DREM MFM/RLL Drive Emulator

[+SoulBuster]

Anyone have experience with this?

 

https://www.drem.info/

 

Would this work on an ST, like maybe in Megafile 30? or an SH204? as a replacement Hard Drive?

[6BQ5]

Where does the SD card get inserted? I don't see a slot ... unless I'm blind?

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Forget this very expensive thing (269 bucks) . SD card slot is at bottom side.

This is for sure not intended for Atari ST, which has ACSI port.

I really don't get some people - why replacing hard disk in some old Megafile, SH204 when we can replace all it with 1, small, not expensive device, which has even 2 SD card slots + RTC.

And costs much less.

[ijor]

Interesting piece of hardware. And can also be used as a floppy drive emulator as well. It will probably work on the SH204 or any other ST host that used MFM/RLL drives.

 

Yes, it is a bit expensive and personally I would use other solutions. But this is retro, each one decides the exact meaning of retro.

[6BQ5]

Now I see the SD card slot. Thanks!

 

I also don’t see how or where this board would connnect to the ASCI port. Maybe there would need to be an adapter?

 

In many ways this board is not practical. Then again, neither is retro computing. Practical would be a modern Windows or Mac computer with all of today’s modern technology. @ijor above said it correctly that everyone decides what retro means to them. I personally love running old equipment of all kinds as it was run back when new. If that means slow clunky hard drives then I’m all in! Specificallly I remember how much I almost idolized a “big” hard drive spinning and whirring with my 520 STfm. So, I would keep a Megafile alive as long as possible. Maybe I would like those older, middle age guys restoring clunky cars from the 1950’s or 1960’s.

 

But, if someone wants to run with modern SD cards to leverage progress and modern technology then I’m 100% behind you! It’s fun to build a hot rod too!

[+SoulBuster]

I really don't get some people - why replacing hard disk in some old Megafile, SH204 when we can replace all it with 1, small, not expensive device, which has even 2 SD card slots + RTC.

And costs much less.

 

I do not require you to understand why I want to enjoy retro equipment in this manner.

 

I have an Atari Stack (SC1224, Mega St4, Megfile30 and a Megfile44) that I would like to maintain the look regardless of what is inside them. Adding this would keep the Megafile30 look while having updated technology.

 

Interesting piece of hardware. And can also be used as a floppy drive emulator as well. It will probably work on the SH204 or any other ST host that used MFM/RLL drives.

 

Yes, it is a bit expensive and personally I would use other solutions. But this is retro, each one decides the exact meaning of retro.

 

Exactly my point as explained above.

 

I also don’t see how or where this board would connnect to the ASCI port. Maybe there would need to be an adapter?

 

In a Megafile30, all that needs to be replaced is the HD and the Control and Data cables with this Card. It would continue to use the existing Bridge Adapter of the Megafile (based on the Adaptec ACB-4070A bridge card).

 

The Control and Data cables inside a Megafile30 have Card Edge connectors to attach a hard drive. These would need IDC connectors.

 

[ParanoidLittleMan]

 

I do not require you to understand why I want to enjoy retro equipment in this manner.

 

I have an Atari Stack (SC1224, Mega St4, Megfile30 and a Megfile44) that I would like to maintain the look regardless of what is inside them. Adding this would keep the Megafile30 look while having updated technology.

 

 

Well, I think that you will be first one from Atari ST users who will test it ...

Oh, wait, what about keeping look - so those device cases, and insert in them complete UltraSatan ? ACSI cable will serve for sure. If you want noise, may keep there old drive with power attached only

This is btw. nothing new - keeping look of some retro stuff. I saw some retro design radios in shops - looks like from 1935, and it has digital radio inside.

[+SoulBuster]

Well, I think that you will be first one from Atari ST users who will test it ...

Oh, wait, what about keeping look - so those device cases, and insert in them complete UltraSatan ? ACSI cable will serve for sure. If you want noise, may keep there old drive with power attached only

This is btw. nothing new - keeping look of some retro stuff. I saw some retro design radios in shops - looks like from 1935, and it has digital radio inside.

 

Ah, so you do understand. Cool.

