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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:26:51 PM EDT
I must have went into radio shack stores a 1000 times in my lifetime, but never bought anything. I was a sears guy.
 Radio Shack Model Store & Citiline Credit Card Training |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:35:23 PM EDT
[#1]
It's weird seeing CD players next to computadoras that still took tapes. I don't even want to know how much those players retailed for back then.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:38:16 PM EDT
[#2]
I’ve got a couple tandys. Are they worth anything?
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:39:10 PM EDT
[#3]
Bought lots of cables & audio adapters from them over the years. Still use them.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:43:10 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've got a couple tandys. Are they worth anything? |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:44:09 PM EDT
[#5]
I payed for my first two years of college selling their computers.
Little known fact: the Tandy 1000 that sold for right around $1000, and was much less expensive than the IBM counterpart, cost the store $100 including shipping costs. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:44:26 PM EDT
[#6]
I moved into an apartment directly across from my old high school, 30 years after graduating. They were in the process of demolishing it, when I snuck in one night through a hole knocked in the wall.
I found a Tandy 1000 in the office, took it home with me. I tossed it in the trash when I moved a year later, never had the motivation to get it running again. Plus, they were going for like $20 on eBay. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:45:45 PM EDT
[#7]
We had one of those.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:48:28 PM EDT
[#8]
Damn, that makes me feel old.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:49:57 PM EDT
[#9]
Somewhere in my attic I have a Tandy laptop that runs DOS.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:52:08 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’ve got a couple tandys. Are they worth anything? Going for about $400 on ebay at the moment. There's a small but growing "vintage computer" market. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 8:54:46 PM EDT
[#11]
My sister had a tandy when I was a kid. I remember playing some mickey mouse space game, it also had a dallas game. Fun times
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:01:45 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted: I must have went into radio shack stores a 1000 times in my lifetime, but never bought anything. I was a sears guy.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiVhgfLAOZwThe only thing I got out of that was $600 for an answering machine and 2 phones through a high pressure sale. No wonder why credit card debt was insane in the 80's. "Only $25 a month for the next 7 years!" |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:08:53 PM EDT
[#13]
Seems pricy for the day. I guess overall electronics have come down.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:11:48 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’ve got a couple tandys. Are they worth anything? I remember my Dad bringing home a 386 Tandy. Thought it was cool as hell to be able to play a game on it that took 5 different floppy discs. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:16:25 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Seems pricy for the day. I guess overall electronics have come down. Funfact: Tandy used to have a 60% market share of computers lol. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:25:07 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They were pricy, but they were also the "poors" brand computer if you catch my drift. Home computing was not a cheap endeavor back then (and not for brainlets), which is why you didn't really see the market take off until the mid to late 90s. Funfact: Tandy used to have a 60% market share of computers lol. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Seems pricy for the day. I guess overall electronics have come down. Funfact: Tandy used to have a 60% market share of computers lol. Jesus. They were not the "poors" brand computer. Christmas of 1983, my dad took me to Radio Shack and bought the TRS80 model 100 32k the total was almost 1300 by the time he paid taxes and some software. I learned how to write simple stupid programs in Color BASIC. The APPLE IIE included 64k and was prices at $1400. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:27:02 PM EDT
[#17]
Man I had a Tandy 1000 back in the day
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:30:15 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's weird seeing CD players next to computadoras that still took tapes. I don't even want to know how much those players retailed for back then. $1,590 |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:35:50 PM EDT
[#19]
386dx master race checking in
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:36:21 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Jesus. They were not the "poors" brand computer. Christmas of 1983, my dad took me to Radio Shack and bought the TRS80 model 100 32k the total was almost 1300 by the time he paid taxes and some software. I learned how to write simple stupid programs in Color BASIC. The APPLE IIE included 64k and was prices at $1400. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Seems pricy for the day. I guess overall electronics have come down. Funfact: Tandy used to have a 60% market share of computers lol. Jesus. They were not the "poors" brand computer. Christmas of 1983, my dad took me to Radio Shack and bought the TRS80 model 100 32k the total was almost 1300 by the time he paid taxes and some software. I learned how to write simple stupid programs in Color BASIC. The APPLE IIE included 64k and was prices at $1400. We had Trash 80s in middle school but only in the gifted and talented program math classes. We used them for some simple problems and some of those early question based games. They had a tape recorder that you used to load programs. Pretty sure my dad still has a Texas Instruments TI-99 in the back of his closet. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:38:38 PM EDT
[#21]
The year after graduating HS I worked a summer at Radio Shaft.
