[Coco] SuperBoard Update, was Status, anyone?

[Jim Cox]

Hi Mark,

I have been in and out of the CoCo scene for a while now, and I now am
finding myself wanting to get back in again.

Waiting for the two Superboards that I put down payments on is further
insiration for me to get back in to the CoCo scene.

Like you I find that life and work take a toll on the time available for my
CoCo interest, so I understand and I'm willing to wait :)

Cheers!

Jim Cox
http://miba51.blogspot.com/
http://geekswhocare.blogspot.com/
http://8-bit-retro-computing.blogspot.com/


On Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 5:51 AM, Mark Marlette <mmarlette at frontiernet.net>wrote:

> Paul,
>
> I have renamed the thread a bit. Beware long post.....
>
> Not sure which Paul H. this is or if this is either one of the
> two Paul H.'s that has made a SuperBoard down payment. In either
> case I will give an update.
>
> First I would like to say thanks for the kind words of understanding
> from Bruce Calkins, james Daggett and Brian Blake. No one wants
> this to go away more than I do, OK, maybe Sandy, my significant other.
> She knows more than anyone else how much time I dedicate to the Cloud-9
> effort. She has indicated that I need to simplify my life and that means,
> to
> her, reduction of time to the business. For those of you that do run
> a business, you well know, you just don't turn it on and off like you
> walk out of the office at night.
>
> Life is still very busy, I was away from the list to fight another
> snow storm in MN this year and then this. Working a 4am -2pm
> shift this week and was outside till 8pm last night. Putting the final
> fixes in my 3pt 54" snow blower which blew the gear box out in a
> big drift.... :( Over $400 later, a shaft, gear, bearings replaced and an
> improved design, we are back on track. Most wouldn't consider this a
> big deal but each time the wind blows or snows. I have just under two miles
> to blow out my drive way. Multiple passes on a very long drive. Over 2hrs
> last night and dual stage blower tosses it ~60', but it still piles and
> keeps coming. Global warming is appreciated in MN....but where is it? :)
>
> As some of my updates have had a ton of excuses, which all have been real,
> all too real. This will not have any. My health is back, losing weight,
> still
> have a job, barely, doing the work of three people now and our lab is
> scaled
> back from 21 to 5 employees and I am one of the lucky ones working.
> Sometimes I wonder.
> Bad environment, but it does pay the bills and I am grateful. Did I mention
> I have
> two WONDERFUL grandchildren, which do take of some of my former free time.
> My daughter,
> son-in-law and grandson live with me while she is attending nursing school
> and
> getting her degree. Those two are precious and someday hope to be CoCo
> users.
>
> Now to the meat and potatoes.
>
> People have asked that I delegate, ask for help, etc. I have tried that
> within the company. I
> have spent consider amounts of time trying to setup and off load, only to
> have that
> time really become a not effective use of my time. Ultimately I get sucked
> back into the
> branch of the project and overall I should have just done it. I can not
> fault them for
> being guilty of what I am. They are stuck in the reality of life as well.
> It happens,
> besides, the pay is terrible
>
> The AT keyboard project which was originally designed by Dana Peters has
> been replaced
> with my own design. Created my own cross point switch in a CPLD and is 100%
> operational
> on the hardware level. Boisy was tasked to produce the firmware but for
> various reasons, the project was returned to me. So currently I am writing
> the firmware
> for the PS2 Interface board, which will reside in the standalone board and
> the SuperBoard.
> This portion of the task was not planned, but something that I must finish
> now, again
> another delay. This is the ONLY area at Cloud-9 that there are outstanding
> orders.
> SuperIDEs went from 8+week lead times to the current less than a few days
> delivery times.
> Trust me, this is HUGE task to enhance.
>
> As this project forever drags on and being an Engineer. I am forever
> surrounded by
> technology. These new technologies ALWAYS look attractive. So rather than
> produce
> a board with outdated resources, I investigate. More later on this. So I am
> at a point
> of what to do. Move forward with the old design and finish it with knowing
> all good
> and well that I will be adding an expansion board for my new goodies or
