I recently added a cartridge to MAME that emulated a MIDI port for the Color Computer. This post is about how to use the feature with the command line version of MAME.

First you’ll need to setup your host computer’s MIDI functionality. On macOS you use a program called Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder. I do not know how to setup MIDI on a Windows or Linux computer.

After setting up the host interface you will want to start MAME and have it list the MIDI interfaces it can find:

tlindner$ ./mame -listmidi

MIDI input ports:
IAC Driver Bus 1 (default)

MIDI output ports:
IAC Driver Bus 1 (default)

Next, let’s attach a Multi-Pak to the CoCo emulation’s expansion port and list the devices we can attach to each slot.

tlindner$ ./mame coco2b -ext multi -listslots
SYSTEM           SLOT NAME        SLOT OPTIONS     SLOT DEVICE NAME
---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------------------
coco2b           rs232            dec_loopback     RS232 Loopback (DEC 12-15336-00)
                                  ie15             IE15 Terminal
                                  keyboard         Serial Keyboard
                                  loopback         RS232 Loopback
                                  null_modem       RS232 Null Modem
                                  printer          Serial Printer
                                  pty              Pseudo terminal
                                  rs_printer       Radio Shack Serial Printer
                                  sunkbd           Sun Keyboard Adaptor
                                  swtpc8212        SWTPC8212 Terminal
                                  terminal         Serial Terminal

                 ext              cc2hdb1          CoCo2 HDB-DOS
                                  cc3hdb1          CoCo3 HDB-DOS
                                  ccpsg            CoCo PSG
                                  cd6809_fdc       Codimex CD-6809 Disk BASIC (1986)
                                  cp450_fdc        Prológica CP-450 BASIC Disco V. 1.0 (1984)
                                  dcmodem          CoCo Direct Connect Modem PAK
                                  fdc              CoCo FDC
                                  fdcv11           CoCo FDC v1.1
                                  games_master     CoCo Games Master Cartridge
                                  midi             CoCo MIDI PAK
                                  multi            CoCo Multi-Pak Interface
                                  orch90           CoCo Orch-90 PAK
                                  ram              Disto 1024K RAM Cartridge
                                  rs232            CoCo Deluxe RS-232 PAK
                                  ssc              CoCo S/SC PAK
                                  stecomp          Speech Systems Stereo Composer
                                  sym12            Speech Systems Symphony Twelve

                 ext:multi:slot1  ccpsg            CoCo PSG
                                  dcmodem          CoCo Direct Connect Modem PAK
                                  games_master     CoCo Games Master Cartridge
                                  midi             CoCo MIDI PAK
                                  orch90           CoCo Orch-90 PAK
                                  ram              Disto 1024K RAM Cartridge
                                  rs232            CoCo Deluxe RS-232 PAK
                                  ssc              CoCo S/SC PAK
                                  stecomp          Speech Systems Stereo Composer
                                  sym12            Speech Systems Symphony Twelve

                 ext:multi:slot2  ccpsg            CoCo PSG
                                  dcmodem          CoCo Direct Connect Modem PAK
                                  games_master     CoCo Games Master Cartridge
                                  midi             CoCo MIDI PAK
                                  orch90           CoCo Orch-90 PAK
                                  ram              Disto 1024K RAM Cartridge
                                  rs232            CoCo Deluxe RS-232 PAK
                                  ssc              CoCo S/SC PAK
                                  stecomp          Speech Systems Stereo Composer
                                  sym12            Speech Systems Symphony Twelve

                 ext:multi:slot3  ccpsg            CoCo PSG
                                  dcmodem          CoCo Direct Connect Modem PAK
                                  games_master     CoCo Games Master Cartridge
                                  midi             CoCo MIDI PAK
                                  orch90           CoCo Orch-90 PAK
                                  ram              Disto 1024K RAM Cartridge
                                  rs232            CoCo Deluxe RS-232 PAK
                                  ssc              CoCo S/SC PAK
                                  stecomp          Speech Systems Stereo Composer
                                  sym12            Speech Systems Symphony Twelve

                 ext:multi:slot4  cc2hdb1          CoCo2 HDB-DOS
                                  cc3hdb1          CoCo3 HDB-DOS
                                  ccpsg            CoCo PSG
                                  cd6809_fdc       Codimex CD-6809 Disk BASIC (1986)
                                  cp450_fdc        Prológica CP-450 BASIC Disco V. 1.0 (1984)
                                  dcmodem          CoCo Direct Connect Modem PAK
                                  fdc              CoCo FDC
                                  fdcv11           CoCo FDC v1.1
                                  games_master     CoCo Games Master Cartridge
                                  midi             CoCo MIDI PAK
                                  orch90           CoCo Orch-90 PAK
                                  ram              Disto 1024K RAM Cartridge
                                  rs232            CoCo Deluxe RS-232 PAK
                                  ssc              CoCo S/SC PAK
                                  stecomp          Speech Systems Stereo Composer
                                  sym12            Speech Systems Symphony Twelve

