[Coco] No MPI - any suggestions?

[Mark McDougall]

Frank Swygert wrote:

> You have to tape over the CTS or SCS line on the cartridge -- the
> one that auto loads it (I don't recall which, but since you've been
> working on a proto board, you probably do) so the pak doesn't auto
> activate. 

The CART# pin...

> Without a Y cable you do the same thing, but
> carefully pull the pak out and insert the disk controller between the two
> steps. You MUST insert the disk controller STRAIGHT in or there is a
> chance the power line can short to an adjoining line. If you look on a
> cartridge the power line is slightly shorter than the others to prevent
> this. Wouldn't hurt to trim that land on the disk controller back. There
> is a small risk of blowing the CPU (unless you trim the power land back),
> but many of us did it this way "back in the day".

Yeah, not real keen on doing that given the rarity of PAL Coco3's here in Oz 
these days, not to mention disk controllers and my proto cart! ;)

I think in the short term cassette transfer is the way to go - via 
soundblaster output of course. I'd imagine I could "CSAVEM" on the emulator 
and "LOADM" at the same time on the real Coco?!? ...

Regards,

-- 
|              Mark McDougall                | "Electrical Engineers do it
|  <http://members.iinet.net.au/~msmcdoug>   |   with less resistance!"