[Coco] Including an SSC

[farna at amc-mag.com]

Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 17:47:35 +1000
From: Nick Marentes <nickma2 at optusnet.com.au>

Ah! Now here we have 100% agreement!

We can choose to differ on the sound issue but I agree wholeheartedly
about a multipak BEHIND the CoCo.

Many other computers did this.

The TRS-80 Model 1 had the expansion at the back and the monitor sat on
that.

The Apple II had it's expansion slots at the back of the case where the
monitor sat.

I also have an Exidy Sorcerer, Australian Microbee and others that did this.

The CoCo had to have everything "in-your-face" on the right hand side.

==========================================

Well, those other machines were designed specifically to expand to the
back. The Model 1 was the only one I recall as having a separate expansion
box that attached via a port similar to the CoCo, and it created some
problems. That expansion was intended to be a monitor stand as noted, as
well as expanding the computer with more porfessional needs like the
floppy controller. I believe the others (I know the Apple II) had the
expansion ports made onto the motherboard.

The CoCo was designed as a game machine more than a serious computer, and
the MPI was really an afterthought. The length of the cable would cause
issues on the CoCo bus, so an expansion pack to the rear would be hard to
do. If you're going to build a buffered interface of some sort to make a
cable work, a cable with 2-3 connectors going DOWN so that the cartridges
lie on the desk next to the CoCo would be a more practical (and cost
effective) design. I think someone made one at one time...