Cortex - inexpensive Amiga floppy emulator

[+remowilliams]

Figured I'd create a topic on this since I haven't seen one. In short the 'Cortex' is a new set of firmware for existing Gotek USB floppy emulators. It's important to note that the Cortex FW author is not selling any of the devices. You need to purchase a Gotek yourself and apply the firmware which is very easy.

 

http://cortexamigafloppydrive.wordpress.com/

 

After receiving my Gotek in very short order I was able to reprogram it with the Cortex FW and install it into one of my Amiga 500s. It's very easy to use, the 00 slot on the device is reserved for booting the selector.adf which allows you to place floppy images from USB into numbered slots that you can later select with the two buttons and two digit display on the device.

 

It's an extremely cool and very inexpensive way to not have to deal with floppies Here are few shots of the device from my install:

 

 

Gotek connected to USB/serial device ready to be programmed. (note: I soldered the headers in myself the device didn't come with them)

 

 

 

 

Cortex ready to go installed in the A500:

 

 

 

The Cortex in action:

 

[desiv]

OK, finally got mine working with my A1000.

(Was having what I thought were compatibility problems with kickstart images, but it turns out I had bad images..)

 

Placed it in the case without having to cut anything.

Not super smooth, but not bad and very usable...

 

 

I have to admit tho, I miss the floppies a bit already...

 

desiv

[towmater]

I just put one in a 500. The programmer was $12 from Amazon, and I used XP under Parallels to program the firmware

 

http://www.amazon.com/ADAFRUIT-INDUSTRIES-954-SERIAL-RASPBERRY/dp/B00DJUHGHI/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1440344274&sr=1-1&keywords=adafruit

Edited August 23, 2015 by towmater

[desiv]

..I used XP under Parallels to program the firmware

 

I did it under XP back when I had XP. I did VM my XP before I went Ubuntu, so I could do that to reprogram it I suppose.

I did see they have released the HxC firmware for the Goteks.

Not sure how well that will work tho, as the HxC seems to really want a real LCD, so I'm not sure how it would work..

 

Also, if costs a bit (not much) for the HxC firmware, and the Gotek with the current firmware is working..

 

We'll see..

 

desiv

[towmater]

By the way, it worked fine in a 500 without hacking up the floppy port, which would allow the original floppy to be put back in later, if another better storage solution comes along.

[desiv]

By the way, it worked fine in a 500 without hacking up the floppy port, which would allow the original floppy to be put back in later, if another better storage solution comes along.

Good to know..

I am thinking of ordering another one for my A500..

I was thinking of selling him anyway (I have an A1200 and A1000 that I use mostly)...

Although, I might not, because I like having the spare.. (I have SO MUCH TROUBLE letting go of anything.. )..

 

If anyone is looking for a gotek flashed already with Cortex, let me know.

I might order an extra while I'm at it and flash it.. Then I could send it out for my ebay cost +shipping. (The ebay cost for an unflashed one looks to be about $18??)

 

Not planning on ordering a bunch tho.. But if someone wanted one (or has one they want flashed), I might be able to help out..

 

I have my wife's old Dell Mini 9 that I had put Ubuntu on. But now that my main machine is Ubuntu again, I might re-install XP on it so I can use it for these type of things..

(Have to put the XP Media Edition CD I have back on a USB drive for that, as this guy doesn't have a CDRom..)

Also, the HxC firware requires flashing from a Windows machine, which irks me :-), but it is what it is... And I might want to see that.. (They charge for that firmware..)

 

desiv

Edited September 28, 2015 by desiv