avatar_JonB

Who wants IDE drives on the PCW?

Started by JonB, 12:43, 22 January 17

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

JonB

@SteveH


The pins on my prototype shim are square and 0.65mm thick. I found a datasheet for a wire wrap socket and its pins are also square, but they are .635mm. Better, but not by much. I have some turned pin headers here and they are .48mm in diameter. I think I will use these. :)


SteveH

#51
Quote from: JonB on 17:54, 06 February 17
Check those wire wrap parts don't damage the socket on the motherboard.

<snip>

Don't forget, if you are using a Z80 shim you need a 40 way IDC cable (a PC IDE hard drive cable is perfect) to connect the uIDE and shim together. It is possible you can just solder the boards together, there is a lot of space inside the PCW, but I have not yet tried it out. (I will, though! ;) )

Hmmm, good point about the possibility that wire wrap parts may damage the motherboard socket.  All of the sockets on my machine are the bog standard non-turned pin parts.  I may just stick with your way after all for P1.

But... I may just use male and female IDC connectors on the uIDE and shim so that can simply plug together.  It would mean I couldn't later use a standard 40 pin IDC cable though.

The prices look fine too. :)

Sebastian Blanco

Quote from: JonB on 18:04, 06 February 17

Please let me know what your connectivity option is. I guess you will be wanting the Expansion port with video output?

Yes you are right the one that have the video output  :P

JonB

#53
I have just ordered a bunch of 128MB DOMs to use with uIDE. These support 8 bit mode and LBA as required by the driver, and they are very small, suitable for mounting directly onto the end of the uIDE card with a 90 degree pin header.


You can have one with your uIDE card for an additional £4.


:)

SteveH

Yes please!  I'm up for a 128MB DOM with the uIDE.   :)

Sebastian Blanco


KaosOverride

Great project!!

Can I get listed for a Z80 internal socket version + DOM for a PCW8256? 
KaosOverride · GitHub
MEGA Amstrad Public Amstrad folder

MaV

Quote from: JonB on 14:30, 06 February 17@MaV : Which adapter do you need? Choose from Z80 LHS, Z80 RHS (Recommended: LHS for PCW8256, RHS for PCW9256), Expansion port with video, Expansion port "lite". Do you want them fully assembled or just the boards?
One adapter for the expansion port with video, one LHS adapter, both fully assembled, please!
Black Mesa Transit Announcement System:
"Work safe, work smart. Your future depends on it."

JonB

Quote from: KaosOverride on 11:44, 07 February 17
Great project!!

Can I get listed for a Z80 internal socket version + DOM for a PCW8256?


Assembled or self build?

Audronic

@JonB


Please add 1 (One) 128Meg DOM to my order.
Thanks     Ray
Procrastinators Unite,
If it Ain't Broke PLEASE Don't Fix it.
I keep telling you I am Not Pedantic.
As I Live " Down Under " I Take my Gravity Tablets and Wear my Magnetic Boots to Keep me from Falling off.


greatwolf1283

@JonB

I'm happy to go with your suggestion of one Left-Hand Shim and one Right-Hand Shim.

KaosOverride

Quote from: JonB on 12:14, 07 February 17

Assembled or self build?


Let me some of the fun! I will build myself!!
KaosOverride · GitHub
MEGA Amstrad Public Amstrad folder

Audronic

@JonB


Do you have an approximate cost for an external version


1) Fully built,
2) unbuilt with all components   Please


Thanks   Ray
Procrastinators Unite,
If it Ain't Broke PLEASE Don't Fix it.
I keep telling you I am Not Pedantic.
As I Live " Down Under " I Take my Gravity Tablets and Wear my Magnetic Boots to Keep me from Falling off.

Prodatron

Wow, sorry, didn't see this thread before due to less time for the CPC at the moment, but was already writing with JonB via PMs.
I would like to order 2 boards!

May I ask what was the reason why you decided to use a DOM instead of a CF card? Sorry, somehow I didn't get it exactly.

A SymbOS IDE driver isn't a problem at all, I should be able to use the CPC SYMBiFACE II driver and just modify the port numbers.
Only problem is, that SymbOS doesn't support CP/M file system variantes beside Data, System and PCW single side single density. So if you use an IDE device with SymbOS on the PCW it has to be formatted in FAT12, 16 or 32 (which is also a reason why I would prefer a CF card interface - more data more fun :) ).

@JonB, I just answered your last PM as well.

GRAPHICAL Z80 MULTITASKING OPERATING SYSTEM

JonB

#65
Hi @Prodatron

uIDE will work with some CF cards (not sure which, someone will have to try and let us know) but needs one of those IDE-to-CF card adapters that you see on eBay. However, a DOM is physically smaller (than a CF card plus adapter), looks neater and it supports power on IDE pin 20, which many CF card adapters don't (although having said that, there is a power supply on the uIDE board next to the IDE port for this reason, or you could modify the adapter).

The original concept was for a simple, cheap, easy to build generic IDE adapter to support CP/M machines, which are limited to 16 partitions of 8MB each, hence the "default" choice of 128MB DOMs. Although there's nothing stopping you from fitting a bigger DOM, of course.

Regarding your boards, which connectivity option(s) do you prefer?

Audronic

Procrastinators Unite,
If it Ain't Broke PLEASE Don't Fix it.
I keep telling you I am Not Pedantic.
As I Live " Down Under " I Take my Gravity Tablets and Wear my Magnetic Boots to Keep me from Falling off.

JonB

#67
Blake's Seven Federation logo. Supposed to have a white background...


[edit: That's better...]

JonB

One more point.


Having investigated the parts cost and likely assembly time, I decided that I can't offer these boards assembled unless I have at least 10 orders (of each board that people want). So far there are only 3 as most people just want the boards. Also @Audronic, I do not wish to supply a kit of parts as it is error prone and time consuming.


So, if you want the boards assembled, please add the following to the board cost, which includes parts and labour:

       
  • uIDE-8 - £35
  • PCW expansion (video) - £25
  • PCW expansion "lite" - £20
  • Z80 shim (LHS or RHS) - £15
Yes, there is a cost to assemble (my time) but it is minimal. I won't be retiring on this!

GeoffB17

Thanks for your efforts, Jon.


Yes, I would like one of the 'PCW Expansion 'lite'' units, assembled if possible.   If it can come with the DOM, etc, ready to plug on and go, even better.


Geoff


SteveH

Nice on Jon  :)

Could the BOMs be added to the Wiki page?  Seeing as you've kindly added the Farnell part no.s for lazy so-n-so's like me.  ;D

Cheers
Steve

JonB

#72
Yes, once I make some changes. The main one being swapping the tantalum capacitors for ordinary ceramic types on the advice of @Bryce.


I wouldn't order parts yet if I were you. The boards are going to take a while to turn up, and even then there may be problems with them, which is why I ordered a small number for the time being.

opticpow


Jon,


Put me down for an external lite with DOM.


Thanks,


Wayne.

JonB

#74
@opticpow : OK. I will assume you are self-building.

And now an announcement.

       
  • The bad news: I made an error with the Gerber drill file and the first batch is not going to be usable. This means a delay.
  • The good news: I was able to submit another order and include it with the shipping of the old order. This means the board will use the v0.5 layout, which has an improved jumper block (you can populate it with three horizontal strips of 5 pin headers (rather than 5 vertical strips of 3). This should make it a bit easier to assemble. See below.



[attach=2]

Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod