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/* Software Accessories */
A series of external 3.,5" and 5.,25" floppy disc drives from [[Vortex_Computersysteme|Vortex]] providing up to 720K capacity (704K available). The Vortex drives were most popular in Germany. For more information regarding VDOS and the Vortex Disk Format, see the dedicated [[VDOS]] Wiki page.
== S- and D-Drives (720K/disk) ==
These are the first generation of 720K floppy disc drives from Vortex. They came in variants having either a single drive ("S" variant) or two drives ("D" variant) 80-track drives . The "S" variant (BASF 6138as well as the less expensive "Z" variant). Initially, these drives were meant as upgrades for CPC 464 setups already equipped was delivered with a DDIthe same double-1/FD-1 drive. This resulted in a quite big controller housing inside in which height casing as the user had to install the DDI-1. In these setups"D" variant, the 3-inch FD-1 drive could be connected as so that a second/third drive, ie. unlike most other floppy drive interfaces more than 2 drives could be connected (but only two drives could be used simultaneously). Later, interfaces also appeared for 664/6128 computers, which were considerably smallerretrofitted.
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Image:FD1IMG 3163.jpgJPG|Vortex F1-D with CPC 6128 InterfaceImage:vortex controler 1Vortex f1d front.jpg|An anonymous box housing the controller boardF1-D front viewImage:vortex controler 2Vortex f1d back.jpg|Look inside the controller, a NEC 765 chip and [[VDOS]] upgraded to v2.0Image:vortex controler 3.jpg|Controller with mounted [[VDOS]] chipF1-D backside
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<gallery>
Image:Vortex fd1 464 controller fd-1interface 664.jpg|F1-D Interface interface<br />(CPC 464664)Image:Vortex fd1 464 controller 2Fd1 interface 664 platine front.jpg|F1-D Interface with DDIinterface board (CPC 664)Image:Fd1 interface 664 platine back.jpg|F1-1 installed D interface board (CPC 664)Image:F1DCONT.jpg|F1-D interface board (CPC 4646128)
</gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Vortex fd-1 interface 664f1 manual.jpg|F1-S/D Interface (CPC 664)manualImage:Fd1 interface 664 platine frontVortex F1 SystemDisk 464.jpg|F1-S/D Interface Board system disk<br />(CPC 664464)Image:Fd1 interface 664 platine backVortex f1 manual disk.jpg|F1-S/D Interface Board system disk<br />(CPC 664/6128)
</gallery>
=== A1-S Upgrade Kit (5,25") ===
Vortex offered an upgrade kit consisting of a single bare drive and an installation manual, allowing to upgrade a F1-S (single) drive to a F1-D (dual) drive. To do this, one simply had to install the additional drive in the free slot of the drive case.
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Image:F1DCONTBasf 6138 spare drive.jpg|F1-D Interface Board (CPC 6128)BASF 6138 spare drive
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=== Second drive upgrade M1-S and M1-D (3,5") ===
=== FDFDA-1 drive adapter 3" Drive Adapter === This adapter allows to connect an external FD-1 3" drive on Vortex F1/M1 setups on the CPC 464. Since only two drives can be used at the same time, the external 3" drive first had to be selected manually with RSX commands. {| class="wikitable"|-! RSX !! Description|-| |S,1 || Use 3" drive as drive A, upper Vortex drive is disabled|-| |S,2 || Use 3" drive as drive B, lower Vortex drive is disabled|-| |S,0 || Disable the 3" drive (default)|}
<gallery>
Image:Vortex 3rd drive adapter.jpg|Adapter to connect an additional 3" disc drive in between a CPC 464 and a F1FDA-D1 Adapter
Image:Vortex 3rd drive adapter insides.jpg|Inside the adapter box
Image:Vortex 3rd drive adapter insides closeup.jpg|Inside the adapter box (closeup)
Image:Vortex 3rd drive adapter plug cable.jpg|Plug (cable side)
Image:Vortex 3rd drive adapter plug floppy.jpg|FD-1 3" floppy drive plug
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== Z= FDC I/O Ports === All types of floppy disk controllers for the F1-Drives (180KS/sideD and M1-S/D series are based on the NEC 765 chip. The manual states that on "controllers having an integrated ROM module/eprommer" (probably the later 6128 interfaces?) , the port addresses can be freely configured using a decoder ROM. '''CPC 464:''' {| class="wikitable"|-! Address !! Description|-| 0xFB7E || uPD control|-| 0xFB7F || uPD data|-| 0xFA7E || motor on/off|} '''CPC 664/6128:''' {| class="wikitable"|-! Address !! Description|-| 0xFBF6 || uPD control|-| 0xFBF7 || uPD data|-| 0xFA7E || motor on/off|}
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== XZ-Drives (720K180K/diskside) ==
These are the latest less expensive drives from Vortex for use on CPC 664/6128 or and were meant to be directly connected as B drive to a CPC 464 with DDI-1 (ie. on computers that already have or a FDC)CPC 664/6128. Only single-drive variants were available. The |S command (for accessing Since these drives ship neither with an own controller nor a third drive) is no longer used, the new |X command allows to swap drive A and B (same as [[X-DDOSVDOS]] from Dobbertin). These drives are well designed ROM, they do rely fully on AMSDOS and strong. They are housed thus only 40 tracks on one side can be accessed, resulting in a metal case with power supply the same capacity (which has good protection with fuses180K/side) and have good quality drive mechanisms. The drive has jumpers on it that can be configured as neededthe 3" drives.
