[Coco] Re: CoCo video? (CoCo4)

[KnudsenMJ at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/4/06 9:53:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, farna at att.net  
writes:

>Some  easy to program data I/O ports and a half dozen relays on a card would 
be  >really nice.


Gee, I just remembered -- you can use a soundcard's MIDI serial interface  
(32K b/s) to control external relays and such, and to read contact closures (and 
 hence any static digital outputs, like an A/D converter hooked to a 
thermistor,  etc.).
 
There are small circuit cards sold that use MIDI signals to open and close  
multiple circuits.  These are intended for running pipe organs and such  from a 
PC (I built one into my monkey crank organ).  Likewise there are  keyboard 
scanner cards for going in the reverser direction.
 
This may be the easiest way for a hobbyist to get ina and out of a modern  
PC.  Software is still a problem -- the only programs that know how to  access 
the MIDI port are music recording and playing apps, which probably don't  know 
right ascension from declination for scope hackers.
--Mike K.