{"product_id":"radio-shack-trs-80-model-1-level-1-1977-1981","title":"Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I Level I (1977-1981)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✅ Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1 \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🥇\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Mass-Market, Fully Assembled Personal Computer Sold at Retail \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I, affectionately dubbed the \"Trash-80\" by enthusiasts and rivals alike, was one of the \"1977 Trinity\" of computers that sparked the home computing revolution. Launched for $599—a price point that undercut the Apple II and Commodore PET—the Model I was powered by a 1.77 MHz Zilog Z80 processor and initially came with just 4K of RAM and a basic Level I BASIC language in ROM. Its distinctive industrial design featured a silver-and-black chassis that sat atop a separate 12-inch monochrome monitor, which was famously a modified RCA television set. Because it lacked a built-in disk drive, users had to save and load programs via a standard CTR-41 cassette recorder, a process that was notoriously temperamental and prone to data \"dropouts.\" Despite its tendency to leak massive amounts of radio-frequency interference (RFI) that could scramble nearby televisions, the TRS-80 became an overnight sensation, selling over 10,000 units in its first month and turning Radio Shack’s \"battery of the month\" stores into the epicenter of the early hobbyist microcomputer market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurators Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThis system features a rare four-digit serial number (#006534), marking it as one of the first 1% of TRS-80s ever produced. It remains in its original physical configuration, with serial matching TRS-80 monitor. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDonated by:\u003c\/strong\u003e Louis Roloff, New York\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRealistic CTR-41 Tape Recorder \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Realistic CTR-41, sold by Radio Shack starting in 1977, is best remembered as the temperamental but essential storage lifeline for the original TRS-80 Model I microcomputer. Priced at $49.95, this battery-and-AC portable recorder was not initially built for data; it was a standard consumer tape deck rebranded for computer use, which led to its notorious reputation for \"data dropouts\" if the volume and tone levels weren't set with surgical precision. To interface with the TRS-80, the CTR-41 utilized a specialized three-plug cable—connecting to the EAR, AUX, and REM (Remote) jacks—allowing the computer to physically start and stop the tape motor during the CLOAD and CSAVE commands. A unique quirk of the setup required users to insert a \"Dummy Plug\" into the MIC jack to disable the internal microphone, preventing room noise from being recorded onto the data tracks. While Radio Shack eventually replaced it with the more stable, dedicated CCR-81 \"Computer Cassette Recorder,\" the silver-faced CTR-41 remains a definitive icon of the early hobbyist era, representing the days when saving a simple BASIC program required a steady hand and a high-quality 10-minute \"Certified\" cassette.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcquired from: \u003c\/strong\u003eeBay.com\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Radio Shack","offers":[{"title":"Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1","offer_id":53802816012598,"sku":null,"price":1977.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Realistic CTR-41","offer_id":53874442535222,"sku":null,"price":1977.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/4447\/3654\/files\/rn-image_picker_lib_temp_db6a76be-b849-4adc-b382-3e31d0a42e4f.png?v=1774807047","url":"https:\/\/www.westporttechmuseum.com\/products\/radio-shack-trs-80-model-1-level-1-1977-1981","provider":"Westport Tech Museum","version":"1.0","type":"link"}