News:

Printed Amstrad Addict magazine announced, check it out here!

Main Menu
avatar_CPCIak

Pros & Cons HxC SD-Interface

Started by CPCIak, 13:07, 11 May 10

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

CPCIak

I know "power stealing" from the monitor is probematic. If the HxC is the only device connected, everything works great.

Bryce

The 5V supply has tonnes of headroom (not a reference to my icon), you can easily supply the HxC and a few peripherals without any problems. My 6128 is connected to an MP2 not a monitor, but it has a similar output and I have connected the HxC, MegaROM, PS/2 Mouse, DKT speech synth and DKT lightpen all at once without any problems, in fact I still had around 80mA left over :) On the Plus (due to the disc drive motors being powered from the 5V too) you might start having problems when the drive is running.

Bryce.

Gryzor

Hey guys/Jeff,

On a MicroSD that was working perfectly (used it today) I added Batman FOrever and SubHunter and now I get (when the interface loads) Floppy Access Error! [64] . I had asked this half a year ago, but I got no reply... any help? Window's ScanDisk (or whatever nowadays) reports no problems...

Cheers
Themis

Gryzor

#253
Hmmm weird. I deleted the specific files from the SD, then copied them again, and the SD seems to be working fine.

However: the one-disk version of Batman Forever doesn't load (can't find disk in drive, maybe HxC's limitation??). BUT! The HXC converter cannot convert the single-sided version of the demo...

Can anyone confirm?
Jeff, if you can test the attached file which causes HxCFloppyEmulator 1.5.2.1 to freeze (or crashes, depending on its mood), I'd be grateful...


Debug info:

  Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
  Application Name: HxCFloppyEmulator.exe
  Application Version: 1.5.2.1
  Application Timestamp: 4d3ae63c
  Fault Module Name: HxCFloppyEmulator.exe
  Fault Module Version: 1.5.2.1
  Fault Module Timestamp: 4d3ae63c
  Exception Code: c0000005
  Exception Offset: 000056cd
  OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
  Locale ID: 1032
  Additional Information 1: cb19
  Additional Information 2: cb1977b9167d9009e8c446802ebdbca0
  Additional Information 3: 844f
  Additional Information 4: 844f45d7f6cea0c52e79411ff9bb9b67


PS I just noticed FTDI D2XX Direct Drivers on the download page. What is this for?

Bryce

I ran Batman Forever (single disk version) from the HxC on a 4GB SD Card and it worked fine, are you using the latest version of the converter?

Bryce.

Gryzor

Yes, 1.5.2.1 . Could you upload the hfe?

Bryce

I'll send you it tonight.

Bryce.

Gryzor


Jeff_HxC2001

#258
Quote from: Gryzor on 11:53, 29 March 11
Hey guys/Jeff,

On a MicroSD that was working perfectly (used it today) I added Batman FOrever and SubHunter and now I get (when the interface loads) Floppy Access Error! [64] . I had asked this half a year ago, but I got no reply... any help? Window's ScanDisk (or whatever nowadays) reports no problems...

Cheers
Themis

Not sure but your random sdcard problems is maybe due to a compatibility problem between your SDcard and the Revision B board.
To correct this, you can put a 1800 ohms (1.8Kohms)  resistor in parrallel of R28 (between pin 1 & 2 of U11 for example).
Schematic : http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/SDCard_HxCFloppyEmulator_Kit.zip
This possible issue is corrected with the rev C boards.

For the batman demo the single sided disk seems to be wrong (bad track numbers...). Not sure what i should do in this case.
The one disk version is working well.


Another point : Your issues can be due to a floppy cable problem...

Last point : did you have the last firmware version?


EDIT : And very important : Can you check you power supply?



Devilmarkus

Quote from: Gryzor on 12:03, 29 March 11
However: the one-disk version of Batman Forever doesn't load (can't find disk in drive, maybe HxC's limitation??).

The file you attached here is side A from disk 1. You also need side B and disk 2
When you put your ear on a hot stove, you can smell how stupid you are ...

Amstrad CPC games in your webbrowser

JavaCPC Desktop Full Release

Gryzor

Hey Jeff,

Thanks for your really prompt reply...

As it so happens, while you were typing this I was updating my FW (hadn't done so in a while). Guess what - it worked first time :)

As for the single-sided version, I think in another thread it was pointed out that there was something weird with track numbering indeed (yet it runs under emulators).

All's well then - no need for soldering perhaps. But could you expand on what this would fix?

Thanks again!
T


PS @Markus: duh :D Of course, but the problem lies with the converter not converting the disk, that's why I only attached that one :)

Bryce

Hi Jeff,
       a technical question: I assume that adding the extra resistor is to slightly rise the 3.3V line voltage? How high are you rising it? Are there issues with certain SD cards that need to be slightly above 3.3V? Or were you slightly below the 3.3 volts on Rev B. ?

Bryce.

Jeff_HxC2001

Quote from: Bryce on 12:39, 29 March 11
Hi Jeff,
       a technical question: I assume that adding the extra resistor is to slightly rise the 3.3V line voltage? How high are you rising it? Are there issues with certain SD cards that need to be slightly above 3.3V? Or were you slightly below the 3.3 volts on Rev B. ?

Bryce.

