[Coco] A new idea for a CoCoSDC expander

[Zippster]

I’ve been thinking about putting together an expansion bus.  I want a couple
and the prices/availability of the ones I’ve seen make me think it might be a 
good project.

What has already been done?

I remember someone referencing someones design for one earlier,
and I know from looking through old magazines that there were at least
2 iterations other than Radio Shack’s.

Does anyone have details on any of these?

- Ed


On Oct 14, 2014, at 9:25 PM, RETRO Innovations <go4retro at go4retro.com> wrote:

> On 10/14/2014 2:43 PM, Nick Marentes wrote:
>> Since we have decided that adding a header for expansion to the CoCoSDC is out of the question, I've been giving some thought of other avenues for adding expansion hardware to a CoCo without using a MultiPak.
>> 
>> A few gins and tonic later and I've had a eureka moment!
>> 
>> Currently, the CoCoSDC is designed to fit into a Tandy FD502 controller cartridge case.
>> 
>> What if it were to be put in a Tandy FD500 controller cartridge case (or any other long cartridge case such as Mark Marlett's SuperIDE cases which he has 300 spare)?
>> 
>> Then an expansion board could be designed to fit between the CoCo edge connector and the CoCoSDC. This expansion board would be small acting as a wedge between the CoCo and the SDC within the larger cartridge but may be enough for a microcontroller to add extra functionality... such as my dream of an improved sound system for the CoCo (or RS-232, USB etc).
>> 
>> All in one self contained cartridge, without the need for a multipak.
>> 
>> Brilliant? I thought so.   :)
>> 
>> Nick
>> 
> Is there such a huge issue with creating or manufacturing an MPI that one needs to resort to these other options?
> 
> If there is such a pent up demand for MPI, why not just make a run of them?
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
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