[Coco] Re: [Color Computer] BBS Programs for COCO3/OS9

[John E. Malmberg]

Neil Morrison wrote:
> 
> Coco3's go for as little as $10 on eBay. Disk drives are way expensive right
> now - over $100 for some reason (usually $20). Multipaks are various
> prices - sometimes as low as $10.

Pay attention to the pictures in the auctions, and also do not hesitate 
to e-mail the seller for clarification.

On the last COCO3 that I bought, the picture showed a floppy controller 
with no cable plugged into it.

Seller confirmed that it was a floppy controller, but did not think it 
was worth anything as the the disks/cable/manual were missing so was 
just throwing it in with the computer.

So while the other auctions for controllers were heading toward $80 and 
above, I was able to pick up a COCO 3 with what I really wanted cheap.

If the drives have really gotten so rare, start looking for 8088 PCs. 
They all had computable floppies.

It sounds like I should see how badly damaged the ones that the movers 
broke are.  It looks like the plastic faceplate was pushed in about a 
1/4 inch on one edge, but that does not seem to affect the rest of the 
drive, so if I can fix the bent metal, the drives may still work.

1.2 M floppy drives can be used as read only devices for old floppies if 
you can patch the ROM or set your favorite COCO operating system to 
double step them, if you really get desperate.

 From what I can see, the IDE interfaces are the future, and compact 
flash looks like a good match.

-John
wb8tyw(at)qsl.net
Personal Opinion Only