Questions tagged [color-computer]
For questions about hardware, peripherals and software specific to TRS-80 Color Computers.
25
questions
7
votes
1
answer
276
views
How do you implement double-buffering on a CoCo 3 320x192x16 screen in BASIC?
I was hoping someone could just share a small code snippet with all the requisite POKEs that would illustrate how this is done. I would think for someone who knows what they were doing that this is a ...
- 73
5
votes
0
answers
153
views
Looking for a medieval store-management game on the TRS-80 Color Computer, might have been code from Rainbow magazine
Crossposted from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Stack Exchange, where it's been unanswered for almost two years.
I'm trying to track down a game I remember playing on our Color Computer 2 (it could ...
- 153
6
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Ideal resolution for color computer on PAL/SECAM
Suppose you were, in the early eighties, designing a color computer to run on an PAL TV with a free hand to choose the specifications within the limits of the technology of the time. What would be the ...
- 3,732
2
votes
1
answer
225
views
For TRS-80 Color Computer joystick buttons, is it correct to check the first or second bit of the value at PEEK(65280)?
The Color BASIC/Extended Color BASIC “Getting Started” manuals say that to find out if a joystick button is pressed, to PEEK in location 65280. The value 255 means neither button is pressed; the ...
- 708
5
votes
1
answer
326
views
Color Computer Expansion port "listening" bus
For the ZX Spectrum there is a project called ZX Pie. As the name suggests, it's a board attached to the ZX Spectrum's expansion slot that 'listens' the Address Bus and the Data Bus and connect them ...
- 153
17
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Why did pressing the joystick button spit out keypresses?
If you pressed one of the joystick buttons on the TRS-80 Color Computer while running BASIC, it would act as if @ABCDEFG were typed. Pressing the other joystick button would similarly type out ...
- 15.8k
20
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Fate of mystery Motorola RMS graphics chipset (68486 + 68487)
I recently learned that mid 1980s, Motorola was working on a discrete graphics chipset that would be a great leap forward from its 6847 Video Display Generator and 6845 display controller. It was ...
7
votes
1
answer
798
views
Can someone help me get xROAR to read files? (M6809/TRS-80 ColorComputer)
I implemented a Forth interpreter or the TRS-80 Color Computer (M6809) way back in the 1980s, and I've been trying to figure out how to get it loaded into an emulator to test some parts of the ...
- 351
8
votes
2
answers
248
views
Is NitrOS-9/OS-9 a preemptive multitasking environment?
The NitrOS-9 docs say it is a process based multitasking environment, and that it is a real time OS (RTOS). But I'm not sure if that means it's preemptive (OS takes control away from a program/process ...
- 315
13
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Calculating the time for a CPU cycle
As a learning exercise, I'm writing an emulator for the 6809 CPU. I'd like to simulate the speed of the CPU. I know the Motorola 6809E runs at 0.895 MHz and 1.79 MHz on the Color Computer 3. How do I ...
- 315
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is the CoCo "Head Banger bug" and what is the "fix"?
I remember that horrible racket coming from the floppy disk when I first used it after started my CoCo, and that it was called the "Head Banger bug".
I remember that it was due to a quick-n-...
- 1,337
8
votes
1
answer
141
views
Digisector DS-69 video digitizer
The DS-69 was a cartridge you could plug into the computer to digitize a composite video source. It fully supported writing images to floppy disks.
Can the DS-69 (A or B) be used with Y-Cable?
The ...
- 2,367
16
votes
3
answers
2k
views
The Tandy/TRS-80 Multipack Interface (MPI)
A popular, but, much maligned bus expansion device for the CoCo was the venerable MPI. There were several companies who made bus expasion devices for the CoCo, however, this question is related ...
- 1,731
9
votes
1
answer
328
views
What are the advantages of NitrOS-9 over OS-9?
Microware released the versions of the OS-9 DOS for the CoCo. A few years later, former employees (I believe) released NitrOS-9. Both appear to be multiuser/multi-tasking OS's.
What are the ...
- 1,731
4
votes
2
answers
285
views
Breaking the CoCo 3 32K Cartridge Barrier
What is the max size for a cartridge based app on the Coco 3?
I believe the Coco 1 & 2 cartridge maxes at 16K, while the Coco 3 is 32K. However, I know there have been cart based games for the ...
- 2,367
8
votes
1
answer
658
views
Cleaning membrane keyboards
I have a 3003b CoCo 1 (the white one) with the melty keyboard. A few of the keys do not work. On a few of them, there appears to be a slimy substance that I've cleaned from the surface. The badge on ...
- 1,731
7
votes
2
answers
224
views
Disto Super Controller II
A popular third party floppy disk controller for the Color Computer was the Super Controller II from Disto. It's main feature was a no-halt mode. Why was this desirable? How did the no-halt mode work?
- 2,367
18
votes
2
answers
909
views
Color BASIC RND function not so random
The RND() function for random numbers appears to give the same results each time the computer is reset. How do I seed the random number generator with a random number?
- 2,367
10
votes
1
answer
231
views
CoCo Max Mouse Cartridge
The program CoCo Max came with a cartridge. The cartridge had a mouse/joystick port.
How did the CoCo Max Analog to Digital cartridge work? Is it possible to use the device in my own software?
- 2,367
5
votes
1
answer
142
views
Extended Color BASIC TIMER Function
How does the TIMER function work in Extended Color BASIC? How does the number keep incrementing even when the computer appears to be doing nothing?
- 2,367
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
What are the options for installing a 6309 in a TRS-80/Tandy Color Computer
The Hitachi 6309E CPU is a direct replacement for the 6809E in the CoCo. What are the options to upgrade to this processor?
- 1,731
11
votes
1
answer
471
views
Differences in disk storage between systems
Coming from the TRS-80/TandyColor Computer lines, I had always heard of how slow some other systems disk storage were, regarding data transfer rates, etc... The CoCo lines disk storage was pretty fast ...
- 1,731
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Expansion port on the Color Computer
The Color Computer has an expansion port. What is the pin out? What are the kinds of devices that can be used with it? How was the Multi-Pak involved?
- 2,367
15
votes
1
answer
841
views
What format is used for CoCo cassette tapes?
Color Computer machines initially used audio cassette tapes for storage. How was the data stored? What was the maximum bit rate?
- 2,367
9
votes
1
answer
286
views
How do I change the CoCo 3 color palette before running a Color Computer ROM Pak?
The Radio Shack game Wildcatting uses the wrong color set when being played on a Color Computer 3 with an RGB monitor.
How can I choose the correct color set before this game automatically executes?
- 2,367