Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!umix!oxtrap!teemc!rphroy!pte!car
From: car@pte.UUCP (Chris Rende)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy
Subject: Old peripherals
Keywords: coco 100 102 200 disk video controller
Message-ID: <284@pte.UUCP>
Date: 22 Sep 88 18:30:20 GMT
Organization: Precise Technology & Electronics, Warren, MI
Lines: 34

At the moment, Radio Shack has low prices on the following old peripherals:

26-3142: Programmable Controller (Plug 'N Power) for the Color Computer
26-3806: Disk/Video interface for the Model's 100/102/200

My problem is that I have neither a CoCo nor a Model 100/102/200. I am
interested in the adaptableness of these two items to another computer, say
a Model I.

The Programmable Controller interfaces to the CoCo via it's builtin cassette
port. There is a software cartridge for the CoCo. This means that they
probably don't communicate nicely using something like 300 baud ASCII. Also,
the manual that comes with the controller does not even begin to document the
protocol (which is perfectly understandable).

The Disk/Video interface would (might) give my 64x16 Model I 80x25 video! By
searching my old Radio Shack catalogs I managed to find a picture of the Disk
/Video unit connected to a Model 100 via a ribbon cable. More than likely 
this is the same type of connection use between the Model I CPU and its
Expansion Interface - i.e., a memory mapped bus of sorts. If this is the case
then interfacing to this device might not be too bad. I was not able to get
a look at the manual for this one to see if the connector pinout spec's are
in it.

If anyone has any insite that they can give me on either of these devices
I'd appreciate it. (What CPU is in a Model 100/102/200?)

car.
uunet!edsews!rphroy!pte!car
-- 
Christopher A. Rende         Multics,DTSS,Shortwave,Scanners,StarTrek
uunet!edsews!rphroy!pte!car  TRS-80 Model I: Buy Sell Trade
Motorola VME 1131 M68020
System V Release 2 v2.2      Precise Technology & Electronics, Inc.