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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.

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). The "S" variant (as well as the less expensive "Z" variant) was delivered with the same double-height casing as the "D" variant, so that a second drive could be retrofitted. The 5,25" drives used were BASF 6138 type drives (double-sided, double density, 80 tracks per side, 96 tpi).

* [[Media:Vortex Floppy Disk Station === F1 für den Schneider CPC 464 - Benutzerhandbuch.pdf|Benutzerhandbuch für die Vortex Floppy Disk Station S and F1 für den Schneider CPC 464]] {{DE}} (Vortex F1 user manual)* [[Media:Vortex_Vdos_2.0_Manual.pdf|Benutzerhandbuch für das Diskettenbetriebssystem VDOS 2.0]] {{DE}} (VDOS 2.0 user manual)* [[Media:Vortex10.zip|VDOS 1.0 ROM]] {{DE}}* [[Media:Vortex20.zip|VDOS 2.0 ROM]] {{DE}}* [[Media:80307-058 BASF 6138 Mini Disk Apr83.zip|BASF 6138 Datasheet D (F1-S/D/Z Floppy Disk Drive5,25")]]===

=== Variants === * '''The F1 - S''' Single 5.25" drive with power supply and custom [[765_FDC|NEC 765]] based controller providing [[VDOS]]* '''F1 - D''' Double models are based on BASF 6138 (81690-001) type 5.,25" drive with power supply and custom [[765_FDC|NEC 765]] based controller providing [[VDOS]]* '''M1 - S''' Single 3disk drives, i.5" drive with power supply and custom [[765_FDC|NEC 765]] based controller providing [[VDOS]]* '''M1 e. double- D''' Double 3sided, 80 tracks per side, 96 tpi density.5" drive with power supply and custom [[765_FDC|NEC 765]] based controller providing [[VDOS]]<br />

Image:Vortex fd-1 interface 664.jpg|F1-D interface <br />(CPC 664)

Image:F1DCONTVortex f1 manual.jpg|F1-S/D interface board manualImage:Vortex F1 SystemDisk 464.jpg|F1-S/D system disk<br />(CPC 464)Image:Vortex f1 manual disk.jpg|F1-S/D system disk<br />(CPC 664/6128)

=== A1-S Upgrade Kit (5,25") ===

Vortex offered an upgrade kit consisting of a single bare 5,25" drive (BASF 6138) and an installation manual, allowing to upgrade a single F1-S (single) drive to a dual F1-D (dual) drive. To do this, one simply had to install the additional drive in the free slot of the drive case.

This adapter allows to use an external Amstrad FD=== M1-1 S and M1-D (3,5" drive on Vortex F1/) === The M1 setups connected to a CPC 464. Since only two drives can be used simultaneously, the -S and M1-D models are based on 3,5" drive had to be manually selected first using RSX commandsdisk drives. === FDA-1 3" Drive Adapter ===

* [[Media:This adapter allows to connect an external FD-1 3-Zoll-Adapter zur VORTEX-Diskettenstation" drive on Vortex F1/M1 setups on the CPC 464.pdf|Since only two drives can be used at the same time, the external 3" Adapter zur VORTEX-Diskettenstation]] {{DE}} (manual)drive first had to be selected manually with RSX commands.

Image:Vortex 3rd drive adapter.jpg|FDA-1 Adapter to connect an additional 3" disc drive in between a CPC 464 and a F1/M1

These are less expensive drives and were meant to be directly connected as B drive to a CPC 464 with DDI-1 or a CPC 664/6128. Since these drives ship neither with an own controller nor a [[VDOS]] ROM, they do rely fully on AMSDOS and thus only 40 tracks on one side can be accessed. The Z-, resulting in the same capacity (180K/side) as the 3" drives were basically S-drives without a Vortex controller and CP/M license.

=== Variants F1-Z (5,25") ===

* '''The F1 - Z''' Single 5.25" model is based on a later revision of the BASF 6138 type disk drive with power supply with ribbon cable (does not come with interface containing FDC or [[VDOS]]81757-001)* '''M1 - Z''' Single 3, which offers more configuration options using jumpers.5 The drive was shipped in a " drive with power supply with ribbon cable double step" configuration to use only 40 tracks, and thus the cheaper and more widely available DS DD floppy disks (does not come with interface containing FDC or [[VDOS]]48 tpi, 180K/side)could be used.

=== A1<gallery>Image:Basf 6138 81757 001.jpg|BASF AG 6138 (81757-Z Upgrade Kit ===001) driveImage:Basf 6138 81757 001 jumpers.jpg|BASF AG 6138 (81757-001) 40 track jumper configuration</gallery>

=== 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 upgraded allows a ZF1-Drive Z drive to be upgraded to a F1-Sdrive. === M1-DriveZ (3,5") === The M1-Z model is equipped with a single 3,5" disk drive.

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). The F1-X(RS) models are equipped with BASF 6139 drives, which are compatible with the BASF 6138 drives of the previous 5,25" models but have a slightly more compact design.

* [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/manuals/Vortex%20X=== F1-Laufwerke%20Manual.de.rar Vortex Xand F1-Laufwerke] {{DE}} XRS (manual)* [[Media:Vortexf1.dsk|Vortex Systemdiskette für X-Laufwerke]] (system disk5, 720kB image)* [[Media:Manual de las Unidades Vortex.pdf|Manual de las Unidades Vortex]] {{ES}} (manual)* [[Media:NEC_FD1035_Floppy.pdf|NEC FD1035 Datasheet (M1-X Floppy Disk Drive25")]]===

=== Variants === * '''The F1 - X''' Single 80 trackmodel is based on either a single BASF 6138 (81690-001) or a single BASF 6139 5, Double Sided, 5.25" disk drive with power supply* '''M1 - X''' Single 80 Track, Double Sided. The BASF 6139 is a revisioned version which is slightly more compact (~1cm shorter), 3and also a number of electronical and mechanical design flaws that affected durability were corrected.5" drive with power supply* '''The F1 - XRS''' same as F1-X, upgraded variant is equipped with an additional RS232-C interface* '''M1 - XRS''' same as M1-X, upgraded with RS232-C interface<br />.

The X-drives for the CPC 664/6128 are connected directly to the floppy port. In order to provide [[VDOS]], the "X-Modul" (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 and was also available with an additional RS232-C interface (in this case called "XRS-Modul"). The ROM board supplied for the CPC 464 version came in together with a chunky housing in which both the "X(RS)-Modul" and the DDI-1 controller were installed.  * [[Media:VDOS20X.ROM|VDOS 2.0All variants were also available with an additional RS232-X ROM]] {{DE}} C interface (German VDOS 2.0in this case called either "XRS-Modul" or "X ROM for CPC 664-Modul/6128RS")* [[Media:Vortex RS232-C Manual.pdf|Benutzerhandbuch für die Vortex RS232-C Schnittstelle]] {{DE}} (RS232-C user manual)<br />

Image:Vortex fd1 464 controller 1.jpg|X(RS)XRS-Modul (CPC 464)Image:Vortex fd1 464 controller 2.jpg|X(RS)XRS-Modul with built-in DDI-1 visible (CPC 464)

Image:VDOSVortex X-2Modul 6128.JPGjpg|X-Modul (CPC 6128)Image:VDOSVortex X-internalModul 6128 Board Front.JPGjpg|X-Modul board (CPC 6128) Image:Vortex X-Modul 6128 Board Backside.jpg|X-Modul boardbackside (CPC 6128)