Chromasette

Chromasette was the first cassette-based TRS-80 Color Computer magazine produced by David Lagerquist and was an offshoot of CLOAD magazine. The first issue was published July 1981 and the last issue was published in July 1984. Issues were published monthly. It was headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.

While some references cite the price as having been US$3.50 an issue, it was advertised in Creative Computing magazine in May 1983 as $45 a year for 12 issues, $25 for 6 issues, or $5 each. The first issue contained 5 Basic programs and the "cover" of the electronic magazine (which had to be loaded onto a TRS-80 Color Computer and then run) was dynamic. Included with each cassette was a 5-6 page newsletter explaining the programs included on the cassette, including their PMODE and PCLEAR values (if needed), their locations on tape, and several paragraphs of documentation about each (sometimes suggesting program alterations that change or improve the results). The newsletter contained tips, rumors (for example whether the TRS-80 Color Computer would soon support 5$1⁄4$" floppy diskette drives in addition to cassettes for loading and recording software programs), along with other insights. They contained a variety of information about the Color Computer and some of the hardware and software available for it. In addition, they included advertisements. Dave signed only his first name to the CLOAD and Chromasette letters.

How cassettes were produced
(from comment from David Lagerquist in the April 1983 issue)

"How do we duplicate the 6000 or so cassettes we send out each month? Rose just doesn't sleep! Really, the programs are read off a disk and sent through a line amplifier to 30 cassette recorders hooked up in parallel. The recorders are controlled by a Color Computer through the microphone jack. The 'random' clicking of 30 buttons lets us know that the tapes are done and that it's time to put in some more blank ones. A heck of a way to make a living..."

Issues
The following is an incomplete listing of files included in Chromasette issues.

July 1981

 * COVER   BAS 0 B 3
 * HOWFAR  BAS 0 B 4
 * BLOCKADE BAS 0 B 3
 * ACUMEN  BAS 0 B 3
 * DISRTATN BAS 0 B 3
 * BLAST   BAS 0 B 3

August 1981

 * HORNCOV BAS 0 B 2
 * DRAWINST BAS 0 B 3
 * DRAWER  BAS 0 B 3
 * WORDS   BAS 0 B 3
 * JERUSADV BAS 0 B 4
 * LANDER  BAS 0 B 3
 * TWODATES BAS 0 B 2

September 1981

 * NERVES  BAS 0 B 2
 * SPELLIT BAS 0 B 3
 * BASEGUES BAS 0 B 3
 * HICALC  BAS 0 B 3
 * MUSICPAT BAS 0 B 2
 * SEEKCOVR BAS 0 B 3

October 1981

 * COVER124 BAS 0 B 2
 * MAGICSQR BAS 0 B 2
 * MCJUMP  BAS 0 B 3
 * COEFF   BAS 0 B 2
 * TOWERINS BAS 0 B 1
 * TOWER   BAS 0 B 2
 * PHONEWRD BAS 0 B 1

November 1981

 * TURKCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * STAREATR BAS 0 B 2
 * UFOMATH BAS 0 B 2
 * MORSINST BAS 0 B 1
 * MORSQUIZ BAS 0 B 4
 * REVERSI BAS 0 B 2

December 1981

 * GRAPHCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * DOGSTARS BAS 0 B 2
 * BASECONV BAS 0 B 2
 * AMORT   BAS 0 B 2
 * POUNCE  BAS 0 B 1
 * ROTATE  BAS 0 B 1
 * FIGURE  DAT 1 A 3
 * WORLDMAP BAS 0 B 4

January 1982

 * LINESCOV BAS 0 B 2
 * BLOCK   BAS 0 B 2
 * TYPING  BAS 0 B 2
 * MANSION BAS 0 B 4
 * POWER   BAS 0 B 3
 * WORLD3D BAS 0 B 4

February 1982

 * MOIRECOV BAS 0 B 1
 * BLEEP   BAS 0 B 2
 * DUMPALL BAS 0 B 3
 * ABM     BAS 0 B 3
 * DISASSEM BAS 0 B 3
 * SHRINK  BIN 2 B 1
 * CHECKREG BAS 0 B 4
 * SPIRAL  BAS 0 B 2
 * MINMUSIC BAS 0 B 1
 * AMAZING BAS 0 B 2
 * ADDRESS BAS 0 B 3
 * OLDHOUSE BAS 0 B 5
 * CKMON   BIN 2 B 1

March 1982

 * POLYCOV BAS 0 B 2
 * RUBIC   BAS 0 B 5
 * BOBO    BAS 0 B 3
 * SPACE   BAS 0 B 2
 * FINANCE BAS 0 B 3
 * LAZKEY  BIN 2 B 1
 * MANYBODY BAS 0 B 1
 * BLOTCH  BAS 0 B 2
 * RADAR   BAS 0 B 3
 * NOTEBOOK BAS 0 B 1
 * NOTEDESC BIN 2 B 5
 * ULTIMATE BAS 0 B 5
 * APPEND  BAS 0 B 2

April 1982

 * POLYCOV BAS 0 B 2
 * RUBIC   BAS 0 B 5
 * BOBO    BAS 0 B 3
 * SPACE   BAS 0 B 2
 * FINANCE BAS 0 B 3
 * LAZKEY  BIN 2 B 1
 * MANYBODY BAS 0 B 1

May 1982

 * BLOTCH  BAS 0 B 2
 * RADAR   BAS 0 B 3
 * HELLO   BAS 0 B 2
 * NOTEBOOK BAS 0 B 1
 * NOTEDESC BIN 2 B 5
 * ULTIMATE BAS 0 B 5
 * APPEND  BAS 0 B 2

June 1982

 * FIRECOV BAS 0 B 2
 * MARTIAN BAS 0 B 2
 * FINDIT  BAS 0 B 3
 * STRING  BAS 0 B 1
 * SCRAMBLE BAS 0 B 5
 * DISKEDIT BAS 0 B 4
 * SPACEACE BIN 2 B 2

July 1982

 * GEOCOV  BAS 0 B 3
 * STARMAP BAS 0 B 3
 * TICKER  BAS 0 B 3
 * ROCKS   BAS 0 B 3
 * NOTES   BAS 0 B 3
 * MUSICK  BAS 0 B 1
 * MENU    BAS 0 B 2

August 1982

 * MUSICCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * CHICKEN BAS 0 B 2
 * EQUATION BAS 0 B 2
 * NAUGAINS BAS 0 B 3 (Realm of Nauga instructions)
 * NAUGA  BAS 0 B 4 (Realm of Nauga)
 * MAXIMUM BAS 0 B 4
 * DISDEMO BAS 0 B 3
 * CLOCK   BAS 0 B 1

September 1982

 * BOXCOV  BAS 0 B 2
 * PICKEM  BAS 0 B 3
 * WILLADV BAS 0 B 5
 * TYPETUTR BAS 0 B 4
 * TAPEINV BAS 0 B 3
 * BASICMAP BAS 0 B 3
 * GERM    BIN 2 B 1

October 1982

 * CLASSCOV BAS 0 B 4
 * ASTROINS BAS 0 B 2
 * ASTROMIN BAS 0 B 3
 * ROLL    BAS 0 B 3
 * BEAMS   BAS 0 B 4
 * CATALOG BAS 0 B 2
 * SAY&PLAY BAS 0 B 6
 * PONG    BIN 2 B 1

November 1982

 * TEXCOV  BAS 0 B 2
 * MORAINE BAS 0 B 3
 * LIFE    BAS 0 B 3
 * DIGGEM  BAS 0 B 3
 * CRAZMAZE BAS 0 B 2
 * SMALTEXT BAS 0 B 3
 * GRAFTEXT BAS 0 B 4
 * PIANO   BIN 2 B 1

December 1982

 * XMASCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * MRMUNCH BAS 0 B 4
 * ROBOTRUN BAS 0 B 3
 * KALIEDOS BAS 0 B 2
 * CURVEINS BAS 0 B 4
 * CURVEFIT BAS 0 B 4
 * HISCORE BAS 0 B 2
 * BOXSHOOT BIN 2 B 2

January 1983

 * PLANCOV - Planner Cover
 * LEAKYTAP - Leaky Tap
 * HOUSEADV - House Adventure
 * KEEPTEXT - Keep Text
 * INST1 - Instructions Part 1
 * INST2 - Instructions Part 2
 * ROWBOAT - Rowboat
 * LISTMOD - ListMod

February 1983

 * FLAGCOV - Flag Cover
 * STELLINS - Stellar Instructions
 * STELLEMP - Stellar Empire
 * SORTS - Sorts
 * BAR - Bar Chart
 * XY - XY Graph
 * DISKAID - Disk Aid (disk only)
 * FLYBY - Flyby

March 1983

 * BIRDCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * MICROBE BAS 0 B 3
 * UTOPIAN BAS 0 B 4
 * TAX     BAS 0 B 6
 * PIE     BAS 0 B 3
 * LANGINS BAS 0 B 2
 * LANGDRL BAS 0 B 3
 * SPANISH DAT 1 A 1
 * FLYBY   BIN 2 B 2

