[Coco] Coco proto board

[Mark McDougall]

jdaggett at gate.net wrote:

> I know that a CPLD is very flexible but changing it from some points of view 
> requires learning how to write the HDL language and then use the software 
> to burn the CPLD. Using discrete logic and/or CPLD in conjunction with user 
> selectable addressing may offer more acceptance. 

True, but I was thinking that ultimately the more power/flexibility was 
worth it. I was also intending to offer services to provide custom 
configuration for little/no extra charge...

Would be nice with a larger CPLD to be able to provide, say, I2C interface 
or similar for ADC/DAC etc etc... hmmm...

> Correct a 44 pin CPLD just does not offer enough pinouts. A 80pin QFP 
> might be a better alternative. 

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that 44 pins is pretty useless. It could 
decode GPIO vs ROM and provide a bank switch for larger ROMs but not a lot 
else... :(

The next size up for Altera MAX3000 is 100 pin... not much fun to assemble 
by hand.

This was intending as a quick 2-day PCB to round out the panel and perhaps 
pay for the panel... may not be feasible/useful after all...

Regards,

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