Spectrum discs read
ZXNet echo conference «hardware.zx»
From Kirill Frolov → To All 6 September 2000
Press RESET immediately, All!
I looked at the FDA... shit. pts shit. mazday. 0 sector does not see, sax.
Nobody will give out a program that copies everything to the people.
And if anyone needs to copy everything, then it would be easier to use an LPT drive
connect than via @#$! Pull out bytes from the floppy disk.
I remember in those days when there were very few emulators and
no one was doing stupid things, G. Shepelev’s scheme flew in ZX.SPECTRUM
(may the Spectrum be with him...), so this circuit allowed on the Spectrum
read 800kb disks, if I'm not confusing something. In general, all this @#%!%!
with disks from the fact that the i8072 and its clumsy analogues and the slider 1818VG93
They process the index hole on the disk differently - intel it along the rear edge
perceives, and the VGshka in the front:
-------------------------------------------------------------->
time
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX---------------------------------XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX---------------------------------XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
and this is a hole disk
-------------+ /+------------
/ IP signal on interface
| +------------+ | floppy drive
| || |
| |
-----+ |
front front +----
(here the rear front begins at the VG
next track) (and here the hated
Intel's path begins)
So, in G. Shepelev’s diagram, a single-vibrator was drawn
I think, well, I don’t remember exactly. But the point is that it allowed
read stupid 800kb disks due to the fact that the IP signal to the VGshku
went through this scheme and it adjusted the fronts for it.
And in order to read Spectrum’s on the hated IBM-PC
disks must be done exactly the same, but vice versa. We need a single vibrator,
which along the leading edge of the index pulse will generate
short (10 bytes at maximum) pulse of negative polarity.
It is quite possible that the matter will not be limited to this due to the fact that for
Damn Intel, such an impulse will be too short or synchronization
there will be a very short one before the 0th sector. Then we need to start forming
index pulse until it arrives from the floppy disk, but this
There will be a complex circuit with a plock, this needs to be done at the peak. Still possible
such an option is to simply disconnect the damn IP from the drive and connect
a generator that will not be synchronized with the drive in any way. Readall sectors will succeed, maybe not from the first turn, but with recording
you can get problems.
I think that in most cases a simple one-shot device will suffice
installed between the drive interface and the controller in the computer.
For example, you can make it in the form of a disk drive<->cable adapter. Food
You can shoot directly from the interface through the diode matrix.
All that remains is to assemble this ^^^ thing and test it, select the pulse width.
And it is quite possible that the problem of disk unreadability will be overcome
purely by hardware, i.e. The discs will be read by all programs in a row.
Who is interested and who wants or will do it? Do you need a diagram?
*Crossposted in HARDWARE.ZX