Tandy 1000 TX

Overview

The Tandy 1000 TX features an 8 MHz 80286 microprocessor for far greater performance than ordinary PCs. This brings 80286 technology, previously found only in AT class machines, to an affordable PC. The 1000 TX boasts over six times faster throughput than a standard PC XT -- you'll fly through your applications.

The Tandy 1000 TX is outfitted with a new 8.89cm disk drive, ready to use MS-DOS 3.2 software released on durable, pocket-sized diskettes. Each diskette can store up to 720,000 characters, and you can internally add a second 8.89cm disk drive anytime. If you prefer, you can expand with a 13.3cm disk drive, so you can use existing 13.3cm software along with the new releases available on 8.89cm diskettes.

The Tandy 1000 TX comes with 640K RAM -- enough power to handle almost any application. Five card slots make it easy to customize the 1000 TX just the way you want. Add more memory, an internal modem, a hard disk card -- or add an additional card for connecting the TX to your environment.

General Information

CPU

Intel 80286, 8/4 MHz software selectable.

Memory

640K RAM, expandable to 768K (640K for MS-DOS, 128K for video memory). Includes power-up diagnostics.

Storage

One double-sided, double density 720K (formatted) thin-line 8.89cm mini-floppy. 96 tracks per inch.

Expansion

Five user-accessible PC-compatible card slots (10" maximum length), 80287 Math Co-Processor, Second (8.89cm of 13.3cm) disk drive.

Documentation

Brochures

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Troubleshooting

Problems with VGA

        Subject: Problems with VGA

        Fm: GAVIN LENNOX 76535,3062

        I HAVE A 1000TX WITH VGA ALOT OF SOFTWARE WILL NOT 
        RECOGNIZE MY VGA CAN ANYONE HELP??? 


Fm: Tommy Bevins 76510,1526

I had the same problem with my 1000TL.  It seems Tandy has an error in its
BIOS that screws up programs that try to autosense the video mode.  An article
in the magazine One Thousand provided a fix for this.
       
The fix to the problem is to change the value of the byte at 0000:048A
from 3F to the correct value.  The correct values are listed in Table #3.

Until Tandy comes up with a fix to their BIOS, the following program written 
by ATI will solve the problem:
      
Using DEBUG.COM from you Disk Operating System, type the instructions
in Figure #4 to create a short executable file called T1KVGA.COM. Put the
value from Table #3 that matches the set up of your computer in where the "__"
is shown.  For almost all users, the value will be "0B".

Run this program every time you boot the computer and want to use
software that auto-detects your VGA card.

 Table #3: Fix Values
 ---------------------
 Default Video Mode         Value            Meaning
 ---------------------    ---------     --------------------------------
 VGA color                   0B              single VGA color display
 VGA color and MDA           0C              dual monitors with VGA
                                             color and mono text boards
 VGA mono                    0D              single VGA monochrome display
 VGA mono and CGA            0E              dual monitors with VGA mono
                                             and CGA color boards



 Figure #4: T1KVGA.COM Listing
 ------------------------------
 C:> DEBUG
 E 100
 B8 00 00 8E D8 B0 __ 3E A2 8A 04 B8 00 4C CD 21
 RCX
 0010
 NT1KVGA.COM
 W
 Q

I typed this in and substituted the 0B for the "__" in the listing. This fixed
problems that I had encountered when trying to run software that tried to
auto-detect the video modes.

                                                   -Tommy

Reviews

Tandy Introduces 80286-based 8-bit machine

by R. Wayne Day

Dallas, TX -- August 3, 1987 -- Tandy gave a preview at the machine that will probably wind up being one of the new standards in personal MS-DOS computing, today, when they announced the Tandy 1000-TX 80286-based computer at their 10th anniversary press conference.

The TX occupies the same footprint area as a 1000-SX and will have the same 5 8-bit expansion slots as before. Parallel printer port, CGA, joystick, composite monitor and line level audio outputs are all still standard.

New features in the base-priced machine include out-of-the box 768K memory (640K directly addressable by MS-DOS with the additional 128K being used by either a print spooler, RAM disk, or combination of both), serial port and a volume control for the speaker volume.

The 80286 processor winds up reporting a 7.1 on the Norton SI index as compared to the IBM-PC's 1.0 and IBM Personal System/2 Model 30's 1.8. Optionally, you can add a 80287 math co-processor.

The base unit comes with one 720K 3.5" thin-line mini floppy drive (80 track double sided). Optional memory devices include another 3.5" drive, 5 1/4" drive, 20 meg hard card, or 20 or 42 megabyte hard disk units.

The 1000-TX comes bundled with MS-DOS 3.2 and GW-BASIC 3.2, as well as Personal Deskmate 2, an enhanced all-in-one applications program.

The base price is $1199.

Initial impressions:

This is going to be the new machine for the individual or business that has decided that immediate needs are being taken care of by the software that is here, today. Since this machine will not run OS/2 (though it has the 80286, it doesn't have a 16-bit buss, which is required for OS/2 useage) it's best positioned to compare with with the IBM Model 30 - and there the performance features are impressive.

At a thousand dollars less than the Model 30's minimum system price (comparing the machine, DOS, and a color monitor -- $2410 versus $1498) you're getting three times the speed with more built-ins and greater expandability.

So, if you've decided that you need or want a '286 machine, this is probably going to be one of the better values that you find.

For those who asked, no, this machine is not going to be running Xenix

See Also

• Tandy Corporation