Tandy 200 Heathkit Connection

The Tandy 200's escape sequences appear to be based on the Heathkit H19 terminal. I believe one could use an H19 terminal to replace the screen and keyboard fairly easily, using something like the Disk/Video Interface ROM. Please see my comparison page for specific details.

I do not know why this is the case. My guess is that H19 or similar terminals (such as Z29, Z89) were used during development. Microsoft was known to be using Z89 terminals in the early 1980s, so it is possible that Bill Gates influenced the choice.

Side Note: The H19 was often used as a terminal for the Heathkit H8 computer which had an Intel 8080 processor. Any code written for an 8080 will run unchanged on an Intel 8085, the processor in the Tandy 200.

H8 from Magnus Robot Fighter (1963)

A page from Issue #1 of Magnus: Robot Fighter