Retro Computer System

TRS-80 MC-10 System Guide

The TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer was Radio Shack's compact, budget-friendly home computer of the early 1980s. It was a low-cost alternative to Tandy's own TRS-80 Color Computer to compete with entry-level machines such as the VIC-20 and Sinclair ZX81. This page serves as a central hub for MC-10 videos, hardware, software, accessories, documentation, and upgrades, with more in the full archive.

"The biggest name in little computers." - Radio Shack (a division of the Tandy Corporation)

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TRS-80 MC-10 Videos, Hardware, and Resources

Explore the TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer, its accessories, software, programming environment, documentation, and related vintage computing projects featured in the Geek With Social Skills archive.

Videos and Projects

This section features Geek With Social Skills videos covering the TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer, including hardware, software, upgrades, repairs, accessories, and related projects.

Available Now:

Upcoming videos in the pipeline:

  • PiKey-10 Installation and Demo
  • Building MC-10 A/V Composite Kit
  • Replacing CCR-81 Cassette Belts

This section will continue to grow as new videos and projects are published.

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MC-10 Resources and Downloads

The following external resources provide software, documentation, hardware projects, modern accessories, utilities, programming references, and other valuable information for the TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer.

Hardware and Accessories

The following resources offer modern MC-10 hardware upgrades, accessories, and kits available for purchase.

TRS-80 MC-10 Assembled Hardware and Kits

Note: The MCX-32 SD is an expansion module for the TRS-80 MC-10 and the Matra Alice 4K/32/90. Designed by Darren Atkinson, it provides an SD card socket for loading and saving programs, adds 32K of static RAM, 128K of Flash Memory (16 banks, 8K each), and comes with expanded MCX BASIC 3.1. The SD card interface is managed by an Atmega328P 8-bit AVR RISC-based microcontroller.

The board is supported by MCX BASIC version 3 (updated to 3.1 on April 16, 2021), which is programmed into the Flash memory. MCX BASIC version 3 adds many of the language features found in Extended Color BASIC on the Color Computer (CoCo), along with the I/O commands to manage file storage on the SD card or an Emcee server.

If you only buy one expansion for your Radio Shack Micro Color Computer, this is the one to get!

TRS-80 MC-10 Repair and Replacement Parts

Software Archives

MCX-32 SD Software and Build Files

Tools and Emulators

Projects and Source Code

Community Websites and Forums

The name VOGONS stands for "Very Old Games On New Systems" and is a playful reference to the bureaucratic alien race from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Guides and Documentation

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System Overview

  • Released: 1983
  • Discontinued: 1984
  • Original Price: $119.95 USD
  • CPU: Motorola MC6803 running at 0.89 MHz
  • Built-in Operating System: 8 KB Micro Color BASIC ROM developed by Microsoft
  • Memory: 4 KB RAM, expandable to 20 KB with the 16 KB RAM Expansion Module
  • Keyboard: 48-key chiclet-style keyboard
  • Power: 8 VAC, 1.5 A power supply
  • Dimensions: 8.5 x 7 x 2 in (216 x 178 x 51 mm)
  • Weight: 29.1 oz (824 g)

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Technical Specifications

The TRS-80 MC-10 uses the Motorola MC6847 Video Display Generator (VDG), providing a variety of text and graphics modes while supporting cassette storage, serial communication, television output, and memory expansion.

Video Display

  • Motorola MC6847 Video Display Generator (VDG)
  • 32 x 16 text display
  • Graphics modes ranging from 64 x 32 to 256 x 192 resolution
  • Supports 2-, 4-, and 8-color graphics depending on the display mode
  • Higher-resolution modes are partially supported because of the MC-10's limited video RAM

Available Graphics Modes

  • 64 x 32, 8 colors (4 bpp)
  • 64 x 48, 2 colors (not fully implemented)
  • 64 x 64, 4 colors (2 bpp)
  • 128 x 64, 2 or 4 colors
  • 128 x 96, 2 or 4 colors
  • 128 x 192, 2 colors
  • 128 x 192, 4 colors (partially supported)
  • 256 x 192, 2 colors (partially supported)

Input and Output

  • RS-232C serial interface (300-9600 baud; 600 baud from BASIC)
  • Cassette interface (1500 baud)
  • Internal RF modulator for television output
  • Memory expansion interface

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Reputation and Legacy

1983-1984: The "Too Little, Too Late" Era

The TRS-80 MC-10 entered a highly competitive home computer market in 1983. Its low $119.95 price made it accessible, but its 4 KB of built-in RAM, chiclet-style keyboard, and limited software library placed significant restrictions on what could be done with the system.

Competition from other inexpensive home computers, including the Commodore VIC-20, further complicated its position in the market, and Radio Shack discontinued the MC-10 the following year.

Late 1980s-1990s: The "Closet" Era

After its short commercial life, the MC-10 largely faded into obscurity while more successful Radio Shack computers such as the TRS-80 Color Computer continued to attract users, software, and hardware support.

With relatively little third-party software and a much smaller user base, many MC-10 systems were simply put away as the home computer market moved on to newer and more capable machines.

Early 2000s: The "Doorstop" Era

As the retro computing community grew online via forums like the Vintage Computer Federation, the MC-10 earned its classification as a classic "doorstop computer." This tongue-in-cheek term is used by enthusiasts for hardware so low-powered, unexpanded, and physically blocky that its most obvious practical use is holding open a room door.

Modern Retro Status: Present Day

Ironically, being called a doorstop has actually driven up its popularity in recent years. Vintage tech hobbyists seek out the MC-10 specifically because it is weird, limited, and challenging to work with. Today, creators frequently buy these "doorstops" to install modern upgrades like composite video output mods and SD card storage expansions.

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