HxC Floppy Emulator

[Jeff_HxC]

Important update of the SD HxC Floppy Emulator for Amiga users:

-> Write support added for Amiga !

Quote:
22/08/2010: Firmware SD HxCFloppyEmulator v1.3.0.0
- Amiga Write support added :

Note to the Revision B PCB owners :

To activate this new features you need to add a Microchip 23K256 SPI SRAM chip and 4 resistors.
The connection to do is :

23K256 pin 1 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 22
23K256 pin 5 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 27
23K256 pin 6 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 28
23K256 pin 2 -> 220ohms resistor -> PIC18F4620 pin 29
23K256 pin 8 & 7 -> VCC3.3V (this voltage can be found at the capacitor under the sdcard connector or at the output of the regulator)
23K256 pin 4 -> GND
23K256 pin 3 -> Not connected.

(a 100nF capacitor is also recommended at the pin 8 of the 23K256)

After this modification you should see the message "SRAM OK" at power up.


More infos here:

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

[Jeff_HxC]

Hi,

Finally i managed to port the file selector software to Amiga:




Rev B & C Hardware are supported. You have just to get the lastest firmware update and file selector software on the project website:

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





A small video demo of SD Card HxC Floppy Emulator used with the file selector software:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1zP6p9SBLw


Project webpage:
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/

Producer webpage:
http://www.lotharek.pl/

[Jeff_HxC]

It seems to me that the selector software is just an ordinary amiga program that boots from a default image, and not something that runs on the floppy emulator with overlay on the amiga display, like the UFE one - am I right? If so, is there anything preventing a more system conform gui based selector application to use from workbench? Some of us use our machines for more than gaming consoles, you know

Yes this is exactly this, and a WB tool is something possible too.
But for the moment my programming skills on Amiga is not enough to do this ;-)
Maybe latter :-)
(if someone want to code this, contact me by email)

The cooles thing would ofcourse be to have a device driver so that one can actually mount the SD card itself from AmigaOS as well.
Oh, and support for ISO files, I know - aint gonna happen, it's a floppy drive controller there after all

You got the point : For example i plan to code a small Hard Disk driver for Atari ST to emulate an hard disk drive from the SDCard. On Amiga this is less interesting, or maybe on A500. Anyway this can be interesting to put floppy images on the SD from the WB... mhh nice idea ;-) .

Here a small tech doc for programmer explaining how to use the "Direct Access Mode" of the HxC Floppy Emulator:
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/SDCard_HxC_Floppy_Emulator_Direct_Access_mode.pdf

[Jeff_HxC]

Wow cool, so there is direct access methods, meaning basically that all the crazy stuff I mentioned might be possible

Btw - how do I know what revision my HxC-SDs are? My two ones are from Lotharek, and they're red PCB, so perhaps Rev A?

No it's a revision B version.

[Jeff_HxC]

Can you leave your floppy drive in and install this as a second floppy?

Yes

Can you access the disk and files it contains in shell or workbench?
 
Steven

This is a floppy emulator so yes.

[Jeff_HxC]

Rev C SD HxC Floppy emulator are now available:





Note: You can remove the LCD screen if you want.

Hi,

Finally i managed to port the file selector software to Amiga:




Rev B & C Hardware are supported. You have just to get the lastest firmware update and file selector software on the project website:

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





A small video demo of SD Card HxC Floppy Emulator used with the file selector software:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1zP6p9SBLw


Project webpage:
http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/

Producer webpage:
http://www.lotharek.pl/

[Jeff_HxC]

Can somebody tell me if it's possible to connect it internally as second floppy, and the most important, how?
 
I would like to know the measurements it has, please.

Which machine ? A500, A600, A1200 ?

[Jeff_HxC]

A1200. Could it be something like a ribbon cable that could connect both at the same time and configuring one of the floppys as primary and the other secundary if that's possible? Sorry, I'm almost new opening PC's and so...
 
Or perhaps with the 4 device buffered interface?

You just need a pc floppy cable with 3 connector (1 connected to the A1200, 1 to the floppy disk drive, and the last one to the emulator.).

http://openbookconsulting.org/giip/hardware/images/floppy-ribbon-cable.jpg

[Jeff_HxC]

Rev C (with amiga write support) SD HxC Floppy Emulator Preorder is now open ! :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180575793600

[Jeff_HxC]

Eidt: OK, from reading a little (hohum) I see that the rev B needs modifications to have write support for amiga, while rev C doesn't. Does that mean that a modified B is identical with a rev C, or is there more?

Yes modded rev B = rev C

[Jeff_HxC]

Are there pin headers for the buttons?  That would be helpful for making a custom case since you could easilty put buttons wherever you like.

Yes there are a "front panel" connector on the board with buttons and lcd signals.
For the pinout have a look in the user manual:

http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/SDCard_HxC_Floppy_Emulator_User_Manual.pdf

@Retrofan : please read the manual for the front panel pinout...

[Jeff_HxC]

Hi

New Rev C SD HxC Floppy Emulator Preorder :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180592972686

and a new webstore is now open :

http://www.lotharek.pl/

http://lotharek.pl/null/product/info/3


Project webpage :

http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator

[Jeff_HxC]

 I have a dude. Do I need to use the buttons if I put the HxC internally?
Will I need at least the eject button?

If you intend to use the file image selector software you just need the "next" button.
Connect this one on the front panel connector. (without removing the on-board buttons ;-) )