VTech Laser 200
Template:About Template:Short description Template:Original research Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox information appliance
The VTech Laser 200 and 210 are 8-bit home computers from 1983. They were aimed at the entry-level market<ref name='yc_review' /> and first-time users.<ref name='sanyovideo_20th' />
The machine ran basic games on cassette such as Hoppy (a version of Frogger), Cosmic Rescue (Scramble), VZ Invaders (Space Invaders), Dawn Patrol (Chopper) and Moon Patrol.
The Laser 200 and 210 and variants were rebadged under numerous different names in various markets, where they met with varying degrees of success. These included the Salora Fellow (mainly in Fennoscandia, particularly Finland), the Seltron 200 in Hungary & Italy, the Smart-Alec Jr. by Dynasty Computer Corporation in Dallas, Texas for the USA, the Texet TX8000 (United Kingdom), the Dick Smith VZ 200 (in Australia & New Zealand), and the VTech VZ 200 (in the United States & Canada).
From late 1984 on,<ref name='telematch_1984_09' /> the Laser 200/210 and VZ200 were replaced by an improved model known as the VTech Laser 310 or the Dick Smith VZ 300. This featured a full travel keyboard and 8K ROM software-based Floppy Disk Controller, and was produced until 1989.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
VTech also used the "Laser" brand on some otherwise unrelated computers.
Development
Video Technology (VTech) manufactured calculators and LCD pad game toys (similar to Nintendo Game & Watch) at a multi-storey factory in Hong Kong. The Laser 100 and 110 were a development of an earlier monochrome TRS-80 copy, and further development resulted in the Laser 200 and 210 which were similar in terms of architecture to the EACA Colour Genie (itself a TRS-80 derivative) and in terms of specification and pricing to (e.g.) the Mattel Aquarius.<ref name='yc_nov83' />
Distribution, naming and reception by country
Released in 1983,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Laser 200 was marketed under various names in numerous countries worldwide. It enjoyed particular success in Australia and New Zealand where it and its successor (the Laser 310) sold in rebadged form via the "Dick Smith" chain for several years.<ref name='hunter_18_3' /><ref name='dubois_interview' />
Austria, Hungary and Italy
In these countries a variant known as the Seltron 200 was imported in what were likely very small quantities.<ref name='mikrovilag_1989_06_21' /> However, it proved unsuccessful, with reports of unsold machines still on the Hungarian market several years later.<ref name='mikrovilag_1989_06_21' />
Australia and New Zealand Template:Anchor
Dick Smith VZ200
The Laser 200 was distributed throughout these countries via the Dick Smith Electronics chain as the "Dick Smith VZ200" with 8 kB of RAM installed<ref name='ds_vz200_box' /> and launching at $200 (Template:Inflation).<ref name='apc_review' /> Reviewing it in Australian Personal Computer, Tim Hartnell was highly positive and called it a "great little machine" he thought would "change the face of Australian computing" as well as noting that APC's editor himself had told him "I'm certainly going to buy one".<ref name='apc_review' /> (Both quotes were later used in DSE's advertising.)<ref name='dsenz_1984_85' />
Due to their extensive advertising throughout Australia and New Zealand, the VZ200 gained large popularity there.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The "Dick Smith"-badged VZ200 was successful in Australia, where it proved popular as a first computer.<ref>Dick Smith VZ-200, thepcmuseum.com. Retrieved 21 March 2007.</ref> A 1984 catalogue reported that over 22,000 units had already sold throughout Australasia;<ref name='dsenz_1984_85' /> a figure that was later increased to 30,000.<ref name='hunter_34_4' /> In Australia, the VZ200 was bought mostly to learn programming; the only other widely available system in the same price bracket being the Commodore 64. The VZ200 version of BASIC had more features compared to the Commodore 64 BASIC.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Dick Smith went on to sell the improved Laser 310, rebadged in a similar style as the "Dick Smith VZ300",<ref name='liberator_vz300' /> from 1985.<ref name='bb_1985_04' /> It continued to advertise the VZ300 for $99 as of 1987<ref name='dse_catalogue_8788' /> until, circa May 1988, a user group reported that it was no longer listed in the latest catalogue and presumed discontinued.<ref name='hunter_18_3' /> (One former VZ developer/publisher and supplier to Dick Smith stated that, circa the early 1990s, they were still selling 100,000 VZ300s a year but were forced to discontinue the model after VTech ceased production in order to concentrate on IBM clones, despite an offer to increase their order.)<ref name='dubois_interview' />
Canada
The machine was sold as the VZ200 in Canada, where Electronics Today International gave it a generally positive review as a beginner's machine, despite criticism of the keyboard.<ref name='eti_1983_09' />
It was distributed there by Rocelco Inc. 24 Viceroy Road, Unit 1, Concord, Ontario L4K 2L9.<ref name='eti_1983_09' /> (Template:As of, the company is still in existence at the same address and are now a wholesaler of office equipment.)<ref name='rocelco' />
China
The Laser 310, a later revision, was one of the first computers to be widely used in homes and primary and secondary schools in China during the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name='guancha' /> It was also found in Children's Palaces of the time.<ref name='thepaper_cn' /><ref name='geek_logic' />
Finland, Sweden and Scandinavia
Salora Fellow
Sold as the Salora Fellow throughout Finland, Sweden & Scandinavia. These were rebadged Laser 200 computers with 2 kB of user RAM plus 2 kB of video RAM,<ref name='skrolli_2018_09' /> (marketed as 4 kB).<ref name='salora_fellow_box' /> The Fellow did not prove to be very successful.<ref name='skrolli_2018_09' />
(Salora also sold another VTech computer, the Laser 2001, as the Salora Manager. However, this used the 6502 CPU<ref name='leadedsolder_manager' /> and a completely different design, so was incompatible with the Z80-based Fellow/Laser 200.)
France
In France, the Laser 200 was seen at the Micro-Expo exhibition in Paris during June 1983.<ref name='loi_1983_09' /> It was advertised for sale later that year, via mail order from Video Technology themselves, in a version that was compatible with the French SECAM television system.<ref name='fr_ad_1983_10' /> Unlike some of its competitors, this allowed its use, via the aerial socket, with older televisions that did not support Péritel (SCART).<ref name='ms_1984_05' />
At its launch, it was seen to be an "introductory machine for beginners" and compared to the ZX81, Oric-1 and Matra Alice.<ref name='ms_1983_09' />
In late 1984, the improved Laser 310 model was released, again in a SECAM-compatible version.<ref name='micro7_1984_10' />
In 1985, Video Technology imported a limited number of VZ-200-branded versions at what was described as an "unbeatable" price (690 F). These models, which were claimed to be sourced via Germany, were PAL/SCART only and did not include SECAM output.<ref name='sevm_1985_05' />
Germany
The VTech Laser 110, 200, 210<ref name='sanyovideo_20th' /> and VTech Laser 310<ref name='sanyo_tips_manual' /> sold and distributed all throughout Germany by Sanyo. The Laser 110 and VZ200 models sold there both included 4K RAM, whereas the Laser 210 and 310 came with 8K.<ref name='sanyo_tips_manual' />
In mid to late 1982, the Laser 200 hit the German market via Sanyo. It is only the German Laser 200 units that have its underneath base plates showing the year 1982. All other units outside of Germany show 1983.
"Sanyo Video" advertised both the Laser 110 and the Laser 210,<ref name='sanyovideo_acht' /> along with peripherals and software that it noted was also suitable for use with the VZ200.<ref name='sanyovideo_20th' />
During the early years of the VZ200 and Laser 210, Germany saw a large number of the computers being sold, and many user groups formed. It was interesting to note that the Light Pen was sold in Germany in the early years, and quite a number were privately imported into Australia by Gavin Williamson and Bob Kitch. The light pen was never sold in Australia. The floppy disk drive was marketed and sold throughout Germany during 1984,<ref name='happy_84_10' /> some time before they were even advertised in Australia (end of 1985). Once again, a number of drive units ended up in Australia long before Dick Smith got on board.
