Slovak Igi Blog - nice ICD US Doubler PCB's?

[+Nezgar]

Is anyone familiar with the author of this blog, Igor Gramblička aka Igi? It's a really good multipart writeup with a lot of consolidated detail about the US Doubler mod. (in slovak, but google translates OK) I noticed his example pictures of homebrew US Doubler 6810 ram stacks came from a post of mine here on AA http://atariage.com/forums/topic/220482-1050-us-doubler-speed/?p=4011333and MEtalGuy66 http://atariage.com/forums/topic/220482-1050-us-doubler-speed/?p=3664839 Link to part 1:
Slovak: http://blog.3b2.sk/igi/post/Atari-1050-ICD-US-Doubler.aspx
English Google Translate: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.3b2.sk%2Figi%2Fpost%2FAtari-1050-ICD-US-doubler-Part-2.aspx&edit-text=

What I was really impressed with, is the PCB featured in "Part 2" and "Part 3" that not only looks nicer, but addresses his concern of lack of heat dissipation by stacking them vertically. I wonder if these PCB's are still available. The author says they are by Radim Poláška, but I'm not sure how to contact him.

Lastly, he described variations of the firmware in Part 4. Interestingly, what he named as "Version 1" firmware is what I previously suspected somebody patched from the original ICD ROM for a faster stepping rate, and his "Version 2" being the original code and stepping rate found in stock US Doubler upgrades. This was previously discovered / discussed in this thread: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/275166-one-last-eprom/?p=3991800

[xrbrevin]

a comprehensive resource - thanks for finding it

 

i never knew there was a tools disk and range of software for the USD - i downloaded then immediately!

[+Nezgar]

The disk looks like a compilation of tools and ultraspeed handlers, some intended for other drives that incidentally work with US Doubler for some features (ie skew.com/skew.dat were for Duplicator 1050). An actual ICD original disk would not have included ROM dumps

[xrbrevin]

i use that USD rom image that you recommended - the one with minimal stepper motor noise and quick spindown

ive done 3 drives with it now and intend to do a 4th but the drive worked briefly then developed a mystery fault :/ - its keeping my brain exercised for sure! hehe

[+Nezgar]

I tried burning the ARCHIV.ROM file in that disk utilities ATR to an EPROM and stuck it in a real drive, and no dice. (just continuous spinning) I guess it's only designed to work as uploaded code.

Saw this text string starting at 078A:
The ARCHIVER 1050!
By ROBERT PUFF

© 1987 Computer Software Services
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

[JohnBlbec]

hello. i'm radim polasek :-)

[+Nezgar]

Hey all, been PM'ing with Radim a bit here, anyone else interested in PCB's if he makes more? Price i guess is hard to determine until an idea of volume is known.