"3.5 inch USB SSD Floppy Drive Emulator 1.44MB": Could this be a Poor Man's HxC?

[Gryzor]

It seems the Amiga community has hacked these devices and got them to load Amiga files.
I bet the same can be done for the CPC!
Cortex Amiga Floppy Emulator

Really nice! If it was done for the Amiga it can probably be done for other machines too?

[Token]

Really nice! If it was done for the Amiga it can probably be done for other machines too?

Someone called Edglex is trying to do it =]


I can't wait to test it myself on the Amiga, and see if it's nice to use. Then I might buy more of these  



"Hi there, I'm interested in making this work with amstrad CPC dsk files (which also MFM encoding). It would be quicker for me to do so if you'd share the source code though. Would you consider it? I would keep the code private if that's what you want"

[Gryzor]

Crossing fingers

[Token]

teh winrar


Lucky



Hervemessinger, who did the hack just wrote that "In fact i plan to add the cpc dsk support myself. I have a CPC too"

[Munchausen]

And just when I was getting sdiskemul working (going to keep working on it though)!


£20 for a floppy emulator is awesome, hope it happens!

[Token]

Damn I need the TTL cable now.


I have the SSD floppy since this morning. Fast! Last time it was just a spdif cable, it tooks more than a month. It's very light and it doesn't need to be opened to see the connectors for the firmware. It comes with 4 black screws too. (smaller than the CPC side thought)


I might buy another TTL cable cause I think I made an error... It's not clear to me if RX & TX "are 3,3V". I wait a second answer from the seller, but he seem's not really know what to do with me ;(


from the ebay page:
"Note: After setting 3.3V and 5.0V output (this is
To the microcontroller power supply, no need to upgrade the machine)
please put the small plate unplug from the computer, set the jumper to take, do not charged to avoid damage to the device.
"


PL2303HX Cable Adaptateur Pour Arduino Convertisseur USB Vers Serie RS232 TTL |


Black cable-----GND
Green cable----TXD
White cable----RXD
Red cable ---- VCC (5V)
It looks very 5V to me... I saw other TTL cable with 5 connector, with the 3,3V

[Bryce]

What are you connecting the TTL cable to?

Bryce.

[Token]

The USB SSD Floppy Drive Emulator, I own the same Gotek now.
Cortex Amiga Floppy Emulator




It was ok to me until I read and clicked MacDeath's cpcrulez link (RaspberryPi as HxC alternative)


http://cpcrulez.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5194&start=15


TotO wrote:
"
fano a écrit :
Un adaptateur serial USB suffit d'après ce qui est écrit , ça vaut trois fois rien.
(celui livré avec minibooster devrait faire l'affaire)
A condition de s'assurer que RX/TX sont biens en 3.3V, oui le câble pourrait faire l'affaire.
"
(sorry for the mess, he talk about the same floppy, the info is splitted everywhere )

[Bryce]

As with all electronics, always refer to the datasheet: And according to this datasheet, your's is a 3.3V device.
http://www.adafruit.com/datasheets/PL2303HX.pdf

Bryce.

[Token]

Nice 

[KaosOverride]

Got mine for my Amigas 

After looking at the docs in the drivers CD, there is one particular model which looks nice...  SFRM72-FU-DL

720kb, READY compatible, raw image support

Ok, not nice for CPC SYSTEM and DATA formats, because its IMAGE format is the same as WinImage or WinHex makes. That's IBM PC format. So IMAGEs only have raw sector dumps...

But CPC also reads IBM format, but with AMSDOS-CP/M filesystem...

This 720kb unit has IMAGE format because of nonDOS floppies support (MINIX, LINUX, propietary industrial apps, etc). Other models just have on the USB a directory structure with 000 001 002 003 names, and you put in them a bunch of files which size could not exceed 720kb in this case, 1.44mb on the other HD models. Looks like each model has specific firmware for it's capabilities... but hardware is the same always.

It looks as a nice testing subject... converting .DSK SYSTEM/DATA CPC images to IBM raw images looks trivial. I have made some simulations and will work on a comand line util for it.

Most of unprotected utils/games should work (Most of CPCgamesCD, compacted games, most cracked games...)

If it doesn't work? no problem, I reflash the unit for my Amigas and done, even if a CPC compatible firmware is made, I will use it also

[fano]

Just got mine today.

You mean, there is not sector header 


About Amiga firmware , does it use a format (adf?) that allows raw track so maybe the FDC would be able to read theses.

[KaosOverride]

Just got mine today.
You mean, there is not sector header 
About Amiga firmware , does it use a format (adf?) that allows raw track so maybe the FDC would be able to read theses.

With original firmware, and only on Gotek drives supporting IMAGE mode, .IMA format is used (.IMA .IMG .RAW) These formats are the ones Winimage or WinHex support. They are just the content of IBM PC formated floppies. Just 512kb+512kb+512kb+...... no header or other metadata of floppy disc. No problem on PC world because only IBM track format is used, no matter the filesystem is (fat, ext2, minix)

CPC supports IBM PC track format with Amsdos filesystem with correct conversion of DSK with Amsdos filesystem with no special tracks, should work as if a Linux image is used on a PC with the Gotek drive, for example.

So that particular model of Gotek 720kb+ready should work with CPC until a firmware for any generic Gotek is made.

I don't want to piss off the possible CPC compatible firmware, just need a working Gotek for April, for the retromadrid event... don't mind is this hack or is the DSKble firmware.

Remember I'speaking only about the Gotek which supports image mode, is 720kb mode and supports jumpering into READY mode

On the other hand, Amiga dedicated firmware handles .ADF files fine, so Amiga special tracks and any raw stuff should work, because the firmware is dedicated to that format.

I really hope and want that a DSK firmware sees the light

[fano]

me too !

