M.D. Baker
Member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2021
- Messages
- 11
Hello Coco fans! I introduced myself in the 'Introductions' forum so check it out for my computing history in brief.
I recently acquired the Coco 2 26-3026 model. I've been searching for another vintage 8-bit to get into; I'm sort of a collector, but I don't put things on display and never use them, they get well used in my home, but I keep them is top-shape and in fact part of my hobby is repairing and restoring vintage electronics, mostly computers and consoles. And have been saving for sale listings in my watch list including C64, Coco's and Coleco ADAM as they are the 8-bit computers beside my Atari 8-bits that interest and intrigue me the most, plus, obviously I like the underdog and the Coco's were indeed underdog's just like my Atari's.
But I feel like finally acquiring a Coco 2, was fate or destiny for me at this time. You see the Coco 2 I got was one of these listed computers, all apparently in need of some repair and love and care, the way I like them as I know I can fix them myself and restore them cosmetically to if I must. But I do look for non-working computers in the best cosmetic condition possible. The seller of the Coco 2 I got was asking $85 plus $20 shipping for a "power on but not working" Coco 2 and I felt that was a bit much, but with vintage computer and console prices going up and up I saved the listing among dozens of others.
Well a while later, my business partner gave me a bag full of old computer cords and stuff as he knows I'm into the old junk, and his father gave them to him and he didn't need any of this old stuff, so he passed it on to me. Inside that bag among common phone cords and RCA cables were some strange cables that I guessed had to do with MIDI as the plugs on one end looked like MIDI plugs, but the other ends had headphone/mic style jacks or RCA jacks or 9-pin com style jacks. There were also a pair of TRS-80 analog joysticks and a black TRS-80 analog mouse.
I put the cables in a storage bin with other cables of various types and put them away. The controllers I decided I was going to mod to work with my Atari 8-bits as they also can use analog controls through the Atari 8-bit POKEY custom I.C. (POT & KEY, and also a great sound chip). About another week passes, before I mod the controllers, and I get an off for this Coco 2 I was watching for $50 plus $20 shipping and I desided it fate and took the offer.
The computer was in far better condition that I thought when it arrived. The outside case was dirty and needed a good cleaning with a cloth and some glass cleaner, but afterward it was pristine. So, I plug it in, turn it on, and sure enough, it powers on and I get a green screen, but with a bunch of garbage all over it. So I go to take it apart and start trouble-shooting the Coco 2. I find five screw holes and remove them,but the case won't come apart and is still held up in one corner. I search for another screw for a minute again until I realize that it is hidden under the never-touched warranty sticker and that this Coco has never been opened! Ok, so that means it is stock for sure, just a 16K machine with 8K Basic.
But to my delight, when I open it up, there is not one spec of dust or dirt to be found inside the case or on the motherboard. This thing looks like it just came off the factory floor on the inside! I see the one empty socket for Extended Basic and the 16K drams and start researching how to upgrade to Extended Basic and 64K. I find out I have the proper 4164x8 drams on hand for the ram upgrade, left over from upgrading my Atari's with 41256x8 for 256/512K ram upgrades I did to them at one time. So I pull the old 30405 (or whatever they were numbered) drams and install my spare 4164's.Solder the points at W1 together and a 64K upgrade is done.
Having already noticed the vast majority if IC's were socketed, with an interior this clean I suspected the issue might merely be some of the chips need to be re-seated in their sockets.So I go over every socketed chip and make sure they are fully seated. I found half a dozen, ranging from main IC's to 74LSxx IC's not fully seated and I plug them in fully.
I close up the Coco 2, plug it in, plug in the RF, set channel 4 and turn on the TV to channel 4, and PRESTO! I am greeted with a clear green screen and the words "color basic 1.2 (c) 1982 Tandy" and an OK with a flashing color cursor! So I look up how to check memory and stumble upon the whole BASIC 32K limit deal due to legacy hardware, blah, blah,blah but I type ?MEM and it comes back showing just over 31000 bytes or about 31K, about what would be left after I/O takes up upper memory and without the extended basic installed that would then give back about 24K free memory. So I think I can deduce that my 64K memory is working at least.
So I am now the proud owner of a 64K Coco 2 with the melted keyboard (reminds me of the Atari 130XE keyboard-kind of mushy feeling) but it's better than a "chiclet" keyboard! And it is in immaculate condition, inside and out, after an exterior cleaning!
The first two pictures are before and after shots of the exterior case with cleaning. The rest are untouched pictures of the Pristine case interior and motherboard.The the screen showing it working and the last images are controllers and what believe to be Coco cassette and serial cables(?) that were given to me.