United Kingdom Template:Anchor
Following a short-lived attempt to distribute it as the rebadged "Texet TX8000",<ref name='popcom_1983_04_20' /> the Laser 200 was later relaunched under its original name in the UK.<ref name='pcn_1983_6_29' /> However, it had little success<ref name='popcom_1984_02_02' /> against established competitors and a glut of similar low-end microcomputers.
Texet TX8000 Template:Anchor
Initially it had been agreed that UK-based distributor Texet would have exclusive rights there.<ref name='popcom_1983_04_20' /> Rebadged as the "Texet TX8000", at £98 (Template:Inflation), it was described as the cheapest colour computer on the market.<ref name='yc_review' />
Reviews under the TX8000 name appeared during March and April 1983, where it received a mixed response.<ref name='yc_review' /><ref name='which_micro_review' /><ref name='pcn_texet_review' />Template:Refn (Review samples also varied between 4 and 8 kB RAM,Template:Refn making Texet's intended retail specification unclear.)
It was claimed in one publication<ref name='pct_1983_05_p09' /> in early April that the TX8000 had been on sale since the end of March. However, it is not clear whether this was verified,<ref name='pct_footnote' group='Notes' /> nor how many, if any, units made it to shops or were actually sold.
In mid-April 1983, after a legal reorganisation at Texet,Template:Refn the future of the TX8000 was "still to be decided" and seen to be in doubt.<ref name='popcom_1983_04_20' /> Following a lack of further activity,<ref name='pcn_1983_07_13' /> the TX8000-branded version was described as having "disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived".<ref name='pcn_1983_08_18' />
Laser 200 via "Computers for All" stores
In June 1983, new distributors<ref name='pcn_1983_08_18' /> announced that the "Laser 200"-branded version with 4 kB RAM would be sold for £70 via "Computers for All"-affiliated independent retailers.<ref name='pcn_1983_6_29' /> However, while the new price was significantly lower than Texet's, its largest rival, the 16K Spectrum, had itself since fallen to £99.95.<ref name='pcn_1983_08_18' /> (One review noted that expanding the 4K Laser to that level would effectively eliminate its price advantage.)<ref name='pcn_1983_08_18' />Template:Refn
The Laser 200 also competed against a wide array of similarly-priced low-end or beginners' machines on the UK market, including the Tandy MC-10, Mattel Aquarius, VIC-20, TI-99/4A, Oric 1, ZX81 and Jupiter Ace.<ref name='yc_nov83' /> Computers for All's own advertising promoted the Laser 200, alongside other formats, for several months.<ref name='cfa_1983_07' /><ref name='cfa_1983_11' />
In early 1984, Computers for All (by then, its sole UK distributor) ceased trading,<ref name='popcom_1984_02_02' /> casting doubt on the future of the Laser 200.<ref name='yc_aqua2' /> It had still not been adopted for sale by any major UK high street chains<ref name='popcom_1984_02_02' /> by then and software availability had remained a consistent problem.<ref name='pcn_1983_12_07' /> As of July 1984, it still had no replacement distributor<ref name='pcn_1984_07_07' /> and there is little evidence to suggest any further attempts were made to market the format in the UK.
United States of America
In early 1983, Video Technology exhibited a VZ200-badged version of the machine at the Winter CES. Creative Computing gave it a positive reception, calling it "the sleeper hit of the show at just $99"<ref name='cc_1983_04' /> and, in their full review a couple of months after, stated that "the VZ200 is a great value for the suggested price of under $100".<ref name='cc_1983_05' />
Later that year, it was reported that it was being renamed "Laser 200" for the US market.<ref name='cc_1983_09' /> Video Technology's US branch was still continuing to promote the Laser 200 alongside newer models at the following Winter CES in early 1984.<ref name='cc_1984_04' />
In 1985, the first branch of Video Technology was opened in the United States at 390 Convention Way, Redwood City, California. This location served as the main office, mail order center, kit assembly area and retail store. Additional stores were opened in Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, California; Stevens Creek Boulevard, San Jose, California; and Los Angeles. Within a few years the US operation was sold.
