The Rarest Tandy Computer of them All: The Tandy 150

[pski]

Here's something I think most of you have never seen before. The Tandy 150 brochure. And you thought the Tandy 10 was rare?

http://net.pski.retro.s3.amazonaws.com/SharedFiles/Tandy150/Tandy150.pdf

They were only sold from the Tandy Computer Store at Tandy Center in Fort Worth, TX for a short period in 1978 and only a handful were ever sold.

Here's an older post where we discussed published evidence of the 150:

http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?63562-Tandy-10-amp-150

 

[eeguru]

Wow nice find!

 

[MikeModifed]

Sweet! :bow:

Mike

 

[IBMAT5170]

so wait... the desk was part of the package?

 

[pski]

so wait... the desk was part of the package?

According to the brochure, the Tandy 150 desk was optional.

 

[lafos]

According to the US Inflation calculator, the base unit would cost $85,136 today

 

[shank]

Never saw the 150, but we had a Tandy 10 in the department for awhile. I don't remember what became of it. If you sat on the edge while it was running it'd reboot.

 

[rpiguy2]

Here's something I think most of you have never seen before. The Tandy 150 brochure. And you thought the Tandy 10 was rare?

http://net.pski.retro.s3.amazonaws.com/SharedFiles/Tandy150/Tandy150.pdf

They were only sold from the Tandy Computer Store at Tandy Center in Fort Worth, TX for a short period in 1978 and only a handful were ever sold.

Here's an older post where we discussed published evidence of the 150:

http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?63562-Tandy-10-amp-150

Any idea what processor this thing is running? It says "words" of memory which would lead me to believe it is 16-bit, and in 1978 I believe Texas Instruments was the only game in town with the 9xxx (unless it is custom TTL or a NOVA/PDP/Etc. clone of some sort). My money would be on TI.

 

[commodorejohn]

Someone with more in-depth knowledge of Tandy lore should probably weigh in, but this news blurb suggests that it's based on the intriguingly-named "Naked Mini-4," which according to Wikipedia was a 16-bit TTL minicomputer line sold by Computer Automation, Inc.

 

[rpiguy2]

Someone with more in-depth knowledge of Tandy lore should probably weigh in, but this news blurb suggests that it's based on the intriguingly-named "Naked Mini-4," which according to Wikipedia was a 16-bit TTL minicomputer line sold by Computer Automation, Inc.

Wow that’s awesome. The naked mini was used as example in a textbook I’ve read from the late 70s and I’ve read the data sheet for the mini itself. Never seen one in the flesh.

 

[Agent Orange]

Someone with more in-depth knowledge of Tandy lore should probably weigh in, but this news blurb suggests that it's based on the intriguingly-named "Naked Mini-4," which according to Wikipedia was a 16-bit TTL minicomputer line sold by Computer Automation, Inc.

John,

Good detective work. Here's a couple more links for the 'Naked Mini-4'.

https://books.google.com/books?id=e...EwEnoECAAQAQ#v=onepage&q=Naked Mini-4&f=false

https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/minicomputers/11/359

 

[rpiguy2]

John,

Good detective work. Here's a couple more links for the 'Naked Mini-4'.

https://books.google.com/books?id=e...EwEnoECAAQAQ#v=onepage&q=Naked Mini-4&f=false

https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/minicomputers/11/359

Documentation is available on Bitsavers, which is where I read it before.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/computerAutomation/

They were really focused on speed for industrial applications.

 

[Petrofsky]

so wait... the desk was part of the package?

I'm pretty sure the desk was inseparable from the computer. The desk was the chassis/enclosure inside which the components were mounted.

According to the brochure, the Tandy 150 desk was optional.

I think you're misreading the brochure. The first item under "Specifications" gives the dimensions of the "desk", an integral non-optional part of the system. On the back, there are two "tables" listed as "optional matching deskware", but those are just tables, distinct from the integrated desk. Note that the advertised dimensions of the tables (24" and 36") do not match any of the dimensions of the desk (27" x 48" x 32").

 

[pski]

I think you're misreading the brochure. The first item under "Specifications" gives the dimensions of the "desk", an integral non-optional part of the system. On the back, there are two "tables" listed as "optional matching deskware", but those are just tables, distinct from the integrated desk. Note that the advertised dimensions of the tables (24" and 36") do not match any of the dimensions of the desk (27" x 48" x 32").

You are correct, sir!