My boss, Kieth drank the RS koolaid and was super into the place. "Sell like hell" he would say every time I walked in. One hot summer day I came in for my shift and Kieth was nearly to dancing with excitement. I asked what he was so geeked about and he led me into the office to show me the latest awesome product- The VCR. (1985) He and I took one out to use as a display item. We looked it over and even I had to admit it looked kinda cool. It was metal with real wood end caps on it. Top loading and about the size of carryon luggage. He giddily asked me to help build a display up front and center, right inside the front door. We set up the boxes in an array with some on edge making small stacked tables for a near eye-level layer of boxes so customers would see the opened up display VCR with a box behind it as a dramatic backdrop. Corporate had specially printed posters that we hung from the ceiling and Kieth moved a couple can-lights to illuminate the display VCR's chrome trim and brushed metal surfaces. We wrapped up our VCR fort after about three hours without any customers coming in the store (because it was fucking Radio Shack and it sucked even in 1985). Kieth, there long past quitting time, walked around the display a few times nodding approvingly. He walked in and out of the store triple checking placement and sight lines to the other products. Satisfied, he stood next to me at the door about 10' away from the newfangled world-altering device as the door chime rang and we watched a customer walk in from the 4pm heat not even noticing us. Kieth made to greet him and for some reason I noticed the guy's feet do a weird folding thing like Keyser Söze as the guy blacked out six steps into the store, careening face first into the VCR stonehenge making the boxes all fly in different directions. All I can remember after that is Kieth shrieking like a 10 year old girl screaming FUCK FUCK FUCk over and over |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:43:55 PM EDT
[#22]
"Be sure to clean the ashtrays"
had a trs80 as a kid, got to spend a summer with a book bigger than my head learning basic. After typing hundreds of lines and needing to take a bathroom break with younger siblings running around like crazy chimpanzees... fuckin harrowing, the mountain dew piss bottle hadn't been invented yet
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:49:56 PM EDT
[#23]
that takes it back a bit..
i had both the color computer and later the tandy 1000 .. both kinds of joysticks shown, and the tape deck for it. couldnt get the parents to spring for the 5.25 disk drive, but it had the 3.5 in the 1000ex that was a lifetime ago. |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:51:22 PM EDT
[#24]
I had a TI 99-4
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Posted: 2/22/2021 9:54:30 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The year after graduating HS I worked a summer at Radio Shaft. My boss, Kieth drank the RS koolaid and was super into the place. "Sell like hell" he would say every time I walked in. One hot summer day I came in for my shift and Kieth was nearly to dancing with excitement. I asked what he was so geeked about and he led me into the office to show me the latest awesome product- The VCR. (1985) He and I took one out to use as a display item. We looked it over and even I had to admit it looked kinda cool. It was metal with real wood end caps on it. Top loading and about the size of carryon luggage. He giddily asked me to help build a display up front and center, right inside the front door. We set up the boxes in an array with some on edge making small stacked tables for a near eye-level layer of boxes so customers would see the opened up display VCR with a box behind it as a dramatic backdrop. Corporate had specially printed posters that we hung from the ceiling and Kieth moved a couple can-lights to illuminate the display VCR's chrome trim and brushed metal surfaces. We wrapped up our VCR fort after about three hours without any customers coming in the store (because it was fucking Radio Shack and it sucked even in 1985). Kieth, there long past quitting time, walked around the display a few times nodding approvingly. He walked in and out of the store triple checking placement and sight lines to the other products. Satisfied, he stood next to me at the door about 10' away from the newfangled world-altering device as the door chime rang and we watched a customer walk in from the 4pm heat not even noticing us. Kieth made to greet him and for some reason I noticed the guy's feet do a weird folding thing like Keyser Söze as the guy blacked out six steps into the store, careening face first into the VCR stonehenge making the boxes all fly in different directions. All I can remember after that is Kieth shrieking like a 10 year old girl screaming FUCK FUCK FUCk over and over wow |
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Posted: 2/22/2021 10:50:33 PM EDT
[#26]
I miss RS.
