Gotek Floppy emulators and Amiga computers now working together! :)

[attle]

H.M.: Great work! Is it possible to restore these units back to factory firmware somehow?

[kipper2k]

Originally Posted by velourfog

H.M.: Great work! Is it possible to restore these units back to factory firmware somehow?

Not without the firmware code. The original code was protected and unable to be read so only way to restore is to find original code (unlikely) or someone write new code (possible)

[Solo761]

I personally won't miss original software, it's not that kinda practical. If it could be used with floppy images for PC as it works on Amiga it would be way more useful than it currently is . Here's review I found online, luckily H.M. did it way better than it was originally intended .

http://virtuallyfun.superglobalmegacorp.com/?p=2599

[jezry]

Looks great. I have bought one will hopefully come next week.
Instead of the pc floppy i converted for my "soon to be completed "a1200 system ;-)

[johnim]

i have one coming too

[Higgy]

Right my USB-TTL had been delivered when I got home from work.

Flashing process done and drive installed in A1200.

But I can't boot from USB stick. It says FAT 32 etc support so I just quick formatted in Win7 and copied SELECTOR.ADF (the boot program) to the ROOT.

Not sure if you actually have to format the drive as if you were using the emulator on a PC with 100 or so mini partitions.

Difficult to concentrate what with all this wind blowing about. Dont want my miggy to suffer a power cut mid fiddle! Great weather here in the UK...

[H.M]

Originally Posted by Higgy

Right my USB-TTL had been delivered when I got home from work.

Flashing process done and drive installed in A1200.

Good.

Originally Posted by Higgy

But I can't boot from USB stick. It says FAT 32 etc support so I just quick formatted in Win7 and copied SELECTOR.ADF (the boot program) to the ROOT.

Not sure if you actually have to format the drive as if you were using the emulator on a PC with 100 or so mini partitions.

No. If you only see "---" on the display you may have a compatibility problem with your usb key. Try another one.

If you see "000" the selector.adf file is found and "loaded". In this case check that the jumper is set to "S0" and the floppy cable connected to the right way. The floppy cable may be connected to the other way on the motherboard.

[Higgy]

Will have to check out this tomorrow. Been told off for spending too much time on computer on valentines day!

I have 000. Will check cable.

[H.M]

A firmware update is available. This one solve some timing related issues.

To get it :
http://cortexamigafloppydrive.wordpress.com/

[pandy71]

Originally Posted by Retrofan

A newbie question: Is it possible that this device with some firmware could use USB as storage means for more than floppy images?

If i understand your question correctly - is there any chance to use Amiga floppy port as "fast" (250/"500"kbps) DMA driven read/write universal I/O?
And for example simulate virtual HDD or even use floppy port as USB to connect network card (bluetooth) or similar standardized interface?

My question is - perhaps instead buying Gotek i can build specialized interface (with for example different ARM even from STM) that can be used with firmware or is there any chance to see code (even not as open source).

[Higgy]

Originally Posted by H.M

A firmware update is available. This one solve some timing related issues.

To get it :
http://cortexamigafloppydrive.wordpress.com/

I have updated firmware.
Still have issues booting. Can you please give more instructions on the USB key/stick side of things?

I have formatted USB stick using normal Win7 process. FAT32 - default unit allocation size (4096?). Then copied SELECTOR.ADF to the USB stick. Nothing else is on there.

I reboot AMIGA. GOTEK shows ---. I put USB stick in red light flashes very briefly on GOTEK (I drilled a hole and bent my red LED so it is next too the green one). The GOTEK display turns to 000.

The only time I have had AMIGA Floppy Drive light on is when I plugged ribbon cable in back too front, then it stayed on.

I don't have a header pin on the GOTEK for 'Generate Ready Signal' - JA. Only on S0.

Thanks.

[H.M]

Originally Posted by Higgy

I have formatted USB stick using normal Win7 process. FAT32 - default unit allocation size (4096?). Then copied SELECTOR.ADF to the USB stick. Nothing else is on there.

there is nothing more to do here.

