FlashFloppy - new firmware for Gotek drives, open source

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

I'm really impressed by your effort to create an open source firmware for the Gotek floppy emulator. But I'm concerned about Jeffs intellectual property.

AFAIK has Jeff created the HFEv3 format. So is it safe for you and the community to offer support for it in your newest firmware? For sure Jeff spend a lot of time, work and money to develop HcX.

I hope he wouldn't stop it, because your free firmware make his one for the Gotek obsolete. What do you think about that?

Regarding the HxC project, aside from the firmware the project is open source (GPL) and, furthermore, key protocols and data formats are published in freely-available PDF specification documents. To my mind that invites compatible works, expanding the open-source HxC-compatible ecosystem.

Personally I separate that work from the commercial HxC firmware. This has had a fairly clear run the past few years (aside from Cortex on Amiga, and the original Gotek firmware for IBM/PC), now it has further competition. That's how the world turns.

[UberFreak]

Competition is a good thing.

Just look at how many fixes and new features were added to both firmwares since FlashFloppy was first released!

[vintageit]

Guys, how do I disable display fading when the emulator is not active? Tried to use the select button when there is no media inserted but it seems to do nothing

[Keir]

Originally Posted by vintageit

Guys, how do I disable display fading when the emulator is not active? Tried to use the select button when there is no media inserted but it seems to do nothing

You can't, not without rebuilding the firmware. Well, only via the Autoboot selector software, allowing configuration of timeout in HXCSDFE.CFG where you can set the timeout to "255" in Settings. That means "never turn off the backlight".

I'm considering to make the default to never turn off the backlight? It seems to be quite a source of annoyance that it turns off at all!

Alternatively this would be a parameter, along with default floppy interface (PC, Shugart, ...) which could perhaps be stored in a config block on Flash so it is available at boot even with no USB media inserted.
I guess this is what you mean by "select button with no media inserted", but:
1. F-F does not support select (3rd) button
2. F-F does not store a config block in Flash
To both of these might be added the proviso: "yet"

Hi Keir,

congratulations to your project. Very good work. I'm looking every day if there's a new firmware available.
It's working great on my Amiga 500. The next days I want to connect the rotary encoder.

I have just one question if it would be ok for you to tell me which tool you are using for coding? I tried to compile it with my Linux but without success, I can't find any Includes in your Code, is that actually new in C? I learned C/C++ about 15years ago and use it since about 2 years again, only coding AVR Controllers with Codeblocks and the Arduino IDE and just playing around with that electronic stuff.

Sorry for my bad english but I haven't often the chance to write and speak in english.
Have a nice weekend

Tommy

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by kaffer

You can't, not without rebuilding the firmware. Well, only via the Autoboot selector software, allowing configuration of timeout in HXCSDFE.CFG where you can set the timeout to "255" in Settings. That means "never turn off the backlight".

Wouldn't it be possible to "re-wake" the display only when a disk access occurs?

It doesn't look to me like a negative issue the display being off when the floppy emulator is not in use...

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Koerschgen

Hi Keir,

congratulations to your project. Very good work. I'm looking every day if there's a new firmware available.
It's working great on my Amiga 500. The next days I want to connect the rotary encoder.

I have just one question if it would be ok for you to tell me which tool you are using for coding? I tried to compile it with my Linux but without success, I can't find any Includes in your Code, is that actually new in C? I learned C/C++ about 15years ago and use it since about 2 years again, only coding AVR Controllers with Codeblocks and the Arduino IDE and just playing around with that electronic stuff.

Sorry for my bad english but I haven't often the chance to write and speak in english.
Have a nice weekend

Tommy

Hi, The codebase is certainly buildable in Linux. In Ubuntu you would need to make sure you have all dependencies installed
# sudo apt-get install git gcc-arm-none-eabi srecord stm32flash python-crcmod

Then grab the codebase:
# git clone https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy

And build it:
# cd FlashFloppy
# make -j8 dist

You now have the distribution zip file

Includes are (mostly) under inc/: see the "-iquote $(ROOT)/inc" command line option in Rules.mk, which makes all those files accessible as a standard include path.

Hi Keri,

thanks a lot for your informations. I never used Rules.mk so It seems I have to learn more again

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Koerschgen

Hi Keri,

thanks a lot for your informations. I never used Rules.mk so It seems I have to learn more again

It is GNU Make you need to brush up on. Start from the root Makefile and work from there... Rules.mk is just a GNU Make include file.

[ikonsgr]

I've just found out a small "glitch" regarding usage on amstrad cpc (with latest 0.7.2 firmware).
When you set the gotek as "drive B" (e.g. you don't drive the "SELECT drive 1" signal on external drive connector to ground) , it prevents the internal 3" drive A to function. When i tried to CAT a 3" disk, give's me a "read fail" error, but as soon as i remove power from gotek, it works fine.
I found a "work around" to this, by setting gotek jumper to S0, power up both amstrad and gotek, and then change "on the fly" jumper to S1. That way, you can access both internal 3"drive A and gotek drive B.
Note that gotek must be set to S1 in order to work as DRIVE A (when on amiga and atari st need to be in S0 position),so i was wondering if you can change something in Amstrad cpc config file in order for the gotek drive to function on S0 position, as most probable this will solve the problem.

