The Coco Nation News stories for Episode 419, June 28 (21-27)), 2025 =============================================================== Collected by L. Curtis Boyle Special NOTES: -------------- NOTE: We are planning to do a special “Coco 4” episode in the future, which will included all the computers that were announced in the 1991-1994 time frame that were supposed to be successors to the Coco 3. We have Joel Ewy who has volunteered to show off their MM/1, I am going to try and get my TC-9 up and running at least enough to show it working, but we still need volunteers with TC-70’s, Kix-20 or Kix-30, Delmar System IV or System V’s, AT-306, MM/1 B’s. Anybody still have these machines that they would like to show off in an upcoming show? Email me at curtisboyle at sasktel.net if you are. For those who want to try an online BBS running on a real 512K Coco 3, you can reach Terry Trapp’s RiBBS system here (please note that this an active development machine so the BBS occasionally goes down when Terry is working on hardware, etc).: telnet ribbs.griswoldfx.com 6809 Upcoming conventions/trade shows of interest to Coco people: ------------------------------------------------------------ International Retro Computer Expo (formerly BoatFest) will be July 11-13 in Hurricane, WV. There is now a promo video for it: https://www.ticketsource.us/ircexpo2025/t-eanjyje VCF West at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California is August 1-2, from 10 am-6 pm Friday and 9 am-5 pm Saturday. There are usually some Coco people at the show (both attendees and exhibitors), and we have had walkthroughs before that show it to be a fun show with a lot of history since it is in Silicon Valley: https://vcfed.org/events/vintage-computer-festival-west/ VCF-Midwest (the largest retro show in North America, I believe) is September 13-14 at the Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. This year is the 20th anniversary of this show, and there is a lot of collaboration between CocoFest and VCF-MW, so expect a large number of Coco and Glenside people at the show! Still free admission, and hotel booking is open already. https://www.vcfmw.org/ That same weekend, Retro World Expo will be held September 12-14 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Tickets and vendor applications aren't quite ready yet but will be soon. This is a gaming oriented retro show (including tournaments) but also includes things like wrestling: https://retroworldexpo.com/ Also that same weekend, for Canadians and anyone wanting to travel up to Canada, the WoRC (World of Retro Computing) show is September 13-14 at the old Goudies Department Store location at 8 Queen Street North, Kitchener,ON, Canada (West of Toronto, and right beside The Museum). This is a general retro show with a bunch of gaming and home computer platforms, vendors, seminars, LAN parties, workshops, door prizes & raffles and is sponsored by Retro Rewind. Admission is free, and it runs noon to 5 pm Eastern on both Saturday and Sunday: https://worldofretrocomputing.com/ Tandy Assembly for 2025 is Sept 26 to Sep 28 at the Courtyard by Marriott Springfield Downtown in Springfield, Ohio. NOTE 1: If you attended CocoFest this year, bring your badge to Tandy Assembly, and you will get in for FREE! NOTE 2: Peter Cetinski issued an update on May 13 - all tables are officially sold out: https://www.tandyassembly.com/ And they have some exhibitors already (click Exhibitors link) This year's Portland Retro Gaming Expo runs from October 17-19 in 2025 (they just had this years Sept 27-29). Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon. https://www.retrogamingexpo.com/ Canada is getting it's own official VCF - Montreal, January 25-26 of 2026. It will be held at the Royal Military College outside of Montreal, but I don't have any more details (the venue, for example) yet: https://vcfed.org/vcf-montreal/ Tentative date for CocoFest 2026 - April 24-25, as mentioned in the Glenside meeting this past week. Not 100% confirmed, but sounded pretty solid. **** NEW NEWS ORDER TO HELP OUR LIVE EUROPEAN VIEWERS **** Dragon 32/64 ------------ 1) EORetro, a German YouTube retro channel, posted a half hour video overview of the Dragon 32 (turn on auto-translate & close captioning). If the auto-translate is accurate, there are some mistakes in his presentation (number of machines made, some of the graphics mode descriptions, etc.): https://youtu.be/G-_pVTAJNHY?si=0ESd-sNIIO1Lx7AG 2) SteDubya on YouTube released part 3 (final episode I believe) of his video series about the Dragon 32. In the first 2 parts that we covered, he has done some re-capping, and found that the serial # on the motherboard does not match the one on the case): https://youtu.be/DaXS7NUGAi0?si=w4BXMoVtpvsa_rAJ 3) KOJRO Retro Innovations channel on YouTube did a “long overdue packages accumulated in my shed” unboxing style video. Amongst the machines he gets down is a Dragon 32 (which replaces one he had sent to Adrian Black earlier): https://youtu.be/hyvXET8mswY?si=w6IL6NUGatRoEn13&t=593 4) Julian Brown posted a photo and update on his Dragon ATX VDG board: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dragon32/posts/4070738319852473/ Coco 1/2/3 (and multi-platform) ------------------------------- 1) VCF-SW has released all of the videos of presentations (and it was posted that they had about 1800 attendees this year): https://www.youtube.com/@VCFSW/videos Special