There have also been numerous reports over the years of owners having the NTSC model Laser 200, 210 and 310, as well as VTech VZ200s that have been reportedly having been sold and distributed throughout the US.
It has also been reported that an electronics magazine in that era also advertised a training course which gave away a VZ200 computer. This is in similar fashion to that of what happened within Australia in the mid-1980s.
Smart Alec Jr Template:Anchor
The Laser 210 was also re-labelled as the Smart Alec Jr, and sold/distributed on a small scale throughout the USA by Dynasty Computer Corporation, a company that sold computers via independent door-to-door salespeople and in-home demonstrations.<ref name='eg_1984_03' />
At one point, the Smart Alec Jr and 16K expansion were given away free with the purchase of 25 pieces of software (for a typical average of $390).<ref name='eg_1984_03' />
It is unknown how many units were sold.
Technical specification (Laser200/Laser210/VZ200)
The VZ200 has three circuit boards, the video board and voltage regulator being separate to the main board.
Externally, the VZ200 resembles a cross between the VIC-20 and the ZX Spectrum. The VZ200 has the one touch command keys of the Spectrum, but unlike the Sinclair machines, their use was not mandatory.
Internally, the VZ200 is a workalike of the Tandy TRS-80 Model I, with Model II BASIC. The micro uses the same basic architecture, and TRS-80 Level I and II programs can be loaded straight from cassette tape with the VZLOADXX utility. The VZ/Laser computer has a different memory map to that of the TRS80, and some commands in BASIC have been hidden - possibly an attempt to avoid Microsoft licensing copyright infringement. These hidden commands can easily be re-enabled; however, overall, the Laser/VZ is not considered a true clone of the TRS80 I/II.
The connections consist of a port for an unregulated DC power supply (the voltage regulator is on the PCB), a stereophonic earphone jack for a cassette recorder, an RF modulated video output, an edge connector which is a printer and disk drive port, an edge connector that is a joystick port, and a composite monitor output (NTSC 60 Hz output in North America, PAL 50 Hz output in the British Commonwealth and continental Europe), and SCART in other parts of the world.
The VZ200 uses a copy of a Zilog Z80 processor (made under licence by NEC) running at 3.58 Mhz<ref name='vz200_tech_manual' /> (3.54 MHz on VZ300) and was initially sold with either 4 kB RAM (Europe) or 6 kB RAM (in North America), which was increased to 8 kB RAM within weeks of its release. Throughout Australia and New Zealand, the VZ200 was initially released as an 8 kB unit. A 16 kB expansion unit was available, increasing RAM to 24 kB. The VZ300 was released with 18 kB of RAM including 2 of video RAM.
An 8 kB system consists of 6 kB of RAM, 2 kB of video RAM, and 16 kB of ROM. The memory could be expanded to 24 kB (22 kB memory plus 2 kB video memory). Like the TRS-80, both memory and I/O locations are mapped.
Extended RAM was available above top RAM using the remote offset addressing method available on the Z80 (also known as bank switching).
Banks of system memory can be reassigned using an offset above the top RAM. Those banks are then no longer available, so program algorithms cannot be used in extended memory (as the program would "disappear" when extended memory is accessed), so it can only be used for program data.
Video RAM can be increased to access the higher modes of the 6847 since there are video RAM chip select lines on the memory expansion. Remote offset addressing must be used because the video processor cannot address system or internal expansion RAM, externally connected RAM must be used.
Video
The VZ200 uses the Motorola 6847 video processor<ref name='vz200_tech_manual' /> (like the TRS-80 Color Computer), which has a resolution of 256×192 pixels. Video output can either be split into 8 × 8 pixel character blocks in a 32×24 block screen or used as a single monochrome bitmap.
As the VZ200 is limited to only 2 kB of video memory since only 4 kB of memory in total was initially available, the screen is limited to only 16 lines down, making the total number of pixels in text mode 256 × 128 pixels. The bitmapped mode is unavailable in these early models.
