Amiga 500 internal second floppy(?)

[ref]

I'm planning to keep my original floppy drive in place and, if possible, add a second *internal* gotek floppy as DF1.

I wonder if internal floppy socket in an Amiga500 support 2nd floppy? Can I use a A+B drive PC floppy cable for this method to work?

[Daedalus]

Yep, the A500 (and most Amigas) supports two floppies on the internal header, with some caveats:

- The second floppy drive receives a select signal but not a motor signal. This will allow a Gotek to work as an internal DF1, but not a normal floppy drive.

- A normal PC A-B cable won't work because the Amiga needs a different twist between the drives. If you're careful, it's possible to remove one connector and modify a PC cable to suit.

[Jope]

- There is no ID stream for the second select signal either, so your drive must generate it

[hooverphonique]

Is the gotek able to generate the ID stream? should be trivial to have in its firmware..

[Jope]

IIRC it does.

[solarmon]

This is a guide for an A1200, but it is applicable for the A500:

https://www.ikod.se/amiga-1200-gotek/

I've done this mod to my A1200 so I know it works, but with the caveats stated above by Daedalus and Jope.

An alternative to a Gotek is the Amigotek, although I've yet to try it myself, but I'm planning to use these for my A500's:

https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/de...emulator-36112

[lesta_smsc]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

- The second floppy drive receives a select signal but not a motor signal. This will allow a Gotek to work as an internal DF1, but not a normal floppy drive.

That's very interesting! I was wondering whether there was enough space for 'bare bones PCB' of Gotek and have the selector and USB on external mounts.

[Vypr]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

That's very interesting! I was wondering whether there was enough space for 'bare bones PCB' of Gotek and have the selector and USB on external mounts.

The Micro-gotek should od that as the USB is an external mount. Fir the selector, I usually wire a rotary encoder up and connect it to the pin headers.

[lesta_smsc]

You got pics of your set up?

For USB extension I was literally considering USB extension cable mounted onto the case.

[Vypr]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

You got pics of your set up?

For USB extension I was literally considering USB extension cable mounted onto the case.

I 3D printed a snap on housing for the OLED and encoder. This is my A500 - The switch on the housing is for the ROM Switcher.

https://imgur.com/dxAiIkg

This is the A1200

https://imgur.com/KR9neF1

[lesta_smsc]

That's awesome! Thanks for the heads up. Internal wiring guide anywhere?

[Vypr]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

That's awesome! Thanks for the heads up. Internal wiring guide anywhere?

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/wiki/Hardware-Mods

[ref]

thank you for all the replies, so it's possible to put second internal drive.

As I cannot put anything in expansion port due to hardware conflicts, I'm planning to print a expansion port cover compatible to gotek pcb, and put it there. I don't really want to cut upper case, as I don't want to ruin original look. But as solarmon posted, I think It's wise to put a df0 switch also. it's simple and kind of a necessity for a500.


I'll post the result here (in a couple of weeks).

[lesta_smsc]

Please take pics of soldering so I can see how it all fits thanks.

[jasonsbeer]

Originally Posted by ref

I'll post the result here (in a couple of weeks).

Any luck making this work?

I also want to attach a gotek to the internal A500 floppy header as DF1. It sounds like you need the Amiga specific floppy cable because the twist is not the same as a PC. I have one from an Amiga 2000.

I want to hook one up temporarily to copy ADF files to disks.

[mjnurney]

Interesting pcb, I may have a use for this.

Is it possible to include the missing signals so that a DF1 can be a real floppy drive?