Comments on: USB/parallel port to cartridge port for ROM emulation http://www.coco3.com/community/2009/10/usbparallel-port-to-cartridge-port-for-rom-emulation A Rainbow 30 Years Wide! Long Live The CoCo Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:52:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: USB/parallel port to cartridge port for ROM emulation « The TRS-80 … emulator emulate http://www.coco3.com/community/2009/10/usbparallel-port-to-cartridge-port-for-rom-emulation/comment-page-1#comment-57334 USB/parallel port to cartridge port for ROM emulation « The TRS-80 … emulator emulate Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:50:49 +0000 http://www.coco3.com/community/?p=25087#comment-57334 [...] More here: USB/parallel port to cartridge port for ROM emulation « The TRS-80 … [...] [...] More here: USB/parallel port to cartridge port for ROM emulation « The TRS-80 … [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.coco3.com/community/2009/10/usbparallel-port-to-cartridge-port-for-rom-emulation/comment-page-1#comment-57333 admin Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:15:41 +0000 http://www.coco3.com/community/?p=25087#comment-57333 I've seen many ROM emulators on the web and most are expensive. Remember, you also have the "free" option of just emulating the ROM on the PC using one of the CoCo emulators. My Rainbow IDE makes CoCo development hardware-free in most cases by letting you build the ROM image by clicking a few options on the sidebar and clicking GO. The M.E.S.S. emulator window will pop up with the CoCo ROM running. There really is no better way to design and test CoCo ROMs, in my opinion. The IDE approach works for most, but not all, ROM projects. Obviously, any ROM that uses hardware that's only available on the real CoCo will have to be tested on the real CoCo. This is where the CoCoNet project fits in. CoCoNet will let you boot the CoCo up using the wireless pak or ROM-only/bitbanger pak to start up with any ROM that's mounted on the PC side. This includes Disk BASIC, 8K/16K games, other DOS ROMs, etc. As long as the ROM can run in all-RAM mode on the CoCo, the CoCo shouldn't notice any difference. The ideal method is to use the wireless pak which talks to the applet on the PC via bluetooth. The CoCo then emulates a floppy drive system, virtual ROM paks, and internet connection. I’ve seen many ROM emulators on the web and most are expensive. Remember, you also have the “free” option of just emulating the ROM on the PC using one of the CoCo emulators.

My Rainbow IDE makes CoCo development hardware-free in most cases by letting you build the ROM image by clicking a few options on the sidebar and clicking GO. The M.E.S.S. emulator window will pop up with the CoCo ROM running. There really is no better way to design and test CoCo ROMs, in my opinion.

The IDE approach works for most, but not all, ROM projects. Obviously, any ROM that uses hardware that’s only available on the real CoCo will have to be tested on the real CoCo.

This is where the CoCoNet project fits in. CoCoNet will let you boot the CoCo up using the wireless pak or ROM-only/bitbanger pak to start up with any ROM that’s mounted on the PC side. This includes Disk BASIC, 8K/16K games, other DOS ROMs, etc. As long as the ROM can run in all-RAM mode on the CoCo, the CoCo shouldn’t notice any difference.

The ideal method is to use the wireless pak which talks to the applet on the PC via bluetooth. The CoCo then emulates a floppy drive system, virtual ROM paks, and internet connection.

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