USIfAC drive activity LED and Drive sounds. Possible??

[Mamejay]

Recently got my first CPC464 and a USIfAC.  I love tinkering with hardware was wondering if it would be possible to mod the USIfAC to have a little Piezo speaker and also activity LED.
I come from a Commodore background and similar products I have used were able to be modded to have these features.
Any thoughts on this?

[Mark_wllms]

It doesn't really emulate a drive in that way. When you use it in floppy emulator mode, by loading a disk image and then |FDC, it will flash the normal disk access light, even if the drive is not powered!

[GUNHED]

USIfAC II is much, much more than just an Floppy-Emulator. 

[Mamejay]

USIfAC II is much, much more than just an Floppy-Emulator. 

Yes, I understand that but would be nice to know if the machine is still loading an image or has just crashed.

[eto]

I agree, that could be a nice addition. But it would only be possible if there is a free pin on the PIC and I think I read somewhere that every single pin is already used.

@ikonsgr would that be an option for the USIFAC/ULIFAC?

[ikonsgr]

@Mamejay ,as already noted, when a dsk image is accessed ,the internal 3" drive light flashes, so you already have the activity led you want , without any mod
USIfAC II and ULIfAC uses a low level emulation of the 765 Floppy Disk controller to access dsk images, so as far as Αmstrad CPC is concerned, it thinks that real floppy disks are accessed

[GUNHED]

USIfAC II is much, much more than just an Floppy-Emulator. 

Yes, I understand that but would be nice to know if the machine is still loading an image or has just crashed.

The software could change the BORDER color while loading / writing, that should be doable. Of course as option. 

[eto]

Mamejay ,as already noted, when a dsk image is accessed ,the internal 3" drive light flashes,

He has a 464. I guess there won't be any LED that can flash.  

Would it be an option to connect a simple piezo speaker to one of the pins (if there is a spare one) and get a signal on every track change on that pin? That's (afaik) how it works with a Gotek when you connect a piezo speaker so that it makes kind of a floppy access sound. 

[Mamejay]

Mamejay ,as already noted, when a dsk image is accessed ,the internal 3" drive light flashes,

He has a 464. I guess there won't be any LED that can flash. 

Would it be an option to connect a simple piezo speaker to one of the pins (if there is a spare one) and get a signal on every track change on that pin? That's (afaik) how it works with a Gotek when you connect a piezo speaker so that it makes kind of a floppy access sound.

You are correct.  I am wondering if one of the activity pins can have a transistor connected to drive an LED.

[ikonsgr]

Hmmm, maybe then we can add a rotary encoder or an oled screen too?   
Seriously now, i think that you miss the point here. As @GUNHED  noted, USIfAC II is NOT an "alternative" Gotek drive, Floppy-Emulation is only one of the supported functions, and most important, the interface (e.g. the way you control and manage various board functions) is completely different compared to a gotek drive, as you use directly Amstrad's screen for that, through Basic RSX commands!
So, all the extra modifications needed for gotek drive are useless in case of USfIAC/ULIfAC board, for example, you can manage even 1000's of dsk images MUCH faster and easier, by getting filtered catalogues and directly select images, without needing endless pushing of buttons or turning rotary encoders  
Moreover, with most games, you can access directly files and get rid of the bulky and slow-accessed dsk images   

[Mamejay]

Hmmm, maybe then we can add a rotary encoder or an oled screen too?   
Seriously now, i think that you miss the point here. As @GUNHED  noted, USIfAC II is NOT an "alternative" Gotek drive, Floppy-Emulation is only one of the supported functions, and most important, the interface (e.g. the way you control and manage various board functions) is completely different compared to a gotek drive, as you use directly Amstrad's screen for that, through Basic RSX commands!
So, all the extra modifications needed for gotek drive are useless in case of USfIAC/ULIfAC board, for example, you can manage even 1000's of dsk images MUCH faster and easier, by getting filtered catalogues and directly select images, without needing endless pushing of buttons or turning rotary encoders  
Moreover, with most games, you can access directly files and get rid of the bulky and slow-accessed dsk images   

No problem.  I was not looking to convert this to a Gotek.  Purely an activity LED.  All good. I will continue to play with the unit and enjoy.