This resistor push the sdcard voltage up to 3.55V. This reduce the PIC/Voltage difference.
According to the SDCard specification ALL SDCard must support up to 3.6V.


Bryce

Ah ok, interesting. I haven't experienced this problem with my device, but if I do I'll swap the resistor (not as messy as adding a parallel resistor).

Thanks,
Bryce.

Jeff_HxC2001

Quote from: Gryzor on 12:30, 29 March 11
As for the single-sided version, I think in another thread it was pointed out that there was something weird with track numbering indeed (yet it runs under emulators).

Where ?

Quote from: Gryzor on 12:30, 29 March 11
All's well then - no need for soldering perhaps. But could you expand on what this would fix?

If you have no strange sdcard behaviors (sdcard not detected when the system is cold or warm...) no.

The issue is possible with Rev B boards when the power supply is over 5.3V and/or with some sdcard.

Jeff_HxC2001

Quote from: Bryce on 12:55, 29 March 11
Ah ok, interesting. I haven't experienced this problem with my device, but if I do I'll swap the resistor (not as messy as adding a parallel resistor).

Thanks,
Bryce.

In this case the value of the new resistor is not the same !!! And you must change another one too:

R28 must be changed to 180 ohms and R30 must be changed to 330 ohms. 
R28=180ohms (old value 220 ohms)   
R30=330ohms (old value 360 ohms)


OR

You can put a 1800 ohms (1.8Kohms)  resistor in parrallel of R28 (between pin 1   & 2 of U11 for example)


As you want ;-)


Bryce

Don't worry, I know how to calculate the output voltage of an LM1117-ADJ :) I would have calculated it first.

I assume you've used Vout = 1.25 (1+ R30/R28) or similar?

Bryce.

Phi2x

#267
.

Gryzor

Quote from: Jeff_HxC2001 on 12:56, 29 March 11
Where ?

Ah darn I have just spent several minutes looking for it but can't find it... My imagination? Can anyone confirm whether there was a post about the demo's tracks?

Quote from: Jeff_HxC2001 on 12:56, 29 March 11
If you have no strange sdcard behaviors (sdcard not detected when the system is cold or warm...) no.
The issue is possible with Rev B boards when the power supply is over 5.3V and/or with some sdcard.

Ah I see. Every now and then I get the SD not found message when I first turn it on, I always took it out and reinserted it a couple of times and it got fixed. That's that, I guess... thanks.

Jeff_HxC2001

Quote from: phi2x on 13:50, 29 March 11
I faced the same issue when parsing these dsk files on my emulator CPCBox.

But there is a twist in the end of the DSK format documentation: http://www.cpctech.org.uk/docs/dsk.html
As described there, tracks are stored in order, from 0 to (n-1). with n being the number of tracks of the dsk image.

So, the track numbering information inside Track Information Blocks are redundant and unnecessary, and can be safely discarded.

Thanks for these informations...
So this means that there are no possibility to have a dsk with some missing tracks ? Right ? I hope so ;-)

arnoldemu

#270
Quote from: Jeff_HxC2001 on 16:08, 29 March 11
Thanks for these informations...
So this means that there are no possibility to have a dsk with some missing tracks ? Right ? I hope so ;-)
With the standard dsk format, there will be data (at least the header exists) for all tracks. However, it may just be a track header, and number of sectors will be set to 0.

Each track header is a physical track on the disc. The actual number within the track doesn't necessarily have to be correct, and the same for the C value of the IDs.

In fact, I've found the only data to be reliable in the track header:

The ident (excluding \r\n)
number of sectors.

all others may not be accurate, including gap and filler byte.

It is also possible to have a dsk format, with less than 40 tracks, the rest should be treated as unformatted.

However, with the extended dsk format:
http://www.cpctech.org.uk/docs/extdsk.html

It has information about the tracks in the header. The tracks are ordered as they would be on a physical disc.
A track size of 0, means unformatted and there may be no data for the track in the image.
But you can also have a track size of 1, which is just the header and no sectors, so also unformatted, or last, a header + sector data.

EDIT: With my emu I look at number of tracks and sides, then I treat them as if physically ordered:

track 0, track 1, track 2 etc

or

track 0 side 0, track 0 side 1, track 1 side 0, track 1 side 2 for 2 sided.

I ignore track number and side in the track header.


My games. My Games
My website with coding examples: Unofficial Amstrad WWW Resource

TFM

Quote from: phi2x on 13:50, 29 March 11
So, the track numbering information inside Track Information Blocks are redundant and unnecessary, and can be safely discarded.

No, because they can be different. Some copy protection systems (CPC) use this feature.
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Phi2x

#272
.

Jeff_HxC2001

Quote from: TFM/FS on 21:04, 29 March 11

No, because they can be different. Some copy protection systems (CPC) use this feature.

mhhh i was afraid of that. That's why i actually use the track number present in the track header as the physical track number... So what is the truth? ;) Is the batman disk images broken or the DSK format itself is broken ?

With which tool the batman dsk file was created ?

Gryzor

Argh... this is getting more unstable than I'd like...

On the SD I was using, I copied a newly converted HFE. Then I started getting the [64] error... Removed that one file, fully formatted the card and copied everything back, now (with the original SD handler program) I'm getting the "could not load fat details (-2)!" error... What should I check?

Thanks again...

Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod