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Other I/O
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This page was last updated on 02/7/2007. Total Pages: 744. Total Files: 994.
Home / Hardware / Next Gen - Other I/O
Built-in I/O
1/25/2007 2:09 PM From: Mike Pepe Joel Ewy wrote: > > What about including a controller that would look to the CoCo like a WD > > FDC, but which actually works with CoCo disk images on removable flash > > media, such as MMC or CF? The hardware could include a way to select > > from multiple disk images via an external 3.5" form factor control > > panel, perhaps with a 3-digit 7-segment display, and also an extra > > internal register that new software could use to do the same > > programmatically. This would work with existing DECB and all other > > current software, but could provide a much more reliable, convenient, > > and compact removable mass-storage system. Also, if the embedded > > microcontroller can manage its CoCo image files on a FAT filesystem on > > the flash drive, it also becomes a very convenient way to transfer files > > between the PC and CoCo. If the microcontroller core was sufficiently > > similar to a real controller, these things could also be made as > > stand-alone units for older CoCos, and they'd remain compatible. That's a really great idea, but I'm thinking all the external hardware to control that pseudo-floppy is expensive. Wouldn't it be cool if the CPU core had an alternate register set and memory space? Like a user/supervisor mode- you hit a hotkey and the normal processing is suspended, you get an on-screen menu to mount/unmount floppy images with names and descriptions (instead of a number on an LED display) then you can just resume normal operation. Kind of like how MESS works. It would probably be less costly from a hardware perspective I would assume.