[Coco] Including an SSC

[Nick Marentes]

On 12/10/2014 4:29 AM, Simon Jonassen wrote:
> WHY NOT include SSC.....
>
> Then maybe we could have what we have been missing all these years....
>
> Anyone who doubts the AY chip:
>
> http://ay-riders.speccy.cz/
>
> /Simon :-)
>   
>

Certainly impressive for a 30 year old sound chip! The AY has a bit of a 
tiny "LoFi" sound quality to it and I believe all sound is square wave 
based but it goes to show what good software can do to push the hardware.

I think it's too late for any header option in the CoCoSDC (if it was at 
all possible). With 80 boards now in production, the chances of a 
hardware revision are slim and any hardware add-ons to the CoCo will 
have to go the multi-pak route.

I wonder if there is another way to interface hardware to the CoCo?

I can think of 2 possibilities:

1) With many having upgraded their 6809 CPU to a 6309 with the 
installation of a socket to the motherboard, maybe a board containing 
the CPU and additional hardware can be connected here? This severley 
limits the potential user base though since it requires the CPU to be 
socketed first, not an easy mod for everyone.

2) The construction of a cartridge slot internal expansion/extender.

What I'm now toying with is the idea of a small board that plugs into 
the cartridge port, brings out a header duplicating the bus and then 
immediately goes to another cartridge edge connector. This means that 
the CoCoSDC (or any cartridge controller) will protrude an extra 1 inch 
from the CoCo but at least the CoCo bus connections are made accessible 
for an expansion card internal to the CoCo. This is essentially a 
Y-cable but made very compact with much shorter connections and still 
maintaing a rigid connection to the CoCoSDC.

The CoCoSDC uses a FD502 cartridge case which is shorter than the 
previous FD500 cartridge case so although it will protrude more than 
before, it won't protrude any more than that old controller (or an SCC 
or Orch90).

While I would personally prefer the least amount of protrusion, this is 
a good compromise for adding hardware (such as sound) to the CoCo.

Anyone with PCB skills with an opinion on this idea? Do'able or another 
of my pie-in-the-sky ideas?   :)

Nick