More than one external drive?

[khaz]

Switching cables between a 3.5 drive and an HxC is annoying.

What if I add another connector on the cable and plug the two drives together, only switching the power cable, would that work? Or do I have to expect interferences from the non-powered-yet-still connected drive? I was thinking of simply flicking a switch on the power cable to use one drive or the other.

[TFM]

Interesting question. Well you can add a switch to switch all pins between two drives....

However with a small patch you can change the CPCs PCB. So instead of 2 drives you can add four drives. Drawback is that only DDOS and FutureOS support that.

Another idea would be to add the Vortex F1-D, F1-S, M1-D or M1-S controller using VDOS. In this case you can work with four drives at the same time. [nb]Six drives with FutureOS, because the Vortex controller supports four drives anyway. Which would be 2 at the CPC (internal) and 4 Vortex (external). [/nb]

[Audronic]

Switching cables between a 3.5 drive and an HxC is annoying.

What if I add another connector on the cable and plug the two drives together, only switching the power cable, would that work? Or do I have to expect interferences from the non-powered-yet-still connected drive? I was thinking of simply flicking a switch on the power cable to use one drive or the other.

Or you could Just switch the Drive select line to the other drive (Both drives Powered and 34 pin cable connected to both) Both drives configured as drive 1.


Good luck   Ray

[khaz]

Or you could Just switch the Drive select line to the other drive (Both drives Powered and 34 pin cable connected to both) Both drives configured as drive 1.


Good luck   Ray

I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean. Is it to ground pin12? Wouldn't that make both external drives as A and act as duplicates?

I'm not really interested in disabling the internal drive yet. The idea was to still have access to the 3" drive for stuff, and occasionally use the Drive Switch (pin11-12) to have the external drive takes precedence.

[Audronic]

@khaz


There was no reference to disabling the Internal 3" drive.

If the Drive 1 select line for an external 3.5" drive is Pin 12

Then place a switch from the Pin 12 Line to switch between either drive pin 12.

Pin 12 from CPC
———————|
       |
   O   O   O
   |       |
   |       |
To 3.5  To Gotek
Pin 12  Pin 12 

Ray

[khaz]

Ok I understand now. That's certainly another solution!

[Bryce]

I think the power switch would work fine, but Rays solution is a neater way of doing it.

Bryce.

[khaz]

I just tried my solution (switching the power cable), on an old cable that has pins 34-33 shorted forever. It works, but both drives need to be loaded with a disc, otherwise the CPC goes crazy with blinking borders. I have yet to mod my drives to have a real ready signal (currently pin34 is grounded by the disc in switch), though I'm not sure if it would solve this problem.

[TFM]

I just tried my solution (switching the power cable), on an old cable that has pins 34-33 shorted forever. It works, but both drives need to be loaded with a disc, otherwise the CPC goes crazy with blinking borders. I have yet to mod my drives to have a real ready signal (currently pin34 is grounded by the disc in switch), though I'm not sure if it would solve this problem.

Indeed! I can only encourage you to get a real Ready-Signal! 

[khaz]

I know! I even got all the components, and I posted in that other thread about the Sony drive to make sure I'm not making any stupid mistakes/assumptions. It will be done.

[khaz]

Meh. When the HxC is connected, even without power, it makes the 3.5 drive act as Read-Only. I haven't tried the other way around though.

[TFM]

IIRC the HxC should always have power, else the 3" could make trouble. Or do I remember that wrong. Will check tonite.