 

the board is in a 3.5 inch form factor that can be attached to a 3.5 to 5.25 bracket and then fit right where the HD was removed. Easily mounted.

 

[walter_J64bit]

LOL, that is way too costly they need to make a basics version of this device with just the MFM/RLL hard drive emulator.

[hunter44102]

Sometimes people want simplicity where it is just a drive replacment. The multi solutions (like CosmosEx) with RTC, network, USB, Keybd are very cool but more complex and have more failure modes.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Sometimes people want simplicity where it is just a drive replacment. The multi solutions (like CosmosEx) with RTC, network, USB, Keybd are very cool but more complex and have more failure modes.

Really ? Some new type of electronic, without moving parts "have more failure modes" ?

Then, where is simplicity in: ACSI to MFM/RLL adapter + MFM/RLL to SD adapter vs. ACSI to SD card in 1 step ?

Simplest solution in this case is some ACSI to SD adapter. Really no point to come with some talk about network, USB, RTC. I guess that UltraSatan is best solution here - it's not expensive, is much faster than Satandisk, and can handle 2 SD cards. Will someone use it's RTC is not relevant here. CosmosEx is not exactly what I imagine here as solution. But surely is much more reliable than using some 30 years old HW.

[hunter44102]

Less functions is what I am talking about. Hard drive only with one driver. And with new capacitors the old hardware is very reliable. I like both solutions and agree with you

[6BQ5]

I don't think there is necessarily more or less possible failures. They are just different between the older, original technology and the newer, updated technology. Older technology is based on rotating mechanical entities. Newer tech is solid state memory. Mechanical hard drives are prone to "crashing". Solid state drives may issues exhausting memory cells. Also, there is a question of reliability, or mean-time-between-failure. A good design will take into account a majority of the failure modes and the reliability questions. That is why, for example, a good solid state drive has special algorithms to ensure all memory cells are more or less equally exercised vs. repeatedly overwriting writing a single group.

 

In this case, there is no "good, better, best" solution. With this kind of computing there is "your" solution - that which fits your goals and gives you the most satisfaction. For ParanoidLittleMan his solution is solid state. I salute him. I personally enjoy vintage, clunky gear and I hope someone would salute me too.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Well, solid state, or Flash cards is not new technology. We have it available for 15 years. Only that prices are now pretty much low.

For instance I paid 16 GB IDE drive in 2000 some 500 Euros in today value. Now, quality 16 GB SD card costs some 15 Euros. Surely, there is wearing of cells, but I really did not experience such problems yet. If it is used a lot - lot of writes it may happen. Then just get another one.

Old technology is pretty much expensive now - talking about what still works. I think that it will gradually disappear from homes. Probably will be in some museums - where they can keep it alive, what will cost lot of work and money. I seen some of very first hard disks in museums. Size about size of wash machine, noise level - similar. Capacity - some megabytes. Power consumption - about 1 KW.

[ngtwolf]

LOL, that is way too costly they need to make a basics version of this device with just the MFM/RLL hard drive emulator.

 

Technically this could be done with a Pi via a custom adapter and software (think Pi1541), but sadly there just isn't interest much interest in doing this for MFM/RLL. Original PC's have the XT2IDE adapter to avoid using MFM/RLL at all, so that really just leaves us with computers like the Atari ST who just happened to have old Megafile's sitting around. If this was a C64, there would probably be lots of low cost options, but alas the Atari doesn't fall into the mass market or people trying to save a buck.

 

Personally I looked at the DREM and the $270 was crazy so I looked at lower cost options, like the Ultrasatan. Ultimately the price on that was still too high considering the most expensive retro hard drive i've purchased was $60+shipping for the SCSI2SD adapter for my Amiga 3000. For now, I just put a Gotek into my 520STFM drive bay and called it a day.

[ngtwolf]

If you want noise, may keep there old drive with power attached only

 

 

So i've kept a few old drives in my systems to just have them with the system (better to take up space inside a computer than in a box), but I'll be honest, I don't plug them in. The 'Hard Drive Noise' is the one thing I definitely don't miss... and my god, those old RLL drives in the megafiles were like rockets taking off.