Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!gatech!ncsuvx!news From: cocoiii@hobbes.ncsu.edu (John Vestal) Newsgroups: comp.os.os9 Subject: TC-70 and MM/1 Message-ID: <1991Jan27.135517.12380@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> Date: 27 Jan 91 13:55:17 GMT References: <1990Dec28.012907.24001@davidge> <2535@batman.moravian.EDU> Sender: news@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (USENET News System) Distribution: usa Organization: NCSU Computing Center Lines: 109 First a little clairfication (sp), I did not say that I knew anything about the TC-70. I just gave what I knew about the MM/1. As a college student, I see the MM/1 as a more practical system than the TC-70. I am NOT am impartial party. I favor the MM/1, David Halko seems to favor the TC-70. halkoD@batman.moravian.EDU (David Halko) writes: >The TC-70 comes with more memory than the MM/1 (from what I last remember...) True, 512K more I think. >Because of the extra memory, the TC-70 is slightly faster than a stock MM/1. Not sure about that... A little faster on graphic puts, probably, but not in CPU speed. They are equal there. The graphics could be a little faster because the first meg is video/process memory. The rest is just for process, not video. >The TC-70 will run on the KBus, making available for it a tremendous amount >available expansion options... excellent for POS applications which need >all the terminals they can get (aimed at Business) True, but the KBus is a 16-bit bus. The MM/1 has a 32-bit bus. Right now, ie with the 68070, it doesn't matter. With an '030 or '040, it takes 2 clock cycles to move data into the CPU, the MM/1 will take 1. >The TC-70 will act as a direct mother board replacement for owners of >QT systems, so they can upgrade their systems to color graphics cards >and memory easily instead of throwing away the entire machine to buy a-new... You just have to buy SIMMS to expand memory on the MM/1, if you get both cards. The current plan, I think, is for IMS to make a new CPU card, and use the other 2 cards as Video processor to the '030 upgrade, but I'm not sure. >The TC-70, through the KBus, will use existing memory expansion cards, for >those who are upgrading this means KBus owners can get the free graphics >with no loss of memory cards... never mind if someone needs more memory >upon ordering... it will be available... The MM/1 you can get with 1, 3 or 9 megs. No problem with memory expansion, and I believe the TC-70 has the same 9 meg limit? Correct me please if I am wrong. >Besides all this, Bruce Isted is a proven programmer and developer for >the CoCo... with support like his, the TC-70 can't go wrong... the guy >is absolutely incredible- making the best OS9 hard/floppy/multicard adaptor >on the market for the CoCo3... IMS has been busting there butts to find new developers for software on the MM/1. I haven't heard of anything the Frank Hogg is doing to get new software for his computer. Bruse Isted is going to be very busy to get a buch of useful application out in a few months. 8-) >FHL has been around for quite a few years (over a decade) and delivers >excellent support! He has delivered me nothing but the greatest support >over the past couple of years with technical assistance for the >equipment that I had purchased from him. I haven't delt with him, but I don't doubt that in the least. >The TC-70 is aimed at a business market while keeping compatability with >the OS9 Graphical world now in existance. While the MM/1 may be less >expensive, the TC-70 is definitely aimed at a different market as well >as having more hardware support so far... For someone who wants to put >together an inventory control system with 20 terminals and have a color >graphics display in the rear office with a windowing environment to make >managing the system more efficiently with minimal extra cost, the TC-70 >definitely takes the pie... an 80386 would never do this that well... neither >would an 80486 with the current operating systems out there (with the >exception of OS9000... but I don't know of any vendors outside of Microware >who handle it...) True again, if you want to go over 5 terminals the TC-70 is the way to go. If not, the MM/1 is probably better. By the way, the MM/1 and the TC-70, and all OSK machines are going to have the same Graphical Interface. I know the guy that is working on that. Right now it is on the MM/1. Then it will be ported to TC-70, PT68K, Atari ST, and Amiga (I think the Amiga... not sure about that one.) With this interface, a program will run with graphics on any of those platforms by moving the objects. >For business support, the TC-70 takes the cake... for home, maybe an MM/1 >would be nicer... for myself, I am waiting for a VSC card to be released >for the K-Bus and get a 68030 or 68040 CPU, bus, and video card... I can >manage to build up the system I ultimately want in pieces, with all the >power I can ever want, since I can afford them that way... > David J. Halko By the way, both machines are easily upgraded. You just have to take the graphics processor out, and install a new one. Of course, you would have to have new drivers, but that would be easy enough. I really don't think anyone would go wrong with either system. I don't think we should be fighting amoung ourselves about which OSK system is best. Let's just lest the rest of the world know what we have. OS-9 is the best OS that I have seen, and I have see MS-DOS, AmigaDOS, and the Mac. Let's just let this one ride. Please David, correct me if I'm wrong, and we'll drop it. cocoiii (John Vestal) -- ****************************************************************************** * cocoiii@catt.ncsu.edu Phone: (919) 831-2890 North Carolina State * * John Vestal P.O. Box 21537 Raleigh, NC 27607 University * ******************************************************************************