Just ordered the Sdrive-Max

[Beeblebrox]

6 minutes ago, Ricky Spanish said:

I would assume powering from the SIO would be the best route ?

AFAIK having it externally powered is better because when you power down the A8, the device and anything you have mounted (and some settings?) are still retained. On the other hand if SIO powered, the device powers off when the A8 is turned off, and you lose your mounted file, etc etc. I am a little rusty on the exact details of the Sdrive max tbh.

 

As I say if you do plan on getting a power supply for it just bear in mind switching off the SIO power routing inside the Sdrive max unit beforehand. It depends on the model as some have a switch, or a jumper. Whomever sold it to you will be able to confirm.

 

Anyone who has more experience than I do with Sdrive max please correct me if I am wrong with any of this stuff heh heh!

Edited June 9, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[+videofx]

I love my Sdrive Max. Looks like an Atari 810 disk drive

[erichenneke]

42 minutes ago, Mrshoujo said:

There is a way to boot off a real 1050 as D1: and use the SDrive Max as D2:. I forget the procedure but I was able to do it. I booted a disk sector copier on a 1050 and copied disks to virtual disks on the SDrive Max as D2: to create ATRs of them. Just have to remember to Save the image after doing the sector copy, then unmount it from D2: so you can check it by booting it later or have the SDrive Max create another "new blank" disk.

 

I went with the SDrive Max because I prefer to have my data hosted locally.

I'd REALLY like to know the trick to making this work, step by step, because I have tried everything and didn't work for me. And others have also told me that it doesn't work that way with sdrive max, so I had given up. 

[Dopy25]

1 hour ago, Beeblebrox said:

@Dopy25  Not sure about keyboard testing on the 800, but this might help regarding the ram:

 

EDIT: for keyboard testing just boot to memopad or with the BASIC cart installed in the left cart bay, to the redy prompt - then just test the alpha and numeric keys. (Granted you won't be able to test start, select or option function keys). Or have I got the wrong idea? 

I think that's perfect. I'm still new to these so I don't know if there is a way to test integrity of the ram, so I assume if it shows the full amount of what I think it should be, it works? Like in an 800, if I have 3 16k sticks, it would show 48k and would be good to go?

 

As far as the keyboard testing, that makes sense. The keyboard in mine is making characters it should not at the memo pad, but I've read that can be a number of things. I was looking for something to test the multiplexer chips that control the keyboard to narrow it down if possible. I'll keep looking. Thanks for the link!

 

  

1 hour ago, Beeblebrox said:

AFAIK having it externally powered is better because when you power down the A8, the device and anything you have mounted (and some settings?) are still retained. On the other hand if SIO powered, the device powers off when the A8 is turned off, and you lose your mounted file, etc etc. I am a little rusty on the exact details of the Sdrive max tbh.

 

As I say if you do plan on getting a power supply for it just bear in mind switching off the SIO power routing inside the Sdrive max unit beforehand. It depends on the model as some have a switch, or a jumper. Whomever sold it to you will be able to confirm.

 

Anyone who has more experience than I do with Sdrive max please correct me if I am wrong with any of this stuff heh heh!

Yeah you would not want to power both at the same time. I built mine and added the switch, but only so I can leave it in the off position until I want to turn it on. Basically it's looking for external power until I flip the switch. If there is not a switch you can access from the outside, plug it in SIO only. If it does not turn on, it needs external power. If it turns on, do not use external power. 

Edited June 9, 2022 by Dopy25

[Ricky Spanish]

3 hours ago, Dopy25 said:

If there is not a switch you can access from the outside, plug it in SIO only. If it does not turn on, it needs external power. If it turns on, do not use external power.

Some solid info there. Thanks !

[Mrshoujo]

5 hours ago, erichenneke said:

I'd REALLY like to know the trick to making this work, step by step, because I have tried everything and didn't work for me. And others have also told me that it doesn't work that way with sdrive max, so I had given up. 

I know it has to do with setting drive number switches because you have to set the 1050 to Drive 2 and let the SDrive Max boot up first. Then you load a virtual blank in its D2: and disable / turn off its D1:. Then set the 1050 to D1:, stick a boot disk in, and press RESET and hold Option if necessary. The SDrive Max will "step aside" until the next power cycle. I made ATR copies of 7 disks just testing mine out with my 64K 600XL.

 

Or... Leave the 1050 to D1: but keep it switched off while booting off the SDrive Max so the devices don't conflict. When the menu is up you can set up the emulation via the touch screen or via computer with the menu. Turn off SDrive D1:, set up a new blank in D2:, turn on the 1050, then press RESET to boot from floppy.

 

I just giggled that night watching those blinding fast writes to the SDrive Max.

[TGB1718]

11 hours ago, Ricky Spanish said:

I would assume powering from the SIO would be the best route ?

Just make sure as said earlier that you don't have it powered via the SIO port at the same time (maybe a switch is fitted to your unit)

Personally I never connected the SIO 5V line when I made mine.

[Ricky Spanish]

8 hours ago, TGB1718 said:

Just make sure as said earlier that you don't have it powered via the SIO port at the same time (maybe a switch is fitted to your unit)

Personally I never connected the SIO 5V line when I made mine.

Thanks for the additional information ! 

[Ricky Spanish]

Just arrived today.. so kudos to The Brewing academy ! Everything about it is super simple to use by the looks of it. Drag and drop into the SD card. Definitely going to use power via a charger USB. Also with the supplied SD card there is a ton of ATR//CAS/GAMES/XEX/DOS etc., etc.