Hi guys,
As I said earlier in the week, the disc analyser hardware is now
working "mostly" -- as in, it'll talk to the PC, select a drive, spin
the motor and display a ton of nifty blinking lights as the disc rotates
(track0, write protect, index pulse, etc).
I've been using a Sony MPF520 drive for testing -- basically your
standard 3.5" half-height drive, jumperable for DS0 or DS1 and some form
of override for the automatic density selection. I know where the DS0
jumper is, and I've got a rough idea what the different density-select
options do.
What I'd like is an OEM manual or datasheet for it -- hopefully
including specs for the I/O drive capabilities, termination requirements
and so on. Does anyone have one kicking around (or even better, a
scanned copy)?
Lastly, I've managed to track down a fair selection of 3.5" drives
(I've got the MPF520, an MPF920 or two, and a few Samsung SFD321 series
drives), but a Teac FD-235 series drive would be nice to play with.
Alas, I haven't been able to find a source for these -- does anyone have
a working spare surplus-to-requirements? I'd prefer one of the earlier
versions with the massive jumper block; IIRC the newer ones have been
declawed somewhat.
I'm also after:
* Some form of 8-inch drive and a couple of discs. Possibly Shugart
SA400 or SA800 series or something similar? It doesn't have to look
pretty, it just has to work. Matching cabling would be nice too
(whatever-the-drive-has to Shugart-style 34-pin 0.1" IDC header ideally)
* a 40-track 5.25" drive. Single or double sided is fine, something
like the 40-track drives that were commonly used on BBC Micros. I seem
to recall the Cumana drives being pretty popular. Not as fussed about
this as I am the 8-inch drive (I can read 40tk discs with the 80tk drive
I have already, just that if I write any 40tk images, they're not going
to be readable on a 40tk drive).
I've had a quick look on "that auction site", but it seems at least some
of the sellers are on some form of illegal substance -- the prices are
nuts. ?150 for a bog-standard 80-track 1.2MB 5.25" PC drive (i.e.
exactly like the YE-Data drive I already have). Or ?59 for an MPF520
3.5" 80tk DSHD exactly like the one that's currently sitting on my desk.
"Used and refurbished" even (but still the yellow front suggests it's
probably not in great condition)...
Thanks,
--
Phil.
classiccmp at philpem.me.uk
http://www.philpem.me.uk/