> finish the
> replacement add ons an incorporate in the SuperBoard. These investigations
> all require
> development time, some more than others.
>
> The areas of exploration have been :
>  1. SD, easy to implement. This would replace the CF.
>  2. USB serial, this has been a time magnet and yes I do have a USB serial
> interface working
>     on a test development platform. Thanks Aaron for the awesome host side
> development
>     test tool! This could be an add on card, Super Expansion Card for the
> paks
>     and the SuperBoard. Currently we are doing sustained serial transfers
> of +100KB, over
>     1M baud. That is not 115.2Kb, but BYTES. Just as fast as the Compact
> Flash(CF) or
>     hard drive interface.
>  3. Was looking at replacing the PS2 with USB, but am leaning towards PS2
> just due to the
>     fact of development time. I have not finished my investigation in to
> the development
>     of such a device but I am 90%+ complete. There is an issue with my
> interface / development
>     software as far as up/down key code detection for the CoCo's matrix.
> For those that say
>     USB serial is working,  USB keyboard, why not? All USB devices are not
> created equally, there
>     are different device classes and how they are handled. The CoCo's
> matrix keyboard is
>     a PIA and I don't mean Peripheral Interface Adapter. It must remain as
> many applications
>     and or games, peek the hardware. There are such better ways and less
> burden on
>     the uP, but....... :(
>  4. Ethernet, same as USB. Just haven't had the time to play in this area.
> I have the
>     development tools and hardware in place, just haven't went down this
> road as a test
>     case yet. I viewed this as an after effect product anyway. Again this
> is not beyond
>     what USB is doing right now. Just a different transport method. I did
> spend an large
>     amount of time researching this area though.
>
> In closing I can say that the CoCo is still very much of my everyday
> doings. The
> past several years have taught me one big simple lesson. I can't do anymore
> than
> I already am, but I can do less. I still work on this project, I can't say
> daily as I
> do still have other aspects of the company to run. I have been busy,
> hopefully this update
> proves that I have. Those critical of me and my time it has taken. I ask
> you this. What
> have you done in the past year for the CoCo or even the past 10-15? My
> point is simply this.
> It is easy to sit on the fence and judge others. Everyday I am doing
> something with
> the CoCo, building, testing, designing. shipping product, accounting, tax
> prep,
> etc, I do it all. Along with ALL other aspects of life. It is a hobby
> business.
>
> So I am asking you, the people that have placed a down payment.
>
>  1. Should I quit the project and refund a portion of the down payment as
> there were
>    development costs and parts procured with the project? This would be the
> easiest.
>    Many people have grand plans and then cancel / terminate a project. What
> I am guilty
>    of is taking people's money upfront. This will NEVER happen again. What
> I am not
>    guilty of is quitting. I am not a quitter, I will finish this, it will
> be just a fact
>    or not if I produce it as a product.
>
>  2. Allow some to cancel their down payments and get a partial return? This
> could, effect
>    the project as a whole depending on the actual number of cancellations.
> Portion
>    of the refund would be based upon costs in the project. Since I am over,
> well over 80%
>    completed with the design, this number as a guess is 50% return or less.
> Most will
>    take offense to this but there is risk with bringing a product to
> market.
>
>  3. Finalize the board as it was conceived(legacy devices), work out some
> details(board layout),
>    test and complete project? Apply 100% of the down payment to the cost of
> the
>    product.
>
>  4. Take more time and drop the legacy serial port? Leave this to already
> existing product
>    lines. Possibly add USB keyboard?
>
> Finally, I am always here. Might be gone a few days over the weekend, on
> vacation, etc, but
> I still actively read the list. I post less because I can either talk/type
> or actually DO
> something. Well, I am the latter.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark
> Cloud-9
>
> Regarding the soon to be forgotten, apparently, what is the status
> of the Superboard, into which many have already invested $100 or more?
>
>
> -ph
>
>
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