News stories for April 18, 2020 show

News stories for April 18, 2020 show:

============================

1) GIME-X announcement from Ed Snider! "GIME-X beta release: I am now taking names and contact info (email addresses) for the beta release of the GIME-X. The beta program consists of 15 units distributed to people who are willing to give feedback on their experience using the GIME-X and information on problems they may encounter. Things to be aware of about this release; 1) This is a beta release. Though we have achieved a pretty high level of compatibility with current CoCo software, there will be issues found that will need fixing. We would like to invite you to help us find these problems so we can fix them. 2) There will be updates as issues are resolved. You will need to be willing and able to download the Altera Quartus software package (free version) and reprogram the board with supplied update files as fixes are made. If anyone is familiar with updating firmware on the CoCoVGA, the cable, software, and procedure are exactly the same. 3) One simple hardware modification is required on the CoCo3 motherboard. A decoupling capacitor must be removed and replaced with a low profile version for board clearance. A replacement cap will be included with the GIME-X. 4) An existing issue we are currently aware of is that Rampage (the game) will not run. We are continuing to look into the cause of this issue and hope to resolve it soon.

The cost is $95 plus shipping and will include the GIME-X, output / button board, drill template or optional external mounting box for the button board, VGA cable, and programming cable adapter. I am waiting for USB Blaster clones and PLCC pullers to arrive from China to include with the beta shipments which I hope doesn't hold things up. If you already happen to have those items that would be helpful. I'd like to ship these 1-2 weeks from now. If you want to be included in the beta release for the GIME-X, please email me using (zippster278@gmail.com). No payment is required up front, I will send you a PayPal invoice when the boards and other items are ready to ship.

Thank you for considering being part of the beta release of GIME-X.  :) - Ed"

2) Guillaume Major has release an update to Coco SDC Explorer, that now supports executing BASIC ASCII files, as long as the extension is .BAS. Available on the Color Computer Archive.

 https://colorcomputerarchive.com

3) Henry Reitveld has a YouTube video demoing his program for the SDC that will auto patch most Coco 1/2 games to play in color on an RGB monintor:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isaX_8x7no8

4) David C. Wiens released a special NitrOS9 disk image that contains both his SDisk3 Floppy driver (much more powerful than the standard Tandy one), and also TSC 6809 Flex running under NitrOS9 (and able to read Flex disks natively, thanks to the SDisk 3 driver). For those who want to try both of the "power" operating systems (simultaneously!) that the Coco had in the 1980's, here is your opportunity.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1929079184021683/permalink/2554761081453487/

5) Chris Burke (of Burke & Burke fame) is working on porting VCC's user interface to wxWidgets, and then VCC to run on Linux.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158156007252641/

6) Allen Huffman posted an article he wrote for his BBS from way back in 1987 that explains how the MMU in the Coco 3 works:

 https://subethasoftware.com/2020/04/19/understanding-and-using-the-coco-3-mmu/

7) Ed Snider has some photos and a video about a 3D printed case for the MC-10:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/731424100317748/permalink/2795978307195640/

8) Eric Sperano has posted a video (and link to source code) of a program he has written while learning the GIME, including the 225 line modes, and asking why were they not built into BASIC? (spoiler - on a normal TV at the time, it would cut off the top and/or bottom).

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158170863992641/

9) Guillaume Major, who runs the Color Computer Archive, is asking for a list of Coco 2 programs that support the T1 VDG (true lowercase, border,etc.) over on Facebook:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158169280457641/

10) Paul Fiscarelli's Tindie store entry for his Coco Keys2USB kit, that he demoed during our virtual CocoFest last week, is now up and you can order:

 https://www.tindie.com/products/fiscap0768/coco-keys2usb-kit/

11) Derrick Green has posted a picture of all of the new gear for his Coco 3 that he has received from Zippsterzone and Boysontech:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158162908252641/

12) Michael Pittsley posted an amusing screen shot that a program he found exits with. At first glance, it's a regular Disk Extended BASIC boot screen, but upon closer inspection...

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158163069692641/

13) A Tony Jewell post in the Dragon Facebook group has a long discussion of diagnosing a Dragon with a problem booting, based on what it shows on the screen at power up.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/dragon32/permalink/2593368244256162/

14) David F. Gisbert, also on the Dragon Facebook group, posted up some scans of print advertising for the Dragon (including non-English) from back in the 1980's:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/dragon32/permalink/2593647107561609/

15) Terry Steege has made a video on how to set up the Phoenix IDE, with help from both D. Bruce Moore and Phoenix IDE's author, Roger Taylor:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFX72NCQubc

16) New Coco Facebook group member Gary Hanson has been slowly resurrecting a Coco 2, and is still trying to get a clean video signal out of it. If you can help, please do.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158171648177641/

17) Allen Huffman has a blog post on the CRUNCH utility for BASIC programs, written by Carl England:

 http://subethasoftware.com/2020/04/23/faster-and-smaller-color-basic-with-carl-englands-crunch/

18) Allen also posted a downloadable version of his CocoFest Chronicles book that he published way back in 1998. It is also now available on the Color Computer Archive.

 https://subethasoftware.com/2020/04/18/cocofest-chronicles-book-by-allen-huffman/

