[Coco] Tcp off-loading on CoCo

[Mark D. Overholser]

On 13-Apr-17 09:18, Zippster wrote:
> Because it saves the entire machine state (all register values), like
> an IRQ, which consumes quite a few cycles.  A FIRQ doesn’t save all
> the registers and is faster.
>

That means that Code called by a FIRQ needs to Insure that ALL the 
Registers are like they were when the Interrupt was called..


> Depending on how your software is written, polling for a status bit
> to see if data is ready may be faster still, though it doesn’t have
> the convenience factor of an interrupt.
>

It would depend on How Timely you need to Network Data...

In a Turned Based Game, your waiting for other players anyway..  In a 
Real Time Simulation ( or Arcade Game ), you want the Other Player 
"states" ASAP...

> MCU = micro controller, such as an Atmel ATMega or such.  Put one on
> the networking card to handle the communications, taking a set of
> commands from the coco, receiving the data from the external network,
> then buffering it and feeding it to the CoCo through a data port.
> Also have it provide a status register indicating command result,
> buffer ready, etc...
>
> - Ed
>

This also allow "Abstraction" between Networking Mediums...  If the MCU 
is setup the Same Way, the CoCo won't know if the MCU is communicating 
on WiFi, Ethernet, Serial, or Cans and String...


MarkO