DEPARTMENTS
MORE MARSHMALLOWS
LOAD 'eM
COCO LINKS
SCRAPBOOK
LETTERS TO THE LOUNGE
ABOUT QuarkX

By Glen VanDenBiggelaar Last update January 6, 2005 The Radio Shack MC-10 microcomputer is the lesser-known, younger cousin of the Tandy Color Computer. Small enough to sit on the palm of your hand, the MC-10 came equipped with four kilobytes of RAM, a Motorola MC6803 eight-bit microprocessor, a built-in serial port, and the same graphics capabilities as the original Color Computer. Underpowered for its time, the MC-10 was released in 1983 but discontinued in 1984, along with the 16k memory upgrade and small amount of cassette-based software which had been released for it. The MC-10 is built around two Motorola products: the MC6803 microprocessor, and the MC6847 video generator.
First Released: 1983   CPU: Motorola MC6803 Clock speed: 0.89 MHz Bus type: Tandy Proprietary Data bus width:  8 - bit Address bus width: 16 - bit Memory 4k RAM standard, upgradable to 16k  ROM: Micro Color Basic in ROM (8k) Ports: RS-232C serial interface (300-9600 baud; 600 baud from BASIC)  Cassette interface (1500 baud) Internal RF modulator  Memory expansion interface Size: : 8.5" x 7" x 2" (216mm x 178mm x 51mm) Weight: 29.5 ozs. (836.32g) Storage : Tape and cartage Operating System: Microsoft basic ver 1.1 (built in)
The MC 10 With the optional 16k RAM pak. You also could hook up any tape drive, printer etc., that was made for the CoCo.
The same exact computer was also sold in France by Matra-Hachette as the "Alice", and was a popular entry-level computer there.
It is my personal opinion that the MC 10 was built to directly compete with the Timex Sinclair 1000 and 1500 Computer, which looks almost identical

The last CoCo ever made was probably the biggest disappointment to most CoCo fans. Arguably, it was the  most ugliest of the line.  Running at .97 MHz, with only 4K RAM complete with chicklet keyboard, it was a basic entry level machine.  Although the least of the line today it is very popular with collectors. I am not sure why Tandy went away from the feel of a fully size keyboard, they shrunk it down to the size of a Sinclair computer. They called this last model the MC-10 (Mini-Color Computer 10)

MC 10 Update:

I have been informed that the above information is wrong!

Darren Carter has informed us of the following:

"The MC-10 was not the last CoCo made.  It actually predated the CoCo2.  The CoCo3 was the final computer manufactured, however there was a CoCo4 in the works that Tandy pulled the plug on.  They briefly flirted with the idea of making a CoCo4 dedicated game machine. 

Rumor has it the the CoCo4 was to be the CoCo3 with the original specs added back in.  The original CoCo3 design featured a stereo synth chip (orchestra-90 integrated) and hardware sprites.  They had also made improvements in the parallax scrolling, and likely were going to release documentation on the 256 color mode that was in the CoCo3,but not approved by Tandy due to difficulty of use.  Interestingly, the cost of production of the CoCo3 even with the synth chip and sprites, was less than the CoCo2.  The engineers removed the additional features to prevent the CoCo3 from absolutely smashing their baby, the Tandy 1000.  At the time it was released, the CoCo3 was the most versatile and powerful machine sold by Tandy, yet it was kicked under the bed. 

The CoCo was not a machine that Tandy was proud of.  The computer was manufactured by request of Motorola who wanted to have a platform built from their 6809 processor to compete with the Z-80 machines.  It is too bad that Motorola didn't approach Atari or CBM with the idea.  The 6809 was relegated to a company who didn't want it. "

Thanks for the Info Darren.

Our guru (Brian Hahn) had this response to Darren' E-mail:

" Hi Darren,

Thanks for the correction… The MC10 appeared last in the Canadian market probably due to the trademark contracts between Tandy Corp. and InterTan Canada Ltd. "

For a computer that was only around for a year or so, they sure sold a lot of them. You can see them
on E-bay all the time and generally fetch between $10-$20 US. I am looking for one to add to my personal collection, but I will only consider bidding on one if its "Mint Shape", and the box and all Stuff inside is "Mint". This would be just for pure collecting purposes. I would never even take it out of the box.

(c) 2007 QuarkX.
 All Rights Reserved.