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General Category => Amstrad CPC hardware => Topic started by: XeNoMoRPH on 19:50, 18 March 23

Title: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: XeNoMoRPH on 19:50, 18 March 23
https://files.fm/u/mbfm5rjrg#/view/a8yddeh7b

from @craem em

disckit3  with cpm
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: GUNHED on 12:16, 21 March 23
Thank's for sharing the video! Back the day when I told that there was an 8" floppy running on a CPC (in Munich) nobody did believe it.
BTW: 8" can go up to 1,6 MB  ;D
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: TotO on 16:02, 21 March 23
Nothing special to run this kind of drive on CPC, but nice to have a video. :)
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: GeoffB17 on 16:47, 21 March 23
Yes, interesting to see this.

I've LONG liked the idea of having an 8" drive to attach to my PCW - I'm assuming that it would be a little easier to do this under CP/M?  BUT, it's finding a drive that can be attached, ref interface, cable/connectors?

I've even got a box of 8" disks waiting!  My brother gave me the box of 10 (CDC brand I think) a lot of years ago.

What format have you got on the disks?   Are they 40t or 80t.   I assume you'd need the 80t to get the 1.6Mb referred to.

Again, long ago, when I bought the official copy of dBase II for my PCW, this came with the software on 3" disk ready for the PCW, but there was ALSO an 8" disk with I assume the original CP/M 'master' copy.  Never been able to look at it.  I guess this will have a standard CP/M format on it?

Geoff
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: craem on 22:26, 21 March 23
hi, my unit it's a shugart 8" with a 50 to 34 pin converter and a jumper to set Ready signal.

It's a Single Side / Simple density unit and only test format in data / system 178-169 kb's.... 

To connect power supply it's another war: 110v, +5 -5 +24 and -24v

Nothing special, but format 8" floppy disc with an amstrad cpc it's magic :)
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: GUNHED on 14:27, 22 March 23
Quote from: TotO on 16:02, 21 March 23Nothing special to run this kind of drive on CPC, but nice to have a video. :)
Nothing special? Take a closer look please!  :)
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 14:48, 22 March 23
So a CPC AMSDOS format on an 8" drive? These constantly spin right?

I doubt we could get AMSDOS to recognise the 26 128-byte sectors, 77 cylinder IBM 8" format - but can CP/M?
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: TotO on 16:04, 22 March 23
Quote from: GUNHED on 14:27, 22 March 23Nothing special? Take a closer look please!  :)
It is a standard shugart cable, like for 5"1/4 drives. Except the external supply, what I have missed here? :)
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: craem on 20:40, 22 March 23
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 14:48, 22 March 23So a CPC AMSDOS format on an 8" drive? These constantly spin right?

I doubt we could get AMSDOS to recognise the 26 128-byte sectors, 77 cylinder IBM 8" format - but can CP/M?
Hi, at the moment, only can format in data / system mode; in a few days I make more test with this unit / cpm / parados etc ..... The purpose is only test the unit with my amstrad cpc and I think that few people can run this test :)
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: craem on 20:43, 22 March 23
Quote from: TotO on 16:04, 22 March 23
Quote from: GUNHED on 14:27, 22 March 23Nothing special? Take a closer look please!  :)
It is a standard shugart cable, like for 5"1/4 drives. Except the external supply, what I have missed here? :)

Correct... standard cable, standard adaptor, standard 8 floppy drive (shugart) and standard amstrad cpc6128 without any extra rom.
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: GUNHED on 09:31, 23 March 23
Quote from: TotO on 16:04, 22 March 23
Quote from: GUNHED on 14:27, 22 March 23Nothing special? Take a closer look please!  :)
It is a standard shugart cable, like for 5"1/4 drives. Except the external supply, what I have missed here? :)
The number of pins at the connector f.e. But a minor issue for an hardware expert like you.  ;) :)

Offtopic: The attached picture shows a cable I used to connect two 5,25" HD drives to the 8" Shugart plug of the Genie IIIs. (Actually I miss the picture of 8" on CPC right now. But is shows hopefully what I try to say).
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: XeNoMoRPH on 16:52, 09 April 23
https://files.fm/u/xx9c8kz36
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: VincentGR on 19:59, 09 April 23
Fantastic!!!
Now a punch tape device left to see, my favorite.
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: Animalgril987 on 06:46, 14 April 23
Quote from: VincentGR on 19:59, 09 April 23Fantastic!!!
Now a punch tape device left to see, my favorite.
Someone built an RS232 interface for a Teletype ASR 33 ( on the altairclone website) :D :D
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: XeNoMoRPH on 09:08, 29 May 23
https://files.fm/u/zw5tzp5rq
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: XeNoMoRPH on 12:47, 12 June 23
https://twitter.com/craem_/status/1667612785587507201
Title: Re: 8" floppy drive working on CPC
Post by: TotO on 17:34, 12 June 23
Will be nice to see the drive running with Discology! :D
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