[Coco] 16550 wasRe: RS232 paks

Willard Goosey goosey at virgo.sdc.org
Thu Mar 5 20:15:45 EST 2009


On Wed, Mar 04, 2009 at 03:40:20PM +0000, Mark Marlette wrote:
> Willard,
> 
> The NitrOS-9/Driver is already written for a 16550 device. I have
> had a homebrew card running for almost 10yrs based upon that
> chipset.
> 
Cool.  I didn't know that.  Didn't one of the other hardware-seller
types -- don't remember who -- have a 16550 card built, and then
basically self-destruct over the software issues?

> Yes, it would break all the old term programs. A caveat of adding
> new technology to an old machine. Not a problem in NitrOS-9 as the
> driver/dd is not part of the actual program, when properly written.
> 
But V-TERM does such an AWESOME job of vt100 emulation -- it even does
double high/double wide correctly. Not to mention the fact that it can
handle anything EMACS throws at it, and nothing stress-tests a
terminal emulator like EMACS. :-)

I do understand your caveat.  Please understand that I did specify
BASIC terminal emulators.  

I would not use an OS-9 terminal program that did not go through the
proper descriptor/driver interface.

> The SuperBoard has a multi-function chip on it that has the 16550 in
> it. 

Nice...  If I had a job I'd get one.

Willard
-- 
Willard Goosey  goosey at sdc.org
Socorro, New Mexico, USA
I search my heart and find Cimmeria, land of Darkness and the Night.
  -- R.E. Howard



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