[Coco] question about MPI and Orch-90

Tue May 7 11:02:18 EDT 2013

Ok I swapped out the chips.  Both say TANDY on them. And unfortunately I'm getting the same result with this alternate chip.  PEEK (&HFF90) still reports 255.  Perhaps the newer chip was just an newer version of the coco1/coco2 one.  Rogelio, I heard that the unmodded version on a coco3 has memory conflicts that can result in crashes, data corrupt, etc. I want to get this working properly for coco3 and i have no equipment for coco1/coco2 anyways

- Todd Wallace

On May 7, 2013, at 10:53 AM, Rogelio Perea <os9dude at gmail.com> wrote:

> My $0.02 is -> don't worry too much about which PAL is which, for most
> practical purposes the un-upgraded MPI will work with the CoCo 3, it is
> just so that properly fixing the PAL logic will make things tidy for use
> with the CoCo 3. The details on what is affected and how are somewhere
> within this list archives - this matter has been brought up before many
> times: once you upgrade the MPI there are a couple of software/hardware
> items that won't run if you use that MPI with a CoCo 1 or 2 (without
> changing the PALs again).
> 
> So, put the other PAL into the socket (mind chip's orientation though) and
> PEEK again at it - very likely the previous user/owner changed the PAL to
> the original one.
> 
> 
> -- RP
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, May 7, 2013 at 10:32 AM, Todd Wallace <dragonbytes at cox.net> wrote:
> 
>> Update. I have opened the MPI and discovered a few things.  First, whoever
>> modded this saved an alternate PAL chip stuck inside upside down as can be
>> seen in this pic:   http://cl.ly/image/253N3V1v112c
>> 
>> This second pic is the currently socketed PAL chip:
>> http://cl.ly/image/2O0Y3o3p4716
>> 
>> Hopefully u guys can read the number.  So the question is, which PAL chip
>> is currently in there?  Is it the one for CoCo3? Perhaps the spare one
>> stuck upside down in there is the one for the CoCo3?
>> 
>> - Todd Wallace
>> 
>> On May 7, 2013, at 10:10 AM, Todd Wallace <dragonbytes at cox.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> Ok this is the weird thing.  This gray MPI TRS-80 Radioshack model
>> 26-3024 has a sticker on the bottom that says CoCo3PAL.  On cloud9's
>> website, they suggest the follow PEEK to see whether or not your MPI is
>> modded for use on a CoCo3.  PRINT PEEK (&HFF90).  If the value is 126, its
>> all set for CoCo3, if it is 255, then it is NOT modded for CoCo3.  My MPI
>> returns 255 which baffles me because the sticker says "CoCo3 PAL".  Anyone
>> have any idea why there might be conflicting info? maybe someone modded it
>> for coco3, and someone else UNmodded again? When i plugged it in, it seems
>> to work.  I mean, i can select a slot, turn on the coco3, and it will load
>> the appropriate cart.  I am a complete newb when it comes to MPI so any
>> advice on how to test if its working properly or not would be gratefully
>> appreciated.
>>> 
>>> - Todd Wallace
>>> 
>>> On May 6, 2013, at 11:30 PM, Luis Fernández <luis46coco at hotmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> www.Cloud9tech.com sells a chip to repair and correct MPI addresses
>> used
>>>> to serve in coco3 and clash between different utilities
>>>> not if specifically with Orchertra80
>>>> 
>>>>> To: coco at maltedmedia.com
>>>>> From: ooogalapasooo at aol.com
>>>>> Date: Mon, 6 May 2013 22:42:13 -0400
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Coco] question about MPI and Orch-90
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Todd,1st, I don't think you can "hurt" the MPI is it doesn't have the
>> PAL fix, it just will not operate properly on a Coco 3. I know I'll be
>> corrected on this if I'm wrong.
>>>>> 
>>>>> On the Orch90 pak... to play the demo, you do not press "E", as that
>> will put you in "Edit" mode.
>>>>> Instead, you press "S" to "Score" the file for play. It will come back
>> to a cursor in a few moments and when it does, press "P" for play.
>>>>> Any time you "Load" a new file or "Edit" a current file, you must
>> press "S" before "P".
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hope this helps.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Bill Pierce
>>>>> My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
>>>>> https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/
>>>>> Co-Webmaster of The TRS-80 Color Computer Archive
>>>>> http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/
>>>>> Co-Contributor, Co-Editor for CocoPedia
>>>>> http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
>>>>> E-Mail: ooogalapasooo at aol.com
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Todd Wallace <dragonbytes at cox.net>
>>>>> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>>>>> Sent: Mon, May 6, 2013 10:28 pm
>>>>> Subject: [Coco] question about MPI and Orch-90
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hey all,
>>>>> 
>>>>> I got my hands on a grey radio shack trs-80 26-3024 MPI.  There's a
>> sticker on
>>>>> the bottom that says CoC3 PAL, so I assume that means its been
>> modified for use
>>>>> with my CoCo3.  My question is, will plugging it in and turning it on
>> cause
>>>>> damage of the mod is NOT in place?  I know theres a PEEK to check, I
>> just don't
>>>>> want to damage the coco3.
>>>>> 
>>>>> My second question is, I got a cool Orch-90cc cart.  I plugged it in
>> to try and
>>>>> play the demo like the book suggests.  You press E [ENTER] and then P
>> [ENTER] to
>>>>> play the demo.  but when i type P [ENTER], i just keep getting ERR 04.
>> Can
>>>>> anyone help?  I don't know if i'm missing something or if theres
>> something wrong
>>>>> with the cart, etc. Any help is appreciated.  Thanks
>>>>> 
>>>>> - Todd Wallace (LordDragon on Freenode)
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Coco mailing list
>>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>>>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Coco mailing list
>>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>>>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Coco mailing list
>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Coco mailing list
>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Coco mailing list
>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>> 
> 
> --
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco