[Coco] CoCo4! 50% done!

[S Klammer]

Agreed Bill.  My comment was not intended to degrade or diswade the
original kickstarter... IMHO, it was just a bit early...

sk
On 2014-02-05 4:35 PM, "Bill Loguidice" <bill at armchairarcade.com> wrote:

> I think the notion that a severely financially troubled RadioShack caring
> one iota about a recreation of one of their old computers, let alone
> carrying it in their stores, is beyond a longshot. Let's face it,
> criminally few people remember - let alone care - about the platform, so
> there would be no incentive to mass produce the thing. I think
> realistically this needs to be thought of as a community-based project of a
> few hundred units max.
>
> On the other hand, in regards to the mention in another post about that one
> Kickstarter failing, I wouldn't necessarily use that as the sign that
> other, somewhat similar projects will automatically fail. The key with
> Kickstarter is to have broad appeal, and there have been plenty of low cost
> computers - many based around the Raspberry Pi - that easily met their
> goals (and then some). The problem with that one failed Kickstarter (from
> my perspective) is that it was meant more or less to go into a CoCo 3 case
> as a replacement. That's way too granular, and again, that's based on the
> assumption that a critical mass of people even know what a CoCo is. Heck,
> the CoCo is one of the few classic platforms without an Android emulator
> for goodness sake. It's hard to think much beyond our community when the
> basics aren't even covered (and again, I'm in no way disregarding the
> immense effort this stuff takes - naturally if it was easy it would already
> be done), i.e., it's difficult to help expand word/knowledge beyond the
> converted because a lot of things that help grow other communities aren't
> necessarily present here (again, with full appreciation for all that has
> already been achieved).
>
> Maybe that's just a long-winded way of saying we either need to focus on
> the reality of the size of the committed community as it stands today or
> look for ways to help expand knowledge/interest in/of the platform beyond
> our group to open up additional options.
>
> ===================================================
> Bill Loguidice, Managing Director; Armchair Arcade,
> Inc.<http://www.armchairarcade.com>
> ===================================================
> Authored Books<
> http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Loguidice/e/B001U7W3YS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1>and
> Film <http://www.armchairarcade.com/film>; About me and other ways to get
> in touch <http://about.me/billloguidice>
> ===================================================
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 3:15 PM, Frank Swygert <farna at amc-mag.com> wrote:
>
> > What would be really cool is if someone developed a "CoCo4" FPGA
> production
> > prototype that could be presented to Radio Shack with the outcome that
> they
> > market and manufacture it as a product.
> >
> > Imagine walking in to Radio Shack to buy a CoCo again! Surreal!
> > ===================================
> >
> > I could see something like that happening. If RS did something like this
> > it would probably be more like the MCC -- a little box with USB and
> > joystick ports and monitor, you buy the keyboard and monitor. It would
> also
> > need an accessible buss of some sort. Just a DB 25 connector that can be
> > programmed, a connector to a GPIO. I only mention DB25 because that would
> > be 25 pins and it's easy to get, not a custom header. Could emulate the
> old
> > CoCo cartridge port. You couldn't plug in a disk drive controller or
> > anything like that, not without an adapter, but it wouldn't be hard to
> make
> > an adapter. But the main use would be for experimenters -- they could
> > program the little computer as a controller for something like Gene's
> mini
> > CNC machine (apologies if that's not Gene Heskett's project...). THEN it
> > would be a viable hobbyist product that RS might be interested in
> > selling/supporting. It would be a ready to go controller for short
> > run/experimenter projects. There were a few products t
> > hat used CoCo main boards in them as the controller back in the mid 80s.
> I
> > know some excercise equipment used a CC3 board.
> >
> > For all practical purposes the under $200 DE1 board is about as
> affordable
> > as a small group could produce. I don't think a single purpose board
> could
> > be made cheaper, unless at least 50 people want to pony up the money
> ahead
> > of time. Even then I don't think one could be made for under $150. Easy
> > instructions to get the core on a DE1 can be found at the user group
> site.
> > Maybe we just need to get the word out better. As far as the DE1, you
> might
> > be able to get a group buy discount if you can get enough people to
> pre-pay
> > for one. There isn't much of a discount for orders of 10, probably just
> > enough to cover the extra shipping (in the US, not to you Nick!). Someone
> > would have to be the focal point and receive the order then ship out to
> the
> > other buyers though.
> >
> > --
> > Frank Swygert
> > Editor - American Motors Cars Magazine
> > www.amc-mag.com
> >
>
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