Xref: utzoo comp.os.os9:460 comp.sys.m6809:1076
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!killer!texbell!bellcore!faline!thumper!ulysses!att!homxb!opus!ki4pv!macs!mdg
From: mdg@macs.UUCP (Mark Griffith)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os9,comp.sys.m6809
Subject: Re: Adapting coco OS9 to other systems
Keywords: OS9, coco III, uniboard
Message-ID: <21187623@macs.UUCP>
Date: 10 Apr 89 13:38:18 GMT
References: <386@aucis.UUCP> <989@mcrware.UUCP> <388@aucis.UUCP> <401@aucis.UUCP>
Followup-To: comp.os.os9
Organization: Stetson University, DeLand FL
Lines: 30

In article <401@aucis.UUCP>, easton@aucis.UUCP (Jeff Easton) writes:
> 
> 1> How can I tell that the coco 3 I buy wont have the infamous "sparklly"
>    problem?  Or has the problem even been fixed on late production units?
>    Is there a board rev # or such I can look for?
> 
You can't really, but it is easy to fix most of the time if you do get
a machine that has this problem.  I had it when I first got mine, and
simply replacing the Motorola CPU with one from AMI fixed it cleaner
than you would think.  There are others methods too, some not soe easy,
some are.  Asking here or on Compuserve OS9 Forum will get you through
that problem if it should pop up.  I'm told many of the newer machines
don't have sparklies.

> 2> What are your recommendations for a floppy controller?  I'm leaning 
>    Toward a Disto II controller.  It is of the no-halt variety and has
>    a bonus of some type of "port" where other modules can be attached.
>    I may use this feature to add a custom board with my ACIA/VIA
>    setup off the Uniboard to help in the port.
> 
I would highly recommend the Disto SCII and it's add-on boards.  I have
used them since they first came out and have only praise for Tony and
his products.  Another good alternative (and just as good a product) is
the new "Eliminator" board from Frank Hogg Labs, made by Bruce Isted.
This one has 2 serial ports, a parallel port, floppy and hard disk
controllers all built into it.  For the hard disk all you need is an
add-on Western Digital board and the disk itself.  Pretty slick system.


/\/\ark Griffith