Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uflorida!beach.cis.ufl.edu!se From: se@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Sina Eatemadi) Newsgroups: comp.sys.m6809 Subject: Re: COCO upgrade Message-ID: <26790@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> Date: 8 Feb 91 07:59:25 GMT References: <1991Feb7.164611.29356@cbnewse.att.com> Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU Reply-To: se@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Chris A. Meyers) Distribution: na Organization: UF CIS Department Lines: 93 Summary:coco 3, hardware, os9 [paraphrased] <...I have Disk Ext. Basic 2.0...> This is probably the cause of many of your problems. When the coco3 boots it transfers rom to ram and changes the 1.0 DECB to 2.0 DECB (only changes the version number...does not add any miraculous patches...) This most likely means that you have a very old disk controller with the original 1.0 rom. The solution involves a hardware/software combination. Upgrade you rom to DECB vr. 1.1 *or* buy Spectro Systems' Extended ADOS-3; this thing has it all including the kitchen sink, can be burnt into an EPROM and plugged into your disk controller. You were exactly correct on your theory of the disk controller power supply. The rom in the controller only needs +5v while the drive controller chip needs +/- 12v. The hardware end involves either running +/- 12v from your coco3 power supply (these voltages can be found in the 3 with digging and a regulator), the disk controller chip (1793?) doesn't require much, so.... or, you can go out and purchase a new (or used (CoCoPro sells used stuff)) disk controller, either Tandy or 3rd party. Ah, another soln is to buy one of the 3rd party multi-pak type units which provide +/- 12v . <...Software; what about cocomax? max-10? midi?...> software wise, go with specific coco 3 items. cocomax I can be patched to work on the coco3, but the new version is much better. the a/d converter used for cocomax I is not required on the coco3, instead you can use the Tandy hi-res pak. max-10 (referred to as coco-10...) is an adaption of MacWrite that Macmany of the MacPersons use on their MacMachines. It's a decent program and the one word-processor I always set up when others need to do a paper on my machine, in a word it's idiot-proof. the coco3 can easily handle midi-out via the bit-banger serial port on the back of the machine (4 pin DIN plug). the coco3 really shines running mike k.'s UMUSE III under OS-9 with multiple windows running and the ole' midi keyboard just cranking away... There are also hardware cards (6850 uarts) that will allow the coco to read midi data (midi in) as well as send midi out. Programs that come to mind are CoCo Midi Pro, CoCo Midi III, Umuse III, Lyra (no, maybe not Lyra ???) Anyway, there are some out there, check the RainBow mag. <...6809E vs. 68B09E, use any chips from coco1...> the B is motorola's designation for 2.0 mhz (A = 1.5 mhz). considering that almost all the chips on the coco3 motherboard are soldered in, there's not much use for them. (yes, gone are the days of the F-series (NC) boards - a hacker's delight...) <...what about Dan Quayle, mountains of mars...> funny you should ask, as head of the U.S.'s science and space commission, Danny has elected to lead a manned space mission to mars to answer just such a question. Of course, he has the full support of the congress, g. bush, m. fitzwater, j. sununu, iacoco, john smith, jane doe, and the entire keystone heights rotary club as long as he agrees not to stop off and speak to any high school students... <...mpi, y-cable, coco3's so cheap...> the multi-pak interface (mpi) was discontinued over 2 years ago. Why? Something to do with the infinite wisdom of Tandy execs. y-cables are stronly discouraged *especially* if you will be using OS-9 Lv 2. The CoCo's 40 pin bus cannot handle the extra capacitance of the ribbon wire reliably. (spoken from someone who's had erroneous data written to LSN 0 of an OS-9 hard drive....) the coco3's are going cheap b/c they are being discontinued. Word has it that a 3 has not been manufactured since late 87. Note, you can pick up some floor model coco3's for less than the advertised $100 (same for cm-8 monitors, opened software, etc.) Sorry to rant and rave, but previous posts requested quite a bit. I strongly recommend picking up a copy of the Rainbow magazine for more coco info. Also, the is a listserver running dedicated to the coco 1-3 and OS-9. It's address is listserv@pucc.princeton.edu I have no affiliation with any of the companies, software titles, etc. mentioned above. Posted purely for entertainment value only... later days dudes, chris se@beach.cis.ufl