The VZ200 supports up to ten colours, an eight colour palette plus black and buff. The VZ200 has 256 predefined character blocks. Text is only available in upper case and the character blocks cannot be redefined. The screen can use green mode or black mode, the latter using inverse colours.
MODE 0
In mode 0, the background colour can be either dark green or orange. Dark green (COLOR,0) consists of ten individual unique colours in total, whilst with the orange background (COLOR,1) eleven colours in total are available.
Text uses a black foreground with either background colour. The first 128 character blocks are 64 alpha-numeric characters and their inverses. Text mode 0 is the only mode in which black is available.
The latter 128 character blocks consist of a 2×2 pixel block in each possible combination (8), in every of the 8 colour palette for foreground, together with either background colour chosen.
MODE 1
The 'hires' graphics mode has a resolution of 128×64 or 8192 addressable points. Memory addressing for video RAM starts at 0x7000 and ends at 0x77FF.
For mode 1, two colour sets are used with each background colour:
- SET 1 → background: light green - foreground: light green, yellow, blue or red
- SET 2 → background: buff [white] - foreground: buff, cyan, magenta or orange
Only four colours from either colour set can be displayed no the screen at any one time. All 2 kB of video memory is used in Mode 1.
By using intricate video timing it is possible to split the display to show all eight colours on the screen at the same time, as shown in the VZ200 Five Finger Punch demo '2018AD' and Bushy555's demo '8 colours'.
Sound output
An internal latch is used for cassette output, to drive the piezoelectric loudspeaker attached to the casing,<ref name='vz200_tech_manual' /> and to control two signals for the 6847 video processor. The loudspeaker is driven using a push-pull method, alternating the outputs on bits 0 and 5 of the latch at $6800.
A 2.5 octave range is available in BASIC through the SOUND command.
A number of the ZX Spectrum 1-bit music players will also work directly on the VZ/Laser computer. 1-bit music is possible through the speaker, the cassette port, or through the parallel printer interface. Since the latch has two bits driving the internal piezo speaker and the cassette port, there is the ability of a software driven volume control - no volume, half-volume and full-volume.
Full 8-bit wave and music files can be played through a DAC connected to the parallel printer interface, far exceeding the computer's original advertised 31 pitched notes in BASIC.
Peripherals
Disk drives
In 1984 disk drive units were released onto the German market<ref name='happy_84_10' /> and to the rest of the world in 1985. Two drive units could be connected to the computer at the same time through the drive controller. A plug-pack cartridge controller containing the DOS ROM was required to operate the drives. The DOS ROM and diskette drives were backwards compatible with the Laser 110, 210 and 310.<ref name='happy_84_10' />
Other contemporary peripherals
A number of other VTech designed plug-in peripherals were also available for both the Laser 200 and Laser 310 computers. Among them were joysticks, cassette drive, light pen, printer plotter, 75 baud modem, word processor cartridge, an 16kB and 64kB extended RAM cartridges. As numbers of users grew, so did the number of home-made kits which were on offer, which included a speech synthesizer, a Music Synthesiser that used the Texas Instruments SN76489AN chip, a real world relay interface, EEPROM programmer, data logger, 300 baud MODEM, full 101-key keyboard, 128 Kb sideways RAM extension and a RTTY Ham radio kit.
Later developments
In 2020 Ben Grimmett from BennVenn Electronics designed and built 50 SD card readers for enthusiasts, which gives the computer a total of 128 Kb of banked RAM, and, depending on the SD memory card, a minimum of 2 gigabytes of storage space. A FAT32 DOS was also written for this project and is embedded in EEPROM. A second release was created in 2022 with another forty units being created with a few DOS updates for full file access. Full music and graphical videos can be directly played from the SD card.
Variants and other models
This section covers models that are notably different to the standard Laser 200 and 210 beyond the simple name changes covered above.
Laser 100 / Laser 110 Template:Anchor
The Laser 100 and 110 came out shortly before the Laser 200 and Laser 210 / VZ200 and were an earlier version of the same basic design. From the point of view of the BASIC ROM, these machines were very similar to the original TRS-80 Model I.
