[Coco] atari USB device

[David Hazelton]

John~

	Doesn't the ROM on a CoCo3 sit in RAM to add the Microware stuff. 
Can't get the USB ROM instead of Disk Basic, then get Disk Basic.  Since 
ROM is in RAM the USB ROM drivers could test for keyboard, joystick or 
mouse and then overlay the joystick and keyboard polling system calls 
with USB ones.  I guess one could over write the floppy code in Disk 
Basic...but that seems to be work.

~David Hazelton

John R. Hogerhuis wrote:

> On Wed, 2004-11-17 at 19:49, Roger Taylor wrote:
> 
> 
>>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.
> 
> 
> I don't think there's any possibility that it can't be done, however
> ease-of-use and how many/what kind of devices will work will depend on
> how it is done.
> 
> 
>>  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.
>>
> 
> 
> I agree that a cartridge is the way to go.
> 
> For BASIC ROM users, I would anticipate just assembly code libraries
> linked into custom applications at first.
> 
> For OS-9 everything is simpler since we just have device drivers.
> 
> Sharing of code between programs running under BASIC and OS-9 will be by
> sharing library code, even if only in source form.
> 
> Cramming the drivers into a custom BASIC ROM could happen as a separate
> exercise once there's a proof of concept with monolithic applications,
> or with device drivers under OS-9.
> 
> There's plenty of memory in the Coco 3 for drivers, although there isn't
> in the ROM. So I would tend to just load them, or figure out a way to
> bootstrap the drivers from a USB device if we ever get some form of USB
> storage working.
> 
> Worst case (long term), if USB Storage can't be made to work, you could
> make a combo USB Host controller + flash chip where the flash contains
> position-independent firmware for accessing different USB devices which
> could be loaded at will.
> 
> -- John.
> 
>