[Coco] atari USB device

[Roger Taylor]

At 07:53 PM 11/17/2004, you wrote:
>James~
>         Not looking to deeply in it, Would you put code in a Rom that 
> would be
>read on startup to check for keyboard mouse and joystick on USB line and
>  if found would over take over the keyboard and joystick functions in
>DECB.  I would think that that would be adequate for DECB. In OS9 and
>Nitro different drivers would be loaded,  for those USB devices which
>are SCF type and that a RBF driver for USB drives (sort of like the
>CompactFlash)can be added....Did I miss any other type of USB device
>that  would be useful on a Coco?
>
>~David Hazelton


I think the entire USB controller/hub should be a cartridge with maybe 2 
ports on the end of it.  The user could add a hub that splits the ports 
further if he chooses.  I think a lot of people tend to plug and unplug 
their USB devices quite a bit, anyway, so 2 ports should be enough for a CoCo.

The hardest part of this project won't be the hardware.  The software 
drivers will be the key to whether this can be done or not.  As much "BIOS" 
software as possible needs to be put on a ROM in the cartridge so that both 
Disk BASIC and OS-9 can have some consistency.  Besides, Disk BASIC has no 
room for all this overhead code as patches.



-- 
Roger Taylor