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ADAMnet SD Drive Released by MicroFox / A.N.N.


NIAD

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It's finally happened!!! An ADAMnet SD Drive has been developed and released by MicroFox and The Adam News Network. The details about the SD Drive are a little on the sparse side on their webpage and I'm very surprised that no.mention has been made by them here on AtariAge.

 

Here is the link: http://ann.hollowdreams.com

Edited by NIAD
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The details are very sparse as you probably have noticed yourself, so I am only guessing here, but I would assume that the first 100 disk images copied to the SD Card would be the ones available to choose from by using the menu displayed on the LCD screen. If you have more than 100 disk images on the SD Card, say the entire collection of ADAM disk images, then from 101 on 'til the last one would not be accessible via this product but could still be used and accessed on a PC. Then if you wanted to make changes to the 100 disk images, you would have to re-write the SD Card appropriately.... or hopefully this was all thought out by the developers and the 100 disk images are placed in a directory on the SD Card and then one could more easily manage things.

 

Will be ordering one soon.

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Hmmm guess I don't need to finish AViD - or is this like the IDE in that it is not fully compatible with everything Adam?

 

MIlli

If you can get the ADAM programs into ADAMemulator format, they will work on the Virtual Disk Drive. We introduced the VDD at convention and sold a few, we have 2 prototype units; and just yesterday I sold the last of the initial run of 10. Not knowing what the reception would be, we were hesitant to jump "all in" and be stuck with expensive hardware nobody wanted. To answer Niad's questions and explanation; YES the sdcard is removable, programmable in the laptop. holds 100 "disks" from programs to data disks, is pass thru for ADAMnet, can be reprogrammed at any time. The primary reason for the number 100 is because you push a button to mount (insert) or unmount (release) the "disk" then push buttons for moving up or down the list for the "disk" you want. We settled on the number 100 as large enough to page thru to find your program or data. The sdcard is easily removable so the user could insert a different set of programs. just as one would insert a physical disk.

Edited by adamcon
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If you can get the ADAM programs into ADAMemulator format, they will work on the Virtual Disk Drive. We introduced the VDD at convention and sold a few, we have 2 prototype units; and just yesterday I sold the last of the initial run of 10. Not knowing what the reception would be, we were hesitant to jump "all in" and be stuck with expensive hardware nobody wanted. To answer Niad's questions and explanation; YES the sdcard is removable, programmable in the laptop. holds 100 "disks" from programs to data disks, is pass thru for ADAMnet, can be reprogrammed at any time. The primary reason for the number 100 is because you push a button to mount (insert) or unmount (release) the "disk" then push buttons for moving up or down the list for the "disk" you want. We settled on the number 100 as large enough to page thru to find your program or data. The sdcard is easily removable so the user could insert a different set of programs. just as one would insert a physical disk.

 

This can of course write back to the "disk" as well from the Adam, right?

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Been a while since I've used it, but it appears the typical video corruption issues that colecovisions / adams usually get. I need to hook it up to be sure.

You can sometimes adjust that - if you pop the cover on the RF modulator you can adjust Channel B to get channel 3 and 4 to be cleaner and Audio subcarrier to get sound back (see pix)

 

Milli

 

post-44577-0-46757800-1478015972_thumb.jpg

Edited by Milli V
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You can sometimes adjust that - if you pop the cover on the RF modulator you can adjust Channel B to get channel 3 and 4 to be cleaner and Audio subcarrier to get sound back (see pix)

 

Milli

 

attachicon.gifColecovision-RF-Alignment-Map.jpg

I'll try to get sometime to look at it this week, and pop a photo up here.

 

I also need to restore the controllers to working order, but that's for another time.

 

EDIT: I should probably do that soon, as I want to use them on my RPi.

Edited by Inky
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Hmmm guess I don't need to finish AViD - or is this like the IDE in that it is not fully compatible with everything Adam?

 

MIlli

I wouldn't necessarily say so. While MicroFox's design is more ideal to me as far as not having to connect the Adam to a PC via an Adamnet-to-USB adapter and running a Windows based control/menu program to select disk images, an alternative option is always welcome, ie:

 

- price point between the two items

- if there are different capabilities

- space required

- if one become unavailable to purchase, there's another viable option... happens all the time with Homebrew items.

- I like to have backups, but couldn't justify spending another $130+ for a second unit, so getting back to the first point.... price.

 

Etc., etc.

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Hey Adamcon... have you tested the SD Drive with different size disk images, ie: 360K, 720K, 1.44Mb formats?

Think my man has and I do believe (without looking) that there are different sizes on the drive. My man just took a bunch of adamem files he head or off the net to put them on the drive. it will take the max drive size, but in reality how many people are going to want 100 1.44m disks.

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Indeed, most will be more than content with 160K sized disk images, but there will be some occassions where using a larger capacity disk image will be advantageous such as running Temple of the Snow Dragon from a 320K image, creating a large CopyCart volume, for programmers to compile a special volume with all their needed development software, etc., etc.

 

I understand it will be easy enough to mount different disk images, but options are always appreciated.

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Indeed, most will be more than content with 160K sized disk images, but there will be some occassions where using a larger capacity disk image will be advantageous such as running Temple of the Snow Dragon from a 320K image, creating a large CopyCart volume, for programmers to compile a special volume with all their needed development software, etc., etc.

 

I understand it will be easy enough to mount different disk images, but options are always appreciated.

Some existing on the VDD are 1.44, some 720, some 320 and some 160. No prollem sir, if ADAMem can think it up, the VDD can handle it. With multiple microSD cards, a huge number of programs are possible, BUT the microSD card itself is NOT HOT SWAPPABLE. That said; the disks on the microSD card ARE hot swappable, ie. boot Powerpaint, then change to Powertools or Yuletools, and get the info off of that disk without having to power down the ADAM. As we speak, we are in process of ordering a lot of 25 circuit boards, cases, etc. SO gang, if you want to get on the list, holler now and I will add you to that list. Delivery hopefully this year or early next, no promises yet.

Edited by adamcon
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