Gotek and HxC floppy emulators

[GUNHED]

Well, the Gotek can use DSK file, the HxC can't. Right?
The HxC is even more expansive though.
Is there a way to "patch" the HxC to use DSK files too?

[dodogildo]

Is there a way to "patch" the HxC to use DSK files too?

Been a while. Has this mystery ever been solved?

[norecess464]

@GUNHED @dodogildo 
The HxC "SD Card" version only supports HFE files. To my knowledge, it's an hardware limitation and not a firmware issue.
The HxC "USB Key" version supports both HFE+DSK files.
All versions of the Gotek supports HFE+DSK files.

While I have been really greateful for all the good services the original HxC "SD Card" version provided through the years, I switched this year to the Gotek and I have to say, managing DSK files directly (without HFE<>DSK conversions) was an appreciable relief for me.

Of course, the HxC Manager will continue to support all versions in future versions.

[St-BeidE(DE/GB)]

I bought a Gotek also, a couple of weeks ago and I can second @norecess464 statement.
Even better, the Gotek has a rotary encoder and Oled.
It was a very good investment.

Steven 
 

[zhulien]

My understanding is the cpc can also use the native mass storage mode of the hxc and that isnt possible on the gotek.

[eto]

native mass storage mode

what is that? I quickly checked the HXC manual but can't find anything about it.

[pelrun]

My understanding is the cpc can also use the native mass storage mode of the hxc and that isnt possible on the gotek.

Of course the gotek can do it - how do you think norecess's hxc manager works? 

what is that? I quickly checked the HXC manual but can't find anything about it.

It's a way to let software access the raw sectors of the usb stick, not something an end user can take advantage of. It's accessed by doing specially formatted sector reads and writes to track 255 (which obviously a real disc will never have.)

[Prodatron]

what is that? I quickly checked the HXC manual but can't find anything about it.

It's a way to let software access the raw sectors of the usb stick, not something an end user can take advantage of. It's accessed by doing specially formatted sector reads and writes to track 255 (which obviously a real disc will never have.)

Sector 0 of track 255 is used for writing "command" information (read/write mode, first LBA, number of sectors to read/write) and then sectors 1-8 are used for transfering the data directly to/from the SD card or USB stick.

The end user can take advantage of this, if you have a filesystem driver, which is directly supporting the direct access like in SymbOS where the SD card of the HxC can be mounted directly as an own FAT32 device.
Amsdos extensions/replacements like UniDOS could do this as well, if someone is writing a driver (if it is not already done?).
Accessing the SD card directly doesn't mean, that data transfer is much faster compared to a floppy disc, as everything is still routed through the FDC.

[zhulien]

My understanding is the cpc can also use the native mass storage mode of the hxc and that isnt possible on the gotek.

Of course the gotek can do it - how do you think norecess's hxc manager works?

Awesome! I thought gotek couldn't do that.