🚀 go-pugleaf

On Fri, 19 Nov 1993, Eric W Murray wrote:

> 1.  I am getting a SCSI 60MB HD From a IBM PS/2 55SX machine for free and I
> want to put it on my COCO3 for sure under OS9 and RSDOS (for a few things).

     I really don't know which controller to recommend.  I have a SCII, so
the SCSI board for that would have been a good choice.  I've been very
happy w/ my B&B CoCo XT, but that gets messy for SCSI.  The SCII is a must
have as far as I'm concerned for doing anythig serious w/ floppies under
Level II.  I should note that it doesn't work w/ PCDOS (too bad no-one
ever fixed the hardware for that), but w/ a little hacking you can make it
switch between no_halt and halt on the fly, and then both managers will
intertwine quite nicely!

> 2.  Next:  My regular COCO3 died for no apparent reason.  So I just got
> a older Multipak no long ago, so could it be the problem (NEED a new
> chip, which I read about long ago, plus a locking plate to protect the
> COCO).

     Somewhere in there you'll probably need a 74ls10 to fix some problem
that escapes me (in the MPI).  For the CoCo, you might want to pick up a
schotkey diode to dump interrupts directly into the 6809.  I know the new
clock drivers have fixed a lot of things, but that may still help.
Additionally, I recall the suggested need for an additional gate to keep
the address decoder from temporarily making ROM visible between cycles
that may have caused BLOB problems that technically shouldn't exists.

> 3.  I am getting a new COCO3 with 512K(finally!!), J&M disk controller,
> and Tandy ACIA PAK, but it comes with 2 DS drives 51/4" (I already have
> one and want to hook a third drive up to it?  HOW? I know under OS9, but
> what do I need  to do hard ware and software.

     Hmmm, before you go ahead and stick all of those drives on, if you
going to be running OS9 from an HD, you probably don't need all of them.  A
3.5 and a 5.25 should take care of your needs.  If not:  If they all fit
into one case, GREAT, just stick anothe 34 pin connector on your drive
cable (using a vice works best; in a pinch, tap the cable on w/ a hammer
and then snap the cap on).  If you're dealing w/ two cases, I took an old
game cartridge, cut the ROM off, cut the card down, and then soldered a
ribbon cable onto it (in a pinch...).  I "bashed" another 34 pin onto the
original cable and then plugged my extension into it.  jumper each drive
to a different select number (0,1,2).  On some drives the select lines may
be soldered instead of jumpered, so make sure they are soldered correctly.
You only want one select set per drive!  You usually don't have to worry
about power supply requirements, but if things aren't working, make sure
everyone is getting enough juice!


> 4.  Please send me a COCO FAQ or some thing similiar. ..

     Ask the list server for help!  There should be a FAQ in the file list
somewhere :).

> 5.  What is this 6309 people are talking about? I know it is a chip
> type, but what for and why?  It it compatible with the 6809E, or upgrade
> to it?

     The 6309 is Hitachi's microcoded clone of the 6809.  Because of its
different design concept, it's cycle times for instructions differ.  In
addition to its 6809 emulation, however, it also has a native mode that
includes more instructions and registers, and runs faster.  Patches to OS9
have been made to take advantage of its native mode.

> 6.  I do not use a COCO to telenet, I use a UNIX station or SUN
> station, so I need to get programs to get from a IBM to COCO disk
> formats.  I can get UNIX to DOS.

     These should be available via the list server.  I would also check
out cabrales.cs.wisc.edu.  RSDOS handles OS9<>RSDOS.  PCDOS handles
OS9<>MSDOS -- it actually lets you "mount" an MSDOS disk under OS9!

> 7.  Also, what is new in the COCO/OS9 world, I know Rainbow has died (I
> have a few years worth somewhere), but has anything taken up the VOID?

     People are still hacking away!  Stay tuned to this list for the
latest!  Most of the action is for OS9, though.  I'm sure others on this
list can give you more information

> 8.  Thank you for anything you can supply me!

No problem!  Hopefully others will pipe up and fill in the gaps I left!

--
Jesse Oberrueter (KB7PSG)
joberreu@seattleu.edu
kb7psg@n7hfz.wa.usa.na

"For the world is hollow, and I have touched the sky!"