[Coco] Re: CoCo needs?

[Mark Marlette]

At 11:07 PM 3/7/2005, you wrote:

Jim,

I work 8-10hrs a day at my day time job, with a 1 1/2hr minimum commute 
round trip each day. I still spend ~4 hours a day with the CoCo. I don't 
sleep much. :) CoCo is a wonderful platform to learn. Each person has their 
own priorities.

LS-120 is a 3.5" device. Even the PC is dropping 5.25" support. I would 
keep the 5.25" the same and add newer technology to move forward.

I know what you are saying it would be nice to have it all and reasonable. 
Reasonable is a relative term. You mentioned $75, for billg that was three 
times over his budget and that was to his doorstep including shipping. If 
money is what limits your hobbies, you only have so much to spend. Then you 
must live within your means. I suggested to him that maybe he should 
consider a cassette interface. I have those new in the box for $15. Heck it 
worked well for years, still does. Nope, I'm quitting. I say that the 
people that have offered up a drive controller and cable for him, great. I 
also feel that he needs to return something to the community for the 
charity system to work. Maybe I'm stuck in the big picture/long term mode....

Regards,

Mark
Cloud-9








>Mark:
>
>Thanks for the info. on the LS-120, I sort of remember you saying 
>something about it a while back, but I have only been glossing over 
>messages due to my work schedule.
>
>Correct me if I am wrong, but the LS 120 is only compatable with 3.5" 
>drives and not the older 360K 5.25" drives.  If I am missing something 
>here, could you please clarify?
>
> From what I understand about the DriveWire (have not read the docs all 
> the way through yet -> work!) it requires that the CoCo have a drive 
> controller in the cartrage slot.  Since controllers are hard to get, this 
> makes the use of the Drive Wire impractical for those with out 
> controllers.  What is it exactly that the Drive Wire requires from the 
> controller, and is it possible this could be replaced by something else 
> that could cost less?
>
>Couldn't the controller be replaced by a cartrage with just the boot PROM 
>so the CoCo could access the server (PC) Since HDOS is compatable with 
>most of the non OS-9/NitrOS stuff out there, that should be the primary 
>PROM on the cartrage.
>
>I'm trying to think of low cost solutions to allow people to use the 
>DriveWire so as to use it's 3.5" and 5.25" drives as well as HDD with the 
>CoCo.  To be honest, if we lose too many people because stuff like the 
>controllers are becoming rare, this community as a whole shoots it's self 
>in the foot.
>
>A cheap DriveWire/Cartrage solution for around $75.00 might not be 
>profitable in the short run, but when you consider more and more people 
>may be using them and they in turn may create software to use other 
>products, then in the long run, it may be very profitable.
>
>You're looking for developers, this is one way to bring more into the 
>fold.  I wish I had the technical skills needed to help out more, but I 
>barely have time to power my CoCo up once in a while, let alone learn 
>something outside of work.
>
>Just my $0.25 :)
>
>-Jim
>
>On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 20:33:14 -0600
>  Mark Marlette <mark at cloud9tech.com> wrote:
>>At 01:21 PM 3/7/2005, you wrote:
>>Torsten and Jim,
>>GREAT ideas, keep them coming.
>>I know I have said this before.. WE ALL READY HAVE IT!
>>Yes, it is in the SuperIDE, it is called a LS-120 drive. They are cheap 
>>on Ebay. I buy mine in Mpls for $19 and that includes one disk! The drive 
>>is an ATAPI device.
>>Now the problem. It needs software written for it. Boisy's driver works. 
>>As I posted last week, we need utilities for file transfers.
>>Not one person stepped up. Boisy or I could do this and I just might 
>>after the SB. We both are VERY busy on CoCo projects.
>>Just did inventory for tax purposes...Running over $10k in CoCo inventory 
>>and parts....Company grew again last year.
>>
>>In the past we use to say we didn't have the hardware....Now with 
>>HDB-DOS, NitrOS-9 and our hardware, we need utilities and/or nice apps to 
>>be written. The tools are great today.
>>Regards,
>>Mark
>>
>>
>>> > This is just my $0.02 but Bill G's email prompted me to
>>> > write this.  What CoCo users need most right now is an
>>> > affordable disk controller that will work with current
>>> > 3.5" drives.
>>>
>>>I agree. Should be compatible to Tandy's "standard" Disk Extended BASIC,
>>>maybe with an option for other DOS. Should be buffered and "Halt-Free"
>>>on demand. I'd like to see this integrated in the Super IDE
>>>controller...
>>>
>>>Torsten
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
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