In Tri-CoCo mode where CPU #1 acts as "CoCo BLUE" the hardware assignments are fixed and virtual hardware implementation is is handled buy CPU #1 in addition to it's Executive Supervisory functions.
Virtual Hardware Allocation Program Graphical User Interface
The command HRDMAN GUI typed into the Executive Settings Control Interface Program command line starts up the Virtual Hardware Allocation Program user interface on CPU#1. If CPU#1 is not available the result is ERR #1 - GUI not available in Tri-CoCo mode. The command RESET AS DC will do a system reset to Dual Coco mode.
X0>RESET AS BI
All unsaved changes of CoCo's BLUE GREEN
& RED will be lost.
press X to cancel or press the RESET button
to continue.
now you can type HRDMAN GUI to access the Virtual Hardware
Allocation Program Graphical User Interface, a screen similar to following
screen will appear.
The actual screen you see will depend on what
hardware settings have already been setup for Dual CoCo mode.
This example shows two virtual CoCo3's with no hardware setup.
Now to describe how this screen is used If you have the "Executive USB Mouse" attached you click on a button to select it but otherwise the [ForwardArrow] key moves from one button to the next a surrounding red rectangle briefly showing what current selection is and two presses of the M1within 3 seconds key activate that selection the order of selection is as follows.
On pressing the M1 key the current button is surrounded by a red border for 3 seconds. If you have just started the program that will be the LOAD BUTTON. If you Press M1 again while the load button is outlined in red the hardware settings will be loaded from the settings area in NVRAM. If however you press any other key the red highlight disappears. If it was the [ForwardArrow] key you pressed it is the SAVE BUTTON that will be outlined in red showing that it is now selected. further presses of [ForwardArrow] in turn select the SWAP PANEL BUTTON the SHOW SHARED BUTTON the CAMEL ION BUTTON and finally the Next/Previous BUTTON at that point a further press of the [ForwardArrow] selects the LOAD BUTTON again.
Now lets go through what each of these buttons to see what they do.
So that takes care of the menu's across the top which are accessed by the [ForwardArrow] key or USB-Mouse.
The other press-able buttons are the actual hardware items that are being allocated. In this default setup they come in three groups that are cycled through with the Next/Prev button shown above.
List of Assignable Hardware in the same order as shown in interface.
Group # Assignable Hardware Item. Number Available Details
1 Coco Joystick Port 2 or 4 This is the traditional Color Computer Joystick Port depending on your model you will have either two in the case of the CoCo5a or four in the case of the CoCo5.
1 Atari Joystick Port
0 or 2
This entry will only be shown if you have a CoCo5a which will have a DB-15 connector below the two classic Coco Joystick ports. which can be wired to two DB-9 Atari Joystick ports, which each can be assigned to a virtual CoCo or shared either Continually or by following the Keyboard focus.
1 Bit Banger
1
This is a port similar to and 100% Hardware-Software compatable with the classical Color Computer Bit-Banager port. Upon assignment to a CoCo you are prompted to specify wither the port is to act as a CoCo 1 (38k) CoCo2 (56k) CoCo 3 (115k) or a CoCo4 port.
If CoCo 4 is chosen then the port will support either 230 kb/s with a standard drivewire cable or 460 kb/s with a special cable that enhances flow control. Of course matching settings are required on your server.
1 Serial Port
1
This is a high speed DB-9 serial port capable of up to 920 kb/s baud rate. Unlike the bit banger CPU load requirements are minimized. This interface is fully compliant with the PC industry's RS232 standard.
( This interface may optionally be configured by Chameleon. to mimic the Bit-Banger a Classic Tandy Serial Port or a Joystick* )
1 Cassette/Digitization
Port
1
This Port is 100% compatible with the Color Computer Cassette port as used for either Tape Storage or Hi Res Mouse implementation.
2 Top Cartridge Slot
1
This Cartridge Slot is is in the same location as a standard Color Computer Cartridge Slot and may be used just like the standard Color Computer Cartridge Slot. That is it is on the Right hand side of the computer facing RIGHT it has a trap door for protection and can be used with any real MPI given a set of small "Washer Sized" offsets or similar taped to the feet of the MPI.
2 Bottom Cartridge Slot
1
This Cartridge Slot is on the Right hand side of the computer facing RIGHT immediately below the "Top Cartridge Slot"
2 Internal Cartridge Slot
1
This Cartridge Slot is on the Right hand side of the computer facing LEFT on the same level as the "Bottom Cartridge Slot" immediately ahead of this slot.
