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Vortex F1-D versions (664 vs. 464)

Started by The Unready, 12:17, 27 March 23

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The Unready

What ist the difference between the versions of the Vortex F1-D interface for the 464 and 664?
As far as I understand it the 664 model has its own FDC despite the computer already having one, so is it just different VDOS versions and the 664 version could be used on a 464 by replacing the ROM?
Or are the expansion ports on the 464 and 664 different?

Edit: Sorry, just noticed I should have posted this in "Amstrad CPC hardware", and now of course I can't delete it - sorry! It's been too long since I posted to forums regularly...

Bryce

Quote from: The Unready on 12:17, 27 March 23What ist the difference between the versions of the Vortex F1-D interface for the 464 and 664?
As far as I understand it the 664 model has its own FDC despite the computer already having one, so is it just different VDOS versions and the 664 version could be used on a 464 by replacing the ROM?
Or are the expansion ports on the 464 and 664 different?

Edit: Sorry, just noticed I should have posted this in "Amstrad CPC hardware", and now of course I can't delete it - sorry! It's been too long since I posted to forums regularly...

Vortex drives used different addresses than the internal FDC, so they had to have their own FDC as the internal one has a fixed address.

Bryce.

GUNHED

The great Vortex F1-D (which got cloned just recently!!!) comes in three versions: CPC464, CPC664 and CPC6128. The differences are inside the V-DOS 2.11, which does use different jump vectors - this is needed because the firmware of the three CPC computers is different.

The expansion ports of all three CPCs is the same, and so the connectors of the Vortex F1-D have the same signals on the same pins too. However, while CPC464 and CPC664 have the dodgy PCB connector the great CPC6128 has (at least in Germany) the save Centronics connector for the expansion port. 

Yes the Vortex F1-D (for CPC6128) has it's own FDC765 with the base address &FBF6 ( status register Vortex). While the Amstrad DDI-1 controller has &FB7E (status register).

This is awesome, because this way four more drives can be connected to the CPC. 
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Poliander

#3
Quote from: The Unready on 12:17, 27 March 23so is it just different VDOS versions and the 664 version could be used on a 464 by replacing the ROM?
This might be possible but has yet to be proven (I would like to know, too!). I assume that you are asking because you discovered my auction and now want to know if you can somehow get the interface to work with your CPC 464, right?
Schneider CPC 664 • X-MEM • Vortex F1-X Drive • CTM 644 • DMP 2160
Schneider CPC 6128 • Z-MEM • M4 Board • MultiPlay + Amiga Mouse • OSSC

The Unready

Originally, yes - but now I realized that it probably wouldn't do me much good, since the main reason I want a 5.25" drive on my 464 is that I got a box of disks as part of an ebay auction of random CPC stuff years ago and I'm kind of curious if they're still readable and what's on them. I thought they were probably in Vortex format until I noticed that that's an 80-track format and all the disks are 40 tracks... :picard:
So I guess they must be in AMSDOS format and what I need is a 40 track 5.25" drive and some cable hack to hook it up to my DDI-1 - or a Vortex F1-Z, but those seem to be even rarer than the Vortex controllers.

Poliander

#5
Then better grab a Teac FD-55GFR 5,25" drive and hook it onto a DOS/Win9x PC and use ImageDisk to create images. You can then use e.g. SAMdisk to convert it into DSK files for use in an emulator. This is how I do it.
Schneider CPC 664 • X-MEM • Vortex F1-X Drive • CTM 644 • DMP 2160
Schneider CPC 6128 • Z-MEM • M4 Board • MultiPlay + Amiga Mouse • OSSC

The Unready

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'd prefer to be able to access the disks on the CPC itself - it's just "cooler", and also I don't have a means for data transfer from my Win 9x PC to my modern computers available. But I do have a modified floppy cable with a built-in side select switch ("DDI 3.5"), so if I just crimped an edge connector on that and found some power supply for the drive I would be able to connect the TEAC drive or any other that can read 40-track disks to the DDI-1, wouldn't I?

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