Here's how to convert a Chinon FZ-357 drive from PC to Amiga :)

Some of the Chinon FZ-357 disk drives already have a trace connecting the J2 pads. What I would like to know is what is the difference between the FB-354 and the FZ-357? They both look the same. I think that the FB-354 is an FZ-357 with the mod and jumpers already set for the Amiga computer. Do any of you guys know how to set up these drives to work on the Atari 1040ST computer?

[a_petri]

Originally Posted by DoomMaster

Some of the Chinon FZ-357 disk drives already have a trace connecting the J2 pads. What I would like to know is what is the difference between the FB-354 and the FZ-357? They both look the same. I think that the FB-354 is an FZ-357 with the mod and jumpers already set for the Amiga computer.

There are more differences AFAIK:
- the FB-354 (at least the ones I saw) is 1.6" high - to fit to the A2000 case - , while most PC 3.5" FDDs that are 1" high;

- the FB-354 is *designed* to be a DD drive, as it cannot distinguish between 720K and 1.44M floppy disks. If you push the front slit cover in, you'll see that there is only one microswitch in it, on the right side (which is the write protection sensor), while PC 3.5" FDDs also have a microswitch on the left side (to detect the lack of hole on 720K floppy disks).

Moreover, the early series of Chinon FZ-357 drives have a PCB which can be hacked to make an Amiga 1760KB HD disk drive! I have an old Hungarian magazine article about this hack - I'll translate it and present it here if anyone is interested ;-)

[Marcuz]

Originally Posted by mtb

Yes, it's quite easy to be found ( i've found it to the place where old cars are "stored", dunno both the english and the italian term, only the local one: rùtamàt ).

HAHAHHAHHAHAHAhah... Giulio, non mi ricordo più, ma sei piemontese?

[Marcuz]

Originally Posted by a_petri

Moreover, the early series of Chinon FZ-357 drives have a PCB which can be hacked to make an Amiga 1760KB HD disk drive! I have an old Hungarian magazine article about this hack - I'll translate it and present it here if anyone is interested ;-)

i'm ignorant about tech stuff: would it be useful in amiga-pc transfer stuff? how would it be reknown by amiga? would it still work with 880kb disks?
thank you

Originally Posted by a_petri

There are more differences AFAIK:
- the FB-354 (at least the ones I saw) is 1.6" high - to fit to the A2000 case - , while most PC 3.5" FDDs that are 1" high;

- the FB-354 is *designed* to be a DD drive, as it cannot distinguish between 720K and 1.44M floppy disks. If you push the front slit cover in, you'll see that there is only one microswitch in it, on the right side (which is the write protection sensor), while PC 3.5" FDDs also have a microswitch on the left side (to detect the lack of hole on 720K floppy disks).

Moreover, the early series of Chinon FZ-357 drives have a PCB which can be hacked to make an Amiga 1760KB HD disk drive! I have an old Hungarian magazine article about this hack - I'll translate it and present it here if anyone is interested ;-)

I am very interested in that hack.

[a_petri]

Originally Posted by DoomMaster

I am very interested in that hack.

All right, but it may be a bit long and technical, so I put it onto a separate web page
here:

http://www.inf.mit.bme.hu/private/fz357/

It is not a very easy task - it includes some rather delicate soldering work and the building of a small electronic circuit -, but the result is a fully working Amiga high density floppy drive unit, virtually equivalent with the original Commodore one.

It practically means that PC <-> Amiga file transfers can be made with standard 1.44MB PC-formatted floppy disks. Naturally it remains compatible with 880K Amiga floppy disks as well.

Originally Posted by a_petri

All right, but it may be a bit long and technical, so I put it onto a separate web page
here:

http://www.inf.mit.bme.hu/private/fz357/

It is not a very easy task - it includes some rather delicate soldering work and the building of a small electronic circuit -, but the result is a fully working Amiga high density floppy drive unit, virtually equivalent with the original Commodore one.

It practically means that PC <-> Amiga file transfers can be made with standard 1.44MB PC-formatted floppy disks. Naturally it remains compatible with 880K Amiga floppy disks as well.

I just want to use the Chinon FZ-357 disk drives as 880K Amiga drives. I am not interested in high-density drives. The standard for the Amiga is 880K, so that is what I will use. I am buying up all of the DS/DD disks that I can find on eBay and other places and storing them away in my closet for future use. I plan to keep and use my Amiga and Atari ST computers for the next 30+ years. I am also stocking up on mice, keyboards, custom chips, DRAMs, Zorro II/III boards, power suppies, cases, disk drives, SCSI hard drives and CD Rom drives. I am also buying up the Commodore A2320 and A2091 boards. I am also stocking up on Amiga Zorro II/III video boards. Now I have a closet full of spare parts. I find the Chinon FZ-357 disk drives at my local Goodwill Outlet all the time. I also find the Teac disk drives that work with the Amiga with NO MODs. I must have over a hundred (100) of these disk drives so far. Sometimes I sell the high-quality Teac disk drives for About $250.00 each. They are very nice drives and are very hard to find. I have just been lucky. Only a few of the Teac drive models will work with the Amiga. The only bad thing that I can say about them is that they do not like to go out past track 82, so some copy-protected games will not work on the Teac disk drives.

[Syko]

Thanks for that web page a_petri, very very usefull (copied to my HD already ) I'l have to check out the aminet file as well.

Originally Posted by Overdoc

Ok, here is how to do it:

First, set the jumpers on the back:
You have to close DS0, MD, RDY and TTL/C-MOS
So there is one horizontal jumper in the lower row between pins 2 & 3, and 3 horizontal jumpers between upper and lower row on positions 4, 6 and 7.

Doc did you make an error? Is it MM that needs to be jumpered or MD? MD is horizontally not vertically. MM is like the other two: RDY and TTL/C-MOS.

[TjLaZer]

Overdock I did the mod and it works! You make a type to its MM not MD to jumper!

[Jope]

Originally Posted by DoomMaster

I also find the Teac disk drives that work with the Amiga with NO MODs. I must have over a hundred (100) of these disk drives so far. Sometimes I sell the high-quality Teac disk drives for About $250.00 each. They are very nice drives and are very hard to find. I have just been lucky.

Heh.. $250.. :-D A 3.5" floppy drive is worth just about $25.. You yourself said you have about 100 of them? For how much did you get 'em yourself? $5 apiece?

I mean you can buy a real Sony half-speed mechanism for less than $250 from an Amiga retailer.

C'mon.

Originally Posted by Jope

Heh.. $250.. :-D A 3.5" floppy drive is worth just about $25.. You yourself said you have about 100 of them? For how much did you get 'em yourself? $5 apiece?

I mean you can buy a real Sony half-speed mechanism for less than $250 from an Amiga retailer.

C'mon.

Well then, I suggest you go buy them because I sell mine for between $95.00 for used and $250.00 for brand new Teac disk drives that work with the Amiga and Atari ST computers. These vintage disk drives are actually very hard to find. If you do not believe me just try to find them on the internet. I managed to find only a few places that still have some left in stock. These places know that these are rare disk drives because they charge at least $100.00 for each drive.

[Amiga1992]

What a THIEF!

Originally Posted by Akira

What a THIEF!

NO, I am NOT a "THIEF"! The Teac disk drives that work with the Amiga and Atari ST computers or very hard to get. They are THE highest quality disk drives that you can get for these computers. They are not produced anymore, so trying to find one brand new or in like new condition is tough. Akira, I issue you a challenge: Find these disk drives and display the web sites where they can be bought right here in this forum. Make sure that they are the Teac disk drives that work with the Amiga and Atari ST computers WITHOUT any mods. Comeon, big-mouth! Let's see how you like being called names, punk! You will probably just delete this and ban the one of many IPs that I use.

You can find a working drive from an a500 free from the junkyard. I can easily find an amiga drive for about 1$ here from the junk market here. There's really no point defending the 250$ price. Get 250 drives, some will be teac, if it's THAT important

Originally Posted by Burseg

You can find a working drive from an a500 free from the junkyard. I can easily find an amiga drive for about 1$ here from the junk market here. There's really no point defending the 250$ price. Get 250 drives, some will be teac, if it's THAT important

Ok, let's see you find them. Good luck.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by DoomMaster

Comeon, big-mouth! Let's see how you like being called names, punk! You will probably just delete this and ban the one of many IPs that I use.

That's just not how this place work, you would be surprised. If you want moderation of that type, I encourage you to LEAVE the EAB and join http://www.lemonamiga.com/forum , there they will treat you like you are used to.

By the way, your reputation speaks for itself. I'm in no need of namecalling.

[TjLaZer]

Just a necro bump as I did one Chinon FZ-357 drive last night.

If you have the Japan model you need to jumper J2 AND J18. Leave J20 alone. Works great!

Malaysia models just need J2 jumpered.

[jimbobrocks92]

Originally Posted by TjLaZer

Just a necro bump as I did one Chinon FZ-357 drive last night.

If you have the Japan model you need to jumper J2 AND J18. Leave J20 alone. Works great!

Malaysia models just need J2 jumpered.

Sorry for the bump

Does/did this work with HD disks? (effectivly turning it into an amiga hd floppy drive)

[Jope]

That is indeed the allure of the FZ-357.. With those modifications it becomes an FZ-357A :-)