As with the Laser 200/210 and later models, the Laser 100/110 uses a MC6847 video chip, which was used in numerous other computers during the late 1970s and early 1980s including the TRS-80 Color Computer.Template:Refn
However, unlike their successors, the Laser 100/110 supported black and white graphics only.<ref name='sanyo_tips_manual' /> While the 6847 chip itself was capable of colour, and both the 100 and 110 supported colour within the internal language interpreters (BASIC, assembler), the output video from the NTSC and PAL circuitry was monochrome.
Both computers were released with the same orange coloured keyboard 'chicklet' style keyboard on a black background, and had the same BASIC in ROM, of which there are at least three known versions: 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2.
The Laser 100 was released with 2kB RAM + 2kB Video RAM, whilst the Laser 110 was released with 4kB RAM + 2kB Video RAM.
The Laser 100 and 110 computers were never released as a re-badged 'VZ 100'.
Laser 300 Template:Anchor
Template:Unreferenced section One legitimate Laser 300 was found within the Chinese 'flea market' clearly pictured as a 'Laser 300' in 2024.Template:Cn No hardware details were obtained.
Laser 305 Template:Anchor
The Laser 305 is an extremely rare computer produced by Video Technology. Essentially it is the Laser 310 motherboard placed inside the Laser 200 keyboard,<ref name='garage_305' /> of which, anyone with these two computers could perform themselves. However, the original release, and the reasoning behind VTech releasing this particular configuration, have been lost to history. As of July 2021 there were only two known Laser 305s in existence.Template:Citation needed
Laser 310 / VZ-300 Template:Anchor
The Laser 310 was an enhanced version of the Laser 200/210 whose primary changes were a typewriter-style keyboard with hard keys, a new case and more memory.
In April 1984, the Laser 310 was exhibited at that year's CeBIT exhibition in Hanover.<ref name='loi_1984_06' /> In West Germany<ref name='telematch_1984_09' /><ref name='hc_1984_10' /> and France<ref name='micro7_1984_10' /> it launched in late 1984.
It also sold throughout parts of Europe as well as in Mainland China<ref name='guancha' /> and was named and sold as the "Dick Smith" VZ 300 throughout Australia and New Zealand<ref name='liberator_vz300' /> from 1985 on.<ref name='bb_1985_04' />
Also based on a Zilog Z80A CPU with a slightly updated 16kB ROM version, it was driven by a television colour burst (3.54 MHz) crystal. It came with 16kB of RAM for programming, along with the same 2kB of video RAM as the Laser 200.
The VZ300 had a small number of physical upgrades, but is completely compatible with the VZ200. There were three models of keyboard released for the VZ300:
- Brown keys with no under-key labels. (1985)
- Brown keys with under-key labels. (1986)
- Light-grey/cream coloured keys, with under-key labels. (1987)
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Externally, the rubber keys were replaced with hard plastic capped keys and the case was made with a less brittle type of plastic.
Video Technology used higher capacity memory ICs for the VZ300, having 18 kB of memory (16 kB CPU RAM + 2 kB video RAM). The system RAM capacity was increased to 16 kB, which together with 16 kB of expansion RAM, making a total of 34 kB RAM for the system.
The VZ200 16 kB RAM expansion could be used, but because of the way the chip select pins were arranged, only 8 kB would actually be available. ETI magazine in Australia published an electronic circuit which would enable VZ300 owners to use all 16 kB of the VZ200 expansion.
There is at least one VZ300 known to exist with 66kB of memory (64kB RAM + 2kB Video) on the motherboard, built by Video Technology. This unit uses 8x HM4864P-2 8kB static RAM chips instead of the usual 8x 2kB memory chips.Template:Citation needed
Seltron 200 Template:Anchor
Known examples of the "Seltron 200 Color Computer"-badged variant are unique in terms of their motherboard design, which features a layout and configuration quite different to those used for other models in the family.
Named after the supermarket retail chain 'Scale ELEKTRON' imported units into Austria and was sold throughout the countries of Austria, Hungary and Italy.
