Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!ico!isis!csm9a!japplega From: japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy Subject: Re: Tandy hardware Message-ID: <1535@csm9a.UUCP> Date: 14 May 89 02:57:41 GMT References: <2520@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> Distribution: na Organization: Colorado School of Mines Lines: 65 In article <2520@csd4.milw.wisc.edu>, chaz@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Charles D Lembach) writes: > > I am considering purchasing a Tandy computer, probally one of thier > 1000 series. I know of thier three models, not sure of the specific > intials, maybe SL, TL, TX? I do know that two are 286 based, and the > third is not. I have a few questions if someone would be kind enough > to answer them. > > I'm telling ya, its easier buying a car than shopping for a reliable > computer! I'm glad you had the sense to ask for opinions... I'm sure their are many who will tell you how happy they are with their Tandy 1000's but if you've read this newsgroup for long their are quite a few disgruntled owners... First of all I am not fully qualified to comment on the new computers but I can comment on the 1000A that I have and the 1000 SX that many members of my user group have 1. Tandy has a very bad history of designing computers that require Tandy peripherals and parts... and Tandy's peripherals are usually 50 to 100% higher than IBM compatible peripherals... lately other vendors have begun selling Tandy compatible parts mail order BUT the parts still tend to be higher than IBM compatible mail order parts... The new computers are of course touted by Tandy as IBM compatible but then so was the Tandy 1000A that I bought and so was the Tandy 1000 SX... I see no reason Tandy should change their deceptive marketing schemes... Based on prior experiance the following incompatibilities with a true clone will be found: A. non compatible monitor required or patch to DOS required B. non standard floppy disk cable C. non standard hard disk interrupt (fixed on the SX) D. poor wattage power supply (I had to use an external PS to run 2 hard drives! E. non standard joystick interface F. non standard parallel interface (requires a special cable which must be cut to use with industry standard printers like the Epson or HP laser!) G. non standard keyboard (supposedly fixed in the SL and TL but time will tell) Based on my experience the 1000 series IS NOT IBM compatible! 2 & 3: probably neither! If you really want a Tandy you need to look at the 3000... it is at least as compatible as most clones... none of the 1000 series are compatible. BTW) there really is only 2 machines... the TX is the old model... the new computers are the SL, which is an 8086 machine and the TL which is a 80286 machine with an 8086 bus. 4. The prices are so low because Tandy knows that you will return to buy their overpriced peripherals! Price the ENTIRE SYSTEM from Tandy when comparing because if you buy the machine cheap from them and expect to but cheap peripherals elsewhere you will join the rest of us disgruntled Tandy owners... Tandy, There are so many better values! - 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. =====================================================================