USB keys on the Amstrad

[MacDeath]

I was just wondering...

It would be really great to have an USB port to connect good flash USB keys with shittons of .dsk on them.

I know a real USB port with the intent to be generic and universal is a complete utopia on a CPC... but the USBmouse adapter shown me some specific USB products can be really used on CPC anyway...


So I guess having USB Flash sticks as pseudo HardDiscDrive would be a good practical thing.

Having a real HDD may be a pain in the @$$... need perhaps bigger power supply, takes more space on the desk... also the new technologies is too new to be usable on our relic amstrad too...
one terrabyte on my CPC ? are you kidding ? far too much !
Also the "shittons-Pins" connectior for HDD is too a big pain in the...back.

And the Thailand flood got those HDD too expensives too these days.


So, what solution would be the best ? USB keys as pseudo plug and play HDD.

I mean, USB keys are reaching gigas theses days, it's no more really like a Diskette.
While a FloppyDiskemulator is still very usefull, as most game didn't support HDD... what's the point to use a 4 gigas USB key to emulater 180k Disks ?

So perhaps a "HardDD emulator" that would use those USBkeys is the best solution to democratise those HDD on CPC, just like the USBmouse adapter is a good way to democratise Mouse on CPC.

Is it possible ?
Easy ?
Cheap ?


Please tell me it is all of this : possible, cheap and easy !


This would also be the perfect piece of hardware to get those GUI OS more popular on CPC/PLUS (SymbOS and the relooked FutureOS of course)


Bryce : stop sniffing flux and get me some responses please...

(Hardware topic, I should have written it in german I guess... )

[MiguelSky]

I think the old DadMan project did this:
CPC USB loading a BAS file from pendrive and executing it!

[Bryce]

Hi MacDeath,
     ........one moment, I just need to put down that Flux I've been sniffing..... Ahhhhhh
Ok, where were we, oh yes, USB Sticks. Yes, it possible, probably easiest using a AVR or PIC µP or even easier using a USB driver IC. But it also brings the problem that (like a HDD) it needs an OS to read/write/CAT the data. This is the advantage of the HxC and floppy emulators, the software is already there. Otherwise no problem.

Now back to my flux.....

Bryce.

[MacDeath]

But... if this function is simply "added" to the Megaflashboard... and used in co-junction with the awesome USB mouse adapter...

the OS is no more a problem.
F-OS or S-OS are clearly available...

And "F-OSman" (hi Stephan...) is alway willing to add new hardware support...



To be fair, the aim is not to run... old games...

But to run graphics, sounds, copy discs, get some video or whatever...
Or even some internet on a CPC (my arduino with ethernet/TCP/IP shield is still awaiting for this...)

All those things to often denied to CPC because nobody had HDD for those.


And of course, most modern productions should be able to run from thess too...
Provbided the coders are not a b unch of purists...


so it would perhaps be loaded faster and wouldn't waste some floppydisks nor use the already well used floppy disk drive...

(yeah I know those HxC emulator ruxxx but i don't have any nor want any ATM...)

[TFM]

And "F-OSman" (hi Stephan...) is alway willing to add new hardware support...

Of course   And USB can be handled more easy (means less space for drivers needed) compared to FAT32 on IDE.

BTW: Modern SATAn IDE hard-discs can be connected to ATA hard-discs using an cheap adapter.

BTW2: I'm going to use a 2 TB hard-disc with my CPC. But you know I'm "singulier" in these things.

BTW3: If you guys to the USB falsh-disc adapter, I'm there to help with the software. But if this is getting seriouis, then this will be a topic for PMs or better a developper ML (guess some people would like to contribute).

BTW4: IMHO it's more important to finish actually running projects in progress, that to start new ones before.

What the feck does BTW mean???

[steve]

BTW means "by the way" and is used in connection with things that are not directly related to the topic being discussed but may be of interest or relevant to the listener/reader or subject.

PS means postscript and is an after-thought added to the post.

[MacDeath]

looks like a low blow...


anyway, the good point with the USB stick is that it is an easy way to channel shittons of Datas from a PC into the CPC.
The connection is very simple.

the thing is easily available (we all have alot of them) and easy to carry.

It also keeps the "sneakerware" aspect that was so caracteristic from the CPC era (inb4 internet).


And just a simple stick smaller than my finger can house 4 or 8Gigas... quite enough to get the integrality of existing amstrad Software library (sort of).


clearly would be the most practicall Mass-Data storage solution IMHO.

Better then CDs or real HDD or big boxes of Floppies.