2 Virtual Cartridge Slot
12
This is a virtual device that lets an existing port on the CoCo5 act like a Cartridge in a Virtual Multi Pack Interface for example the High Speed Serial Port built into the CoCo5 could be set by Chameleon to act as a Classic Tandy Serial Port and the CoCo using that virtual multipack could use old software made to work with a real Tandy Serial Pack and MPI with no patches required.
2 MPI -A
1
This is an available virtual Multi Pack Interface.
2 MPI - B
1
This is another available virtual Multi Pack Interface.
2 Advanced Graphics Adaptor
1
If an advanced graphics adapter is installed then it may be assigned to a specific virtual CoCo or placed in Shared mode where it just Mirrors or Replaces the VGA or Composite monitor. Envisioned Advanced Graphic Adapters are:
- Coco RGB Monitor Output.
- Composite Video Digitizer Input.
- DVI Monitor Output.
2 3 1/2mm Stereo Jack
1
The Stereo Jack replaces the Mono RCA sound jack found on a standard Color Computer.
The right and left channels may be sourced from either CPU or from the Mixer Hardware built into the CoCo 5.
3 Virtual Cassette Tape
1
A 256K section of CoCo5 memory can be accessed as four 64K virtual tapes. vT1 to VT4.
The whole set
3 Undisk Disk Group A
1
The Memory Disk configuration application can be used to create up to three groups of disks, Group A which may mimic standard floppy drives or RGB DOS like hard disk partitions.
3 Undisk Disk Group B
1
The Memory Disk configuration application can be used to create up to three groups of disks, Group B which may mimic standard floppy drives or RGB DOS like hard disk partitions.
3 SCSI Virtual Floppys
1
Group C may mimic a set of sCsi floppy drives.
3 Bluetooth Wireless
2
Two Bluetooth devices are available and may be configured by Chameleon to provide a variety of functions.
At the Executive System Controller
prompt the command RESET AS TC will do a system reset to Tri
CoCo mode.
In this mode hardware allocation is not flexible as is in Dual CoCo mode.
The following table outlines the hardware assignments in Tri CoCo mode.
CoCo Blue | CoCo GREEN | CoCo RED |
---|---|---|
CoCo 4 Mode | Coco
2 Mode or Coco 3 Mode (based on value in settings memory) |
CoCo 4 Mode |
512K Memory |
64K Memory + 32K virtROM + 160K Ram Drive 4/0 or 256K in Coco3 mode. |
2048K Memory* |
Coco
Joystick Ports TR & TL (Shared following keyboard focus.) |
Coco
Joystick Ports TR & TL (Shared following keyboard focus.) |
Coco
Joystick Ports TR & TL (Shared following keyboard focus.) |
Coco
Joystick Ports BL (Joy Stick #3 or 8 bit Analogue Input) |
Coco
Joystick Ports BR (8 bit Analogue Input) |
Not Used |
3
1/2 mm Jack (Controlled by Mixer Hardware) |
3
1/2 mm Jack (Controlled by Mixer Hardware) |
3
1/2 mm Jack (Controlled by Mixer Hardware) |
Bluetooth
Ch#1 as Bit Banger |
Bit
Banager |
High
Speed Serial Port |
vTAPE
in 8Trk Mode |
1500
baud Cassette Tape Port |
|
UDISK-8
SS 35trk RSDOS ( Shared follows Focus if No Files Opened requires CoCo Basic4 ) |
UDISK-8
SS 35trk RSDOS ( Requires special ML program tocopy full file to/from UD-8 from attached CoCo2 drive. ) |
UDISK-8
SS 35trk RSDOS ( Shared follows Focus if No Files Opened requires CoCo Basic4 ) |
UD
group A
|
UD
group B
|
SCSI
vFloppy **
|
Internal Cartridge Slot | Bottom Cartridge Slot | Top Cartridge Slot |
Blue
Tooth Ch#2 |
Default unDisk Map ( Factory Settings )
9 = 40K Qtr Disk in NVRAM
0= 160K Disk in NVRAMChanges made in Dual CoCo mode to the unDisk map persist in Tri CoCo mode.
Disk 9 cannot be reassigned it's contents however can be changed, it's default function is as a OS9 in ROM image however it can also be used to bootstrap an image on the other drives. For example:
CoCo 2 mode may not have support for some of these disk modes but they should work fine in CoCo3 and 4 modes.