wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) (07/19/89)
Re: Specific references to Tandy in advertisements I've noticed that quite a variety of add-on boards, hard cards and so forth are advertised as being for PC/XT/AT and then also for Tandy 1000A/SX/SL/TL/etc. It's one of the reasons I didn't buy Tandy when I bought my 286/20MHz machine; I was concerned about availability of add-ons. (Of course, price was a factor, especially since I wanted 2MB of memory). Apparently Tandy's proprietary motherboards have different bus addressing or some other type of difference so that other companies either have to sell Tandy-compatible items separately or not serve the Tandy owners at all on the specialized hardware (hard cards, memory boards, etc.). -- Marcus
durham@cme.nbs.gov (James H. Durham) (07/20/89)
In article <1189@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU>, wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) writes: > > Re: Specific references to Tandy in advertisements > > I've noticed that quite a variety of add-on boards, hard cards and so forth > are advertised as being for PC/XT/AT and then also for Tandy 1000A/SX/SL/TL/etc. > > It's one of the reasons I didn't buy Tandy when I bought my 286/20MHz machine; > I was concerned about availability of add-ons. (Of course, price was a factor, > especially since I wanted 2MB of memory). > > Apparently Tandy's proprietary motherboards have different bus addressing or > some other type of difference so that other companies either have to sell > Tandy-compatible items separately or not serve the Tandy owners at all on the > specialized hardware (hard cards, memory boards, etc.). > > -- Marcus This just isn't true. Period. Unless you REALLY know an answer, please do not post anything. The only difference between the SL/TL slots and standard PC/XT slots is that maximum length of the card is about two inches shorter than traditional machines. Since the hardcard is designed to take the full space it is alotted so that it can remain stable inside the computer, it would be two inches too long for the tandy, so.... companies have to obviously shorten the card simply by moving the drive itself closer to the controller electronics. The $20 added to the card is for this "service" which really doesn't cost anything. In fact, many places aren't charging extra for this. Note that this "shortening" isn't a modification... it occurs in manufacturing, so there is _no_ extra labor except on the sales person's part explaining the differences.So. That means the SL/TL can accept any, and I mean ANY card that does not take up the full length of the PC/XT, which most cards don't. In fact, I can only think of one situation where you would have to specify that you have a Tandy SL/TL, and that is with the hard drive/card. Any 8-bit card will go in there, including accelerators and music cards, IO cards, modems... W H A T E V E R you want, except maybe the INTEL 386 accelerator, which requires the full length. Ahhhh yes, one other very important thing... The TL, a 286 machine, is NOT AT compatible in terms of hardware. It is just a very souped-up XT compat. that's it. So you can't put 16-bit AT cards in there, only 8 bit. Don't get confused... So as far as "different bus addressing" and "..or not serve Tandy owners at all on the specialized hardware" ..... it is 99% untrue. The only non-"standard" thing you'll ever have to buy is the hardcard. For $20 more. And probably not even that. Big deal. .
gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com (George Madison) (07/20/89)
wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) writes: > >Re: Specific references to Tandy in advertisements > >Apparently Tandy's proprietary motherboards have different bus addressing or >some other type of difference so that other companies either have to sell >Tandy-compatible items separately or not serve the Tandy owners at all on the >specialized hardware (hard cards, memory boards, etc.). > Note that the only models that get referred to this way are the 1000 series; they are the "quirky" members of Tandy's MS-DOS family. The 3000/4000/5000 series machines are about as compatible as compatible gets, realizing that not even all of IBM's offerings are 100% compatible with each other. The big difference in the early 1000's is that they used a different interrupt line for the hard disk than the "standard". That particular quirk has been FIXED in the recent machines, the SL and TL. |George Madison, a/k/a George The Bear Cub, a/k/a Furr ** BEAR POWER **| |gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com 8-{)> ames!elroy!gryphon!pnet02!gmadison| |GEnie: GEORGE.M Arctophiles & Barbophiles Unite! PLink: BEARDLOVER| Spock: "Lieutenant, put B-Deck on audio." Uhura: "If you say so, Mr. Spock sugah!"
japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) (07/21/89)
In article <1404@aws.cme.nbs.gov>, durham@cme.nbs.gov (James H. Durham) writes: > In article <1189@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU>, wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) writes: > > > > Re: Specific references to Tandy in advertisements > > > > I've noticed that quite a variety of add-on boards, hard cards and so forth > > are advertised as being for PC/XT/AT and then also for Tandy 1000A/SX/SL/TL/etc. > > > > It's one of the reasons I didn't buy Tandy when I bought my 286/20MHz machine; > > I was concerned about availability of add-ons. (Of course, price was a factor, > > especially since I wanted 2MB of memory). > > > > Apparently Tandy's proprietary motherboards have different bus addressing or > > some other type of difference so that other companies either have to sell > > Tandy-compatible items separately or not serve the Tandy owners at all on the > > specialized hardware (hard cards, memory boards, etc.). > > > > -- Marcus > > This just isn't true. Period. Unless you REALLY know an answer, please do > not post anything. Actually one might question whether you know anything???? Of the number of Tandy 1000's in use I would doubt that more then 10% of them are SL/TL model 1000's .... all the others ARE non-IBM compatible!!! > The only difference between the SL/TL slots and standard > PC/XT slots is that maximum length of the card is about two inches shorter than > traditional machines. Since the hardcard is designed to take the full space > it is alotted so that it can remain stable inside the computer, it would be > two inches too long for the tandy, so.... companies have to obviously shorten > the card simply by moving the drive itself closer to the controller electronics. > The $20 added to the card is for this "service" which really doesn't cost > anything. Most card... even hard cards now days are short cards... this is not the problem... the problem... the problem is Tandy designed the 1000 series computers to be Tandy compatible and not to industry standard specs... as a result a Tandy compatible hard card or HD controller uses a different interrupt form an IBM (read that as Idustry standard!) controller... The extra bucks are for the strange interrupt and the need for a custom HD bios! True the SL/TL now use the standard interrupt... and the SX had a switch to use either Tandy or standard... but companies selling to 1000 users can not know which model you have and so they must sell the Tandy compatible version! > Any 8-bit card will > go in there, including accelerators and music cards, IO cards, modems... > W H A T E V E R you want, except maybe the INTEL 386 accelerator, which > requires the full length. WRONG!!!! An MPU-401 (MIDI) card will not work unmodified in ANY Tandy 1000... even the SL... even though it is a shart card! That is why Tandy sells their own MIDI card... of course the only software that works with Tandy's card is Tandy's... oh well... SALES SALES SALES, NO SERVICE, NO SUPPORT! > So as far as "different bus addressing" and "..or not serve Tandy owners at > all on the specialized hardware" ..... it is 99% untrue. The only > non-"standard" thing you'll ever have to buy is the hardcard. For $20 more. > And probably not even that. Maybe true on the SL... but time will tell... previous Tandy 1000 buyers have been stuck with uncompatible lemons... Non standard keyboards Non standard printer ports Non standard Co-Processor requirements Non standard Joysticks Non standard monitor scan rates Basically a non-standard computer! > Big deal. It sure is if you spent $2000 for one of these turkeys!!!! - Joe Applegate - ======================STANDARD DISCLAIMER============================ All views and opinions are my own and do not represent the views or opinions of the Colorado School of Mines, whatever they might be. =====================================================================
gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com (George Madison) (07/23/89)
japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) writes: > [Lots of drivel we've heard from him any number of times before.] Look, Joe -- we are TIRED of hearing you bitch because you didn't do your research before you made a purchase, OK?? As far as the slots in the SL/TL go, the *only* incompatibility is that the slot lengths are shorter than "standard." Fo your information, Joe, since it apparently hasn't sunk in, the Tandy 1000 line was intended to be an IBM PC*jr* clone, and was indeed quite compatible with same. When the PCjr flopped miserably, Tandy started moving the 1000 series architecture towards that of the "standard clone" -- with a fair degree of success. If you want to flame Tandy without justification and contrary to fact, route it to /dev/null, will you please?? > - Joe Applegate - > > ======================STANDARD DISCLAIMER============================ > All views and opinions are my own and do not represent the views or > opinions of the Colorado School of Mines, whatever they might be. > ===================================================================== I bet they're darn glad of THAT! |George Madison, a/k/a George The Bear Cub, a/k/a Furr ** BEAR POWER **| |gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com 8-{)> ames!elroy!gryphon!pnet02!gmadison| |GEnie: GEORGE.M Arctophiles & Barbophiles Unite! PLink: BEARDLOVER| Spock: "Lieutenant, put B-Deck on audio." Uhura: "If you say so, Mr. Spock sugah!"
jbudet@oakhill.UUCP (Jim Budet) (07/25/89)
japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) writes: >An MPU-401 (MIDI) card will not work unmodified in ANY Tandy 1000... even the >SL... even though it is a shart card! That is why Tandy sells their own >MIDI card... of course the only software that works with Tandy's card is >Tandy's... oh well... SALES SALES SALES, NO SERVICE, NO SUPPORT! > - Joe Applegate - I have had my UNMODIFIED MPU-401 card in my Original 1000 for about 2 years and in my 1000TL for about 8 months now with No Problems. I think that you are trying to blame the computer for a problem that probably lies elsewhere. But in general, it is obvious that the 1000 series is not 100% hardware compatible. =============================================================================== Jim Budet Disclaimer Motorola Microprocessor Products Group Austin, Texas =============================================================================== Phone : (512) 891-3175 Usenet : oakhill!elmer!jbudet@cs.utexas.edu Compuserve : 73177,171 ===============================================================================
japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) (07/25/89)
In article <2241@pooh.oakhill.UUCP>, jbudet@oakhill.UUCP (Jim Budet) writes: > japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) writes: > >An MPU-401 (MIDI) card will not work unmodified in ANY Tandy 1000... even the > >SL... even though it is a shart card! That is why Tandy sells their own > >MIDI card... of course the only software that works with Tandy's card is > >Tandy's... oh well... SALES SALES SALES, NO SERVICE, NO SUPPORT! > > I have had my UNMODIFIED MPU-401 card in my Original 1000 for about > 2 years and in my 1000TL for about 8 months now with No Problems. > I think that you are trying to blame the computer for a problem that > probably lies elsewhere. Then explain to me why my MPU-401 card (original card, not a clone) will not work in my Tandy 1000A or a freinds 1000? And why it would not work in a TL when I tried it, on the whim that I could get a computer to use for Midi besides my Coco??? (the TL was on sale at our bookstore for $650... they still haven't sold it...) This card works in my Kaypro at work and in a model 30... but will not work in Tandy's... it's probably my sorest point with Tandy! - Joe Applegate - ======================STANDARD DISCLAIMER============================ All views and opinions are my own and do not represent the views or opinions of the Colorado School of Mines, whatever they might be. =====================================================================
greg@ecsvax.UUCP (Greg Kohlbach) (08/21/89)
An associate of mine has one of the ORIGINAL Tandy 100s, and wishes to upgrade the memory. I began following this thread with anticipation of hearing how to expand memory on this type machine. Where can we get boards to expand the memory of this computer, adn what's a fair price to pay? Precognitive appreciation, Greg Kohlbach aka greg@ecsvax.uncecs.edu.UUCP or greg@ecsvax.BITNET