In Hungary, the Seltron 200 was distributed by Skála-Coop but was unsuccessful and remained obscure.<ref name='mm_1988_04' /> Despite the lack of cheap computers at that time, it proved unpopular even among uninformed buyers<ref name='mikrovilag_1989_06_21' /> due to incompatibility and lack of support. (In response to an owner's complaint about this, one publication suggested that Skála-Coop had most likely acquired a limited number of machines cheaply and simply dumped them on the market without support.)<ref name='mm_1988_04' />
In 1989, when unsold examples were still on the Hungarian market, the magazine Mikrovilág speculatively estimated that around 80 units had been imported into Austria circa 1984-85.<ref name='mikrovilag_1989_06_21' />
The Seltron's motherboard contained the same custom VZ300/Laser 310 single packaged GA003 and GA004 chipsets (which replaced discrete VZ200/Laser 200-210 components), though the design eliminated the need for the GA008 (clock register and DRAM controller) that is used in the 16 Kb VZ300/Laser 310. Some speculate that it was Video Technology's attempt at cost reducing the manufacturing process. It was released with the usual 2 Kb of video RAM, along with 2 Kb of user RAM (same as the Laser 200), but the motherboard allowed for further expansion of another 2 KB or 4 Kb of RAM. By adding an additional 2x 2 KB user RAM it would bring the Seltron up to the same spec as an "8K" VZ200/Laser 210. The Seltron also had the standard 16kB ROM and the motherboard allowed for the option of either a single 16 kB ROM package or 2x 8 kB ROM chip packages.
As of 2022 there are around 10 Seltron 200 computers known to be existing, mostly throughout in Hungary.Template:Citation needed
Unrelated "VTech Laser" models Template:Anchor
Template:Main The 'Laser' name was also used on several other computers sold by VTech that were incompatible with or completely unrelated to the Laser 100-310 family.
The Laser 500 and Laser 750 computers were released later, based on Z80 processor technology (MSX clones), having a 32kB ROM (including BASIC version 3.0) with 64kB of RAM. The Laser 500 and Laser 750 are not backwards-compatible with the Laser 100 to 310 family.
The Laser 128 was an Apple II clone released in 1986.
The Laser 2001 was a computer based on the "CreatiVision" console design, which was based around a 6502 CPU and thus completely incompatible with the Z80-based Laser 100 to 310.
Software
Australia and New Zealand
Most VZ200 programs were written in Australia, where the rebadged "Dick Smith VZ200" and "VZ300" were popular enough to remain on sale until the late 1980s.<ref name='hunter_18_3' />
There, it occupied a similar "beginner's machine"<ref name='pcn_texet_review' /><ref name='eti_1983_09' /> niche to the Sinclair ZX81 (a computer to which the VZ200 had been compared,<ref name='pcn_1983_08_18' /> but which was never widely available in Australia because of production problems in the UK) and was a system which many early programmers learnt on.
Store fronts throughout Australia and New Zealand sold many titles, including educational and graphical games, finance programs and various software utility tools, most of which have been found and transferred for the use in the various emulators. Unfortunately, there are a number of known software packages that have simply been lost through the passage of time.
Dick Smith Electronics ran a program buying software from local programmers and selling them through their stores for $12 a cassette.
The lack of foreign competition tended to encourage local programmers, programmers there having little success competing with foreign programs on the most popular system, the Commodore 64.
Elsewhere
One VZ200 developer noted that some software sold by Dick Smith Electronics was developed in Taiwan.<ref name='dubois_interview' /> (However, if this was a reference to VTech's own software, this may be in error, as VTech was based in Hong Kong, not Taiwan.)
While at least one UK developer (Abbex) attempted to support the Laser 200<ref name='abbex_1' /> in conjunction with its distributor<ref name='pcn_1983_08_18' /> and had at least one commercial release<ref name='abbex_invasion' /> the machine was unsuccessful there, with software availability remaining a problem up until the time of its disappearance from the market.<ref name='popcom_1984_02_02' />
With both of their releases in Germany, USA, Italy and a few other countries, commercially based software titles grew and were distributed throughout various outlets in their home countries.