[Keir]

Originally Posted by ikonsgr

I've just found out a small "glitch" regarding usage on amstrad cpc (with latest 0.7.2 firmware).
When you set the gotek as "drive B" (e.g. you don't drive the "SELECT drive 1" signal on external drive connector to ground) , it prevents the internal 3" drive A to function. When i tried to CAT a 3" disk, give's me a "read fail" error, but as soon as i remove power from gotek, it works fine.
I found a "work around" to this, by setting gotek jumper to S0, power up both amstrad and gotek, and then change "on the fly" jumper to S1. That way, you can access both internal 3"drive A and gotek drive B.
Note that gotek must be set to S1 in order to work as DRIVE A (when on amiga and atari st need to be in S0 position),so i was wondering if you can change something in Amstrad cpc config file in order for the gotek drive to function on S0 position, as most probable this will solve the problem.

Message or email me, this can probably be sorted out. It is likely configuration/setup error. There is no "software" configuration of S0/S1 on Gotek, there is one physical select input at the microcontroller and the S0/S1 physical jumper connects that input to either pin 10 or pin 12 of the floppy interface (ie. SEL0 or SEL1).

By the way my own testing on CPC was by replacing internal drive and using my own design of adapter to convert the 26-pin ribbon to a 34-pin connection. In that case S0 was the correct setting for the Gotek.

[Keir]

Release v0.7.3a

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/releases

Main new feature is support for third button on jumper JA:
- Eject currently mounted image
- Immediately (re-)insert currently selected image

Also a couple more HxC config flags are now respected (ejected-on-powerup, autoboot-on-powerup).

[cbrunschen]

Originally Posted by cbrunschen

I've not tried to make the lower box compatible with the original Gotek lid, but that's a good idea

I've updated my 3D model a bit:

• There's now a 'preset' for what should be a box that's compatible with the existing Gotek box's lid. I have not had access to the 3D printer for the past week so I haven't yet been able to print it and check how well it actually fits.
  
• The update also includes a configurable 'shroud' behind the faceplate - so that the seam between the box and the lid isn't right at the front, but set back a bit, or if you're using just the frame, there is some cover all around the faceplate shape to slide into the bay.
  
• There's also a configurable bezel that can go around the faceplate.
  
• Finally, I've added some extra material around the mounting holes to give a better grip.

And I've pre-ordered the just-announced Original Prusa i3 Mk3 3D printer - they have an excellent reputation and are frequently listed as the best desktop 3D printer.

Best wishes,

// Christian

[Romanujan]

@kaffer - could you provide https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ke...ets/rotenc.jpg in higher resolution?

Currently I can't read the text on the schematics - it is too small and distorted by JPEG compression...

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Romanujan

@kaffer - could you provide https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ke...ets/rotenc.jpg in higher resolution?

Currently I can't read the text on the schematics - it is too small and distorted by JPEG compression...

You don't need higher resolution, just connect the coloured traces as shown. The small components (resistors) are simply part of the Ky040 module and not needed nor actually desirable. I will make the docs clearer.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Fook42]

please find a new diagram "how to connect a rotary-encoder-module like KY040 to the GOTEK" attached to this post.

[utri007]

I have bought two oled displays, two "empty" gotek drives and usb A A cable.

I ques this video is still OK?

[ Show youtube player ]

One question, can I add third button without hasle?

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Fook42

please find a new diagram "how to connect a rotary-encoder-module like KY040 to the GOTEK" attached to this post.

Thanks for this As I said I will be moving the docs to Github wiki and will incorporate this new picture as part of that move. Avoids extra binaries in the source repository history.

I will make that move in the next day or so. Next on my F-F todo list.

[Keir]

Originally Posted by utri007

I have bought two oled displays, two "empty" gotek drives and usb A A cable.

I ques this video is still OK?

[ Show youtube player ]

One question, can I add third button without hasle?

Yes and yes.

[Keir]

Originally Posted by ikonsgr

I've just found out a small "glitch" regarding usage on amstrad cpc (with latest 0.7.2 firmware).
When you set the gotek as "drive B" (e.g. you don't drive the "SELECT drive 1" signal on external drive connector to ground) , it prevents the internal 3" drive A to function. When i tried to CAT a 3" disk, give's me a "read fail" error, but as soon as i remove power from gotek, it works fine.
I found a "work around" to this, by setting gotek jumper to S0, power up both amstrad and gotek, and then change "on the fly" jumper to S1. That way, you can access both internal 3"drive A and gotek drive B.
Note that gotek must be set to S1 in order to work as DRIVE A (when on amiga and atari st need to be in S0 position),so i was wondering if you can change something in Amstrad cpc config file in order for the gotek drive to function on S0 position, as most probable this will solve the problem.

Fixed in new release v0.7.4a - thanks for the bug report this turned out to be a nasty little bug for multi-drive setups which Amstrad's drive-select logic was particularly good at triggering.