[Coco] CoCo FAQ - circa 1998
Rogelio Perea
os9dude at gmail.com
Mon Jan 18 18:14:39 EST 2010
This is the last known good configuration of the CoCo FAQ as it
floated around bit.listserv.coco and maybe even the CoCo Fido echo. A
lot has happened in 11 years but I figure it should provide for a
start with the basic stuff already set in (it is formatted for proper
output on a monospace font):
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**************************************************************************
*** ***
*** ***
*** CoCo Frequently Asked Questions ***
*** ***
*** ***
*** ***
**************************************************************************
Contributors:
------------
o Unknowingly :)
Andrew Martin <marti... at fs.jschool.wlu.edu>
Timothy A. Johns <Z_JOHN... at CCSVAX.SFASU.EDU>
Jeff Shepler <r3... at vax1.cc.uakron.edu>
N.G. Brookins <n... at fnx.com>
David M. Graham <Nim... at delphi.com>
Rogelio Perea <rogelio.pe... at class68.com>
Brian Armstrong <garfi... at sunspot.sunspot.noao.edu>
William Lewellen <wlew... at heartland.bradley.edu>
<wlew... at heartland.freenet.edu>
Gina Mews
Radio Shack Computer Support Services
400 Atrium One Tandy Center
Forth Worth, TX 76102
o Knowingly
Mauricio Tavares <mauri... at MOZART.AERO.UFL.EDU>
Allen Huffman <coco-sy... at GENIE.GEIS.COM>
Gil Parrish <73430.1... at compuserve.com>
Shawn Driscoll <EART... at delphi.com>
Scott McGee <smc... at microware.com>
Steve Secord <cosmon... at earthlink.net>
First Edition: April 1 1994 <mauri... at gauss.aero.ufl.edu>
Last Modified in: November 1998 <cosmon... at earthlink.net>
***********************************************************************
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS (Or something like that)
--------- --- -------
Hardware
Software
Literature
Sources
HARDWARE:
--------
Q1) What is a CoCo?
The name TRS Color Computer, known as CoCo by its owners,
refers to a familiy of Motorola 6809-based personal computers
made by Radio Shack and produced from 1981 (CoCo 1) until 1990
(CoCo 3). Each CoCo comes with a variation of Microsoft BASIC
built-in its ROM. Differing from an Apple ][+, //e, or a PC,
CoCos comes with a variety of I/O ports built-in. On the rear
panel of the unit are connections for 2 analog Joysticks, Serial
I/O (which can handle data transfer up to 9600 baud), cassete I/O,
and TV/monitor output. To the right of the computer is a slot
in which cartridges -- or Paks -- of different functions can be
inserted. Among the Paks available for the CoCo are games,
word processors such as Color Scripsit, modems, sound cards, serial
interfaces, assemblers, and disk drive controllers. A device
called Multipak Interface allows up to 4 Paks to beconnected to the
CoCo at a given time. The selection of whichPak to be active can be
made by using a switch on the Multipak or by software control.
The different CoCo models are as follows:
CoCo 1 - The first Color Computer, it was first sold in 1981 and
originally had only Color BASIC, 4Kb of memory, 32-column
screen, and a chiklet keyboard. It was based on a design
originally from Motorola. It used a .89MHz MC6809E. A
compact cassette recorder or Program Paks were used. Later
versions came with 6Kb of RAM and Extended Color BASIC,
required environment to handle disk drives. By changing
memory chips, setting jumpers, and removing some capacitors,
the CoCo 1 memory could be expanded up to 64Kb, minimum to run
OS-9 Level 1.
CoCo 2 - The Color Computer 2 is a refined -- but fully compatible --
version of the original Color Computer. The refinements
consist mostly of a new, smaller case with a
typewriter-looking keyboard and redesigned motherboard.
Also, the CoCo 2 was the first CoCo to be able to generate
true lowercase letters (NOTE: later model CoCo 2s that said
"Tandy" instead of TRS-80 had the lowercase). Besides that,
it has the same 64Kb/32-column limitation of its antecessor.
This CoCo was in the same price range of machines as the Atari
8-bit series and the Commodore 64.
CoCo 3 - The last Color Computer has quite a collection of
improvements as compared to the previous machines: true
80-column, higher resolution graphics, and more memory --
the barebones configuration comes with 128 Kb of RAM that
can be expanded up to 2Mb (like mine). It was intended
more as competition for Atari's ST series and the original
Commodore Amiga. The CoCo 3 can run OS-9 Level 2.
