[Coco] Loading via cassette interface

[Mark D. Overholser]

On 6/26/2015 09:34, Chris Osborn wrote:
>
> On Jun 26, 2015, at 8:22 AM, Bill Loguidice <bill at armchairarcade.com>
> wrote:
>
>> It's really quite brilliant, though unfortunate this technique is
>> thus far only possible on a handful of computer platforms.
>
> It would be possible to load programs from the web on the TRS-80 line
> too, except for the need for a special cable. There’s also some
> special apps for doing similar things on the ZX Spectrum.
>

Any 8-bit era computer that supports Cassette Tape Storage connected 
through an Audio Port could be connected to a Modern Computer's Audio 
Ports to Load and Save Programs and Data...

In fact a Web Page with a Classic Computer's Programs stored in MP3 
Format, could be "played" at the click of the Mouse with an Embedded 
Player, right to your local computer's Audio System, and transmitted to 
the Classic Computer..



For the Apple ][ and Sinclair all that would be needed is the 1/8" to 
1/8" Stereo cables that seem to be provided with the Powered Speaker 
Systems..

Special Care should be taken, in making sure that your Audio Cables 
don't short anything out..  A Stereo Jack at the Modern PC end, and a 
Mono Jack at the Classic PC end.


For Commodore, and Radio-Shack CoCos, a special cable would be needed.. 
  I don't know really anything about Ataris...


> I find it really interesting trying to bootstrap computers from bare
> metal and format a blank floppy and make it bootable. I keep thinking
> I should do a challenge to see if people can document a procedure for
> doing it on other platforms.
>

The Apple is easier than most Classic Computers once you move beyond the 
Cassette Interface, because of the Machine Language Monitor and the 
Super Serial Card's ROM.  Using ADTPro, once you have Initialized the 
Super Serial Card, and setup the Input redirection, the Host Dumps ( 
Types ) the Commands to put the Apple into the Machine Monitor and Dumps 
a Boot Strap ProDOS into the Apple, and then a Copy of ADTPro, so then a 
Disk Bootable version of ADTPro can be Downloaded and Written to the 
Floppy...

My RS-232 interface for the VIC-20 and C64 ( and I assume C128 ) has no 
ROM, so Firmware to do what ADTPro does would have to be Hand Entered, 
or make a redesigned RS-232 Interface with a ROM on it.  The same thing 
for the CoCo too...

If there was an RS-232 Interface developed for most all the Classic 
Systems, with a Firmware to Redirect the Serial Stream to the Screen and 
Keyboard that would make Floyy Disk Bootstrapping very easy..  Not to 
mention you could connect to a Classic Modem or a UDS-10 
<http://www.lantronix.com/device-networking/external-device-servers/uds-10.html>

> -- Follow me on twitter: @FozzTexx Check out my blog:
> http://insentricity.com
>
>
>
>


MarkO
( A very Long Time Apple ][ user.. 
<http://tech.markoverholser.com/files/Central_Hackers_Inc-03-NOV-1983-1024x1254.png> 
)