candle Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 wd1772 is all in one solution and interfaces with stock DD/DS drives, where 2793/97 are more complicated to integrate in design but might proove to be more versalie unfortunatly, can't buy 1772 novadays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) Just out of curiosity, what's the WD controller in the 1050? Some of these controllers, such as the one in the ST (the WD1772), could format individually selected tracks/sectors. Initially the WD2793, then the WD2797 as well. I'm not sure 100% what you mean by "format individually selected tracks/sectors", because, if I understand what you mean, then every single WD FDC controller can (that's why I'm wondering if I understand you correctly). But as Bryan is mentioning, the stock 1050 firmware won't let you. I've been scanning around for datasheets and it confirms what you guys have said - the firmware was the limiting factor in the 1050. The one faulty drive I now have switches on but there's zero activity from the drive mechanism. This one has the WD2793 (haven't undone the cage in the other one yet - although that one has a US Doubler in it). I'm going to have a go at doing some fault finding. During my search I was surprised to find one company was still manufacturing 6507 and 6810 drop-in replacements until recently. Edited April 21, 2009 by Tickled_Pink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Just a quickie so that I don't have to start another thread. I've just taken a look at the US Doubler I had fitted in the working drive. Pretty straight forward ... fit US Doubler coded EPROM, move a couple of jumpers but ... what's under the piggy-back? Is it another 6810? I take it that's the drive's sector buffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 More RAM I think. Been a long time since I used my USD drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Just a quickie so that I don't have to start another thread. I've just taken a look at the US Doubler I had fitted in the working drive. Pretty straight forward ... fit US Doubler coded EPROM, move a couple of jumpers but ... what's under the piggy-back? Is it another 6810? I take it that's the drive's sector buffer. Yes. It's another 6810 with a few address lines changed so it's mapped just above the first one in memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 wd1772 is all in one solution and interfaces with stock DD/DS drives, where 2793/97 are more complicated to integrate in design but might proove to be more versalie unfortunatly, can't buy 1772 novadays You can buy it, not cheap, but you can. The Atari "dealers" have it in stock. There aren't many scenarios where you would prefer a 279X. Only one that comes to mind is Bob's idea of using it for HD disks. OTOH, for a completely new design where you don't care too much about backwards compatibility (say, for interfacing with a 3.5 HD modern drive), then the "modern" NEC/Intel FDC derivatives might be even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I have seen projects where MFM type floppy controllers were emulated using AVR micros. I think this is going to be best solution moving forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Why go back to floppies when you have IDE and SD card interfaces available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Why go back to floppies when you have IDE and SD card interfaces available? 1-To back up/archive some stuff that is not on the Atarimania site 2-Nostalgia, I actually like the experience of using all the original hardware,the sounds, the waiting, the wondering if it is going to load. I even like to load a cassette game every now and then I'm not "going back" to floppies, just using them alongside the newer alternatives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 (edited) I do know someone who might still be fixing A8 gear..... I still sometimes contact him regarding pc stuff if you are still having problems Mimo I'll find out if he still does A8 servicing (inc. disk drives) only thing is Mimo, he's in Kent, not leicester In regards to bryan.... Doesn't the SA and SA II allow selective formatting (i seem to remember that being one of it's selling points) Edited April 22, 2009 by carmel_andrews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Why go back to floppies when you have IDE and SD card interfaces available? 1-To back up/archive some stuff that is not on the Atarimania site 2-Nostalgia, I actually like the experience of using all the original hardware,the sounds, the waiting, the wondering if it is going to load. I even like to load a cassette game every now and then I'm not "going back" to floppies, just using them alongside the newer alternatives Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Not on the Atarimania or Fandal Sites? oh my! How about VAPI in this day and age we really need multiple locations to preserve digital data. Lord knows what I lost and how much the Atari community is missing out on because of it. Yes, that is guilt coming through.... you never know what will happen to a house, garage, facility or even oneself. I can only hope one day the sound tools, bbs pro compatible/sparta config menu(it never required a reboot in two years nothing lost no errors) will turn up. Open plea time "David"(you know who you are) could we find the original percom quads with the dang info on it please! We beg you! If it was sold can you contact or give us the name of the individual who now posses these gems. Trust me, there is a reason for the desperation.... a good sum of money was sunk into the software and only two copy locations existed... one on my hard drive and xf3.5, and one location with Dave at his house on a set of percom quads.... and original disks from the programmer. I kept the hard drive in the house and the backups in the garage. The house, garage, and equipment are gone forever(what a disaster). Maybe I should have spread the stuff around but I was young and foolish, now no one has it. Sad really sad... Why go back to floppies when you have IDE and SD card interfaces available? 1-To back up/archive some stuff that is not on the Atarimania site 2-Nostalgia, I actually like the experience of using all the original hardware,the sounds, the waiting, the wondering if it is going to load. I even like to load a cassette game every now and then I'm not "going back" to floppies, just using them alongside the newer alternatives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I once had the full pacman version that had all the intermissions (cartoons) exactly like the arcade in disk format... the only version I can find of it these days is a cassette image.... So guess what I do to play PacMan as it was intended? Yep, it loads while I make a sandwich and get a beverage. As the time left to load counter ticks on! Many cassette version actually had more screens and better software versions than the crappy cartridge or disk versions. Took forever but was well worth the wait! Who knows what lurks on some of these ignored gems floating around out there? Why go back to floppies when you have IDE and SD card interfaces available? 1-To back up/archive some stuff that is not on the Atarimania site 2-Nostalgia, I actually like the experience of using all the original hardware,the sounds, the waiting, the wondering if it is going to load. I even like to load a cassette game every now and then I'm not "going back" to floppies, just using them alongside the newer alternatives Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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