Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer

The TRS-80 Color Computer, manufactured by Motorola and introduced by Tandy Corporation in September 1980 for $399 and sold through Radio Shack stores, was a Motorola 6809E-based home computer designed as a more affordable alternative to competing systems. Unlike earlier TRS-80 models, which used the Zilog Z80 processor, the Color Computer — nicknamed CoCo — was a completely different architecture, featuring Color BASIC in ROM and supporting graphics via the MC6847 video display generator. Over its lifespan, Tandy released three major versions: the Color Computer 1 (1980), Color Computer 2 (1983), and Color Computer 3 (1986), all maintaining a high degree of software compatibility. The CoCo was originally developed from an experimental videotex terminal project, but it evolved into a full-fledged home computer with Microsoft Color Basic and eventually OS-9 multitasking support with a variety of peripherals. The Color Computer 3 was the last in the series and was discontinued in 1991.

My example is an early model 26-3003 with 32KB of RAM from 1980-81. I found it in an Austin, Texas Goodwill thrift store for $20 in circa 2011 when Goodwill used to have a computer museum showcasing rare and unique vintage computers that came through their donation stream.