Maybe having a common format like Hxc one would be better.
The main problem finaly is we need a CPC software to select files in slots...

[KaosOverride]

Yes but until then,  a bunch of 000.IMG,  001.IMG, ... 099.IMG and the 2 select buttons for + and - the image numbers as selector will we my friends

100 floppy images for an original Gotek firmware is not so bad

[KaosOverride]

Got it!!! I have the software for making compatible images with the original Gotek 720kREADY Firmware model SFRM72-FU-DL...

Best of it is that also works for dumping simple DATA , SYSTEM and IBM DSKs through USB floppy drives, because the image created is rawwrite compatible. Also notice that in all cases the DSK gets converted into IBM CPC format to allow the CPC accessing it with PC sector marks...

Here the experimental and buggy (lacks full error checks) DSKIMA
http://mega.co.nz/#F!2JkUDb7C!HC85bXhbsB5b6p3kCUuCkQ

Still waiting my 720k Gotek....

[MacDeath]

So now there is a CPC-friendly firmware for those Gotek FDemulators ?


I do have one... would come handy for my A500 or any CPC, perhaps STe as well ?


Finally it is just that the manufacturer simply ignored the retromachine ?

[KaosOverride]

So now there is a CPC-friendly firmware for those Gotek FDemulators ?

Yes and no... Is one specific model of Gotek with its original firmware (And firmwares are protected, unable to extract... )

Model: SFRM72-FU-DL.
Why is CPC friendly: 720K IBM PC format image loader, READY signal option (jumer set)

So I can "force" a IBM CPC format disc to fit  in an IBM PC format image so the CPC founds the sectors where they are supposed to be

I do have one... would come handy for my A500 or any CPC, perhaps STe as well ?

Which model is? if is not the above listed model, no way for CPC untill the custom firmware is done.

For Amiga no problem, Just get a TTL to RS232 cable and flash the custom firmware for AMIGA/ADF, all drives are the same, only difference is the manufacturer firmware, each model comes with a different one.

Finally it is just that the manufacturer simply ignored the retromachine ?

Maybe manufacturer don't know ever retromachine market exists, or just sees it as very small... These drives are supposed to replace a more industrial kind of machines, where you need to emulate certain sensible hardware and can't deal with replacing the whole machine with modern devices...


But be careful, you should wait until my 720k Gotek arrives and made some tests, before you adventure to pick one...

Surely a dedicated DSK firmware will ve developed, but if I'm making this test is to ensure I got a Gotek drive working on a CPC, with this hack or with the future custom firmware. 

[Jeff_HxC2001]

Yes, well, HxC could now really become cheaper. I guess the development costs are more than payed back.
Ok, it's effort to built them, but a kit would be a nice alternative for people who can not spend too much money.


Personally I just have to stay one Friday out of my favorite bar, and I save the money a HxC costs.

Selling kits tends to be avoided by most developers, it's just too much hassle. You spend more time answering e-mails from people that didn't get it to work properly than you would have spent building it yourself.

You either go to a very expensive bar or you need to cut down on your consumption

Bryce.

Exactly : The HxC was a kit solution in the first years : A true nightmare. I will never pass time anymore to debug bad soldered boards through email or forum. This has almost killed the project before that Lotharek run the production 5 years ago...

About the price : I am sorry to say that we will not decrease them, but probably increase them with some new hardware (with a new domain as target). We are not yet ready to work for nothing Mr TFM .
And no, i don't consider that the development costs is payed back since i constantly develop the firmware/software & future version and we also do support...

Maybe manufacturer don't know ever retromachine market exists, or just sees it as very small...

It's very small ! And extremely volatile ! No doubt about this. And this ask to much support time for the very few expected profit.
For example i am not sure if you could sell more than 250/500 units for CPC at the Gotek price: Sure that the price per hour of an developer to add the dsk support will eat the thin margin, even if the developer is chinese...

[KaosOverride]

Got  my SFRM72-FU-DL today!

With just my DSK=>IMG converter, the original 720k image  compatible firmware and the last CPCDiskXP with the 254kb IBM formt hack, I have loaded games from the Gotek

But it's a pain to work with it. Fine when you have the image loaded but every time you power on you have to turn to image mode to load new image. But the mounted image is flashloaded on the Gotek, even with the USB plugged out it works...

[KaosOverride]

   For people who do not understand Spanish, the link jumps directly to minute 12:00 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRTNlZ76nJg#t=726

[TFM]

... We are not yet ready to work for nothing Mr TFM .
And no, i don't consider that the development costs is payed back since i constantly develop the firmware/software & future version and we also do support...

It's Dr TFM actually 
Mr Jeff: Nobody asks you to produce for nothing. However, IMHO it's relative expensive. The market will make the price and people will decide which product they will buy - totally independent of all forum discussions. I'm glad to hear that the development continues. I think you do a good job. 

[Gryzor]

Well, the market has decided seeing how many units it has sold. And, the price may seem steep, but it's really not expensive for what it does. I've bought five units for myself and others, and like anyone who has one, can't recommend it enough...

[Jeff_HxC2001]

It's Dr TFM actually 
Mr Jeff: Nobody asks you to produce for nothing. However, IMHO it's relative expensive. The market will make the price and people will decide which product they will buy - totally independent of all forum discussions. I'm glad to hear that the development continues. I think you do a good job. 

Some says that's too expensive while some others take 10 hxc at once... all is relative...
But what is going on here is good because this will make us to drop the "cheap" market (and probably the "retro" computer "market" too) to offer a better / more powerful product (in fact i will do what i thought 8 years ago before "the market" push me to reduce the bom cost...) 

[TFM]

Well, there is only the retro market. In these days no computer has a floppy disc any longer.