[Coco] Any news on the so called CoCo4 or Next CoCo

[RJLCyberPunk]

Maybe the project should be chanelled so it can satisfy both camps. A fully 
emulated version and a hardware run one then?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frank Pittel" <fwp at deepthought.com>
To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 10:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Coco] Any news on the so called CoCo4 or Next CoCo


> On Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 10:50:45AM +1000, Mark McDougall wrote:
>> On 23/10/2010 4:04 AM, Frank Swygert wrote:
>>
>> >On the FPGA side -- would it be possible to modify one of those 
>> >proprietary
>> >cards (in software/FPGA) and tack onto an existing order to reduce 
>> >costs,
>> >assuming there is one that provides suitable video?
>>
>> If you mean the proprietary boards we've designed for our customers,
>> then (in practice) no. We don't own the IP unfortunately, and have
>> no right to manufacture that design, or even an altered design,
>> ourselves.
>>
>> >I would prefer a compact hardware solution as
>> >well, it's just not been truly feasible. Total cost with a $200 board 
>> >would
>> >still be around $300 (minus monitor), and then you can't do anything 
>> >else
>> >with it.
>>
>> The biggest cost in any Coco4 design - whether a full design from
>> scratch or an add-on for an existing FPGA platform - is going to be
>> interfacing to legacy hardware. The cost is incurred in both pin
>> count and logic level translation.
>>
>> There are probably dozens of FPGA boards out there, some cheaper
>> than the DE1, that can readily run Coco3FPGA. Choose any board with
>> VGA out and some SRAM and interfacing a PS/2 keyboard and RS-232 is
>> cheap and trivial.
>>
>> But then if you want a cartridge port, interface to analogue
>> joysticks, composite video, SD/MMC/IDE/floppy... the cost starts to
>> add up *very* quickly.
>>
>> Of course a small market (small production runs) only makes matters 
>> worse.
>>
>> So your $300 Coco is probably a little way off just yet. :(
>>
>> Regards,
>
> I don't care if my "coco" is based on an Intel cpu, fpga, etc. I don't 
> even mind
> if I have to wait a bit for a "base os" like linux to initially load at 
> power up
> as long reboots of the "coco" happens quickly. I'm just not interested in 
> having a
> pc with it's OS that happens to be running a "coco" in an emulator window. 
> I have
> that now with vcc running in wine on my desktop and don't like it. It's 
> just not
> the same in ways I don't know how to put into words.
>
> As people following the list
> know I spent a few days earlier this week struggling to get my DE1 to run
> cocofpga. I got that working wednesday night and had to wait until 
> yesterday
> evening to even try getting the "disks" to work via drivewire. (my 
> usb-serial
> converter was in my desk at the office) I've now done more programming on 
> my de1
> "coco" in the last 24hrs then I did in years on vcc or mess.
>
> I do feel that I should thank everyone that has worked to make the de1 
> cocofpga
> possible. Come to the 2011 "last annual cocofest" and I'll buy you a 
> beer!! It is
> truly amazing!!
>
> the other Frank
>
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