[Coco] Ethernet Port Cartridge for the Coco 3

[Aaron Wolfe]

On Sun, Jan 27, 2013 at 12:22 AM, Kip Koon <computerdoc at sc.rr.com> wrote:
> James Dessart is or was working on an Ethernet port for the coco using an
> AVR ATmega8.
> http://skwirl.com/coco/ethernet/
>
> >From the TRS-80 Color Computer page on Wikipedia:
> "There is also a prototype Ethernet interface for the Color Computer,
> displaying a board layout date of 1984, and a few other mystery boards that
> have yet to be examined. There is some evidence that Tandy killed the
> Ethernet interface at the last minute: an ad mentioning the networking
> options for some of Tandy's Z80-based computers claimed that the Color
> Computer would soon have networking capabilities, and the printed manual for
> an upgraded version of OS-9 Level One listed networking in the table of
> contents, but had no corresponding text in the body of the manual."
>

This is the prototype that is displayed at the CoCoFest.  To assume it
is ethernet is a bit rash. it looks a lot more like the interfaces
used in older, slower, cheaper types of NICs like those used in early
PC networking days.. names like arcnet, starnet, etc.  Remember that
ethernet was quite uncommon on micros and not nearly so much of a
defacto standard even in big computers at that time.  References to
"networking" do not imply ethernet in this context.  Radio shack
referred to their big switchbox that allowed several CoCos to share a
single cassette recorder as "networking".  Even later computers such
as the Apple Macintosh did not come with ethernet but rather a cheaper
networking interface (apple talk) for quite a while.

I think that prototype and the references in the manuals are very
interesting, but not sure either is ethernet.
> Jim's Color Computer Projects - MultiMedia Card interface and IDE interface
> drivers, CoCo Ethernet, information and photos. Jim Hathaway
> http://www.hat3.net/
>
> I perused these sites, but I'm not sure if James Dessart ever finished it
> nor did I see any plans.  Also I did not find any Ethernet adapter mentioned
> (so far) on Jim Hathaway's site.  It could be buried somewhere and I just do
> not know where.
>
> Thought I'd spur some interest again in getting a Ethernet running.
> Kip
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com [mailto:coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com] On
> Behalf Of Aaron Wolfe
> Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 10:05 PM
> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts
> Subject: Re: [Coco] Ethernet Port Cartridge for the Coco 3
>
> I've never seen ethernet for a coco.  At the fest I've seen what looked like
> a prototype ARCnet interface (10base2) but the word there was that nobody is
> exactly sure what it implements.
>
> Getting an ethernet port wired up to a coco would be challenging.
> Actually doing anything with it would be much more so, since there isn't any
> software (yet).  I've approached a few different 'hardware guys' about
> putting together an ethernet interface + one of the small/cheap TCP/IP
> stacks on a chip, since that would at least get us something new
> applications could use without first having to write a low level networking
> stack.  Nobody has done much along those lines yet that I know of.
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 9:39 PM, Kip Koon <computerdoc at sc.rr.com> wrote:
>> Hey You Guys,
>>
>> I remember seeing an Ethernet port cartridge for the coco, but I don't
>> remember where.  Does anyone have any recollection of an Ethernet port
>> being created as a cartridge or as an add-on to one of the other
>> multi-purpose paks.  For instance, I have a Disto Super Controller
>> that has some pins sticking out the side which I never ended up using
>> for anything.  It has eight addresses available for anything.  Is
>> there anyone who has some of Tony's old add-ons he developed for his
>> multi-purpose cartridges?  If so, I'd like to see if something catches my
> eye.  Thanks guys.
>>
>> Kip
>>
>>
>>
>>
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