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The Model 4 Grafyx Solution

Matthew Reed — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:15:00 +0000

The Model 4 Grafyx Solution was the most popular high-resolution add-on for the TRS-80 Model 4, and probably the most popular Model 4 add-on in general. It was introduced in 1984 for a price of $199.95 by Micro-Labs, creators of the earlier Model III Grafyx Solution. The Model 4 Grafyx Solution provided true high-resolution access to every pixel on the 640 by 240 Model 4 display, yet was easily user-installable in only a few minutes.

Unlike the Model III Grafyx Solution, which was memory mapped, the Model 4 Grafyx Solution was port-mapped. It used the same ports and mapping as the Radio Shack Model 4 high-resolution board. This meant that the Model 4 Grafyx Solution was almost completely compatible with the Radio Shack board and they could run the same programs. This had the odd side effect of making the Model 4 Grafyx Solution in Model III mode incompatible with the Model III Grafyx Solution.

The Model 4 Grafyx Solution had many advantages compared to the Radio Shack board:

The Model III Grafyx Solution

Matthew Reed — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:16:00 +0000

The Model III Grafyx Solution was a high-resolution graphics add-on for the TRS-80 Model III. Created by Ted Carter, president of Micro-Labs, the Grafyx Solution was introduced in early 1982 for a price of $299.95. There never was a Model I version of the Grafyx Solution.

The Model III Grafyx Solution used a different approach than 80-GRAFIX, an earlier Micro-Labs product for the Model I and III. While 80-GRAFIX could only simulate high-resolution graphics by redefining the character set, the Grafyx Solution provided full access to the 512 by 192 resolution of the Model III.

No soldering was required to install the Grafyx Solution. Instead, installation consisted of plugging the Grafyx Solution into the Model III and using special micro-clips to attach it to specific pins on chips already in the Model III.

80-GRAFIX

Matthew Reed — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:21:53 +0000

Many people considered the lack of high-resolution graphics to be the biggest deficiency of the TRS-80 Model I. The maximum resolution of the Model I was 128 by 48 by using block graphics. Many games made good use of that resolution, but it was still low compared to other computers.

The 80-GRAFIX was one of several high-resolution add-ons available for the Model I. Designed by Ted Carter, it was originally sold by Programma International for $149. The 80-GRAFIX fit entirely within the Model I case and required only minimal soldering.