BBC-FDC floppy controller for Raspberry Pi - New Batch In

[billcarr2005]

Can Bill confirm that FSD is only really meant to be single sided? If so I can change the code to only operate on one side at a time. I did notice that FSD only stores logical side information and not physical side - but then I guess the Beeb treats the sides as separate volumes anyway.

Yes, I only intended to capture one side at once, as most protected disks didn't tend to fill 400KB and/or change drives during the loading process!

When I made my own BBCFDC board, ended up with some spares, and contacted Picosonic to see if he had anyone waiting for boards, I never imagine it would snowball like this. I genuinely feel Picononic has made a huge contribution to the community with his elegant hardware and software design.

Hear hear!

[picosonic]

Yes, I only intended to capture one side at once, as most protected disks didn't tend to fill 400KB and/or change drives during the loading process!

Thanks Bill and Jason, for confirming FSD are single sided and for the kind words.

I've updated the GitHub repository to default to single sided capture when .FSD output is requested.

[picosonic]

I've been able to convert one of my copy protected RFI captures (from an original copy of Elite) into an FSD file and have it then work fine in beebjit - which I'm quite pleased about.

It's a 40 track version of Elite (not sure if they made 80 track ones), the copy protection seems to be as follows :

Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 have sectors ids ranging from 128 to 137.
Track 3 appears to not contain any sectors and I've marked it in the FSD as unformatted.

Can anyone verify this is correct? Thanks

[vanekp]

You both have had a big part to play in it all and we all do appreciate the effort that's been put in to it and the help that's also given to the community.
Thank you both for making this such a fantastic project, and follow it with intrest.

[billcarr2005]

Drive 0 of Elite is 40 track, drive 2 is 80 track (first 40 tracks contain data, last 40 tracks unformatted, i think)
Looking at a few key points in the image, it's possible to deduce that it's the "fixed" version

[Knight Rider]

I'm interested in buying one.

Also, since this is my first post here, I want to say hello to everyone.

[JasonStonier]

I'm interested in buying one.

you're on the list for a board. My last board, actually.

I'll get it tested probably Monday night and then I'll price up the postage for you and let you know by email.

Thanks!

[JasonStonier]

Clarification for anyone coming to this thread late (like Knight Rider, who thankfully asked all the right questions by email before I sent his board):

1) The board cannot be used as a "live" floppy controller for Raspberry Pi to read disks into an emulator on the fly - [although technically possible with software support]
2) The board [can in theory write disks, but at the moment the software only supports reading]

Result of which - I still have one board left if anyone wants it!

[edited to correct my lack of understanding!]

[danielj]

I think it's probably time for a post which outlines the various options for disk archiving/writing and what they can/can't do.

d.

[JasonStonier]

Excellently volunteered, my friend.

[danielj]

Excellently volunteered, my friend.

- I'm going to run it past you first.

[JasonStonier]

Me, I know nothing. My only discernible skill is using Google.

[picosonic]

Clarification for anyone coming to this thread late (like Knight Rider, who thankfully asked all the right questions by email before I sent his board):

1) The board cannot be used as a "live" floppy controller for Raspberry Pi to read disks into an emulator on the fly
2) The board cannot write disks, it can only read them

Result of which - I still have one board left if anyone wants it!

As it stands the physical board is wired up to be able to emulate a floppy to a host device, and to be able to write to floppy disks.
It's just my primary focus has been in reading and archive data from disks, so all the software I've written so far is read only.

I like the idea of it also being a floppy emulator, and I know people have done this exact use case with Raspberry Pi add-on circuits like mine.
Admittedly floppy emulation is probably more useful that actually writing to ageing floppies.

My Beeb is currently not working, but my floppy drives are, hence the focus of archiving.

Here's an example of a project for the Raspberry Pi 1 from somebody in Canada which supports both read and write, and one where I drew some of my initial inspiration for my PCB from (and to know it was possible). They have targetted the TRS-80 using DMK image files. This project could be made to work with my PCB with a bit of tweaking.

http://virtualfloppy.blogspot.com/2013/ ... oject.html

[JasonStonier]

[my post above edited in light of this information from Picosonic]

[Greycon]

Hi there, had just started down this road, but using an atMega328P and an old Tandon 5.25 inch drive. My use case a bit different - I am partway through building a homebrew cpu from LSTTL chips, 95% 6502 Compatible. I need a break, and I plan to attach an old 5.25 inch drive to it as a way to get some simple SW on there. Steampunk style

So, I'd love to have your board as a way to ensure that my efforts to write onto the 5.25 inch diskettes from the AVR are successful. Do you have any left? If so, what's best, Paypal?

Great project, just cloned your source, and looking at it now. Never would have thought of using the SPI input!

C.

[picosonic]

Do you have any left? If so, what's best, Paypal?

Great project, just cloned your source, and looking at it now. Never would have thought of using the SPI input!

Thanks for your message.

I don't personally have any boards. Jason Stonier did make some up recently, I'm not sure if he has any left?

[Greycon]

[my post above edited in light of this information from Picosonic]

Hi Jason, do you perchance have any of the BBC-FDC boards left?

[JasonStonier]

I do - I have one left actually, but I was about to order another batch of boards anyway since interest has been so high.

I'll drop you a PM

[Greycon]

I do - I have one left actually, but I was about to order another batch of boards anyway since interest has been so high.

I'll drop you a PM

Hi Jason,
I can't send PMs , nor can I reply to yours 'Cos I'm a newbie here. Yes. I would love to have the board. Could you email me at
And we can make the necessary arrangements?

Cheers,
Con

[danielj]

I can't send PMs , nor can I reply to yours 'Cos I'm a newbie here. Yes. I would love to have the board. Could you email me at
And we can make the necessary arrangements?

Cheers,
Con

I've enabled PMs for you
(and removed your email address from the post!)

d.

[JasonStonier]

[picosonic]

giving .scp a go see how that works, trying to open a .scp file in HxCFloppyEmulator is just sits there reading track 0.

I've done some work on .SCP format dumps created with my imager and these look fine with Keir Fraser's Disk Utilities.

Can you update your code from GitHub and try again with the tools you are using, then report back.

[JasonStonier]

I've got a new batch of these boards in if anyone wants one.

£10 including UK postage.

[Arcadian]

Just thought I'd drop a link in this thread to Jasper's recent ABug talk about the FDC boards:
http://abug.org.uk/index.php/2020/10/03 ... fdc-board/

[PeteD]

I'd love one please. Can you let me know how to pay. Cheers.

Pete

[JasonStonier]

Hi Pete,
Sure thing - pretty sure I've got everything in for a few more. I tend to make them to order now the initial rush is over.

Let me check and get back to you - if you can drop me a PM with your email address we can get things moving (you might have to ask an Admin nicely to enable PMs for you).

Cheers,

Jason

...

[oe7twj]

I'd also love one please. Can you let me know how to pay.

Regards
Tommy

[iomanoid]

Me too, please! Would love one of these. Show me the way...

[JasonStonier]

No problem guys - I've got the boards in for about another 15 or so, but only the buffer chips for one.

I'll get some more chips on order and get boards out to you shortly after - not sure what RS Components' deliveries will be like, so might be early in the new year.

[j6wbs]

I would be interested too, I don’t have enough star dot karma to send PMs yet.

Cheers

Jez