Internal ribbon cable for CPC+

[CraigsBar]

OK, I got home from my weekend away tonight and implemented the mod. Thanks to the legendary hardware support from Gerald I have a working drive that is compatible with a 2nd drive and an Abba switch.

I am gonna request a partial refund for my time and soldering skill. If this gets approved I'll send it straight to you gerald, it's the least I can do. 

[CraigsBar]

OK, I got home from my weekend away tonight and implemented the mod. Thanks to the legendary hardware support from Gerald I have a working drive that is compatible with a 2nd drive and an Abba switch.

I am gonna request a partial refund for my time and soldering skill. If this gets approved I'll send it straight to you gerald, it's the least I can do.

I am gonna repeat the process on the 2nd one tonight. The hardest bit was replacing the pin.

[gerald]

OK, I got home from my weekend away tonight and implemented the mod. Thanks to the legendary hardware support from Gerald I have a working drive that is compatible with a 2nd drive and an Abba switch.

That's good news 

I am gonna request a partial refund for my time and soldering skill. If this gets approved I'll send it straight to you gerald, it's the least I can do.

If it can go to any local charity, it's even better 

[CraigsBar]

I am gonna repeat the process on the 2nd one tonight. The hardest bit was replacing the pin.

OK. Not the neatest soldering, but if works!

Thanks again @Gerald. A donation of double whatever I get back will be made in your name. Probably to the NCBI. Hope that is OK?

[gerald]

Thanks again @Gerald. A donation of double whatever I get back will be made in your name. Probably to the NCBI. Hope that is OK?

Looks like a good choice 

[CraigsBar]

@Piotr has agreed to refund 20eur for the fix I needed to implement. Once I get it I'll double it and donate it. thanks again @Gerald and @Piotr for your charitable intentions.

[CraigsBar]

@Piotr has agreed to refund 20eur for the fix I needed to implement. Once I get it I'll double it and donate it. thanks again @Gerald and @Piotr for your charitable intentions.

OK. @Piotr returned 30 pounds as opposed to 20 EUR. NCBI have done well. Receipt below. Thanks @Gerald.

[TFM]

Received be N.C.B.I?


I work for the National Center of BioInformatics once in a while too. Didn't know that they are funding CPC projects too. So I have to write another grant soon. 

[CraigsBar]

Received be N.C.B.I?


I work for the National Center of BioInformatics once in a while too. Didn't know that they are funding CPC projects too. So I have to write another grant soon. 

Tee hee hee  "National Council for the Blind of Ireland"

[TFM]

Tee hee hee  "National Council for the Blind of Ireland"

Oh, they do deserve help! 

[CanonMan]

Guys, I bought my HXC from Piotr and I'm very happy about delay,shipping and material.
My HXC was originally designed for ZX Spectrum, I just adapted the case to fit into my CPC+.

Piotr  doesn't answer at the moment, as he is on holiday out of country.
I'm waiting him back to order from his shop, a buzzer for my HXC.

Be nice with him, he is not doing HXC for business but only to move forward on AMSTRAD/SPECTRUM stuffs to help us. 

I got my HxC from Lotharek, that's not the same guy is it?

[Bryce]

No Lotharek is the original and official manufacturer of the HxC. It's a high quality well built device with great support, ie: the exact OPPOSITE of "this guy".

Bryce.

[keropi]

What am I missing here? I got an internal HxC drive for my 6128 and it works perfect. Soldering is very good as well and does what it is advertised to do... at least hardware-wise I am very pleased , true plug'n'play





edit:
saw some pics in the previous pages, my pcb does not have these errors and patchwork. I always thought these where clones of gotek drives but with a legit HxC license, isn't that the case?

[Bryce]

Nope, it's a bit more complicated:

- HxC Hardware / HxC Firmware: Designed by Jeff and built by Lotharek. Fine piece of well built electronics that uses an SD Card, not a USB stick. Great support.

- HxC Firmware was then modified to work on a Gotek device as an alternative to the original Gotek Firmware. (most likely what you have)

HxC Clone: Cobbled together, badly soldered device with layout and schematic errors being peddled by someone who ignores e-mails and requests for support once he's got your money.

Bryce.

[dragon]

The problem bryce is in a little cases  not exist  alternative to piotr.

For example the ddi for de 464. Nobody except  piotr build one. As amstrad oficial ddi are very expensive and escase in eBay.

[Bryce]

The problem bryce is in a little cases  not exist  alternative to piotr.

For example the ddi for de 464. Nobody except  piotr build one. As amstrad oficial ddi are very expensive and escase in eBay.

