CPCWiki forum

General Category => Amstrad CPC hardware => Topic started by: khaz on 17:36, 09 April 16

Title: More than one external drive?
Post by: khaz on 17:36, 09 April 16
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.
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: TFM on 19:42, 09 April 16
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]
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: Audronic on 00:06, 10 April 16
Quote from: khaz on 17:36, 09 April 16
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
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: khaz on 01:21, 10 April 16
Quote from: Audronic on 00:06, 10 April 16

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.
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: Audronic on 01:41, 10 April 16
@khaz (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1619)


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
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: khaz on 01:46, 10 April 16
Ok I understand now. That's certainly another solution!
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: Bryce on 20:44, 10 April 16
I think the power switch would work fine, but Rays solution is a neater way of doing it.

Bryce.
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: khaz on 15:32, 14 April 16
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.
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: TFM on 16:26, 14 April 16
Quote from: khaz on 15:32, 14 April 16
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!  :) :) :)
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: khaz on 16:30, 14 April 16
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.
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: khaz on 19:38, 22 April 16
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.
Title: Re: More than one external drive?
Post by: TFM on 19:39, 22 April 16
IIRC the HxC should always have power, else the 3" could make trouble. Or do I remember that wrong. Will check tonite.
Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod