75 Introduction
75 Upgrading Your MacCharlie
75 Adding a Second Disk Drive
76 Adding Random Access Memory
76 The Numeric Data Co-processor
77 Printers
77 Adding the IBM PC Compatible Expansion System
You may underestimate your needs when you first purchase your MacCharlie. Or your needs may grow as you discover how much flexibility MacCharlie offers you. In either case, it is possible to add a number of options so that MacCharlie can keep up with your requirements. You can add either a second disk drive or additional RAM, up to 640 KB, or both. If you have a requirement for extensive mathematical calculations, you can add the Numeric Data Co-processor chip. You may find that you need a letter quality printer, or a wide carriage dot matrix printer. These too can be added to MacCharlie.
However, if you have a requirement for additional capabilities for communications, networking, hard disk support, additional RAM, or a myriad of other special uses, you will need to expand your system. By adding an expansion chassis, you can add additional circuit boards to give you the needed capabilities. This chapter tells you how to go about all of these things.
Upgrades require removing the cover from MacCharlie. Authorized Dayna Dealers are the only ones who can make such modifications without invalidating the limited warranty. See the inside back cover for more information on the limited warranty on hardware.
MacCharlie is available for purchase in two models, MacCharlie and MacCharlie Plus. MacCharlie has 256 KB of RAM, compared to 640 KB RAM in MacCharlie Plus. Likewise, MacCharlie has a single floppy disk drive, while MacCharlie Plus has two drives.
If you anticipated that your needs were best met by the 640 KB of RAM and the two disk drives in MacCharlie Plus, then that is probably the version that you purchased. If, however, your requirements were smaller, you may have bought MacCharlie.
Initially, MacCharlie may be adequate for all of your anticipated needs. But if you later find that your needs have expanded, or that there isn't enough memory to run the software you have grown into, or that you are tired of having to swap diskettes in and out of your single drive, you will want to consider upgrading.
These modifications are relatively easy for your Authorized Dayna Dealer to perform. Take MacCharlie in, and he will be glad to do it for you.
Some IBM PC software is organized in such a fashion that it frequently accesses the drive to load subprograms into memory during the progress of its work.
If you also need to have a data diskette installed in the drive because the software repeatedly wants to write output data to the diskette, you ought to have a second disk drive. The inconvenience of having to continually swap your diskettes in and out of the drive will get old very quickly. It can be done, but the cost to you in efficiency is usually not worth it.
MacCharlie is set up to receive a second disk drive in the manufacturing process. The disk drive controller is ready for the second drive. The ribbon cable and power lead are there.
Your Authorized Dayna Dealer already has all of the parts and tools that he needs. He will have to remove the cover to make the modification. He can remove the faceplate covering the receptacle provided for the second disk drive, install the drive, fasten it to the structure, connect the two electrical connections, and, presto! You have a two drive MacCharlie all ready to go to work for you. By having your dealer do the work, your warranty is not affected one bit.
MacCharlie, with 256 KB of RAM, has plenty of memory for running the majority of business applications. You should find it more than adequate for the majority of tasks you need performed. However, MacCharlie doesn't have as much flexibility as MacCharlie Plus. More and more software packages are coming on the market that require more than the average amount of memory. Several need at least 512 KB of RAM, and some require more. As your needs for more and more computing capability grow, MacCharlie can grow with them. Your Authorized Dayna Dealer is ready to assist you. He can practically take care of the modification while you wait.
Your Authorized Dayna Dealer also has all of the parts and tools that he needs. He will have to remove the cover to make the modification. In a short time, your MacCharlie will be able to do all that a MacCharlie Plus can do.
MacCharlie is set up to support the numeric data co processor chip, the Intel 8087, often called the Math Co processor. If you have need for very high speed mathematical calculations, and the software package you are using has an 8087 version, you should consider having your Authorized Dayna Dealer install an 8087 chip in MacCharlie. He will have this chip in stock, and can make the modification very quickly. You will then need to buy the 8087 version of the software in order to take full advantage of MacCharlie's capability.
MacCharlie enables you to print IBM PC formatted output on your Imagewriter printer, or you can print on any serial printer that is IBM PC compatible. You attach it to MacCharlie through the RS-232 serial port. You will need a cable that is specifically set up for that printer and the IBM PC.
The manual that came with your serial printer should provide the details on how to connect it and operate it. The manual that comes with your application software package will discuss setting up your software to be compatible with your printer. Follow the instructions for setting up a serial printer with the IBM PC.
If you are going to buy a printer specifically to support your MacCharlie system, you will need to get the serial version of the printer you have selected. If, on the other hand, you are going to use a parallel printer that you owned before you got your MacCharlie, you will need to place a serial-to-parallel converter between MacCharlie and the printer. Such devices are generally available for most printers, particularly those that come in both serial and parallel versions. Your Authorized Dayna Dealer can be of assistance in this area.
There are no provisions within MacCharlie for adding circuit cards internally to support specific functions, as there is on the IBM PC. MacCharlie is intentionally designed to keep the desktop footprint, which is the space MacCharlie occupies on your desktop, very small.
For those MacCharlie users who must have expansion capability, there is a bus extension connector on the back of MacCharlie. Through this connector, vou may hook up any expansion chassis designed for the IBM PC. Any IBM PC compatible cards may then be inserted into the expansion chassis, giving MacCharlie the same additional capabilities that the IBM PC would pick up with the addition of those cards to its system unit.
This expansion bus connector makes it possible for MacCharlie to support a hard disk, to add a parallel port, additional serial ports, more RAM, or any of several other expansion options that are available through additional cards. This flexibility has an added advantage in that MacCharlie users who don't need expansion don't have to buy the space for it with their initial purchase of MacCharlie, but if they grow into needing it later on, they can always add it.