ones of note for our community (they all are really good, from what I have seen for): 8-Bit Brain Surgery (Boisy Pitre) - transplanting a 6809, writing new ROM’s and booting OS9 level 1 on an Atari XEGS: https://youtu.be/VQXbhLv0wjQ?si=I_d3VLl8T1vkwRMs Why Should Kids be Involved? (12 year old Zoe Smith): https://youtu.be/PpHTmlnQ_Lw?si=m85PCBkPDuMVMOTE The Brief History of Japanese PC’s () - covers the Fujitsu FM-8, FM-7, FM-11 (6809 computers using OS9): https://youtu.be/PGlL7Un-GiI?si=DY-LHNXVT50e3alB Fujinet state of the union (Thomas Cherryhomes). This covers updates about Fujinet – hardware, software updates, emulators, etc.: https://youtu.be/SCPcEbMEbeo?si=VTyx4T3j9XM54ZVX The Tandy Showcase page on Facebook also posted some photos from the show: https://www.facebook.com/groups/260663051145211/posts/1842936899584477/ 2) Brian Cockburn posted a PDF version of the first review of the FLEX operating system (the original one for the 6800) from Kilobaud magazine, based on a link provided by Roger Arrick. This eventually got ported to the 6809 and was the most popular OS for 6809 machines for awhile in the early 1980’s, and even had 4 different ports to the Coco: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flexoperatingsystem/posts/1268654294624019/ 3) Joel Ewy posted the BASIC09 source code to uncuts (a utility to decode 6 bit text encoding used back in the 1980’s) in the MM/1 channel on Facebook (should work on OS9/NitrOS9 and OS9/68k): https://www.facebook.com/groups/3194643584094250/posts/4895681483990443/ 4) The Total Recall Show release their new episode - which is called “I Got My Computer At Radio Shack: A Trip Back to the Dungeons of Daggorath”. One of the hosts is a graphics novel author, too: https://youtu.be/9lZLzkqUil4?si=aeAG69jJk6wgG0_a 5) The (in?)famous Coco 3 editor/assembler written at Diecom and then later also used by Sundog Systems, nicknamed Phantasm, is now available on the Color Computer Archive (mistakenly called “Phastasm” on the archive currently). Directions are still needed: https://colorcomputerarchive.com/search?q=Phastasm 6) Terry Trapp posted some updates about his RiBBs on the net, plus numerous updates to his Coco Blender project that helps drive it, on the Coco Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162808806792641/ 7) Andrew Ayers has uploaded multiple things to the Coco Facebook group this week: DINFHTML.ZIP Version 1. This ZIP file contains 15 html pages with documentation for multiple Dragon and Coco things, like disk format structures, BASIC token lists (for both machines): https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162807844907641/ (Show local file FINFHMTL/INDEX.HTM for list) He also uploaded Space Trek (a really good low res version of the classic Star Trek games, with added sound effects. Originally written by Jake Commander for Color Computer Magazine issue #3, May 1983 (which I still own). Seems to be in a weird, older format though: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162807826627641/ And CUTS-PACKAGES – This is the full original Coco CUTS package, which allows sending binary files as encoded ASCII with line lengths of 80 characters to send through electronic mail systems: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162802260227641/ Andrew also uploaded a CUTS encoded version of a Bill the Cat (of Bloom County fame) MacPaint file (which prompted the other CUTS news) to the Coco Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162797950142641/ 8) Antonio Caballero showed the results of his latest 3D printed Coco related project: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805850982641/ And has released the files to make them to Thingiverse: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162819022272641/ And, he has released the files for his Tower of Power Coco cartridge holders, which we have shown on the show before: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162815183567641/ 9) Alex Oliva has found a bunch of old 3rd party hardware cartridges for the Coco, and has been uploading photos of them (along with disks, and sometimes the insides) to the Coco group on Facebook: Micro Works DS-69 Digisector video digitizer. With version 1 software which I don’t think even Ron Delvaux has (his are later versions I am pretty sure): https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805469137641/ Rulaford Research / Speech Systems Coco-MIDI card. This is the full MIDI card that has Midi In, Out, and Through ports, and I think is the basis of the modern recreation that Jim Brain now sells as the MIDI Maestro card. This works with a variety of Coco 1/2/3 software, including both DECB and OS9: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805445612641 Jim’s modern, shrunk down version: https://www.go4retro.com/products/midi-maestro/ The original Speech Systems Coco-MIDI card: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805439337641/ Speech Systems EARS version 2. This was the microphone system that one talk to the computer, and react to spoken commands: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805424212641/ Speech Systems Symphony 12 version 2: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805403312641/ Jim Brain also sells a modern reproduction of this (which features four AY-8910 sound chips) as the Philharmonic-12: https://store.go4retro.com/tandy/philharmonic-12/ Speech Systems Stereo Pak. This predates