Unfortunately I made the mistake of buying another device from him (not the HxC Clone) and experienced his total disregard for customers and lack of support personally. His abysmal support is not related to one product and definitely not a one off thing.
His lack of electronics knowledge also means that his devices have a much higher chance of having issues.

As for "market demand". The HxC was and is readily available, there was no requirement for a clone. If there was/is a requirement for clones of other hardware, there are many other users willing to build batches of existing hardware and offer support too.

Bryce.

[keropi]

yes

[...]
- HxC Firmware was then modified to work on a Gotek device as an alternative to the original Gotek Firmware. (most likely what you have)
[...]

The device is a Gotek clone (schematics are available really easy via google) that runs the STM32 HxC Floppy Emulator firmware as found on http://hxc2001.com
I don't care if the device is a clone of a chinese GOTEK, you can't even buy "original" Goteks easily (if they even exist). My question was about the firmware provided and I'd like to believe it's licensed.

Like I mentioned before, the soldering is good and without errors now. My device is only a couple of weeks old so maybe he fixed the pcb errors, it is a fair assumption and most likely the truth.
I couldn't find another similar internal device for the 6128.

edit:
btw, I am not defending anyone just in case it comes out like that - just stating what I saw on my device . I really can't comment on the support issues since I did not need any, but where there's smoke there's fire....

[CanonMan]

No Lotharek is the original and official manufacturer of the HxC. It's a high quality well built device with great support, ie: the exact OPPOSITE of "this guy".

Bryce.

I thought so!


Thanks for clearing that up.

[Audronic]

For all with "  Zaxon 3 inch USB floppy emulator.  "


My version now has a resistor added (4.7K Ohm), see photo.


Ray

[Audronic]

My white one arrived, and with the raspberry pi gpio extension works perfectly....

Do You have a link for the Extension Cable 26 Pin Male to Female Please.

I have tried on EBay  "raspberry pi gpio extension " but all FeMale to FeMale ??

Thanks   Ray

Edit Changed Sex !

[dxs]

I recently got my USB HXC clone...


After drilling missing holes myself (the 2 on the side), I realized that the drive was responding on both ùA and ùB commands.
My FD-1 was therefore unusable.





Actually I found I could access a floppy on the FD-1 if I unselected all .HFE image on the hxc, but it was still messing with the Write Protection signal, so the FD-1 was read-only.
So I re-dismantled the CPC, and found a solder blob underside and a cut pin (n°4) on the connector.
Huhh ??
This led me to this thread, and if you have the same problems here is the solution.


(Note: it seems there are various versions of this HXC clone, know what you are doing)





Just bend the pin on the left of the cut-one (that's number 6) on the male connector, so that it will go inside number 4 pin of the female connector. Obviously the connector will no longer fully seat in, but if you bend the pin well enough the connection will be fine.
Then use only one jumper and place it as shown on picture.
This allows using the DS0 signal (pin 4) to select the HXC, instead of the Motor ON signal (pin 8 ), the result being that now your HXC is only selected with ùA and not with ùB.

[xesrjb]

Many thanks Jerald, so let me clarify this...


1. Remove the SOlder link between 4 & 6
2. Cut trace between Jumper pin and pin 8
3. Connect the same Jumper pin to the newly restored pin 4
4. Leave the jumper where it is and it will be DS0 and work with my ABBA switch.


Seems simple enough. please confirm that the below crude drawing is correct. Blue is the current config. Red is the changes and the solder bridge to be reomced when te new pin is inserted


[attach=2]


I have tried to contact @Piotr through SellMyRetro, PayPal and here... with no response. If he does not get back to me I'll raise a calim with Paypal for a refund. Depending on the putcome of that I'll try the mod on one drive.


Ideally I want both working as drive A if the mod works (And I see no reason why it won't then I can handle that.

That's the solution, great work!


xesrjb

[CraigsBar]

Do You have a link for the Extension Cable 26 Pin Male to Female Please.

I have tried on EBay  "raspberry pi gpio extension " but all FeMale to FeMale ??

Thanks   Ray

Edit Changed Sex !

Look at this on eBay  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201060767221

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[francouai]

Looks like I'm not the only one to have a problem with this Clone Gotek made by Zaxon.

Actually, I'm trying to make this clone HXC as |A and my FD1 working on |B without success, I'm running out of idea.
I'm have lot of read error when I enter |B then CAT from the FD1.

[tjohnson]

Connect the hxc externally on its own with your new cable if it works then the hxc is probably made incorrectly

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