The F1-Z model is based on a later revision of the BASF 6138 type disk drive (81757-001), which offers more configuration options using jumpers. The drive was shipped in a "double step" configuration to use only 40 tracks, and thus the cheaper and more widely available DS DD floppy disks (48 tpi, 180K/side) could be used. <gallery>Image:Basf 6138 81757 001.jpg|BASF AG 6138 (81757-001) driveImage:Basf 6138 81757 001 jumpers.jpg|BASF AG 6138 (81757-001) 40 track jumper configuration</gallery> === Variants A1-Z Upgrade Kit (5,25") === Vortex offered an upgrade kit consisting of a controller, a manual, a CP/M license and an utility disk which allows a F1-Z drive to be upgraded to a F1-S drive. === M1-Z (3,5") === The M1-Z model is equipped with a single 3,5" disk drive.
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== X-Drives (720K) ==
These are the latest drives from Vortex for use with a CPC 464 with DDI-1 or a CPC 664/6128 (ie. on systems that already have a floppy disc controller); no additional controller was required anymore. Instead, a ROM module was supplied together with the drive, which provided VDOS 2.0-X. Only single-drive variants were available. The |S command (for accessing a third drive) is no longer used, the new |X command allows to swap drive A and B (same as [[X-DDOS]] from Dobbertin).
=== F1-X and F1-XRS (5,25") ===
The F1-X model is based on either a single BASF 6138 (81690-001) or a single BASF 6139 5,25" disk drive. The BASF 6139 is a revisioned version which is slightly more compact (~1cm shorter), and also a number of electronical and mechanical design flaws that affected durability were corrected. The F1-XRS variant is equipped with an additional RS232-C interface.
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File:VortexF1-x front.jpg|F1-XFile:Vortex f1-x-fullcpc464 backside.jpg|Vortex F1-Xbackside, with manual and utility diskshowing IDC connector (CPC 464)File:Vortex-f1-x-cpc664 backsideedge.jpg|Vortex F1-X backside, showing edge connector (CPC 664)File:F1-x inside.jpg|F1-X inside view, showing a BASF 6139 driveFile:F1x m1x manual.jpg|F1-X/M1-X manual and system utilities disk
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=== M1-X and M1-XRS (3,5") ===
The M1-X model is based on a single NEC FD1035 type 3,5" disk drive. The M1-XRS variant is equipped with an additional RS232-C interface.
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File:vortex-m1-x-front.png|Vortex M1-XFile:vortex-m1-x-back.png|Vortex M1-X backsideFile:vortex-m1-x-connector.png|Vortex M1-X backside, showing IDC connection connector (CPC 464)File:vortex-m1-x-under.png|Vortex M1-X undersideFile:vortex-m1-x-inside.png|Vortex M1-X insidesinside view, showing the drive and powerFile:vortex-m1-x-drive-close.png|Vortex M1-X insidesinside view, close-up of the drive from aboveFile:vortex-m1-x-drive-details.png|Vortex M1-X insidesinside view, close-up from the backside
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=== X(RS)-Modul (RS232-C Interface) ===
The X-drives for the CPC 664/6128 are connected directly to the floppy port. In order to provide [[VDOS]], the "X-Modul" adds (sometimes also called "VDOS module") must be connected additionally to the expansion port. This contains a ROM board that provides a VDOS 2.0-X ROM. The ROM board supplied for the CPC 464 came together with a chunky housing in which both the "X-Modul" and the DDI-1 controller were installed. All variants were also available with an additional RS232-C interface to (in this case called either "XRS-Modul" or "X drives. It is suspected to be at least partially compatible with Amstrad-Modul/Pace interfacesRS").
==== RS232 I/O Ports ==== The RS232-C interface of the "XRS-Modul" was advertised to be compatible with Amstrad/Pace interfaces, but offers only one channel (so no channel B).
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Address !! Read !! Write|-| 0xFADC || Channel A data || Channel A dataDescription
|-
| 0xFADD 0xFADC || Channel A control || Channel A controlSIO data (R/W)
|-
| 0xFADE 0xFADD || Channel B data || Channel B dataSIO control (R/W)
|-
| 0xFADF 0xFBDC || Channel B control || Channel B control8253 counter 0 (R/W)
|-
| 0xFBDC 0xFBDD || 8253 Load counter 0 || 8253 Read counter 01 (R/W)
|-
|}
== VDOS= Downloads ===
* [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Vortex%20X-Laufwerke%20Manual.de.rar Benutzerhandbuch für die Vortex X-Laufwerke] {{DE}} (manual)* [[Media:Vortex_Vdos_2Vortex RS232-C Manual.0_Manualpdf|Benutzerhandbuch für die Vortex RS232-C Schnittstelle]] {{DE}} (RS232-C user manual)* [[Media:Manual de las Unidades Vortex.pdf|Manual de las Unidades Vortex ]] {{ES}} (manual)* [[Media:VORTF1X.DSK|Systemdiskette für Vortex X-Laufwerke]] (system disk, 720k disk image, original)* [[Media:VTXF1XB.DSK|Systemdiskette für Vortex X-Laufwerke]] (system disk, 720k disk image, modified to boot CP/M 2.2)* [[Media:VDOS20X.ROM|VDOS 2.0-X ROM]] {{DE}} (German VDOS 2.0 manual-X ROM for CPC 664/6128)* [[Media:NEC_FD1035_Floppy.pdf|NEC FD1035 Datasheet (M1-X Floppy Disk Drive)]]
== Drive Interface I/O Ports = DOSCOPY ===
[[Category:Peripherals]] [[Category:Manual]][[Category:DATA Storage]]