BASIC
The VZ includes a built-in BASIC interpreter in ROM, which is used not just for programming, but for accessing the OS, recording programs, and all other operations on the computer.
The VZ200 uses a version of Microsoft BASIC II, similar but not identical to Level II BASIC on the TRS-80, including useful commands like SET, PRINT@ and IF-THEN-ELSE. Firmware machine code routines are available using the RSX command. The firmware contains a large number of useful routines provided by Zilog, via NEC.
Some TRS-80 BASIC commands, such as RANDOMIZE, ON and the DEF commands (only subroutines can be used for formulae), are not available, so only simple TRS-80 programs can be entered without alteration. A number of Extended Basics were written that "unhid" approximately 25 of these hidden BASIC commands that were partially disabled from factory by Video Technology.
The BASIC can use integers, decimals and floating point numbers. Double precision numbers are not available, but can be used by storing the different power position numbers in a string and concatenating the strings.
List of games
There are 53 known commercial games for VTech Laser 200<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>vz200.org</ref>
| Game title | Publisher | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of Aces | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Air Traffic Controller | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Airline | Cases Computer Simulations Ltd. | 1984 |
| Asteroids | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Attack Killer Tomato | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Backgammon | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Blackjack | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Byter | Protek Computing Ltd | 1984 |
| Camelot | Protek Computing Ltd | 1984 |
| Checkers | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Chess | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Circus | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Crash | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Dallas | Cases Computer Simulations Ltd. | 1984 |
| Dawn Patrol | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Defence Penetrator | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Diamond Poker Machine | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Digout | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Dracula's Castle | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Duel: Gunfight | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Dynasty Derby | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Formula One | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Galactic Invasion | Abbex Electronics Ltd. | 1984 |
| Galaxon | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Ghost Hunter | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Hamburger Sam | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Hangman | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Hoppy | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Horse/Rabbit Racing | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Invaders | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Kamakazi | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Knights & Dragons | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Ladder Challenge | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Lunar Lander | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Matchbox | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Maze of Argon | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Missile Attack | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Othello | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Penguin | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Phaorah's Curse | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Planet Patrol | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Poker | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Slot Machine/Russian Roulette | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Space Ram | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Star Blaster | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Super Snake | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Tennis | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Tennis / Golf Lesson | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| The Dynasty Derby | Dynasoft | 1983 |
| Tote Racing | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Vz-Panic | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
Emulators
A number of emulators for various platforms have since been written for these models of computers:
- MAME/MESS VZ/Laser emulation by Juergen Buchmueller and Dirk Best.
- JEMU (for Java) by Richard Wilson.
- JVZ200 (for Windows) by James Tamer.
- VZEM (Windows and DOS versions) by Guy Thomason.
- Pocket VZ (for the Pocket PC) by Guy Thomason.
- Android VZ (for the Android OS) by Guy Thomason.
- WinVZ300 / DSEVZ200 / Emulator 2001 by Gavin Turner.
- VZ SoundPaint (Java) by Jürgen Reuter.
- VZ200 Remake java emu by C Wahlmann.
- Windows Laser 310 Emu by ZZemu.
- FPGA VZ emulator by ZZEMU.
- VZ Emulator by Paul Anderson.
- VZ-Next (ESP32/Windows/Linux/Raspi) by Paul Robson.
- MiSTer FPGA core by Alan Hanson
- JSMESS by Jason Scott
- Browser-based laser310-emu by Antonino Porcino.
Notes
References
External links
- Blue Bilby - website featuring new games, interviews, tutorials and applications
- VZEM by Intertek – The official homepage of the VZEM emulator
- JEMU – Java based VZ200 & VZ300 Emulator
- A contemporary review – from Your Computer, April 1983
- The VZ200 – Tutorials and Programming
- A VZ200 Wiki – Information
- Template:Web archive
- Bushy's Absolute everything VZ page.
- Steve's VZ page.
- Template:Web archive
- Bushy's VZ software download page