                 ext:multi:slot4:fdcv11:wd17xx:0 qd               5.25" quad density floppy drive
                 ext:multi:slot4:fdcv11:wd17xx:1 qd               5.25" quad density floppy drive
                 ext:multi:slot4:fdcv11:wd17xx:2 qd               5.25" quad density floppy drive
                 ext:multi:slot4:fdcv11:wd17xx:3 qd               5.25" quad density floppy drive

There is a lot to take in, but what we’re interested in is that slot ‘ext:multi:slot3″ has an option of midi. To start an emulation with a MIDI cart in that slot you type:

./mame coco2b -ext multi -ext:multi:slot3 midi

Don’t worry there is no floppy disk cartridge specified, it is the default for slot 4.
Next we need to connect the host’s MIDI interface to MAME. Refer back the the start of this tutorial and recall the names of the available midi interfaces.

The host-to-emulation MIDI connection is made using a medial type. Issue this command to see the available media types:

tlindner$ ./mame coco2b -ext multi -ext:multi:slot3 midi -listmedia
SYSTEM           MEDIA NAME       (brief)    IMAGE FILE EXTENSIONS SUPPORTED
---------------- --------------------------- -------------------------------
coco2b           cassette         (cass)     .wav  .cas  
                 printout         (prin)     .prn  
                 cartridge1       (cart1)    .ccc  .rom  
                 cartridge2       (cart2)    .ccc  .rom  
                 cartridge3       (cart3)    .ccc  .rom  
                 cartridge4       (cart4)    .ccc  .rom  
                 midiin           (min)      .mid  
                 midiout1         (mout1)    .mid  
                 midiout2         (mout2)    .mid  
                 cartridge5       (cart5)    .ccc  .rom  
                 floppydisk1      (flop1)    .dmk  .jvc  .dsk  .vdk  .sdf  .os9  .d77  .d88  .1dd  .dfi  .hfe  .imd  .ipf  .mfi  .mfm  .td0  .cqm  .cqi  
                 floppydisk2      (flop2)    .dmk  .jvc  .dsk  .vdk  .sdf  .os9  .d77  .d88  .1dd  .dfi  .hfe  .imd  .ipf  .mfi  .mfm  .td0  .cqm  .cqi  
                 harddisk1        (hard1)    .vhd  
                 harddisk2        (hard2)    .vhd  

Note the avaiablilty of midiin, midiout1, and midiout2. Midiin is the media type used to send information to the CoCo. Midiout1 is the MIDI THRU port that automatically sends any incoming data out. Midiout2 is the regular MIDI OUT that is under software control in the emulation.
This is an example of sending MIDI input into the CoCo emulation:

tlindner$ ./mame coco2b -ext multi -ext:multi:slot3 midi -midiin "IAC Driver Bus 1"

Using CoCo software to do something with all this is left as an excessive to the reader.

I just retyped the manual. I created a page for it. See it here.

It may seem like nothing happened for these two years. You’d be right.

It seems I’m only doing year end posts now. I’m not happy about this. If I wanted to do it more, I’d do it more. So let do it more!
In April of 2017 I went to the CoCoFest in Chicago. I met with my many wonderful friends. Learned a lot of new things. One thing I did different this year is I got a late flight out Monday, around 5 PM. After checking out of the hotel I took a cab to downtown Chicago and spent some time sight-seeing. It was really fun and decided to do it again in 2018. Although in 2018 I think I’ll head straight to a museum. Spend the whole day in there.
In early July I flew to Oregon and spent a week with my sister in Sun River. A lovely place to rent cabins and go to the nearby waterpark. We also went to an Observatory, where I saw the rings of Saturn for the first time. My Uncle Mel also joined us for the trip and he made the whole thing 200% more fun. The lava cast forrest also deserves a mention as a really neat place to visit.
In late July I had a week of hell, also known as the best week ever. On Thursday, July 26 I went into The City to watch a live Mystery Science Theatre 3000 show (Movie: Eegah). Then the next day I went back for a second show (Movie: Argoman the Fantastic Superman). Then the next day I went back for an OMD show. They played some fantastic new stuff from their recently released album. Then the next day I flew to Los Angeles and saw OMD again with 5 other 80s bands. Then the next day, Sunday, my daughter (Megan) and I went to Universal Studios. Whew!
In November the Wine Country Fires took my brother’s home. He and his family then moved to Portland. Bummer for me, good for my sister.
In December I flew to England to spend time with my other daughter (Bethany). We made our way to Garmisch Germany. We stayed at a nice hotel, spa. Visited the Linderhoff Palace. And toured a microbrew; Griesbräu Zu Murnau. In German it was nicely covered in snow, very beautiful.
In late December my boss of many, many years decided to up and move to Oregon. And I also signed up for Tinder.

