[Coco] Got a DUMB QUESTION???

[Gene Heskett]

On Saturday 29 June 2019 03:07:16 Gene Heskett wrote:

> On Saturday 29 June 2019 01:36:04 L. Curtis Boyle wrote:
> > It does NOT require an MPI. It even has a Mini Bus connector inside
> > of it, that Disto sold multiple cards for (the maximum functionality
> > was the 4 in 1 board, which added a hardware serial port, parallel
> > port, SASI hard drive interface, and a real time clock, if I
> > remember correctly).
>
> Thats close, but without the mpi, it (the 4n1 version) will need a 12
> volt wall wart plugged into a jack in its edge as the serial port
> can't get it from the coco3. I never bothered with it as I've an mpi,
> which can supply that voltage.

I should add that on a coco3, because its double clock speed, pretty well 
renders the parport worthless unless one wants to design a buffer which 
will hold the data true long enough for it to get thru the FCC mandated 
input filtering in most printers parallel inputs, which need valid data 
and strobe timings in the 2  microsecond territory. At the coco3 clock 
speeds you will miss characters about 20% of the time. I don't think 
that FCC rule existed at the time Tony designed the 4n1. Since the 
Canadian DOC usually followed the US in things like that, but with a few 
months delay, Tony didn't try to please with that design.

What may have worked but I never got around to trying it, might have been 
to halt the cpu when the strobe went true with the e-clock, and cancel 
the halt with the printers ack. But I didn't follow up and see how that 
would have affected os9. I don't believe any of the halts would have 
affected dram refresh long enough to matter.
>
> > L. Curtis Boyle
> > curtisboyle at sasktel.net
> >
> > > On Jun 28, 2019, at 11:13 PM, Joe Schutts via Coco
> > > <coco at maltedmedia.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Everyone,
> > > I (THINK - BUT I'M NOT SURE YET - BUT I'M HOPING) that I just
> > > bought a Disto II Super Controller for the CoCo (on E-Bay - sorry
> > > guys)... My question is, WILL THIS CONTROLLER work on a CoCo III
> > > WITHOUT an MPI Interface OR does it require it???
> > >
> > > Thanks guys...
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Coco mailing list
> > > Coco at maltedmedia.com
> > > https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>
> Cheers, Gene Heskett
> --
> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>  soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law
> respectable. - Louis D. Brandeis
> Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>


Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
 - Louis D. Brandeis
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>