And, along those lines, he has also posted photos from some of those Fests:

 https://www.facebook.com/pg/subethasoftware/photos/?ref=page_internal

19) Allen also posted a map of the old STG network (Scott Griepentrog's Coco based network based on Unix's UUCP) across the USA (and a few in Canada). This was one of two Coco BBS systems that could link up and network; the other was RiBBS based on the Fidonet protocols.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158171646637641/

20) Roger Voss has been following Roger Taylor's instructions for building your own MiSTer Coco:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1929079184021683/permalink/2561774670752128/

21) Henry Reitveld has a video up showing using a modified DC Modem pack connecting to the next using a WiFi modem:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5cOVfmA-cw

22) Boisy's first "real" episode 1 of The Coco Collector is on YouTube, in which he shows his Coco 1 with an HJL keyboard.

 https://youtu.be/s_DJdQViQH0

23) Geronimus Vanden has released a video showing his PAL MC-10, with 8K RAM internal RAM upgrade, MCX-128 expansion with upgraded basic, and EMCEE RS-232 file loading (MC-10's Drivewire). He shows high res graphics (include PMODE 4, thanks to the internal RAM expansion, MCX-BASIC high res graphics, and the MC-10 Flagon Bird port.

 https://youtu.be/sWIjjJ39HKA

24) RE1974 (from Australia) shows testing a Multipak on his Coco, that was modified by it's previous owner to add a power LED light. It was on sale; not sure if it has sold already.

 https://youtu.be/9UvnaYudofg

25) John Holmes posted a video on YouTube of running his TP-10 printer from his Coco 2:

 https://youtu.be/-8Ss5Z-nw8g

26) John Kwong is a new member who just received a Coco 2 with peripherals, and has a question about replacing a spring int the cassette deck he received with it:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158175133117641/

He also showed off his Coco 1,2,3 collection:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158175147197641/

27) Catherine Trudel is trying to get her cassette player to work more reliably on the Coco, any suggestions from the panel?

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158174083787641/

28) Al Hartman Has taken pictures of some of his old Rainbowfest paraphernalia https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158175072877641/

29) Ben Drakes shows his 8th place entry in the 10 line programming contest, Divide by Zero

 https://youtu.be/bPXwrX4GtRg

Game On News stories

===============================

1) Mention the Gunstar Promotion that the Coco Show is doing - giving away a brand new, sealed copy of the Gunstar DVD. To enter, leave a comment on the Coco Show podcast in iTunes (John mentioned that most podcatchers, if they let you leave comments, will get to the iTunes page as well, if you don't run iTunes yourself).

 The announcement and rules (from their Doubleback review episode) starts here:
 https://youtu.be/embWjhvUYEI
Direct itunes link for those who run iTunes:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-coco-show-a-trs-80-color-computer-podcast/id1480941752

2) John from the Amigos also posted a side by side comparison of Lancer and Buzzard Bait to YouTube and Facebook, and thus the arguments began amongst Coco game players. We all know who is right, though. ;)

 https://youtu.be/NLMvAthm7h4

3) Michael Pittsley did a complete playthrough of the educational game, Math Adventures with Mickey (and multi-media, thanks to sound coming through the cassette port):

 https://youtu.be/voUfIAjJoHo

4) As posted by Brian Palmer on Facebook, original Coco 3 game author Robert Offerman is trying to find copies of Coco 3 programs and games that he did back in the early 1990's that he no longer has (Revelation, Blackjack III, and Slake Freeman and the Invasion of the Mutant Linoleum Miners):

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158171959102641/

5) As mentioned on CocoTalk CocoFest edition last week, Rick Adams has his Temple of ROM level builder online, where one can design their own levels using Photoshop (or something compatible):

 http://templeofrom.com/build/level

6) Jim Gerrie won his own Type-in Mania contest - as the only entrant - so he extended the deadline to midnight AST April 25.

 https://jimgerrie.blogspot.com/2020/03/type-in-mania-2020-awards.html

7) Speaking of the MC-10, Jim may have another entry after all: Fabrizio Caruso has posted an experimental version of his 10 line MC-10 game Mines Plus on Facebook:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/731424100317748/permalink/2801035216689949/

8) Fred Salerno posts that he would like to one day beat the Coco 3 graphics adventure game The Power Stones of Ard II: The Five Towers of Trafa-Zar. He includes a photo of the manual, and really good looking screenshot of the game:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158173937272641/

9) Jerry Young did a live stream of Jim Gerrie's Manic Miner port to the MC-10 on Wednesday this past week:

 https://youtu.be/9SYRuHuPwcE

10) Cuthbert Dragon did numerous new Dragon game play videos on real hardware, including a lot of Coco ports, but also some Dragon originals, like "Cecil Plays 21" (which I had not seen before, and written in BASIC, I believe) (the 21 at 2:35 as well):

 https://www.youtube.com/user/MaryWinstead32/videos

11) Erico Monteiro has released his "The Outhouse" for modern PC's, base on the sights and sound of the Coco 1/2 (and, of course, the game Outhouse). Trailer video here and ordering ($5.00 or more if wish to "tip" Erico) here:

 https://ericomont.itch.io/the-outhouse

12) Charlie Pelosi showed his progress in playing Paul Shoemaker's Dungeon Crawl game:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/permalink/10158173166177641/