[Coco] Educate me about Y-Cables

Zippster zippster278 at gmail.com
Fri Feb 20 21:09:50 EST 2015


I guess I was really thinking something very simple mainly so I could use 1 additional
slot.  Like an SDC along with a real floppy, or sound cart, or RS-232, etc.

I think someone else is working on a new MPI (Retro Innovations?) so I didn’t really
want to get into that at the moment.  Buffering and some DC power from a wall-wart is easy
enough though.  I'll see what I can come up with.

- Ed


> On Feb 20, 2015, at 4:32 PM, David Ladd <davidwladd at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 3:31 PM, Nick Marentes <nickma2 at optusnet.com.au>
> wrote:
> 
> Maybe a buffer cartridge with a ribbon cable to a seperate box placed back
>> a bit from the CoCo to eliminate the "flux-capacitor" monstrosity glued to
>> the side of the CoCo  (the Tandy Multipac with an assortment of varying
>> size cartridges and cables standing up in the air looking like a science
>> project experiment).
>> 
>> The "new" multi-pac design then wouldn't need the buffering and can house
>> the power supply while the CoCo keeps it's sexy slim lines.
>> 
> 
> ​Actually the buffering would still be needed as the TTL Chips in the CoCo
> can only supply so much current per line.  That's why ribbon cables with 3
> connections were the max that people would go.
> 
> I have seen first hand what happens when you try to go beyond those
> tolerances.  You let the smoke out :O
> 
> Other than that I think the vertical design of the MPI was to allow the
> carts to dissipate heat better as a horizontal placement of the carts would
> mean the top most cards would get heat from the lower ones.  Or at least
> that was my understanding for the design.​
> 
> 
> 
>> 
>> Nick
>> 
>> 
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