3 inch disks. Were they used anywhere else?

[Misel982001]

Dear All
I always had a question in my mind; were 3inch disks used elsewhere BESIDES the Amstrad range machines? I know that they were also used in some sythesizers (produced by AMSTRAD of course). Personally speaking, the only time I have seen a 3 inch disk in another context aside from the AMSTRAD range was in a thriller film whereas a scientist had a 3inch disk which included the genetic code of a mutant monster....!

[CraigsBar]

They were also used on some other 8 bit machines such as the tatung Einstein and oric atmos

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[GeoffB17]

There was an early Canon computer, late 1980s, that used such a drive as well.  Prob a CP/M type machine, or even some proprietary OS?


Geoff

[VincentGR]

Yes, Tatung Einstein and ZX Spectrum +3 but hey, the last one is an Amstrad too 
Also I am not sure if there was a 3" drive for MSX.

[Bryce]

There was an external dual 3in drive available for the Atari 8-bit computers too.

Bryce.

[robcfg]

I remember seeing an ad for a dual 3" external disk drive case for the Dragon.

[Dizrythmia]

The Nintendo Famicom used 3" discs, but they were given a proprietary shell, so wouldn't fit any other system.


I'm sure a Sega computer used them... maybe the SC3000?

[CraigsBar]

The Nintendo Famicom used 3" discs, but they were given a proprietary shell, so wouldn't fit any other system.


I'm sure a Sega computer used them... maybe the SC3000?

Yep it did.

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[robcfg]

The Nintendo Famicom used 3" discs, but they were given a proprietary shell, so wouldn't fit any other system.


I'm sure a Sega computer used them... maybe the SC3000?

The Famicom Disk system disks are Mitsumi 2.8" disks with a proprietary shell, not 3".

[Misel982001]

Great guys! I am gonna check all those machines! Many thanx!

[||C|-|E||]

Personally speaking, the only time I have seen a 3 inch disk in another context aside from the AMSTRAD range was in a thriller film whereas a scientist had a 3inch disk which included the genetic code of a mutant monster....!

That would be a seriously good compression algorithm! Probably doable, though, in Stein's Gate they managed to compress all the memories inside the human brain in 36 bytes... 

[GeoffB17]

Hmm, interesting.


Regarding the Canon machine.


I've traced a reference to the Canon Cat, a computer about 88/89, there are pics about.   Primarily a WP, but you could program on it too.


All the docs I've just found say it was a 3.5" floppy.


BUT - on the pics, it looks DAMN like the 3" drive we know (and love) from our dear Amstrads.   I don't remember ever seeing a 3.5" drive like that.   Could they tell the difference back then??


Geoff

[chinnyhill10]

There's a Sega system that used them. Obv the PCW and +3 and the Einstein.


External units for other micros were available in 1984 namely the BBC, Spectrum and Dragon. Any references to the MSX using 3 inch always seems to mean 3.5 inch.

[00WReX]

I'm sure a Sega computer used them... maybe the SC3000?

Yes, the SEGA SC-300 had an expansion/add-on called the Super Control Station that included a 3-inch drive.

http://segaretro.org/Super_Control_Station_SF-7000





Cheers,
Shane

[Bryce]

I knew I had posted something about this before: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/classifieds/wanted-cf2-disk-drive-asap/msg65433/#msg65433 (with links to pictures of some 3in drives)

Bryce.

[MacDeath]

Amstrad CPC & PCW
Amstrad built ZX Spectrum +3

ORIC Atmos

Tatung Einstein


Also some exotic uses on various japanese machines.

Some Yamaha musical devices would use them also briefly : some Synthetizers and sequencers, but they fastly switched to 3"1/2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_MDR-1

Yamaha branded 3" floppy disks... feels like the Amstrad branded MegaDrive joypad...

[CraigsBar]

Amstrad CPC & PCW
Amstrad built ZX Spectrum +3

ORIC Atmos

Tatung Einstein


Also some exotic uses on various japanese machines.

Some Yamaha musical devices would use them also briefly : some Synthetizers and sequencers, but they fastly switched to 3"1/2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_MDR-1

Yamaha branded 3" floppy disks... feels like the Amstrad branded MegaDrive joypad...

I have a box of Tatung branded cf2 discs somewhere. Not new however. The only sealed new cf2 floppies I have now are amsoft and maxell.

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[amijim]

This is a pure sign of goor internet usage.All this information around 3" discs in one place!This was quite a collective work.This forum really works.I am also looking for also those mentioned machines.

[VincentGR]

This is a pure sign of goor internet usage.All this information around 3" discs in one place!This was quite a collective work.This forum really works.I am also looking for also those mentioned machines.

Indeed, all machines must be gathered in the first post as a list.

[ZbyniuR]

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/other-retro/three-inch-drives-in-other-systems/msg218717/#msg218717

[zhulien]

If it's good enough for Sega, it's good enough for Amstrad!