It’s heartwarming to see such passion with the coco. Mine was for Christmas when I was in 8th grade. It set me on the road to be a programmer. 37 years now.
I think I got mine in 7th grade. It was a 16k coco 2 that was being displayed in the Radio Shack front window. It was already yellowed! I had saved up money from mowing lawns and babysitting to buy it. Fortunately, I had a neighbor that upgraded it to 64k for the cost of the chips. I'm contemplating retiring from software development this year. I tell people everything I know about programming can be traced back to learning BASIC on my coco when I was 12.
Excellent. I would be tempted to replace the DIP switches with an Arduino, a 2-digit LED display and two buttons (up/down) which would automatically reset the system when changing banks.
@@acs8-bitzone651 ATTINY would be OK as far as code/memory, etc. but you need more pins. 6 address lines, reset, 2 buttons, and 9 pins for the display, so 18 I/O pins needed. Save several pins if you use an I2C or SPI display instead of 7-segment LEDs. The ATmega328 (same chip as Arduino Uno etc.) would work well with no additional components other than a filter cap or two. Or use something like an Arduino Pro Mini, I think it would fit.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching! Bought the flash on Ebay from this seller: www.ebay.com/itm/AM29F040B-90PC-AM29F040B-DIP32-IC-IN-stock/184345496782
In think this should be done again where you create a new PCB using kicad. people like me who want to learn how to do this would really benefit. Seems like everything would fit better by design. Also I don't know what you could replace the dip switches with but there must be something better.... just don't know what. maybe a surface mount rotary encoder? or two of them? or a switch and encoder?
Yes it is! I wondered if anyone would notice that and whether it has been done before very often. I have no video for the conversion, but it is not too difficult. One of my original Deluxe joysticks had broken plastic pieces inside. I borrowed the cable from it and resoldered it to the inside of the PCjr joystick. If you have no donor cable, you could purchase a solder type DIN-6 and replace the PCjr connector.
Hi Bryan. I just learned that there is a write-up on the conversion in a newsletter you can view on glensideccc.com in the volume 40 issue 1 (thanks Rick Ulland). Let us know if that helps.
@@acs8-bitzone651 Thanks for this AC! I had found older and sometimes conflicting information. I had picked up 2 of the new-in-box PCjr sticks and a couple DIN connectors but was worried about breaking something (like my CoCo2 joystick port!). This information will come in very handy! Please keep up the great work with your CoCo tinkering and repair videos they are much appreciated!
@@celticht32 Hey Chris, could you let me know if you are able to view it here? drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GfhMx3QNKMugfDl5Cwo5M7WL5YQzOHT8 I also added the link in the description below the video.
It’s heartwarming to see such passion with the coco. Mine was for Christmas when I was in 8th grade. It set me on the road to be a programmer. 37 years now.
Similar for me, but it was Christmas in I think 5th grade for the CoCo 1 and maybe 7th grade upgraded to CoCo 2.
I think I got mine in 7th grade. It was a 16k coco 2 that was being displayed in the Radio Shack front window. It was already yellowed! I had saved up money from mowing lawns and babysitting to buy it. Fortunately, I had a neighbor that upgraded it to 64k for the cost of the chips. I'm contemplating retiring from software development this year. I tell people everything I know about programming can be traced back to learning BASIC on my coco when I was 12.
Excellent. I would be tempted to replace the DIP switches with an Arduino, a 2-digit LED display and two buttons (up/down) which would automatically reset the system when changing banks.
Interesting. I wonder if the ATTINY85 could handle it, or what would be the smallest / cheapest micro board that could.
@@acs8-bitzone651 ATTINY would be OK as far as code/memory, etc. but you need more pins. 6 address lines, reset, 2 buttons, and 9 pins for the display, so 18 I/O pins needed. Save several pins if you use an I2C or SPI display instead of 7-segment LEDs. The ATmega328 (same chip as Arduino Uno etc.) would work well with no additional components other than a filter cap or two. Or use something like an Arduino Pro Mini, I think it would fit.
Well done a really nice, neat build and great way to repurpose an old unused cartridge. Keeping the CoCo alive...
Thank you for watching and providing that encouraging remark!
A belated Happy New Year! I hope it is a safe and Covid free year.
Thanks for the information!
Another great video!
Glad you liked it. Happy new year!
Nice video as always! :)
Lots of switchable banks with this one :)
Thank you! Two of these AM29F040B flash ICs can hold about every ROM released by Tandy, I think.
@@acs8-bitzone651 ,
Don't forget all the Dragon Carts :D Muahahah
@@David_Ladd oh, I didn't think of those!
@@acs8-bitzone651 ,
There are always lots of stuff to put into ROM cart :)
Oooo don't forget all the versions of HDBDOS for DriveWire :)
Awesome video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
oh. I was expecting a commodore emulator for the tandy. :)
Yeah, I know, anything with 64 in the title would lead a C64 enthusiast to think it. It did so for me as well.
Nice, thanks! Where did you purchase the flash?
You're welcome. Thanks for watching! Bought the flash on Ebay from this seller: www.ebay.com/itm/AM29F040B-90PC-AM29F040B-DIP32-IC-IN-stock/184345496782
Awesome video as usual!!! Can the DIP switch be placed facing up so that it would be easier to select the bank?
Yes, that would be even better! Nice suggestion. It was hard to guess which was going to be better when I first started.
Yeah, tough call - if it ends up in a multi pack expansion unit the switches might be better on the end.
In think this should be done again where you create a new PCB using kicad. people like me who want to learn how to do this would really benefit. Seems like everything would fit better by design. Also I don't know what you could replace the dip switches with but there must be something better.... just don't know what. maybe a surface mount rotary encoder? or two of them? or a switch and encoder?
AC is that a PCjr joystick that you have converted to Coco? Do you have a video from that or instructions?
Yes it is! I wondered if anyone would notice that and whether it has been done before very often. I have no video for the conversion, but it is not too difficult. One of my original Deluxe joysticks had broken plastic pieces inside. I borrowed the cable from it and resoldered it to the inside of the PCjr joystick. If you have no donor cable, you could purchase a solder type DIN-6 and replace the PCjr connector.
Hi Bryan. I just learned that there is a write-up on the conversion in a newsletter you can view on glensideccc.com in the volume 40 issue 1 (thanks Rick Ulland). Let us know if that helps.
@@acs8-bitzone651 Thanks for this AC! I had found older and sometimes conflicting information. I had picked up 2 of the new-in-box PCjr sticks and a couple DIN connectors but was worried about breaking something (like my CoCo2 joystick port!). This information will come in very handy! Please keep up the great work with your CoCo tinkering and repair videos they are much appreciated!
will you be providing schematics?
Hi Chris, I have a hand-drawn schematic that I used during the wiring. Would that be sufficient? I could post that up and provide a link.
@@acs8-bitzone651 yes that would be perfect
@@celticht32 Hey Chris, could you let me know if you are able to view it here? drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GfhMx3QNKMugfDl5Cwo5M7WL5YQzOHT8
I also added the link in the description below the video.
@@acs8-bitzone651 yep.... thank you!
happy new year!
Great. You too, happy new year!
I would like to put together a tutorial on how to make one of these if you are open to iy.
Did you already do it? If not, I am thinking about sending out for a nice PCB to make it super easy.