There are lots of ways to connect an M100 to a linux device as a dumb terminal. None of them are particularly interesting to me. I like the native environment of the M100; I rarely enjoy using linux. I like BASIC programming too. I can appreciate other approaches though; lots of challenges to solve. The other thing that I find interesting is that there are so few solutions to a complete computer that can operate on 50 mA. M100 is one of them. Raspi is not. Palm Pilot was another. My 2 cents anyhow.
On Thu, May 21, 2015 at 8:06 PM, John Martin <[email protected]> wrote: > I was wondering if you could use Raspi with a Bluetooth module shown in a > YOUTUBE video that showed a Model 100 controlling a WALL-E robot? > > John M. > > On May 20, 2015, at 10:47 AM, David Flippo <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Being new to this forum, I'll add my 1.5 cents to the TDock discussion. > It seems, the most straight forward approach, both hardware, and software, > would be a serial to USB interface to a Raspi; the Raspi being the > emulator. The Raspi would offer all of the hardware add-ons WiFi, HDMI/ > Composite display, SD, etc capability. The 100/102/200, would need a simple > serial interface program, developed to communicate through the serial > interface, to the Raspi. In effect the 100/102/200, is acting as a dump > terminal. The software for the Raspi emulator would, or might be the only > software challenge. This approach would provide a more simple portability > interface, both hardware wise, and wouldn't be limited to physical > portability also. > > > > Dave > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > I an not a technical kind of person. I do not have any engineering or > programming experience. I use to sold parts smt parts on to PC boards in > the 1990's thru 2000. Then my eyesight got bad and I wear glasses now. As I > got older, I had more health problems and can not do the things I use in > the 90's & 2000's. > > It would be nice if a bunch of people could work on a project using Raspi, > Bluetooth module board and USB to work with a TRS 80 Model 100. > > Here is the YOUTUBE video showing bluetooth module inside a TRS 80 Model > controlling a WALL-E with M100 keyboard. Click below to see video. > > https://youtu.be/SUclTa5wqcE > > John M. > > On May 20, 2015, at 9:49 AM, Ken Pettit <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hey Mike, > I suppose you could use serial port + Bluetooth to drive an 80x25 > character display. But I wonder how slow it would be to do scrolling, > etc. I was already worried about how slow a parallel port implementation > would be relative to a true system bus connection. And I think the tricky > part about what you said is the word "internal" as it relates to > Bluetooth. Most people don't want to take their machines apart and take a > soldering iron to them, myself included and I even have the skills to do it > (or at least I tell myself I do ;) > > As far as the how, the SysROM has multiple RST 7 hooks for sending > characters to the LCD. And it uses RAM variables to record the current > screen dimensions (which are initialized to 40x8). Redirecting to anything > other than the internal LCD (i.e. DVI system bus, parallel port, serial > port, etc.) requires installing a relatively small .CO program and RST7 > hooks to intercept the data going to the LCD. And BASIC has a WIDTH > command for setting the width to either 40 or 80. But the WIDTH command > will fail unless you have actually installed a RST7 hook to handle it. > > Ken >
