[Coco] Coco -> Arduino -> Drivewire and back again... the arduino code... for connecting via the serial

[Bill Pierce]

Nick, every project I have uses an internet updater. The programs will update themselves from the Coco or emulator directly from the update site. I'm also working on an FTP browser as well as an internet source repository. Bill noble is also working on an FTP project as well.
 
As far as Midi... if you're using DW4, you can't use the serial port (it's being used for dw4). Also, the serial port only allows connection to a real Midi device, such as a midi keyboard or a PC (midi equipped) as a virtual host.
DW4 Midi has a built in Java virtual synth an can access ANY virtual synth you may have on your PC (win, Linux, or mac, and windows has a built in synth and there's hundreds for free download) and play music directly from the Coco.
As a gaming programmer, I just can't see why you wouldn't be interested. Midi's overhead is 1/100th (or more) that of wavetable sound and actual music storage is minimal. It wouldn't have to be exclusive, but an option to use Midi in games. It would be relatively easy to write a background midi parser to run on an interrupt to play background music while the game is running. Almost every PC game through WinXP used either Midi or Mods for game music and sound effects... and yes, you can do sound effects with Midi. You need a midi synth engine for your PC that will use soundfonts and then design a soundfont with your PCM FX samples to be triggered by certain notes on a midi channel.

And yes, I use Midi on the Coco quite often and plan to use it more as I get my system tied in better. I control my midi synth on my PC as well as a full stagelight system and my Fender CyberTwin amplifier (extensive Midi capabilities). All from my Coco while playing the Midi music as well.  I have Midi synths and Coco serial to midi cable, as well as a Coco MidiPak. But why run all those cables when Dw4 is already connected and I have multitudes of midi software on my PC that can be accessed by my Coco as well as passed to the outside Midi gear.

Anyway, most modern Midi gear is doing away with the standard Midi ports and replacing them with USB midi ports so the coco serial or the Coco MidiPak would not work without a Midi to USB adapter.
 

Bill Pierce
"Today is a good day... I woke up" - Ritchie Havens
 

My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/
Co-Webmaster of The TRS-80 Color Computer Archive
http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/
Co-Contributor, Co-Editor for CocoPedia
http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
E-Mail: ooogalapasooo at aol.com


 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Marentes <nickma2 at optusnet.com.au>
To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Fri, Jun 20, 2014 4:31 pm
Subject: Re: [Coco] Coco -> Arduino -> Drivewire and back again... the arduino code... for connecting via the serial


On 21/06/2014 5:00 AM, Aaron Wolfe wrote:
> cocofdc is great for disks.  not so good for internet access,
> printing, midi, remote display, etc.
>
> ideally, a rompak could be made that did all those things and more as
> nicely as cocofdc does disks.  pi in a pak can do all of those things,
> but probably not as nicely.  still, a step in the right direction
> imho.
>

Would anyone seriously use internet access on the CoCo? Once the novelty 
wore off, I think people would do their serious browsing on something 
more capable.

Midi is usable, but midi can also work directly off the serial port. How 
many people actually use their CoCo for midi? I know a handful of people 
but that's it.

Printing? Does anyone really use a CoCo for serious document creation? I 
know serial printers are hard to come by so I can understand that there 
is a need to print some basic text data at times.

I'm all for making the CoCo do things it's not suppose to but sometimes 
I think there is a wide gap between novelty and practicality.

Nick

-- 
Coco mailing list
Coco at maltedmedia.com
http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco