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Would there be interest in new powered dual-floppy setups?

bversteebverstee
edited February 2012 in Hardware
I can make some of these dual diskdrive sets:

IMG_3046.JPG

IMG_3049.JPG

Specs:
- 2x 1.44MB HD floppydrives (modified to DS0 and DS1)
- Compatible with DD floppy disks or HD floppies with the HD-hole covered
- Integrated (modified) floppycable
- External 5V wall socket power supply included

This set is compatible with the PlusD, Disciple and other disk systems that can handle 80 track DD drives.

Price: €50 + p&p.
Any interest?
Post edited by bverstee on

Comments

  • kpuchatekkpuchatek
    edited February 2012
    I think the biggest problem now is to get disc interface. If someone could produce Beta 128 clone...
  • YerzmyeyYerzmyey
    edited February 2012
    kpuchatek wrote: »
    I think the biggest problem now is to get disc interface. If someone could produce Beta 128 clone...

    Yupp. That would do the trick.
    ZX81/ZX Spectrum/Amiga/Atari music: http://yerzmyey.i-demo.pl/
  • Jonathan HarstonJonathan Harston
    edited February 2012
    bverstee wrote: »
    I can make some of these dual diskdrive sets:

    Snap!

    http://mdfs.net/Info/Comp/BBC/pics/Drives/Twin35.jpg

    :)
  • bversteebverstee
    edited February 2012
    There is very little information available about the Beta disk interface.
    If someone can provide me a schematic...
    But even with a schematic: it seems this interface uses a WD1793 chip that is very obsolete.

    I can however find some WD1772 chips (pricy though: about 15 euro each).
    I might want to make some PlusD interfaces, as cheap as possible.
    I would leave out the parallel port, and make the pcb as small as possible.

    This way I might be able to produce a PlusD set with dual floppydrive for about 100 euro.
    Could that be interesting?
  • frood42frood42
    edited February 2012
    bverstee wrote: »

    This set is compatible with the PlusD, Disciple and other disk systems that can handle 80 track DD drives.

    Price: ?50 + p&p.
    Any interest?

    Ah a bit too spicy for me at ?50 but they do look loverly :cool:
  • bversteebverstee
    edited February 2012
    First set ready and working; some pics and a video!

    I am ordering black floppycables, so the set will be totally black ;)

    A European power supply is included with the price of 50? (ex postage).
    If needed I can order US or UK power supplies to include.


    IMG_3162.JPG

    IMG_3164.JPG
  • kpuchatekkpuchatek
    edited February 2012
    Beta-disc:
    http://cygnus.speccy.cz/popis_trdos-schema.php

    Only Beta gives access to TR-DOS files.
    Maybe it is possible to replace WD with ATMega and SD/CF card. My friend told me they are to slow to handle Z80 I/O, but I don't think so.
  • BiNMaNBiNMaN
    edited February 2012
    What's the interface under the speccy?
  • maikimaiki
    edited February 2012
    BiNMaN wrote: »
    What's the interface under the speccy?

    From his video description that should be DISCiPLE. Although looking good coupled with 128k, I find it too bulky to go with Rubber model. Still a great work you've done. I especially like the long data cable. Much better than those short micro drive / Didaktik D40 etc. cords.
  • zxbrunozxbruno
    edited February 2012
    Looks absolutely amazing.
    If you find an easy* way for +2A and +3 users to emulate the PlusD and Disciple you could have a much larger target audience. Those computers wouldn't require any interface.



    * there's already a way but it isn't easy.
  • bversteebverstee
    edited February 2012
    It sounds as if there is still a lot of interest in disk interfaces.
    I wonder how, because the DivIDE is a lot easier to use, isn't it?

    I am investigating the possibility to build PlusD or another interface, e.g. Betadisc. But I have no good schematic of the Betadisc interface, and never had one, so it's a lot harder.

