[Coco] Wiring inputs to the Coco

[K. Pruitt]

Thanks Ed.  I'll look in to that.  I think I have his website bookmarked.  I 
think it's Kip's site anyway.

You know, I was just sitting here going over this Direct Connect Modem pak 
and I am thinking this would be very easily turned in to a way to have the 
Coco operate a CM17A "firecracker" unit to control X10 modules wirelessly 
using RF.  The CM17A only needs the RTS and DTR signal to operate as far as 
I understand.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zippster" <zippster278 at gmail.com>
To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2015 5:29 AM
Subject: Re: [Coco] Wiring inputs to the Coco


> IIRC Kip Koon put together a prototyping pcb for the cartridge port.
> One of these set up with a PIA may be a bit cleaner/easier way to go than
> hacking up an old cart for what you’re talking about doing.
>
> - Ed
>
>
>> On Jan 12, 2015, at 12:23 AM, K. Pruitt <pruittk at roadrunner.com> wrote:
>>
>> I have a temperature sensor running from one of my joystick ports. 
>> Straight out of "Your Color Computer" by Doug Mosher.
>>
>> I can solder fairly well.  Understanding what I am doing.... well, I am 
>> working on that part.  I had one year of electronics in junior college 30 
>> years ago.  I'm essentially dangerous.
>>
>> I'm fascinated with interfacing with the world via the coco.  Mostly just 
>> using it now to run some lights and to program with.  But now that I have 
>> dw working on the coco side I am doing some Rube Goldberg-like things to 
>> pull weather info off the internet for the Coco.
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Ramsower" <georgera at gvtc.com>
>> To: <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2015 9:20 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Coco] Wiring inputs to the Coco
>>
>>
>>> Back in the 80s when I began stuff like this, I used the things that 
>>> were built into the coco. The joysticks give you four inputs, the RS232 
>>> port gives you two more. If you need more than what came with it, most 
>>> likely you will need to learn to solder and double check the work and 
>>> understand what you are doing.
>>> Even using the joystick ports can be dangerous as everything is 
>>> connected to the motherboard. A small mistake can kill that coco.
>>> George R.
>>>
>>> On 1/11/2015 10:54 PM, K. Pruitt wrote:
>>>> Oh I don't need to sacrifice an ORC-90 pack in order to start an 
>>>> electrical fire.
>>>>
>>>> But very cool idea none the less.  Any way to do this kind of thing 
>>>> with a DC modem pack?
>>>>
>>>> I've read about modifying it to act more like an RS232 pack, which you 
>>>> mentioned you've modified before, so maybe it can be used for something 
>>>> more?  They're certainly cheaper than the ORC-90 packs.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jamie" <reinsj at nbnet.nb.ca>
>>>> To: <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2015 6:45 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Coco] Wiring inputs to the Coco
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for this!  Looking for projects to connect to the outside 
>>>>> world.
>>>>> Jamie
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> For those not really handy at building circuits for your Coco.... The 
>>>>> ORC-90 sound cart has two, eight bit output chips that are used to 
>>>>> create the sounds. These chips can also be used to control SIXTEEN 
>>>>> relays or transistors to control other things. The 16 bits can be used 
>>>>> for other things as well. All that needs to be done is remove/cut the 
>>>>> resistors that connect the outputs of those two chips and use the pins 
>>>>> to safely drive your outputs. From there, you can easily make the 
>>>>> circuits to drive other things. Turn LEDs on and off, activate relays, 
>>>>> cause fires in your computer, whatever you can think of. Easy stuff 
>>>>> here. You can also copy the design and ad more stuff, as the original 
>>>>> design leaves room for MANY more chips to add MANY more input and 
>>>>> output chips. More than you should ever need!! This would be easy to 
>>>>> do using the ORC-90 cart because the groundwork is already there. 
>>>>> However, you need to be cautious with your soldering and design. I've 
>>>>> done much the same thing with an RS232 cart. The decoding chip is 
>>>>> already there and there is still room for adding more stuff. Many 
>>>>> possibilities to play with and learn. You don't have to build a 
>>>>> totally new board to connect to the outside with you Coco. Just use 
>>>>> the carts that are already available and add to them. I know that most 
>>>>> of us are already familiar with this sort of thing and are into 
>>>>> creating new and powerful new things for our Cocos but, for beginners, 
>>>>> these are suggestions on how to connect to the outside world with a 
>>>>> Coco without building a new circuit board to connect to the Coco. 
>>>>> George
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Coco mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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