There were also some companies that manufactured CoCo clones
Dragon 64 - CoCo 1 clone made by Tano. Had seperate parallel I/O.
TDP System 100 - CoCo 1 clone made by Tandy and sold outside RS
Fujitsu FM-7 - Had Microsoft Basic and used Level I OS-9 and FLEX
MC-10 "Baby CoCo" - made by Tandy-Radio Shack using an MC6803
Q2) What is a Multi-Pak?
The multipak is a device that allows the CoCo to use of up to 4
paks at a time. It is normally used by people who have multiple
devices that need to be used simultaneously, such as OS-9 users.
A possible combination is as follows:
1 RS-232 Pak
2 Orchestra-90 Pak
3 Speech & Sound Pak
4 floppy drive controller pak.
There are 2 ways to access a given slot. One is with the switches and
the second is by storing values in control memory locations.
Q3) How to connect a modem to the CoCo serial port (bitbanger)?
If you are in RSDOS, you can connect a modem to the CoCo
serial port. The nice thing in this setting is that you can
have a modem and a floppy drive controller connected to the
CoCo without needing a Multipak. As far as I know, the fastest
you can go using the CoCo serial port is 9600 baud (using Twilight Term).
Under OS-9, it does at 300 baud and sorta-sorta at 1200 (there was a
CoCo OS9 BBS ran by Tim Johns at 1200 baud through the bitbanger) and
the improved 1200 baud bitbanger driver reportedly does it better,
though slowing things down.
List of Materials:
1 DIN-4 connector, male
1 DB-25 connector, male (though here it depends on your
modem)
6ft 4-wire cable (I got mine out of an old ribbon cable, but
ideally you should be a shielded cable with 3 cables inside;
If you can get such cable, make the GND pin in the pinout
below to be the shield)
Pinout:
COCO Modem (RS-232)
DIN-4 pins DB-25 pins
-------------------------------------------
CD 1 ------------------+-- 5 CTS (Clear to send)
I
+-- 8 (Received line detector)
RxD 2 --------------------- 3 RxD (Received data)
GND 3 --------------------- 7 GND (Signal ground)
TxD 4 --------------------- 2 TxD (Transmitted data)
+-- 6 DSR (Data set ready)
I
+--20 DTR (Data terminal ready)
Q4) How to connect a serial printer to the CoCo serial port?
List of Materials:
1 DIN-4 connector, male (CoCo)
1 DB-25 connector, male (Printer connector)
6ft 3-wire cable (I got mine out of the same ribbon cable I
used to make my modem cable)
Pinout:
COCO Serial Printer
DIN-4 pins DB-25 pins
----------------------------------------
CD 1 **** Not connected ****
RxD 2 --------------------- 20 DTR (Data terminal ready)
GND 3 ------------------+-- 7 GND (Signal ground)
I
+-- 1 (Frame Ground)
TxD 4 --------------------- 3 RxD (Receive data)
Once you have the cable built, you need to set the printer's baud rate,
serial interface protocol, and number of bits to match that of the
CoCo. For the DMP-130, that is done by setting 2 banks of DIP
switches found in a slot under the ribbon's path.
Once you have set the dip switches in the printer, configure your
program to use the same settings (baud/parity/CR+LF/etc) as the printer.
For example for baud rate on COLOR COMPUTER enter at command line:
POKE 150,X - where "X" is one of the following poke numbers:
POKE# BAUD RATE
180 300
87 600
41 1200
18 2400
7 4800
1 9600
Q5) What is a Word Pak?
The Word Pak is a 80-col pak designed for the old CoCo 1 and 2, which
didn't have a built in high res screen. Its output goes to a monocrome
monitor. Word Pak RS/80 allows having 80 x 24 text under RSDOS and
OS-9, though my RSDOS disk is gone. The CoCo 3 does not need this pak,
yet OS9 L2 can drive Word Pak as a second output device. Greg-E-Term
can use the Word Pak.
Q6) What is a Direct Connect Modem Pak?
The Direct Connect Modem Pak is a 300 baud modem designed for the
CoCo. The modem pak does have a communications program built in its
ROM, but it's not that sofisticated (It is better than the one in the
RS-232 Pak though). For those of you who do not stand the built-in
communications program, there are several PD terminal packages that
may suit your needs, as well as some VERY NICE comercial ones.
