and Software

This is just a list of specifically TDP-branded products. Obviously, the TDP-100 was not limited to only being able to use these products; since it could (with extremely rare exceptions) use any CoCo 1/2 program or accessory, regardless of whether that CoCo product was an official TDP-branded product, or a Tandy / Radio Shack-branded product, or from a third party. Similarly, any CoCo could use any TDP-branded product.
TDP used "Stock Numbers" rather than Radio Shack Catalog Numbers.
All TDP-branded programs could run on the base model 16K TDP-100, with no Extended BASIC ROM necessary.
All these products had Radio Shack equivalents. When no "Radio Shack" equivalent name is given, the Radio Shack version's name was the same as the TDP version's.
All TDP-branded programs were Program Paks, except Learning Lab, which was on tape.

Stock No.	Product Name	Radio Shack Equivalent	RS Cat #	Nov. 82 Price	Notes
10-1100	Color Graphics Printer I	CGP-115	26-1192	249.95	Really a plotter, not a printer. Used 4½" wide roll paper
10-1101	Plotter Pens for 10-1100 Black x3		26-1480	2.95
10-1102	4⅞" Paper Roll for 10-1100 x3		26-1428	4.95
10-1103	Plotter Pens for 10-1100 1 red 1 blue 1 green		26-1481	2.95
10-1130	Line Printer I	DMP-100	26-1253	399.00
10-1131	9½" Paper for 10-1130 (500 sheets)		26-1423	7.95
10-1132	Ribbon for 10-1130		26-1424	8.95
10-1150	Mini-Disk Drive	Color Computer Mini Disk Drive #0	26-3022	599.00	"Mini" = 5¼"; comparison was to 8" floppies
10-1151	5¼" Diskette		26-0305	3.95
10-1200	"Black Beauty" Joystick (x2?)		26-3008	12.95
10-1210	Computer Dust Cover	Color Computer Dust Cover	26-3006	4.95
10-1250	Computer Cassette Recorder	CCR-81	26-1208	59.95
10-1251	Computer Cassette Tape (CT-10)	C-10	26-0302	1.79
10-1252	Computer Cassette Tape (CT-20)	C-20	26-0301	3.69
10-1270	Serial Cable 4-pin DIN to 4-pin DIN		26-3020	4.95
10-1290	Modem I	Direct Connect Modem I	26-1172	149.00
10-1300	Bustout		26-3056	29.95	Clone of Breakout; called Super Bustout inside the manual
10-1301	Space Assault		26-3060	29.95	Clone of Space Invaders
10-1302	Project Nebula		26-3063	39.95
10-1303	Polaris		26-3065	29.95	Clone / derivative of Missile Command
10-1304	Micro Painter		26-3077	39.95	Coloring book app. Radio Shack sold more pictures on tape
10-1305	Microbes		26-3085	29.95	Clone / derivative of Asteroids
10-1306	Shooting Gallery		26-3088	29.95
10-1307	Personal Finance		26-3106	39.95
10-1308	Color File		26-3103	29.95	Database, saves files to tape
10-1309	Spectaculator		26-3104	39.95	Spreadsheet, saves files to tape
10-1310	Color Scripsit		26-3105	39.95	Word processor, saves files to tape
10-1311	Learning Lab	Color Computer Learning Lab	26-3153	39.95
10-1312	Videotex		26-2222	29.95	Telecommunications app
10-1313	Chess		26-3050	39.95

External Links

• Tandy Data Products Enthusiast website
• TDP or Tandy Data Products Facebook public group
• TDP Talk! CoCoTalk! Episode 132 segment focused on TDP
• TDP System 100 - The Color Computer's Cousin VintageGeek Episode on YouTube