[Coco] NitrOS9 driver for Tandy RS232 Pak?

[George Ramsower]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Hirsch"

> Title says it.  I understand that OS-9 has always supported user consoles 
> on the bit-banger serial port, but with speed limited to 300-baud (!)
>
> I have just acquired a Tandy RS232 Program Pak and am wondering whether 
> such a thing as a terminal driver exists for it.  Grepping the sources for 
> NitrOS9 is showing only a device descriptor for a serial console.  Where 
> (if it exists) is the actual driver?
>
> I'd like to connect a serial terminal at, e.g. 19200 baud to the CoCo 3 
> and obtain an OS-9 login.  While I like most everything about the CoCo as 
> an 8-bit hobby machine, I find the keyboard unspeakably wretched. Ideally, 
> I could use miniterm from my Linux box to log in.
>
> Any advice appreciated!
>
> Steve

Steve,

 In OS9 and Nitros9, the Deluxe RS232 program pack is called /t2.
 >>>>>>>>The rom needs to be removed from the program pak. 
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 I've been using Hyper Terminal on this PC  for several years to communicate 
with my coco (OS-9 L2).  It works just like you were on the coco keyboard, 
only you are actually on the PC.
 To do this, set up both systems for whatever speed you want. In your case, 
19200, 8,n,1.
 In MW OS9, I don't get good results with that speed. 9600 works fine. I 
betcha Nitros9 will do it at 19200.
 To make this happen, in OS9...
 First, create a new boot disk with /t2 in it. Both the driver(ACIAPAK) and 
the descriptor(T2.dd).
 Then reboot with the new disk and  set up your device descriptor using 
xmode /t2 ( may be different in Nitros9 )
 In OS9 the speeds on /t2 and settings are as follows...

 type=0 >no parity

 baud=
0=110
1=300
3=1200
4=2400
6=9600
7=19200

 The stop bit is automatically set to 1. That's all you need.

 Don't forget the pause....
 -pause will allow the screen to scroll on and on.
 pause will only display 32 lines of text and then wait for a keypress.

 Of course, any of these settings can be changed on the fly and temporarily 
using xmode if you don't cobbler the thing.

.Once done, make sure Hyper Terminal is set up the same way. When done and 
all works, use Cobbler to save these settings, modify and save your startup 
file and have fun.

 To use a login.... well, in OS9 you use(in the startup or command prompt) 
"tsmon /t2&"
 and you need to setup the login file in the SYS directory. Otherwise 
pressing enter will log you in. The details setting up a login file is in 
the manual and personally, I think it's not necessary since no one will hack 
into your coco.
 Use "shell i=/t2&" instead. This simply turns on the remote terminal to use 
as you wish.
 Add it to the startup file and it makes it easier.

 There's more fun to be had using a remote terminal. Once you get yours 
working, I've learned to do away with the keyboard scanner, the video, the 
memory associated with those and a few clock cycles to deal with the 
keyboard scanning. The coco video is now a moot thing and the system uses 
that memory area for it's use and it's fun to see the screen show the data 
changes as the system uses it. There's a few other things the system won't 
need since the /term is just another SIO. You can do away with GRFDRV.
 Also, if you rename /t2 to /term, the settings to change will now be called 
tmode instead of xmode. I think(but I could be wrong) that the T in tmode is 
Terminal and X in xmode is eXternal. Sounds good to ME!

 However, you can still do anything you want from a remote terminal and 
still use the coco as normal if you keep the /term as is.
 The caveat is programs that use graphics, cursor positioning and stuff like 
that won't work or won't even run on your PC. It's text only! Line editors 
is the only thing you will be able to do.

 I use some utilites from the OS9-L2 BBS to transfer files back and forth 
using only Hyper Terminal as the command center.



 Since you're using nitros9, there may be differences. If you experience 
loss of vision or ability to concentrate, have difficulty breathing, can't 
stand for more than fifteen minutes, pains in certain areas, please consult 
the gurus in Nitros9.

George