[Coco] How much of a CoCo makes it a CoCo?

[Boisy G. Pitre]

My point in bringing up these questions is to identify where the consensus lies.

I believe that once we replace the main board with something like an FPGA-based board, it becomes a CoCo 3+ or a CoCo 4 (I'm ambivalent to either).

I think a dream CoCo 3+ would be preserving the exterior (case, keyboard, etc), removing the power supply and motherboard, and in its place, have an FPGA-based board.  Analog RGB would be replaced with a 15 pin VGA connector coming out where the composite audio/video ports are now (no composite audio/video support would be warranted.)   The serial I/O jack could still be there, as well as the joystick ports, but the cassette could go.  The reset and power buttons would remain.  Where the 3-4 modulator hole is we could put something, and the 3-4 channel switch would remain but would serve an entirely different purpose.

And of course, the 40 pin cartridge connector would still be there.

Best Regards,
Boisy G. Pitre
http://www.tee-boy.com/

On Jul 6, 2011, at 4:43 PM, Boisy G. Pitre wrote:

> How much of a CoCo can you rip out and it still be a CoCo?
> 
> Let's take the CoCo 3, for example.
> 
> If I take out the 6809 and put a 6309, I think we can all agree that it's still a CoCo 3, right?
> 
> What if I were to put an FPGA in the 40 pin socket (assuming a kit existed).  Still a CoCo 3?
> 
> Or replaced the GIME with something similar?
> 
> Or replaced the entire motherboard with a similar sized board that had all the connectors, minus perhaps an analog RGB connector at the bottom but instead a VGA connector?  Would that still be a CoCo 3?
> 
> What is defined to be the "soul" of a CoCo 3?
> 
> Best Regards,
> Boisy G. Pitre
> http://www.tee-boy.com/
> 
> 
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