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Posted: 2/22/2021 10:57:26 PM EDT
[#27]
My first IBM-type PC was a Tandy 1200 (8088).
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Posted: 2/22/2021 11:14:18 PM EDT
[#28]
I had several Tandy 1000s. EX, RL and a TL I believe. 8086, 8088 and a 286. When you couldn't afford a computer with an EGA or VGA card, the Tandy 16 color was a nice upgrade over monochrome. I had more computers than I could count through the mid to late 80s.
In 1987 I was 16. My buddy and I ordered parts for 10 8088 XT machines (from Computer Shopper magazine) and built them. I believe we had less than $300 a piece in them. We took them to the Hamvention that year and sold them all in the parking lot for north of $500/ea. We then spent the proceeds on a 30 meg external SCSI hard drive and control board for our Wildcat BBS. We had some pirated software on our board and eventually got a cease and desist letter from the FBI. Needless to say we took it down. Very exciting stuff for a teenager. Great time to grow up. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 1:25:55 AM EDT
[#29]
10 PRINT “YOU’RE A FAG ”
20 GOTO 10 |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 1:38:35 AM EDT
[#30]
I'll bet most of the people in this thread have been eaten by a grue at one point or another
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Posted: 2/23/2021 1:39:17 AM EDT
[#31]
Took a computer class about middle school age at Radio Shack, they used TRS's obviously.
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Posted: 2/23/2021 2:48:53 AM EDT
[#32]
TRS80 MC-10 with 4k RAM poor person kid checking in. At least I didn't get a Timex Sinclair.
Glad my dad got me the 16k add-on, but I had to buy my own $99 13" B&W tv to have it on in my room full time. Convinced my parents I needed the TV for the computer, but then stayed up all nights on the weekends watching Dr. Who marathons. I still have it all and the tape recorder that is shown in the video above. I wonder if the old cassette tape programs would still work or if the tape is too aged to still run. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 2:56:00 AM EDT
[#33]
My rich friend down the street had a IBM PC jr. Was my first introduction into PC gaming. Would play Kings Quest all night.
We had a monochrome computer from a local company called Kaypro. Was expensive for my dad at the time but wasn't the PC Jr in all it's 16 color glory |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 3:05:04 AM EDT
[#34]
Bill Buckley Jr. used a Kaypro and promoted them to the conservative community.
I was writing FORTRAN stat programs in the 70s. An Amiga was my first home PC. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 3:08:15 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'll bet most of the people in this thread have been eaten by a grue at one point or another Yep, but that was on a VAX/PDP-11 before I had a useful desktop. I did have a TI-99/4A though. Could never get the tape drive to work so couldn't save anything. Learned BASIC on it and eventually swore off programming after spending a few days typing out and debugging a 5000 line program with my brother. Used joysticks to move a sprite around the screen to generate different sounds. Program got wiped when the dog bumped into the table and knocked the power cable. End of trying to program anything for me. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 3:55:50 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 10 PRINT “YOU’RE A FAG ” 20 GOTO 10 Run |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 3:57:22 AM EDT
[#37]
Be sure to empty the ashtrays....
Ahh the good old days 
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Posted: 2/23/2021 4:48:14 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’ve got a couple tandys. Are they worth anything? Worth only in sentimental value along with those Sierra games that could be purchased with them. a:/stellar7.exe |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 4:57:57 AM EDT
[#39]
I watched the first half and it was awesome. What memories. You've sent me down a black hole, OP. Cheers to you.
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Posted: 2/23/2021 5:57:04 AM EDT
[#40]
I had a trs80
Programmed all kinds of stuff in Basic. I remember when I got the tape player so I could really play some games. Cloadm If you've ever typed it, you know what I mean
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Posted: 2/23/2021 5:59:40 AM EDT
[#41]
Every Radio Shack I every went in was a clusterfuck.