    The PlusD can be made quite easily I think.
    The hardest part is to obtain WD1772 chips.
    And I would make a PlusD 'light' version that leaves out e.g. the parallel port and maybe more, to save costs.
  • YerzmyeyYerzmyey
    edited February 2012
    bverstee wrote: »
    It sounds as if there is still a lot of interest in disk interfaces.
    I wonder how, because the DivIDE is a lot easier to use, isn't it?


    They're not on the same level at all.
    Most of complicated diskette programs don't want work from tape - even the emulated one.
    Because of maaaaaaany various reasons.
    Possible track-loading, TR-DOS versions only, playing AY while loading (which is impossible on tape or emulated tape - which divIDE with FatWare is).
    And so on.

    Not to mention loads of good utilities, simple and comfortable saving ability... Etc.
    ZX81/ZX Spectrum/Amiga/Atari music: http://yerzmyey.i-demo.pl/
  • kpuchatekkpuchatek
    edited February 2012
    Because divIde does not provide easy save support to applications, load tr-dos files, 8k rom is tight limit, and it is not compatible on ports level (some programs will access wd directly).
    Beta-disc is very simple interface as you can see on pictures I sent.
    Just WD is needed.
    But I would try with controller - any links known to such solution ?
    Small board that you can put in place of 765/wd17x... Nice.:razz:
  • maikimaiki
    edited February 2012
    The question is - is DivIDE technically limited to fully support TR-DOS? Because I think it emulates Didaktik drives really well. Too bad there is no proper file system yet.
  • guesserguesser
    edited February 2012
    Does a lot of TR-DOS software have fancy loaders that bypass the API like some protected loaders on the +3 do?
    My rubbish website including the redrawn Amstrad schematics and the Sinclair Wiki.
  • SpeccymanSpeccyman
    edited February 2012
    We are currently getting in a few +D disk interfaces and I am sure buyers of the interface would be interested. The price is fine, I will forward your offer to them.

    We start to sell them probably next week.

    Regards

    Thomas
  • BCHBCH
    edited February 2012
    bverstee wrote: »
    I am investigating the possibility to build PlusD or another interface, e.g. Betadisc. But I have no good schematic of the Betadisc interface, and never had one, so it's a lot harder.

    The PlusD can be made quite easily I think.
    The hardest part is to obtain WD1772 chips.
    And I would make a PlusD 'light' version that leaves out e.g. the parallel port and maybe more, to save costs.

    I would be interested on buying a plusD. Can you estimate the cost?
  • kpuchatekkpuchatek
    edited February 2012
    Does a lot of TR-DOS software have fancy loaders that bypass the API like some protected loaders on the +3 do?

    I think so, otherwise it would be easy to convert TR-DOS files to TAP.
    DivIDE seems to have most (all?) needed traps, but 8K rom size is also limit.
    I think kind of dynamic loading as in EXSDOS is needed.
    Beta has just few registers on Z80 side, there should be possible to place them in ATmega, but I have never seen solution like that.
  • vanpeeblesvanpeebles
    edited February 2012
    You should market these to the QL peeps as well, they do look awesome. I'm very tempted!
  • bversteebverstee
    edited February 2012
    I'll stick with the PlusD option: Sintech wants 99 euro for them, so if there is interest for that price, I too will make some if that goal is reachable.
  • csmithcsmith
    edited February 2012
    I've been looking at doing wd1772 type stuff in FPGA, and it is possible to do a full PlusD or Disciple-on-a-chip. Better still would be to implement a WD177x compliant MMC/SD controller..... The sdcard formatting would be, erm, interesting.....

    I'm too busy with other things for the foreseeable future, but there are VHDL WD implementations out there that could be used as a starting point.
  • kpuchatekkpuchatek
    edited February 2012
    I think it is enough to work with disc image, the same as done in emulators. This way it can be two or four drives on one sd card. WD floppy logic can be done easily with Atmega, but I never tried to use Atmega to talk with zx bus.
  • jegs2jegs2
    edited February 2012
    If I could get something like this for the T/S 2068, I'd shovel out some coin for it.
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