Originally Posted by Higgy

I reboot AMIGA. GOTEK shows ---. I put USB stick in red light flashes very briefly on GOTEK (I drilled a hole and bent my red LED so it is next too the green one). The GOTEK display turns to 000.

So all is working perfectly here.

Originally Posted by Higgy

The only time I have had AMIGA Floppy Drive light on is when I plugged ribbon cable in back too front, then it stayed on.

LED always ON = Not good. reconnect the cable to the previous way.

Which floppy ribbon are you using ? the original one ? have you tried another one?

Originally Posted by Higgy

I don't have a header pin on the GOTEK for 'Generate Ready Signal' - JA. Only on S0.
Thanks.

JA is not used by the firmware.

Try this : Remove the jumper S0, power up the A1200 with the USBKey inserted into the emulator, wait for Amiga the boot screen, put the S0 jumper , Remove and reinsert the USBKey. Does the A1200 try to start from the emulator ?

EDIT: Would be also nice if you can post some good quality pictures (top & bottom) of the pcb of your emulator.

[Higgy]

It works. I used your last comment regarding removing the S0 jumper.

But... I does not boot after selecting ADF. And I have to do the jumper trick to get back to SELECTER.

I had IDE compact flash installed, but currently removed the Flash Card. I did not want to remove IDE interface because ribbon cable is tight.

Will take some PCB pics.

Thanks for your help.

[H.M]

Originally Posted by Higgy

It works. I used your last comment regarding removing the S0 jumper.

But... I does not boot after selecting ADF. And I have to do the jumper trick to get back to SELECTER.

Ok so it looks like that have to speed up some routines to make it work properly on A1200.
BTW when you get back to the selector, you should get back your last ADF selection. Is it correctly saved ?

[desiv]

Originally Posted by pandy71

And for example simulate virtual HDD

That's kind of what I have wondered about, although more like a REALLY BIG floppy.
I know the Amiga floppy port supports larger disks. I have an AEHD that does just that..
Yes, it needs to patch the floppy library to do so (which unfortunately means that drive only works with 1.3), but it's do-able.
Also, Kickstart 3.x supports some high density drives.

So, how hard would it be for the floppy emulator to emulate a floppy disk with say 1,000 cylinders instead of 80, or more sectors or bytes per sector or whatever??

I really have no idea, but it might be a nice way to get a poor man's HD.
In fact, even an image of 5M or so would be enough for a decent little WB (depending on your WB version I suppose).

Oh well, so much for me talking about things I have no idea how they might work... ;-)

Anyway, great project..
I don't have a floppy emulator yet, and I'm watching all the these great projects with interest..

desiv

[Higgy]

Sorry not got around to doing any more testing yet.
Here are some PCB pics:

[H.M]

I have exactly the same pcb.

I have updated the firmware. Please try it to see if this solve your issue with the A1200.

[mark_k]

Originally Posted by desiv

So, how hard would it be for the floppy emulator to emulate a floppy disk with say 1,000 cylinders instead of 80, or more sectors or bytes per sector or whatever??

I really have no idea, but it might be a nice way to get a poor man's HD.

That would probably be quite possible. Though someone would need to write Amiga-side driver software (or just hack an existing driver like diskspare.device). You'd have to be very poor to consider using that though.

I remember the Amiga-Link networking product from Amitrix used the floppy port.

[Higgy]

Great news. It is now working on A1200!! Silent computing - its the future!! :-)

I tried a multidisk game and a single disk game.
Also works with IDE/Compact Flash.
No USB stick - boots from IDE. Place USB once in Workbench you can read the disk(fake disk!). Restart with USB stick and it boots from Fake Floppy.

Just need a piece of paper (or better memory) to know what is on what track!!

Next job, fitting it into the A1200. I think by removing the circuit board from black case and a short USB Male/Female cable (or resoldering connector), plus move Track Selector buttons you can get it all in the Disk opening without having to cut the AMIGA case.
The segment display is already on an extension.

Thanks for all the help H.M

[kipper2k]

The board could actually be redesigned to sit on the Amiga floppy header and made quite small and compact , the only reason it is so big is they wanted it to fit the whole case

mabbe if i find time