I'm wondering about that contraption to get sound out of this unit--was that something introduced by the manufacturer, or a third-party hack type of solution? Did RS endorse it in any official capacity?
The "contraption" has nothing to do with it. It's just a powered speaker (an amplifier) that just happens to be from Radio Shack. Any powered speaker/amplifier will do. The cable going to the amplifier is just the standard cassette cable, used to hook up a TRS-80 (and many other computers - TI-99/4a, IBM PC, etc.) to a standard cassette deck.
Since there was no modification of the system, it was "endorsed" by Tandy. All of the software sold in Radio Shack stores by Tandy that supported sound would make mention of how it was done.
It's quite clever really (probably the second coolest sound "hack" outside of placing an AM radio next to a computer and getting sound that way), though of course the downside is that it's very processor intensive (often times systems that supported sound output like this "hack" would pause every time a sound was played). The technique actually came out of how the TRS-80 controls cassette decks, by "clicking" sound signals (data of 0'a and 1's) through the cassette port. So instead of sending data to save to tape, this data was sent to a phantom tape drive, a la the amplifier.
As Rob pointed out, obviously simulating multi-part sound was quite difficult, but was obviously achieved, just like it was on single channel (beeper) systems like the Apple II series and IBM PC's. I'll have to see if I have any talking games in my collection ready to go. That would certainly be fascinating to hear. (I have the ability to get ROMs loaded on the real hardware, but probably won't spend the time setting that up)
I'm a bit bummed about Drive :1 causing problems, as otherwise it's a delightful example of a TRS-80 Model 4, and finally gives me my coveted black and white all-in-one TRS-80 (like I programmed on in school, versus the more common green screen). The other Model 4 I have is not nearly in the same condition (though it does have two working drives). I also have two 4p's (the transportable version of the hardware), though only one works properly, a spare parts shell of a Model III, and several Model I's, which I have yet to test.
I suppose at some point I'll have to open up the 4 again and try and troubleshoot the problem with the second disk drive. It obviously has the full 128K and may even have a processor upgrade, though I'm unsure how that would manifest itself.
I'm wondering about that contraption to get sound out of this unit--was that something introduced by the manufacturer, or a third-party hack type of solution? Did RS endorse it in any official capacity?
The "contraption" has nothing to do with it. It's just a powered speaker (an amplifier) that just happens to be from Radio Shack. Any powered speaker/amplifier will do. The cable going to the amplifier is just the standard cassette cable, used to hook up a TRS-80 (and many other computers - TI-99/4a, IBM PC, etc.) to a standard cassette deck.
Since there was no modification of the system, it was "endorsed" by Tandy. All of the software sold in Radio Shack stores by Tandy that supported sound would make mention of how it was done.
It's quite clever really (probably the second coolest sound "hack" outside of placing an AM radio next to a computer and getting sound that way), though of course the downside is that it's very processor intensive (often times systems that supported sound output like this "hack" would pause every time a sound was played). The technique actually came out of how the TRS-80 controls cassette decks, by "clicking" sound signals (data of 0'a and 1's) through the cassette port. So instead of sending data to save to tape, this data was sent to a phantom tape drive, a la the amplifier.
As Rob pointed out, obviously simulating multi-part sound was quite difficult, but was obviously achieved, just like it was on single channel (beeper) systems like the Apple II series and IBM PC's. I'll have to see if I have any talking games in my collection ready to go. That would certainly be fascinating to hear. (I have the ability to get ROMs loaded on the real hardware, but probably won't spend the time setting that up)
I'm a bit bummed about Drive :1 causing problems, as otherwise it's a delightful example of a TRS-80 Model 4, and finally gives me my coveted black and white all-in-one TRS-80 (like I programmed on in school, versus the more common green screen). The other Model 4 I have is not nearly in the same condition (though it does have two working drives). I also have two 4p's (the transportable version of the hardware), though only one works properly, a spare parts shell of a Model III, and several Model I's, which I have yet to test.
I suppose at some point I'll have to open up the 4 again and try and troubleshoot the problem with the second disk drive. It obviously has the full 128K and may even have a processor upgrade, though I'm unsure how that would manifest itself.
Books!
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
***************************
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.