GOTO PART 4 (Tandy CCR Repairs)
PART 3: Types of PCs that used tapes to store programs/data via a 5-pin DIN connector interface.
This section is to describe the set of computers that would likely be paired with the Tandy CTR/CCR series, since Tandy included the “special” cable that would be necessary to do so. Ultimately this cable is just a particular means of transferring signals, so savvy DIY users could go directly to the circuits and make their own cable. But having a standard cable convention makes setup easier and more efficient for most end-users.
Keep in mind the CCR are also viable audio recorders on their own, and can function as such without this special 5-pin DIN cable.
For reference, here is what the 5-pin DIN connector looks like.
| Product Name | Date | Description/Notes |
| TRS-80 Model 1 | August 1977 | Cassette deck model CTR-41 was deemed unreliable, replaced by CTR-80A model [early TRS-80 Model 1 issue] |
| TRS-80 Model 3 | July 1980 | Model 2 also released in this same year for Business which had built in disk drives. The Model 3 had a cassette port on the back near the power plug. |
| Tandy Color Computer 1 | 1980 | 4KB-32KB RAM |
| IBM PC 5150 | 1981 | 32KB-640KB (upper 384KB addresses system reserved). IBM PCjr (1984) used a different cassette interface. Ironically, the Tandy PC-clone (1000-series) dropped support for the cassette entirely. |
| Dragon 32 | 1982 | Clone of the Color Computer |
| Tandy Model 100 | 1983 | Portable, could run off batteries |
| Tandy Model 4 | 1983 | Fully Model 3 backwards compatible. |
| Tandy Color Computer 2 | 1983 | max 64KB (Dragon 64 also released in this year) |
| MC-10 | 1983 | Similar to Matra Alice, but Alice has different tape connector |
| Advance 86 | 1984 | UK-based PC-clone |
| Tandy Model 200 | 1984 | |
| Tandy Color Computer 3 | 1986 | 128KB, max 512KB |
| Tandy Model 102 | 1986 | Update to the Model 100 |
As an “out of the box” and “ready to go” package, the CTR/CCR were convenient accessory available at the same stores the above computers were sold at.
If you have more information about variants of these CCRs or what systems support the 5-pin DIN connector, please comment below!
GOTO PART 4 (Tandy CCR Repairs)