For a CoCo 3, there are V-TERM for RSDOS and KBCom and DeskMate 3
for OS-9. If you can get files from listserv, there is a PD
version of KBCom on it. The commercial version is said to be much
better but I have never seen it. If you decide on V-TERM, Rick's
Computer Enterprises may be able to sell you a copy.
Q7) What is an EDTASM+ Pak?
The EDTASM+ Pak is a package that allows you to program the CoCo in
Assembly language, as opposed to machine language or BASIC. From what
I read in its manual (I am yet to learn Assmbly programming), it is
pretty powerfull. However, you can't use the cartridge with the disk
drive (not even with a multipak). The pak is made to use the tape system,
so if you don't have a tape system, you're outta luck. Ok, ok, not really
since someone made a patch to the cartridge to work with disk. The trick
was to dump the pak onto tape, move it over to disk, and patch it...
...or just get Disk EDTASM
Commands:
e - editor (a _simple_ line editor)
a - assemble
z - debug mode (ZXBUG)
SOFTWARE:
--------
Q1) What are the operating systems available to the CoCo?
ADOS3 [Extended]
RSDOS
OS-9
Flex
SK*DOS
Q2) What are the languages available to the CoCo? Where can I
get them?
Without disk drive:
o Assembler (tape)
o Basic (built-in, old CoCo 1s)
o Extended Basic (built-in, newer CoCo 1 and newer models)
RSDOS:
o Assembler
o Disk BASIC (built-in)
Compiled BASIC
o C
o FORTH
DAC-FORTH
o DEFT Pascal
OS-9:
o Assembler
o BASIC-09
o C
o Forth
o Pascal
Q3) Which communication programs can I get for the CoCo?
Name | format | Type | VT100 | ANSI | protocol | AutoDial
==============+========+========+=======+=========+===========+===========
KBCom | OS-9 | sw/com | yes | | XY modem | Yes
Kermit | RSDOS | free | ? | no | kermit | no
Kermit | OS-9 | free | | | kermit |
Mikeyterm | RSDOS | share | | | X mode |
OSTerm | OS-9 | share | Yes | partial | XY modem | Yes
Super Comm | OS-9 | free | | partial | XYZ modem | Yes
TWILIGHT TERM | RSDOS | share | no | Yes | none | Yes
UltimaTerm | RSDOS | free | yes | partial | XY mode | Yes
V-TERM | RSDOS | com | yes | | XY mode | Yes
LITERATURE:
----------
o Dale L. Puckett, 'The Official Basic09 Tour Guide,' Microware, 1985
ISBN 0-918035-00-7, Radio Shack cat. no. 26-3189.
o Dale L. Puckett, Peter Dibble, 'The Complete Rainbow Guide to OS-9,'
Falsoft, Inc., 1985, ISBN 0-932471-00-5, Radio Shack cat. no. 26-3190.
o Dale L. Puckett, Peter Dibble, 'The Complete Rainbow Guide to OS-9
Level II, volume I: A Beginners Guide to Windows,' Falsoft, Inc.,
1987, ISBN 0-932471-09-9, Radio Shack cat. no. 26-3188.
o Peter Dibble, 'OS-9 Insights (second edition),' Microware, 1992,
ISBN 0-918035-03-1. (May be ordered directly from Microware)
o David F. Davis, 'The OS-9 Catalog', Microware, 1991
PUBLICATION CODE OS968NA68SL (May be ordered directly from Microware)
o William Barden, Jr., 'Assembly Language on the Color Computer III'
Excellent book for learning assembly, period, and it just so happens
to use EDTASM and the Coco. It gives many detailed examples using
EDTASM.
o William Barden, Jr., 'Color Computer Graphics,' Radio Shack, 1982,
Radio Shack cat. no. 62-2076.
SOURCES:
-------
o COMPANIES:
Microware
1900 NW 114th St
Des Moines, IA 50325-7077
(515) 224-1929
Email: i... at microware.com
Radio Shack
P.O. Box 2625
Fort Worth, TX 76113-2625
(800) 843-7422
o FTP SITES:
chestnut.cs.wisc.edu
wuarchive.wustl.edu
ftp.wustl.edu
os9archive.rtsi.com
o MAIL SERVERS:
lists... at pucc.princeton.edu
o BBS:
8/N/1 - (562) 634-2826 \ 1200 - 2400 BPS
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- - - - - - - - - -
-- Rogelio
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