In July of 2017 I went to 80s Weekend concert in LA. I was 5 rows from the front, near the center. It was so amazing. I was able to see bands that I never thought I’d see. Here is the set list.

The Fixx

Red Skies
Second song
One Thing Leads to Another
Stand or Fall
Deeper and Deeper
Saved by Zero

Collin Hay (of Men at Work)

Come Tumblin’ Down
It’s a Mistake
Who Can It Be Now?
Overkill
Down Under
I’m Walking Here
Be Good Johnny

Berlin

Take My Breath Away
The Metro
No More Words
Sex…(I’m A)

The Psychedelic Furs

President Gas
Love My Way
Angels Don’t Cry
The Ghost in You
Heartbeat
Heaven
Heartbreak Beat
Pretty in Pink

Belinda Carlisle

Mad About You
Head Over Heels
I Get Weak
Circle in the Sand
Leave a Light On
Our Lips Are Sealed
We Got the Beat
Heaven Is a Place on Earth

OMD

Enola Gay
Secret
Tesla Girls
History of Modern (Part 1)
If You Leave
(Forever) Live and Die
Joan of Arc
So in Love
Dreaming
Locomotion
Electricity

Is it customary if you never do it?

The year is almost over and I thought it was time to take a quick look back. This is the year I traveled. A lot.

In April I went to the CoCoFest in Chicago. That was super fun and plan to do it again in 2017.

In June I went to South Korea to visit my daughter Bethany. I was out of the country for the first time ever on this trip and I made the most of it. And by most of it I mean spending a lot of time in an American hotel on an American Air Force base. Bethany had to work most day but we made the most of our time together. The last day I was there, I spent on my own in a real Korean airport hotel. Wonderful toilet.

In July I flew to Oregon to go family camping with my sister, and some of her friends. This year we went to Nehalem state beach. It was very beautify and serene overall a wonderful week off work. I really love my sister.

Finally in November I flew to England to visit my daughter Bethany at her new base. We spent a night in Cambridge, then a night in London, then two nights in Dublin. So much fun, such beautiful places. I got to meet some of Beth’s friends and over all had a great time.

The other great thing about 2016 is my other daughter, Megan, decided to move much closer to where I live. I get to see her more than twice weekly and it has been a blast.

I wrote an article about modifying Super Extended Color BASIC.

I biked down to Santos Pacheco Fountain today. Before now I didn’t know it existed. I normally just ride thru the park, eventually making a loop back to my home. But this time I heard something different. I looked into walking path and found a small fountain.
I noticed it this time because it was loud. I don’t think they have ever turned it up this high before. The water made such a roar. Much too loud for it’s size.
I sat down on the fountain bench and turned my back to it. I could see thru a double arch way into Todos Santos park. It was dusk and many families were packing up, getting ready to go home.
But every time I tried to think of something else, the rushing water always brought my attention back to it. All of a sudden instead of sitting on a concrete bench, I was sitting on a 200 ton granite boulder watching the water of Nevada Falls fall over it’s lip. Crashing 600 feet below. I was 20 years younger, with my brother and sister. We were just part way thru the hike up to Half Dome.
But now I am back in Concord. It’s getting dark. Time to ride back.

I was driving South on 680 yesterday and a flat bed trailer caught my eye. There was nothing special about it, except the color of the thing it was carrying. It was caring a tractor, an orange tractor, a Kubota orange tractor.

Then a flood of memories came to me.

While growing up, I lived on a small horse ranch. One day, my dad decided we needed a tractor. My whole life I’ve beed around tractors, so it was cool we were going to get one. I knew in my head what tractors looked like: they were green. They were made by John Deere. All tractors were like that.

But my dad brought home an orange tractor. What the hell is an orange tractor? Then it hit me. Anyone can make a tractor. Why couldn’t the Japanesse make a tractor? What’s so special about green, anyway?

It’s fun to remember when your world gets tilted a little. It keeps me grounded. I’d like to think I spend all day tilting my world a little.

As a side note, it’s a little surprising my brother and I aren’t dead from all the times we abused that tractor. It had an articulated bucket on the front. I remember taking turns to riding it up and down. Damn that was fun.