I recently acquired the Coco 2 26-3026 model. I've been searching for another vintage 8-bit to get into; I'm sort of a collector, but I don't put things on display and never use them, they get well used in my home, but I keep them is top-shape and in fact part of my hobby is repairing and restoring vintage electronics, mostly computers and consoles. And have been saving for sale listings in my watch list including C64, Coco's and Coleco ADAM as they are the 8-bit computers beside my Atari 8-bits that interest and intrigue me the most, plus, obviously I like the underdog and the Coco's were indeed underdog's just like my Atari's.
But I feel like finally acquiring a Coco 2, was fate or destiny for me at this time. You see the Coco 2 I got was one of these listed computers, all apparently in need of some repair and love and care, the way I like them as I know I can fix them myself and restore them cosmetically to if I must. But I do look for non-working computers in the best cosmetic condition possible. The seller of the Coco 2 I got was asking $85 plus $20 shipping for a "power on but not working" Coco 2 and I felt that was a bit much, but with vintage computer and console prices going up and up I saved the listing among dozens of others.
Well a while later, my business partner gave me a bag full of old computer cords and stuff as he knows I'm into the old junk, and his father gave them to him and he didn't need any of this old stuff, so he passed it on to me. Inside that bag among common phone cords and RCA cables were some strange cables that I guessed had to do with MIDI as the plugs on one end looked like MIDI plugs, but the other ends had headphone/mic style jacks or RCA jacks or 9-pin com style jacks. There were also a pair of TRS-80 analog joysticks and a black TRS-80 analog mouse.
I put the cables in a storage bin with other cables of various types and put them away. The controllers I decided I was going to mod to work with my Atari 8-bits as they also can use analog controls through the Atari 8-bit POKEY custom I.C. (POT & KEY, and also a great sound chip). About another week passes, before I mod the controllers, and I get an off for this Coco 2 I was watching for $50 plus $20 shipping and I desided it fate and took the offer.
The computer was in far better condition that I thought when it arrived. The outside case was dirty and needed a good cleaning with a cloth and some glass cleaner, but afterward it was pristine. So, I plug it in, turn it on, and sure enough, it powers on and I get a green screen, but with a bunch of garbage all over it. So I go to take it apart and start trouble-shooting the Coco 2. I find five screw holes and remove them,but the case won't come apart and is still held up in one corner. I search for another screw for a minute again until I realize that it is hidden under the never-touched warranty sticker and that this Coco has never been opened! Ok, so that means it is stock for sure, just a 16K machine with 8K Basic.
But to my delight, when I open it up, there is not one spec of dust or dirt to be found inside the case or on the motherboard. This thing looks like it just came off the factory floor on the inside! I see the one empty socket for Extended Basic and the 16K drams and start researching how to upgrade to Extended Basic and 64K. I find out I have the proper 4164x8 drams on hand for the ram upgrade, left over from upgrading my Atari's with 41256x8 for 256/512K ram upgrades I did to them at one time. So I pull the old 30405 (or whatever they were numbered) drams and install my spare 4164's.Solder the points at W1 together and a 64K upgrade is done.
Having already noticed the vast majority if IC's were socketed, with an interior this clean I suspected the issue might merely be some of the chips need to be re-seated in their sockets.So I go over every socketed chip and make sure they are fully seated. I found half a dozen, ranging from main IC's to 74LSxx IC's not fully seated and I plug them in fully.
I close up the Coco 2, plug it in, plug in the RF, set channel 4 and turn on the TV to channel 4, and PRESTO! I am greeted with a clear green screen and the words "color basic 1.2 (c) 1982 Tandy" and an OK with a flashing color cursor! So I look up how to check memory and stumble upon the whole BASIC 32K limit deal due to legacy hardware, blah, blah,blah but I type ?MEM and it comes back showing just over 31000 bytes or about 31K, about what would be left after I/O takes up upper memory and without the extended basic installed that would then give back about 24K free memory. So I think I can deduce that my 64K memory is working at least.
So I am now the proud owner of a 64K Coco 2 with the melted keyboard (reminds me of the Atari 130XE keyboard-kind of mushy feeling) but it's better than a "chiclet" keyboard! And it is in immaculate condition, inside and out, after an exterior cleaning!
The first two pictures are before and after shots of the exterior case with cleaning. The rest are untouched pictures of the Pristine case interior and motherboard.The the screen showing it working and the last images are controllers and what believe to be Coco cassette and serial cables(?) that were given to me.
