Tandy 1000

The Tandy 1000 combined strong IBM PC software compatibility with enhanced PCjr-style sixteen-colour graphics and three-voice sound. Radio Shack bundled it with DeskMate and sold complete home systems through its retail network.

It became one of the most successful home PC compatibles of the 1980s and made Tandy graphics and sound important targets for DOS games.

Notable Features

• Processing is provided by Intel 8088 at 4.77 MHz.
• The standard memory configuration was 128KB standard; expandable to 640KB.
• Display hardware provided Tandy/PCjr-compatible graphics up to 320 x 200 in sixteen colours or 640 x 200 in four colours.

Historical Significance

• It became one of the most successful home PC compatibles of the 1980s and made Tandy graphics and sound important targets for DOS games.
• Storage-only and minor motherboard revisions are documented on this page rather than treated as separate products.

Collector’s Notes

• Confirm the catalogue number, processor, memory and drives because similar Tandy cases were sold in several configurations.
• Original DeskMate or system disks, keyboards, monitors and Radio Shack documentation add historical value.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Tandy 1000
Manufacturer	Tandy
Launched	Thursday, November 1, 1984
Discontinued	1987
Launch Price	$1,199
Country	United States
CPU	Intel 8088 at 4.77 MHz
Units Sold
Operating System	MS-DOS and DeskMate
I/O	RGB, composite, printer, joystick, light pen and five 8-bit expansion slots
Keyboard	Separate Tandy keyboard
Storage	One or two 360KB 5.25-inch floppy drives; hard-disc version available
Sound	Texas Instruments SN76496 three-voice sound plus noise
Graphics	Tandy/PCjr-compatible graphics up to 320 x 200 in sixteen colours or 640 x 200 in four colours
Display	External composite or RGB monitor; 80 x 25 text
ROM	PC-compatible BIOS
RAM	128KB standard; expandable to 640KB
CPU Speed	4.77 MHz