[Coco] Sneak peek

[Roger Taylor]

At 06:35 AM 2/14/2009, you wrote:
>Roger,
>
>You know I love hardware, so I took a real close up look.
>I am a bit confused.



>Your web site shows the CoCoNet pak but yet you are using a RS232 pak. ??

Nope.  The picture on the site shows EXACTLY the pak that I'm talking 
about which is not a Tandy Deluxe RS-232 Pak or any other Tandy pak, 
but it works like a Tandy pak because of the 6551 and where it's 
mapped in.  It's a simple design as you can see even from the scaled 
down image.

My pak has an EPROM socket and I can put a copy of the RS-232 Pak's 
software on that EPROM and run my pak "as an RS-232 pak clone".



>It appears from the pak in the picture, the Blue tooth device module 
>is in the upper left portion of the pak?

 From the angle the pak was shot, yes, the module is right where you 
said it is.  :)




>I admit I haven't followed the 6551 Hidden mode thread(s) that have 
>occurred in the past. Unless you are making a crystal change, how 
>would the RS232 pak not know how to use the hidden 115200 bps mode? 
>Then it really would be that it didn't know, it just that it 
>couldn't adjust the baud rate generator circuit to the numbers you 
>placed in the register. ????

No crystal change.  Because my pak CAN USE the original Tandy Pak's 
ROM software,  that software CANNOT switch to the 115200 bps mode, 
unless I'm low on coffee again or suffering from a lack of 
sleep.  So, let me restate that For Testing Purposes, the RS-232 
Pak's ROM was the first thing ran in my pak, and all was well.  The 
"CoCo never knew the difference".


>Can you further explain in detail?

It's a drop-in replacement for the Tandy Deluxe RS-232 Pak, only 
wireless.  No 12V is needed.  Any CoCo out there can use this pak.


>Who did the hardware design for you? Is this james's work?

Are you absolutely sure I didn't do it?  James, who?


>As each designer can select what ever chip set they would like. 
>Curious on why you selected a 6551 vs a newer chip set that would 
>have a larger built in FIFO?

For "transparency" with existing CoCo software.  Plus, if you combine 
all of the ideas I had into one little ACIA pak, it all comes down to 
software, Mark.  This leaves whatever ACIA or UART the CoCo loves 
best, and that would be the 6551.


-- 
Roger Taylor

http://www.wordofthedayonline.com