[Coco] Educate me about Y-Cables

[Francis Swygert]

1. Run a survey -- how many ports are really needed? Four or five should do it. Floppy controller, HD controller, RS-232 pak, and one more. Most who use an SD pack don't use a physical HD. So that would leave a single open slot to play with if just four.  I think five would be more than sufficient for most, and would keep cost down a few bucks. 


2. What's the deal with using IDE cable? It's 80 pin flat cable rolled up in a sheath. The CoCo slot has 40 pins. With 80 position cable every other line should be a ground for shielding. So what's up with the "only xx data lines"? Doesn't matter what IDE has, you're just using cable. 


3. No big deal on the 12V/5Vissue. Don't connect either line to the CoCo, just have a power connector on the multi-pak end for each. Use a pair of wall-warts if you need both voltages, just one if you don't need 12V. Most won't need or use 12V. Just need a good 5V DC wall wart or other 5V power supply. Actually, on the 5V end it may be a good idea to incorporate a good voltage regulating circuit and use a 6-7V wall wart to make sure there is good 5V power. 


4. Needs to be buffered for sure! A buffered cart to stick in the side of the CoCo then a length of ribbon cable between that and the slot board. Making the cable long enough to twist the board sideways shouldn't be a problem. Swinging it 90 degrees and sideways shouldn't be, but enough to swing it all the way behind the CoCo might be. I'm not sure, I know impedance of the cable affects some signals, but the buffering may eliminate that. 

 
Frank Swygert 
Fix-It-Frank Handyman Service 
803-604-6548