[Coco] History of Tandy/Radio Shack Cassette Recorders

[Aaron Banerjee]

I'm sure just about everyone's aware of this, but just in case:
   Back in the "good 'ol days" when we used cassette to store our
programs/data, there was a difference in cassette recorders.  Some
cassette recorders were labeled "Computer Compatible", which meant that
they did not invert the signal played back by the tape (if you're just
listening with your ear, it doesn't matter whether or not the cassette
recorder inverts).  
   There is a US Patent specific to the coco which is the CLOAD/CLOADM
routine (including the sourcecode).  The invention was that the coco
doesn't care whether or not the tape recorder inverts -- you can use your
walkman to record/load coco programs with a coco.  I thought I'd be funny
and use an 8-track for CLOAD/CSAVE once (by the way, there's a reason that
never caught on...).  I don't have the patent with me, but the inventor
was Dale Chatham.  I'll look it up if anyone's interested (who doesn't
already have the patent).
             - Aaron

On Tue, 16 Dec 2003, Robert Gault wrote:

> Perry M Dueck wrote:
> 
> > I seem to recall coming across some info on a Tandy CCR-83 Cassette
> > Recorder, although I've never actually seen one. What's the difference
> > between the CCR-83 and it's predecessors, the CCR-82 and CCR-81 ?
> > 
> > I do own the Tandy labeled CCR-81, and I remember my cousion owning the
> > earlier Radio Shack TRS-80 labeled CCR-81, and one of my high school
> > classmates owned a Radio Shack TRS-80 labeled CCR-82 (much smaller and
> > somewhat different than the CCR-81).  I vaguely seem to recall that the
> > CCR-81 appeared to be a bit more reliable for storeing and retrieving data
> > than the smaller CCR-82, but perhaps that classmate's CCR-82 just needed a
> > head cleaning or something.
> > 
> > I've also come across a few different  pictures on the web that show a
> > "battleship grey" CCR-81, to match the original CoCo 1....how common were
> > those and were those ever sold here in North America or just overseas?
> > 
> > I also recall a black Radio Shack CTR-80 cassette recorder which my junior
> > high school used with it's TRS-80 Model III systems for a while until they
> > installed 5.25" floppy drives.
> > 
> > best regards, Perry
> > 
> > 
> > 
> I have a gray CCR-81 bought in the US. I think the main differences, if 
> any, in these recorders would be in the AGC section and the presence or 
> absence of a microphone.
> 
> Tandy made a big deal over these "data" recorders but any recorder with 
> low wow/flutter should work as would any decent tape.
> 
> 
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