That's how I like it.
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Posted: 2/23/2021 7:20:33 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'll bet most of the people in this thread have been eaten by a grue at one point or another I’ve tracked a few wumpus. My favorite story from back working for RS was when CD players had just started getting popular. Radio Shack had this Glen Miller Band CD they used to demo their CD players and speakers. They also sold the CD. In fact, they sold a lot of that CD. So, I’m there one Saturday morning when this guy, probably about 60-65, comes in and starts complaining that “this thing won’t play, it just makes scratching noises” while holding up the CD box. (You know where this going). I take the CD from him while walking over to the stereo section, open up the cd, the top is all scratched to hell, and put it in the CD player. It immediately starts playing Glenn Miller. The guy looks at me, dumbfounded, and says maybe it’s his player. Working hard not to laugh, I politely ask him what type of player he had. He rattled off a high end turntable name, yes turntable (you knew it was coming right). I then went through the “you need a CD player not a turntable” routine with him. He wasn’t prepared for needing another piece of equipment, but wanted to keep the CD anyway so he’d have it when did get a CD player. I swapped him out a new CD and he was happy. After he left, we all broke out laughing (including other customers that saw what was going on), then I put the CD on display with a “don’t do this” tag... |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 7:59:50 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Bill Buckley Jr. used a Kaypro and promoted them to the conservative community. I was writing FORTRAN stat programs in the 70s. An Amiga was my first home PC. My first real computer was a Kaypro II. Still have it somewhee in the back room. 64K of ram ! ! ! 
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Posted: 2/23/2021 8:58:03 AM EDT
[#44]
I remember my dad bringing home a Tandy 386. That thing was awesome, even had an internal modem and Prodigy. Then he took it back and exchanged it for a 286 because it was too expensive. The 286 was a turd but I used the hell out of it.
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Posted: 2/23/2021 9:13:15 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My rich friend down the street had a IBM PC jr. Was my first introduction into PC gaming. Would play Kings Quest all night. We had a monochrome computer from a local company called Kaypro. Was expensive for my dad at the time but wasn't the PC Jr in all it's 16 color glory Goddamn, those were the good old days. My dad got a legit IBM 8088 as our first computer. I couldn’t do much with it at the time. I was in elementary school. Some basic, some text games. Then I got my very own PCjr. Man, that was life changing. Color, great sound, the expansion deck, cartridges, I spent many hours on that thing. Then built my own 286. Then made a little league bet with my dad about getting a 486, and won. Built that too. The rest was decidedly less exciting but I've always preferred to build my own. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 9:15:16 AM EDT
[#46]
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Posted: 2/23/2021 9:25:16 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's weird seeing CD players next to computadoras that still took tapes. I don't even want to know how much those players retailed for back then. In 1985 I paid $200 for a floor/display unit for a Sony CD player. CDs were $15 at the time. Computing wise I went from TRS-80 (Mk IV - with TWO drives and a whole 32k of RAM) to a IBM 286 w/ 1mb RAM and a 10mb disk drive at about the same time, $2500. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 9:36:27 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'll bet most of the people in this thread have been eaten by a grue at one point or another Yes. Yes, indeed. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 9:37:00 AM EDT
[#49]
I ran my first BBS in the mid-80's on a TRS-80 Model 4.
Hand-coded in BASIC, I still remember upgrading the system from dual single-density 360K 5 1/4" floppies to quad-density 720k 5 1/4" drives. And then eventually getting a good deal on a 5 megabyte hard drive the size of a small stack of dinner plates. And of course, the wave of excitement when I was able to afford the upgrade to a 1200 baud modem. Ah, those were the simple days. |
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Posted: 2/23/2021 9:43:31 AM EDT
[#50]
I still miss my old Tandy 1000. I used it to work at home and made good money off it. Gave it to my son when I moved up. We called it the clay tablet.
I still miss my old Alienware. Got in on the first wave of them, long before they sold out to Dell. I still have it, think it will set it up just for laughs. Played a lot of Doom on that one. |
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