[Coco] PC-to-CoCo data transfer techniques

[Roger Taylor]

I'm trying to build a good custom serial cable for doing bi-directional 
transfers between a PC and a CoCo.

What I've done so far resembles the connection on the following page for 
"Null modem with partial handshaking".
http://www.lammertbies.nl/comm/info/RS-232_null_modem.html

In my tests from CoCo BASIC, I can PRINT#-2 to my PC (I'm using COMIT.EXE 
from Windows), as long as the bitbanger pin #2 (Printer Busy) is held high, 
and I POKE 150,41 for 1200bps.  Comit only does 300,1200,2400,... etc.  No 
600 (default for CoCo BASIC).

I'm sure that from a CoCo telecom program, I can do two-way transfers if 
CoCo pin #2 (Data In) is connected to the PC's Transmit pin.

I'm using the PC's "COM1" port (DB-9) but I want to use my laptop's LPT1 
port the same if possible, or connect a USB-to-serial adaptor to obtain a 
DB-9 serial port that acts like a "COM1" port.

Also... somehow I've got this used 5-pin DIN (CoCo cassette style) to (3 x 
RCA) cable that I've been using to CLOADM programs right into my CoCo from 
my PC.  I can play a .WAV file of a cassette recording and the CoCo CLOADMs 
it right in.  My question is, why can't any of Jeff's programs work from 
Windows?  This guy has got to move into the Win32 world.  MS-DOS is ancient 
history.  I've managed to get casout.exe to produce .wav files from .cas 
files but it insists on ASKING for an output filename instead of letting me 
specify it on the command line.  If I could do this, I could integrate it 
better into Portal-9 and allow for your assembled objects to be sent 
directly over to a CoCo by using nothing more than a DIN-5 to 1/8 phono 
plug cable for connecting to the PC's sound out jack.

-- 
Roger Taylor