TRS-80.org » Printers

TRS-80 Multi-Pen Plotter

Matthew Reed — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:07:00 +0000

The TRS-80 Multi-Pen Plotter (catalog number 26-1191) was similar to the earlier TRS-80 Plotter/Printer (catalog number 26-1190), but offered one important new feature: the ability to print in color. Described as an “intelligent plotter,” the Multi-Pen Plotter used replaceable colored pens to print on paper or transparencies. Even at a price of $1995.00, the Multi-Pen Plotter was cheaper than many other color output alternatives available at the time. In fact, the catalog description states that the Plotter “brings an affordable price to color graphics!”

The TRS-80 Quick Printer

Matthew Reed — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:24:01 +0000

The TRS-80 Quick Printer (catalog number 26-1153) was an early TRS-80 printer sold by Radio Shack. Introduced in 1978 for a price of $499.00, the Quick Printer was actually a rebranded Centronics Microprinter P1.

Unlike the more common dot-matrix or daisy-wheel printers (such as the TRS-80 Line Printer or the Daisy Wheel Printer II), the Quick Printer was an “electrostatic” printer that required special aluminum-coated paper. Radio Shack sold a package of three rolls of the 4.75″ wide “aluminized electrostatic spool paper” (catalog number 26-1405) for $16.95.

The Daisy Wheel Printer II

Matthew Reed — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:39:11 +0000

The Daisy Wheel Printer II (catalog number 26-1158), more commonly known as the Daisy Wheel II, DW II, or DWP II, was the highest quality TRS-80 printer that Radio Shack sold. It was introduced in 1980 for a price of $1960, although that was later raised to $1995. Radio Shack featured the Daisy Wheel II in their catalog from 1981 to 1984 as their “best high-speed, formed-character printer.”

The Daisy Wheel II was a replacement for the rarely remembered Daisy Wheel Printer I (catalog number 26-1157), which was described by Ed Juge this way: