adamcon Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 The Coleco ADAM Virtual Disk Drive is now available in limited quatity. ALL the AtariAge members who responded earlier have been contacted as of tonight. Cost is $145 - which includes shipping within the US; buyers outside the US will have higher shipping. IF you want to purchase the Virtual Disk Drive, PM (private message) me here on AtariAge with your email address and your AtariAge ID 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Another awesome product by MicroFox / A.N.N. !!!! I've had mine for a couple weeks now and it has worked flawlessly with everything that I have thrown at it. With this SD Drive solution and the IDE CF Package, all our modern storage needs are now met for the Adam Computer... but if you are still looking for an Adam 5 1/4" Disk Drive and come across one at a decent price in guaranteed working condition, I would still snatch it up. Thanks again Adamcon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Another awesome product by MicroFox / A.N.N. !!!! I've had mine for a couple weeks now and it has worked flawlessly with everything that I have thrown at it. With this SD Drive solution and the IDE CF Package, all our modern storage needs are now met for the Adam Computer... but if you are still looking for an Adam 5 1/4" Disk Drive and come across one at a decent price in guaranteed working condition, I would still snatch it up. Thanks again Adamcon Correct again NIAD, the Virtual Disk Drive is as close to an ADAM disk drive as there is available. Able to read & write ADAM programming, the only thing lacking is the ability to use physical disks. Christmas was a bad time to bring them out, what with everybody spending their cash on loved ones; but we didn't want to hold them back for the users who reserved ahead. The VDD will be available for a long time to come and available only dependent upon parts shipping times. HAPPY HOLIDAYS YA'LL !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed1475 Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 I got a Virtual Disk Drive today and it works great! Thanks adamcon. I uploaded a youtube video loading a disk image. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerG Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 This looks great. How user friendly is it? Are there instructions anywhere to see what the setup entails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 This looks great. How user friendly is it? Are there instructions anywhere to see what the setup entails? Buy the unit, wait for it to be delivered, take it out of the box, set to Drive #1 or #2, plug-in the ADAMnet Cable, plug in the power cable, turn on the ADAM, use the PREV and NEXT buttons to browse the disk images on the microSD card, press the MOUNT button to select a disk image and then press the Computer Reset to load. Just like using a real ADAM 5 1/4" Disk Drive without the actual physical diskette. Since there is a max of 100 disk images accessible at once, disk Image files can be added or removed using a PC. What I did was delete all the files as where supplied by MicroFox / A.N.N., copied the 100 that I wanted to the microSD card and then created another directory on the microSD card where I placed my entire ADAM collection of image files. Then if I want to make changes to my lineup of 100 disk images, I just cut and paste files accordingly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerG Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Thanks NIAD, this sounds easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted December 29, 2016 Author Share Posted December 29, 2016 (edited) Thanks NIAD, this sounds easy! EASY PEASEY. The only thing you have to remember is IF you are a little sleepy (or hung over on New Year's day) it will be awfully hard to almost impossible trying to stuff a 5 14" disk into the unit! Edited December 29, 2016 by adamcon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mswift74 Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 I received mine on Saturday and it works great. I would definitely recommend the drive. Awesome addition to the Adam. Thanks Adamcon. -Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 PM SENT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 QUESTION, Why do the blank media DSK files have such different compressed sizes? they are all the same right? Forgive my ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 QUESTION, Why do the blank media DSK files have such different compressed sizes? they are all the same right? Forgive my ignorance. Any or all the disk may be in any size normally used by the ADAM. The disks were taken from the internet (in ADAMemulator form) and as such, some disk are 160, some are 360k, some are 720k, some are 1.44m. It makes no difference what size the disks are, they all work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 (edited) Ok. I get it. So, copy and paste a blank Vdisk to the SD card, name it, and copy whatever I want to it from my real disk drive or tape drive. Easy enough. Thanks. I'm sure ill have more stupid questions once I get min Edited May 23, 2017 by klasko54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcon Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 Ok. I get it. So, copy and paste a blank Vdisk to the SD card, name it, and copy whatever I want to it from my real disk drive or tape drive. Easy enough. Thanks. I'm sure ill have more stupid questions once I get min Exactly; and the disk can be populated and copied as an ADAMem file or made blank, named and copied form your ADAM itself. It can then bu used on the ADAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+darryl1970 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I have had my ColecoVision set up for a long time. I have the Ultimate SD cart. This past weekend, I was able to get a decent entertainment stand and organize my home systems. This gave me room for my Adam, which is now taking the place of my ColecoVision. There is SO much information scattered about the Adam. I think I get a lot of it, but I still have a couple questions. I am assuming that my Ultimate SD cart has no way to emulate and Adam .dsk image, so I would need another way to play the actual Super Donkey Kong on actual hardware. (Correct??) I do not have any digital data packs currently, so I do not even know if the unit works. I ordered a copy of Buck Rogers from eBay to check it out. Who knows if I will get a working cassette!!??! So, the device in this thread would be the best solution for Adam Super Games? Am I right to assume that Super games, for the modern SGM, will not work without that unit, even though the Adam has plenty of RAM?? (Even though it would be lacking the extra sound chip support) I have come across this weird issue: Somewhere along the line, I got a copy of Eduardo's Super DK intro. It will not play in my ColecoVision with the Ultimate SD. However, it works fine when I try it in Adam, with the Ultimate SD. On the flip side of the coin, there is a hack of the original DK, where intros and an unfinished Conveyor Belt screen was added. This plays fine in my ColecoVision, but it locks up after I clear the first level on the Adam. I wonder if that is because it recognizes there is a data drive available? Anybody know why this is? I use my Ultimate SD. Is it correct that the Ultimate SD cart cannot emulate any functionality for an Adam .dsk or .ddp image? Will the Adam VDD, in this post, work with .dsk AND .ddp images? If not, are they easily converted? Will some newer "Super Games" play in the Adam without the SGM, if they do not take advantage of the extra sound? Anybody understand why the ColecoVIsion "Super Donkey Kong" hack freezes after level clear, but it works on a standard CV with Ultimate SD cart? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblenkle Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 * Some super game roms will play on the ADAM without the SGM * But no, the Ultimate SD will not do anything with .dsk or .ddp images 1. Yes, the Virtual Disk Drive will handle .dsk images. I'm 99.9% sure the ddp images have to be converted to .dsk format though to run properly. This is easily done with the Virtual ADAM emulator. 2. Some SGM games work on ADAM without the SGM...some don't. 3. I have never experienced this. Perhaps you have a bad download of it. Is it correct that the Ultimate SD cart cannot emulate any functionality for an Adam .dsk or .ddp image? Will the Adam VDD, in this post, work with .dsk AND .ddp images? If not, are they easily converted? Will some newer "Super Games" play in the Adam without the SGM, if they do not take advantage of the extra sound? Anybody understand why the ColecoVIsion "Super Donkey Kong" hack freezes after level clear, but it works on a standard CV with Ultimate SD cart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 (edited) However, some SGM games that work on Adam are much slower without the SGM on Adam. Example: Night Lore. Edited May 23, 2017 by klasko54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 However, some SGM games that work on Adam are much slower without the SGM on Adam. Example: Night Lore. Um... What? I agree Knight Lore slows down a bit sometimes, but it does that even on ColecoVision. It's the number of objects in a room that influences the slowdown factor, not the machine running the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Oh ok, Not having a SGM, I didn't know what to expect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 Got mine today. Ordered Wednesday, got Friday. Now that's super service! What a nice small device. Works easier than toasting bread. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 I am assuming that my Ultimate SD cart has no way to emulate and Adam .dsk image, so I would need another way to play the actual Super Donkey Kong on actual hardware. (Correct??) Correct. The AtariMax Ultimate SD Cart is only compatible with CV&ADAM cartridge ROM Image files (*.rom). In order to play the Donkey Kong Super Game that was released by Coleco for the ADAM Computer, you would need to obtain the original Data Pack, a copy of it on Data Pack or Disk or play it via the MicroFox Virtual Disk Drive using a freely available ADAM Disk Image (*.dsk). I do not have any digital data packs currently, so I do not even know if the unit works. I ordered a copy of Buck Rogers from eBay to check it out. Who knows if I will get a working cassette!!??! Good Luck. If it doesn't work, contact ADAMcon via text message here or thru his website at ann.hollowdreams.com to order one at a very reasonable price. So, the device in this thread would be the best solution for Adam Super Games? Yes, the MicroFox Virtual Disk Drive. Am I right to assume that Super games, for the modern SGM, will not work without that unit, even though the Adam has plenty of RAM?? (Even though it would be lacking the extra sound chip support) The Super Game CONVERSIONS to cartridge format by Team Pixelboy and Mystery Man are for use on the ColecoVision or ADAM Computer. On the ColecoVision, the Opcode SGM is required. On the ADAM Computer, the Opcode SGM is not required. The Super Games do not use the extra sound chip of the Opcode SGM. I have come across this weird issue:Somewhere along the line, I got a copy of Eduardo's Super DK intro. It will not play in my ColecoVision with the Ultimate SD. However, it works fine when I try it in Adam, with the Ultimate SD. On the flip side of the coin, there is a hack of the original DK, where intros and an unfinished Conveyor Belt screen was added. This plays fine in my ColecoVision, but it locks up after I clear the first level on the Adam. I wonder if that is because it recognizes there is a data drive available? Anybody know why this is? I use my Ultimate SD. Just some subtle oddities / issues that are part of the ADAM's infamous history. Just like Defender and Super Cobra not working on the ADAM... until years later when the rom dumps were patched. Is it correct that the Ultimate SD cart cannot emulate any functionality for an Adam .dsk or .ddp image? Will the Adam VDD, in this post, work with .dsk AND .ddp images? If not, are they easily converted? Will some newer "Super Games" play in the Adam without the SGM, if they do not take advantage of the extra sound? Anybody understand why the ColecoVIsion "Super Donkey Kong" hack freezes after level clear, but it works on a standard CV with Ultimate SD cart? 1. No, although Steve Tucker said he could easily add that functionality. Obviously, he never got around to it and we have the MicroFox VDD now. 2. It will work with all Disk Images and it should work with all DDP Images if you rename the *.ddp file to *.dsk. 3. All the Super Games were converted and let me reiterate, ALL the Super Games. 4. See answer above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soviet Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 How i never seen this thread before, look amazing i already own the ide and rom card from microfox but this seem to be even cooler, wanti wanti want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 How i never seen this thread before, look amazing i already own the ide and rom card from microfox but this seem to be even cooler, wanti wanti want Get it! You won't regret it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 (edited) Loving my VDD. Im finding that some .DSK programs don't work from the VDD. And some take a few resets to boot. But, if you copy them to a real disk, The ones that don't work, or need a few resets on the VDD, work perfect from a real disk. Joe Blenkle and i theorized thst the VDD may be so fast, that ADAM cant keep up. Any other thoughts? Edited June 28, 2017 by klasko54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klasko54 Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 I've been having nothing but problems with my VDD. I copied my entire collection to it and at least half don't load from the VDD. I get missing file errors, freeze ups, IO errors, some need several resets to load, And some don't load at all. Ive tried 3 consoles 2 printers 2 Rey power supply's 2 64k expanders you name it, Still having nothing but problems. I can however copy any.DSK image to a real disk, and they work flawlessly. I bought 2 VDD's and both have the same unfortunate problems. Could it be my sd card reader? Ive triend everything else. any thoughts? Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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