CoCo Quick Reference

WELCOME
Looking for CoCo help? If you are trying to do something with your old Color Computer, read this quick reference. Want to contribute to this wiki? Be sure to read this first. This CoCo wiki project was started on October 29, 2004. --OS-9 Al

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This page was last updated on 05/22/2023. Total Pages: 744. Total Files: 994.

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Home / Help - CoCo Quick Reference

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If you are looking for information or help with the Tandy/Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo), here is where to start.

I want to save my old CoCo software

If you have old Color Computer software on cassette tapes or floppy disk, you can get this software copied over to a PC/Mac/Linux machine and run it in a Color Computer emulator.

I want to get rid of my old CoCo stuff

If you have old CoCo hardware or software that you need to get rid of, your first step should be to check the Buy & Sell section here. You can also e-mail the hundreds of members on the CoCo Mailing Lists.

I want to get my CoCo running again

If you are trying to get a CoCo running again, and need help or replacement parts, here are some resources. Details to be added.

• Cloud-9 produces hardware add ons for the CoCo, including SCSI/IDE/compact flash hard drive interfaces, PS/2 keyboard interfaces, memory updates, and much more. They also offer replacement DISK BASIC ROMs that support hard drive access, or remote DriveWire access through BASIC.
• If you want to expand without buying new hardware, check out the free DriveWire project. It allows a PC/Mac/Linux machine to act as a remote disk system for the CoCo. Current DriveWire allows the CoCo to print to a virtual printer on the PC, copy files to/from disk images on the PC, and even play MIDI music files through the PC. There is also support for internet access, allowing a terminal program on the CoCo to "dial" out to remote internet systems.
• Check out Darren Atkinson's CoCoSDC floppy drive interface replacement. This cartridge emulates a real Radio Shack disk drive controller but writes to disk image files on an SD card instead of a real floppy. You could plug up your old floppy controller and the CoCoSDC (using a Multi-Pak) and then archive all your old floppies to SD card for easy backup. Then, you could have thousands of CoCo floppies available from one cartridge.
• Download a copy of "Tandy's Little Wonder" from ftp://maltedmedia.com/coco/MAGAZINES/Tandy%27s%20Little%20Wonder/. The most recent version is named "CoCobook-TLW2.pdf". Read the "1 READ ME FIRST.txt" file first. This book has history, repair information, and a "survival/user" guide that will be very helpful.

I want to meet other CoCo folks

• Attend the yearly Chicago_CoCoFEST!, hosted by the Glenside Color Computer Club.
• Contact other CoCo users on the Internet via e-mail. See CoCo Mailing Lists.

Is OS-9 still around?

• NitrOS-9 project.

Is there anything new going on with CoCo stuff?

• The yearly Chicago_CoCoFEST! conventions are still going.
• 2014: Darren Atkinson's CoCoSDC floppy drive replacement that uses SD cards instead of diskettes.
• 2014: CoCo 3 RGB to VGA adapter project.
• Software!

I want to run old CoCo software, but don't have a CoCo

• Check out the various free Emulators that let you do this on a PC, Mac or Liunx machine (even a $25 Raspberry Pi).