the Orchestra-90 by a couple of years, and allowed stereo 8 bit sound. This particular one has been modded to use ribbon cable for output rather than 2 RCA jacks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162805383202641/ BASIC Technologies BT-1030 card. BASIC Technologies did one of he original multi-slot solutions for the Coco (like a Multipak) but long before Tandy’s came out. They also produced multiple hardware cards for it, including this one, which is 2 8 bit parallel ports (not sure if input and output or just output), two 16 bit timer/counters and a serial shift register: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162802463492641/ 10) Mike Brant (Quigon on the Coco Discord) posted a photo of some hardware for his Coco that he couldn’t remember what it was. Pretty sure it’s Nick Marentes DigiScan, the later and much smaller version of his Rascan (I had a Rascan myself back in the day, it’s much bigger than this): https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162801358607641/ 11) Todd Wallace (Lord Dragon in the Coco Discord) built his own Coco GMC cartridge (Games Master Cartridge, designed by John Linville and originally sold by Neil Blanchard) and tested them with his Chiptune player – the first time he has used real hardware to test versus emulation in things like MAME: Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162791726642641/ YouTube demo video (running under NitrOS9, of course! lol): https://youtu.be/zTTSgRONQ0c?si=AwUyB7zcX8SVspdh 12) Jeffrey Worley has also been busy with hardware on the Coco in the Coco Facebook group. He made a Composite mod and showed he made his (including some screenshots): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1929079184021683/posts/3984612081801706/ He showed some screenshots and photos of the board (I noted that his monitor seems to be changing artifact PMODE 4 colors from the blue/orange we are used to to green/magenta, but that could the monitor he is using or the tint control: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162814442842641/ As a side note, Andrew Ayers uploaded a PDF of the Mark Data composite board that Jeffrey used as a basis for his board, to the Coco Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162815810702641/ 13) Glen Dahlgren (previously the owner of Sundog Systems) posed an update to his mysterium blog about his Chaos fantasy adventure novel series, which we have shown on the show before when interviewing him. Apparently there is some consideration in Hollywood of doing a movie or TV series based on Glen’s books. This by no means guaranteed to happen, but this is a positive development in that Hollywood is now researching it: https://mysteriumstoryworks.substack.com/p/are-the-chronicles-headed-for-the?r=2hpgl3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true MC-10 ----- 1) Game On news (all Coco related platforms): ========================================== 1) YouTube channel “Attempts: A gaming channel (by LRU)” recorded a video of his hi-score attempt for Spectral Associates Storm Arrows (34,050 points): https://youtu.be/YP8oZoZUJjk?si=JDCQg2Sf1jf6NusI And for the Dragon version of Shock Trooper: https://youtu.be/Qe-c1dWtDN0?si=b0SfC_g36RVziEXj 2) Jim Gerrie ported Arctic Adventure, originally written by computer columnist (and occasional guest on TWiT shows as well) Harry McCracken back in 1981 as in The Caption 80 Book of BASIC Adventures, which he originally wrote for the TRS-80 black and white machines as a teenager. Original author Harry actually came back to the game 2021 to fix a long standing bug that made it unwinnable. NOTE: This video is a complete walkthru, so spoiler alert: https://youtu.be/U8rqgYidjxE?si=Jb5msYOFXlfHVhxj Article by Harry McCracken about the game & the fix update: https://www.arctic81.com/ 3) YouTube gaming channel “Retro Game c_Li” did a whole bunch of Dragon (and a Coco 3) game play videos: Dragon 32: https://www.youtube.com/@RetroGamec_Li/search?query=dragon%2032 Coco 3 (GFL Championship Football II) (I think with the wrong monitor setting): https://youtu.be/N5KZr_mGXvA?si=RCy8pnnyVyixp85W 4) XperTek on YouTube covered “Talk Wizz” this week, a talking (via software) educational game, written by Steve Blyn for Computer Island, and using Classical Computing’s Speak Up for the software speech: https://youtu.be/qmfD3HamocQ?si=v_Ule0qxAq_JFJbi 5) Jim Jewett has released updated versions of Spacewar and Spoofwar with additional sounds and “music” to the Coco Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162816976427641/ 6) Richard Kelly (Retro Rick on the Coco Discord) also released a software update - “Beware the K.B.B.!” version 1.10. This includes the speedups he released earlier, but fixes some bugs that crept in while the optimizations were happening: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2359462640/posts/10162815931112641/ 7) The Coco Show by Aaron and Brent of the Amigos has episode 58 out now on their YouTube channel. This covers Paul Shoemaker’s early RPG classic “Caves of The Unwashed Heathen”. This game features some palette enhancements on the Coco 3, and was also ported to the MC-10 by Jim Gerrie sometime later. https://youtu.be/EZfnHgZ9J-k?si=uXdtTpz9kAsH_-Bq They also announced that the next Coco Show will be covering a Coco 1&2 game that a lot of people have never seen: East World Karate. Speak your mind! 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