April 1983

 * TARTCOV BAS 0 B 2
 * FOOL    BAS 0 B 1
 * RESCUINS BAS 0 B 2
 * RESCUE  BAS 0 B 4
 * FILES   BAS 0 B 4
 * ASTBLAST BAS 0 B 3
 * PENIPEDE BIN 2 B 2
 * VARMAP  BAS 0 B 3

May 1983

 * DESCOVER BAS 0 B 2
 * BALLOONS BAS 0 B 3
 * ANDREA  BAS 0 B 5
 * KEEPADDR BAS 0 B 3
 * MAZE    BAS 0 B 2
 * GREMLML BIN 2 B 2
 * GREMLIN BAS 0 B 2
 * DELETER BIN 2 B 1

June 1983

 * GUTSCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * BOUNBABY BAS 0 B 2
 * MATHINS BAS 0 B 3
 * MATHVADE BAS 0 B 3
 * KEEPLIST BAS 0 B 3
 * ZAPEM   BAS 0 B 4
 * REVERSE BAS 0 B 1
 * FILECOPY BAS 0 B 1

July 1983

 * COLORCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * COVERUP BAS 0 B 2
 * FLIGHT  BAS 0 B 2
 * HALL    BAS 0 B 3
 * PRECOMP BAS 0 B 2
 * ADDRESS PRE 0 A 3
 * ADDCASS BAS 0 B 2
 * ZEROG   BIN 2 B 2
 * LISTER  BIN 2 B 1

August 1983

 * DOTCOVER BAS 0 B 2
 * MOONFLT BAS 0 B 2
 * CASTLADV BAS 0 B 6
 * COLORINS BAS 0 B 2
 * COLORDOT BAS 0 B 3
 * KEEPCHEK BAS 0 B 3
 * TRKLOC  BAS 0 B 2
 * GRID    BIN 2 B 2
 * MLSCORE BIN 2 B 1

September 1983

 * XFORMCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * TRAILS  BAS 0 B 3
 * FACTORS BAS 0 B 4
 * BLAKINS BAS 0 B 4
 * BLAKJAK BAS 0 B 4
 * KEEPBUDG BAS 0 B 3
 * DIRSAVE BAS 0 B 2
 * ANALYZE BIN 2 B 1

October 1983

 * MARTNCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * QUICK   BAS 0 B 2
 * CHICK   BAS 0 B 3
 * TUTOCAT BAS 0 B 4
 * CARDCAT BAS 0 B 4
 * ISLEADV BAS 0 B 5
 * OFFSET  BAS 0 B 2
 * NEWTRACE BIN 2 B 1

November 1983

 * FIGURCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * TIMEFLT BAS 0 B 3
 * ASSMBLER BAS 0 B 5
 * ASMTEST DAT 2 B 1
 * RADRUN  BAS 0 B 2
 * MASTRCAT BAS 0 B 4
 * TRSMEM  BAS 0 B 1
 * ANIHLTR BIN 2 B 3

December 1983

 * FROSTCOV BAS 0 B 4
 * FLIP    BAS 0 B 3
 * QBEE    BAS 0 B 4
 * DSKTODSK BAS 0 B 2
 * CLUES   BAS 0 B 2
 * BOUNCER BIN 2 B 2
 * FOREST  BIN 2 B 3

January 1984

 * OPARTCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * TAX83   BAS 0 B 5
 * STAYLIV BAS 0 B 2
 * STARMUSS BAS 0 B 5
 * FORTRAN BAS 0 B 4
 * FORDEMO FOR 1 A 1
 * HELP    DAT 1 A 2
 * CLIMB   BIN 2 B 3

February 1984

 * SCALECOV BAS 0 B 2
 * CANNON  BAS 0 B 3
 * AUTODOC BAS 0 B 2
 * STRKINS BAS 0 B 4
 * COCOSTRK BAS 0 B 4
 * BLAZER  BAS 0 B 3
 * WIGWORM BIN 2 B 2

March 1984

 * SHUTCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * MATCH4  BAS 0 B 4
 * COUNT   BAS 0 B 4
 * PILOT   BAS 0 B 3
 * \*SAMPLE DAT 1 A 1
 * SAMPLE  BAS 1 A 1
 * TAIPAN  BAS 0 B 6
 * COLRDUMP BAS 0 B 2
 * EZSKI   BIN 2 B 2

April 1984

 * CLOCKCOV BAS 0 B 3
 * PUZZROLL BAS 0 B 5
 * BUDGET  BAS 0 B 3
 * LUNARADV BAS 0 B 6
 * DRIVER  BIN 2 B 1
 * ABLE    BIN 2 B 2
 * MAZELAND BIN 2 B 2