[Coco] Considering new HD6309E based board

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 10 November 2013 03:01:51 James Igou did opine:

> Hey Kip and the others that have replied to my original message.
> 
> Things are progressing slowly, but part of that is the additional
> education I giving myself and the other side interests that keep
> popping up. I have multiple crystals on hand to run the 6309 processor
> at 2, 3.58, or 4 Mhz. That will probably evolve into some kind of
> frequency generator, but right now this is easier.
> I have replaced the 74LS chips I was using with 74HC chips and will
> eventually replace most of the glue circuitry with a CLPD.
> I have parts to use both the V9958 and V9990 video display processors
> and will eventually look at cascading multiple VDPs.
> Using GIME or 6847 output as a base layer for something like this may
> make genlocking problematic so I am not going to worry about trying
> that initially. As to NitrOS9, as OS-9 is not designed to support SMP
> (in any of its versions), I would imagine that implementing it in
> NitOS9 would be problematic. Also, Boisy Petrie and his friends have
> the development of this pretty much under their control.
> You will notice that while it is claimed to be an open source OS, that
> you can not obtain the source for it.

What the heck are you smoking?  It must be some really really good stuff if 
you believe that.

The source code for Nitros9 is now in a mercurial(hg) repository, and can 
be downloaded and installed on any machine on the planet, windows or linux, 
maybe even intel macs, with one line of shell code.

hg clone http://hg.code.sf.net/p/nitros9/code nitros9

That is one line of an approximately 35 line script that pulls in the 
latest copies of lwtools, toolshed, and nitros9 sources, building and 
testing it all as it goes.  That way you have the whole shebang on your 
machine.

It admitted gets a little more complex for a windows user, but I have the 
great good sense to not allow that %$#@*&()! virus magnet called windows 
anyplace on my property, all my machines are running linux.

I need to register a new domain name again as dyndns is up to some dirty 
tricks with the free registrations, but in the meantime, a fully built copy 
of those repository's needed to build nitros9 can be seen at:

<http://204.111.64.149:6309/gene>

which is in fact this machine.

I would attach the whole script, but Dennis doesn't allow attachments here.

I could PM it to you, but that brings up another sore point, way too many 
people, this list included, are now operating a whitelist on their incoming 
servers, meaning they will not accept a PM from me, and I am tired of the 
bounces because it usually takes 3 or 4 days for our server to try and 
deliver to an address with a REJECT response.  You know who you are, so if 
thats shoe fits, its your choice.
 
> In any case, asymetrical multiprocessing is still a possibility.
> Also, looking at what the mcu market has to offer, VGA output, at least
> one RS-232 port and other I/O circuits should be easy to implement. I
> am conflicted about what can be used though.
> Is it fair to add higher speed 8, 16, or 32 bit micro controller based
> devices to something older like the 6309?
> 
> Personally, I don't think so.
> 
> Oh, and while they are no longer available, at one time I had an XC
> labeled 6847T1 (with intact pins). The trick was to order them as
> repair parts from Tandy. Obviously this is no longer possible and they
> were discontinued almost 30 years ago (that in itself is frightening).
> I gave mine to Tony D. at Disto so I no longer have it.
> Plus, if I remember right, its not a drop in replacement as it
> consolidated a couple buffers.
> Details for modifying older Coco's to use the 6847T1 were published in
> Rainbow by Tony if I am not mistaken.
> And, as all the available parts would now have to be salvaged from late
> model coco2s (which have soldering in VDGs with shortened pins), it
> would probably be more practical to consider pulling GIMEs out of their
> sockets in Coco3s.
> 
> BTW - As MC68HC000s are now no longer any more expensive than 6309s (if
> you know where to buy them), I have been looking at adding these to the
> mix. Perhaps if we cannot use NitOS9, as Microware phases out OS-9 for
> the 68K perhaps we could consider building something similar but based
> on the 68k version.
> After all, one of the last projects Ed Gressick discussed with me before
> he passed away, was the idea of building a new 6809 board with a GIME
> for use in the PT68K4 based System IV computers he was selling.
> 
> Jim Igou
> 
> 
> --
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco


Cheers, Gene
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