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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: hbarcellos on July 17, 2009, 03:46:05 PM

Title: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: hbarcellos on July 17, 2009, 03:46:05 PM
http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-100196147-_JM

Not sure if it's already available for amigas, but his dude created a floppy emulator that works with SD cards. It's compatible with MSX, Amiga, TK90X, Atari and others.

Sound's cool. Only issue, would be the 5v. Apparently his using an external power supply.
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: hbarcellos on July 18, 2009, 03:05:10 AM
check this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=45g3RAZlQJE

It's in portuguese and it's showing the hardware connected on an atari st, but, still fun to see...
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: dougal on July 18, 2009, 09:54:42 AM
Pretty cool ... Its similar to the 1541-III for the C64 .
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: Jeff_HxC on July 18, 2009, 07:09:55 PM
hmm this seems based on my design since he used the same component parts (same Microchip uC, 3 buttons, a alphanumerical lcd, and probably same firmware)

original design here:

http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/index.html#SDCARDFloppyemulator

http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/pictures/index.html#sdcard_hxc_floppy_emu_pictures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0arlGguYEts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtazXt_Kc4s

why some people seems forget to give credit when they are using the work of other people ?...
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: ZeBeeDee on July 18, 2009, 08:40:23 PM
@ Jeff_HxC

Is your unit available to buy or is it still 'on the test bench' ... so to speak
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: Jeff_HxC on July 18, 2009, 10:16:50 PM
Quote from: ZeBeeDee;516063
@ Jeff_HxC

Is your unit available to buy or is it still 'on the test bench' ... so to speak

~150 units of the USB version have been sold last year and the SDCard version will be soon.
(batch mostly build & sold by PeterSieg CrazyIceCap and Giants : http://www.forum64.de/wbb3/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=23289&pageNo=1 )

Like the USB version, the Schematic, PCB and Firmware of the SDCard Floppy Emulator are avaivable since 2008.
everyone can build its own unit, several units was already made and used by some people.
Some example :
http://service4u.narod.ru/html/emulator.html
http://www.amigaimpact.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6492&forum=11
http://www.yaronet.com/posts.php?sl=172&s=90784&p=6

PCB+Schematic :
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/StandAlone_HxCFloppyEmulator_PCB.zip

All source code are under GPL.

PC Software converter source code :
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/HxC_Floppy_Emulator_soft_src.zip

PIC firmware source code :
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/HxCFloppyEmulator_Soft_PIC.zip

From my point of view, the main problem is that the "author" seems to have made its emulator from the HxC Floppy Emulator source code (pic firmware + pc floppy encoder) and schematic and doesn't precise it. Of course its project is closed source ...
What i claim is just a small credit/copyright somewhere. After this, he can sell what he want, it's not my business (as written on the GPL...)

It's the second time that this happens, and this becoming tiring...
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: Jeff_HxC on July 18, 2009, 10:36:55 PM
Double post...
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: hbarcellos on July 19, 2009, 12:47:37 AM
Hi Jeff, sorry to hear that. I was quite excited when I saw the release on the Brazilian emulation forums. I'll contact the author to see if he really based his project on your design.
Anyway, the product itself is marvelous. Could bring life back to my old non-hd migs. (my A1200 runs on a Compact Flash! :) )
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: kolla on July 19, 2009, 12:49:39 AM
Quote from: Jeff_HxC;516068

From my point of view, the main problem is that the "author" seems to have made its emulator from the HxC Floppy Emulator source code (pic firmware + pc floppy encoder) and schematic and doesn't precise it. Of course its project is closed source ...
What i claim is just a small credit/copyright somewhere. After this, he can sell what he want, it's not my business (as written on the GPL...)

It's the second time that this happens, and this becoming tiring...


To me it seems that the main problem is that the "real author" seems uncapable of following up the "or else " bits set by the copyright license he chose to use on his intellectual property, and instead of doing the proper thing about it (like reporting to the owner of the GPL, that is FSF), complains on web forums about how tiring it is - on second insident, already. Imagine how the busybox authors must feel! :hammer:

Maybe you should chose a less "tiring" license in the future?

For what it's worth, I bought HxC USB not many months ago, and would buy SD version too, if available.
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: ZeBeeDee on July 19, 2009, 01:19:24 AM
@ Jeff_HxC

From what I can see, it would appear that this person has only a single unit for sale. I'm wondering if this has been built by somebody else and they have aquired it in some way and are just selling it on.

Their past sales record has nothing like this noted so the above is a real possibility.

Granted, if it is based on your designs and code then a nod of thanks in your direction would not go amissIF the seller is aware of your current efforts in this field.
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: trip6 on July 19, 2009, 05:51:31 AM
Yeah... I would be interested in the SD version if you are making some Jeff... Would rather get it from you the original creator if possible, are you making a batch? Do these fit in a stnadard amiga drive bay and line up with the holes for screws \ mounting?
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: acidrain on July 19, 2009, 06:44:24 AM
Would this be interested for anyone out there?
http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=ru&js=y&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amiga.org.ru%2Fforum%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D8%26t%3D1298&sl=ru&tl=en&history_state0=
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: Splurge on July 19, 2009, 06:51:17 AM
I'm definitely in for one of yours Jeff.  Please keep us updated on a release date!
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: Jeff_HxC on July 19, 2009, 08:54:05 AM
Quote from: kolla;516079
To me it seems that the main problem is that the "real author" seems uncapable of following up the "or else " bits set by the copyright license he chose to use on his intellectual property, and instead of doing the proper thing about it (like reporting to the owner of the GPL, that is FSF), complains on web forums about how tiring it is - on second insident, already. Imagine how the busybox authors must feel! :hammer:

Maybe you should chose a less "tiring" license in the future?

For what it's worth, I bought HxC USB not many months ago, and would buy SD version too, if available.

i have contacted the author (in fact he wrote to me some months ago), and now i have my small credit.  
(see here : http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-100196147-_JM and here http://www.instructables.com/id/Emulador-de-Drive-Montagem/ )

So there are no more problem from my point of view. No need to use the FSF weapon against a single person ;)

Quote
Imagine how the busybox authors must feel! :hammer:

Bad it seems : http://gpl-violations.org/news/20071120-freebox.html ;)
Title: Re: Amiga floppy SD emulator
Post by: Sourraund on March 08, 2010, 09:53:40 PM
Quote from: Jeff_HxC;516068
PIC firmware source code :
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/HxCFloppyEmulator_Soft_PIC.zip

Please, the link is broken, I would like to see the source code of the PIC, I'm working on something similar and I think I can be of great help.

Thank you.