[Coco] Coco Newby

[John E. Malmberg]

arikboke at yahoo.com wrote:
> 
> I'd like my Coco3 to be completely solid-state, i.e. I don't want moveable
> disks or cassettes, etc., and so I want to max out on RAM and FLASH, but I
> don't want a cluttered desktop.  I've been looking into the Cloud-9 site, and
> by golly, they seem to have a bundle of goodies.
> 
> (1)  Is the 512k board able to take higher capacity SIMMS?

 > I've a quad set of 4meg SIMMs from my old Mac IIvx that I think I can
 > cannibalize.  If not, what memory expansion board allows for use of
 > higher SIMMS or DIMMs?

I do not know.  I have a superboard on order, that has all sorts of 
goodies on it, including sockets for more memory, and a lot of options.

> (2)  Is there an internal board that accepts FLASH Cards?  The Cloud-9 site
> states that they have a flash adapter for a "Glenside IDE" adapter.  Sounds
> expensive, complicated, and messy.  A direct internal adapter would be nice.

It appears that an IDE option will be available for the Superboard, and 
it may be possible to put the flash media inside.  Changing it may be a 
problem.

You may want to do what I am going to do:

In a full size disk enclosure, I am mounting a removable drive bay from 
CompUSA, and a CD-ROM.  These will be connected to an IDE cable.  In 
replacement drive trays I will have a real IDE drive in one, and the 
Cloud-9 adapter in the other.

The other option is to do a repack into a PC case.

> (3)  Is there a VGA adapter?  Cloud-9 does not seem to mention a universal VGA
> adapter.  An acquaintance who is an MSX freak says that VGA adapter cables have
> been available for MSX boxes forever.  Would it be possible to adapt their
> cable for the Coco?

No.  The problem is not the cable, the problem is finding a modern 
monitor that can do the 15 Khz horizontal sync that the COCO requires. 
Most monitors will only go down to 30 Khz.

The new LCD monitors might work, but since all the computer that they 
are marketed for will not run below 30 Khz, that is all that is 
mentioned on their specifications.  But since many have a TV Tuner 
option, they should be able to do the lower sync rate.

-John
wb8tyw at qsl.net
Personal Opinion Only