[Coco] Homebrew CoCo Games

[Chad H]

P.S.  I seem to recall that the CoCo SDC made use of a combination of both CPLD and Atmega328 microcontroller.  What was the purpose of the Atmega328 in that setup?  Was it to interface with the MicroSD card?

- Chad H
http://sites.google.com/site/cbhlab101/


-----Original Message-----
From: Coco [mailto:coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com] On Behalf Of Chad H
Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2015 7:40 PM
To: 'CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts'
Subject: Re: [Coco] Homebrew CoCo Games

On the Arduino point, as my boards use an Arduino type microcontroller, I would agree that they are not the most cost effective choice for a "One-In-All, Do It All" sort of project where EVERYTHING is running off the CoCo (Control, writing to FlASH, bank switching, etc.)   Though I don't know how to use CPLD's, I recognize that by designing all these capabilities in to that sort of IC greatly simplifies and minimizes the cost.  In my case, I desired a External Controlled setup augmenting an existing jumper-controlled design (based off of Mark Blair's original boards) and the Atmega microcontroller(aka Arduino) fit that bill.   Converting my boards to CPLD would be a complete re-design from scratch.

- Chad H
http://sites.google.com/site/cbhlab101/

-----Original Message-----
From: Coco [mailto:coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com] On Behalf Of Nick Marentes
Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2015 5:38 PM
To: CoCoList
Subject: Re: [Coco] Homebrew CoCo Games

On 13/12/2015 12:04 AM, Francis Swygert wrote:
> I like the idea of a sound chip with an output jack on the cartridge. Just plug in headphones or a computer speaker(s) and let the chip generate all the sound, no CPU overhead at all.
> I still think an Arduino cartridge would be great. Maybe with some 
> flash ROM for a program as well. A ROM cart with an Arduino (or some 
> other small controller) interface would be nice. I suppose it would be 
> possible to have a couple header connectors that something like an 
> Arduino Nano would plug into, then bring the pins out to another row 
> of headers that could be wire wrapped to, with the appropriate lines 
> going directly to the CoCo... maybe jumpers to switch some lines 
> between the CoCo and external access.  I'm not sure such a cart would 
> be real useful though.  Frank Swygert

The audio from the sound chip is routed back into the CoCo via the SND IN pin of the cartidge edge connector and mixed in with the CoCo generated sound  to be played together via the monitor (mixed with composite video or the RGB audio out).

A seperate audio jack is only necessary if the audio we want to hear is stereo and that depends if the sound chip chosen has a stereo output. A chip like the GI AY is only mono.

Going Arduino defeats the purpose of a low cost ROM board for a programmer to distribute software (games) in a secure medium... as was always the case with game ROM Pak's.

Adding Arduino is for a different project goal completely.

Nick


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