25 Nov
2010
25 Nov
'10
10:13 p.m.
Here's another idea that'll get me a place in the Loony Bin.
I suspect you're already there :-). I cerainly should be...
A little while ago I picked up a couple of Amstrad EME232 double-sided
3-inch floppy drives. Out of the three I have, two have had their
read-write ASIC zapped by someone (in one case myself, in another an
ebay seller) plugging them into a PC power supply to "test". Net result:
the ASIC goes completely deaf.
Let's assume for a minute that the heads in the EME232 drives are
undamaged. That means all the issues are related to defective circuitry
on the PCB. So, how about this for an idea: move the controller chip and
surrounding circuitry (or even the whole board) to the EME232, then wire
it into the existing drive mechanics.
Where are you getting this ASIC (or board) from? If it's another simialr
drive, then no problem (although IIRC you have to do the track0 alingment
if you remove the PCB). Also, IIRC, the ASIC is the same between the
signle hardand double head models.
This would -- in theory -- allow the two dead 232s (and possibly the
EME156 single-head drive) to be resurrected.
Where are you going to get all the spares from.
Anyone care to comment on this idea and its possibility or absurdity?
The other option would be to get a new read-write ASIC for the Amstrad
drives, but those seem to be like hen's teeth. Part number is M51017AP
(made by Panasonic but if memory serves they're not marked with a logo
or manufacturer designation) if anyone wants to check.. :)
At one time CPC coudl get most Amstrad spares... But I don;t know if disk
drive parts were amongst them, certainly the service manuals don't seem
to support field repari of thedrives and there re no parts lists...
One other though, which I mentionedsoem weeks ago. The periperhal
componens to the read amplifier seem to be those that I would expect for
an MC3740 IC. I wonder if yo could use that IC and a little external
circuitry to replace the defective read amplifier secion (and the rest of
the ASCI seems fine).
-tony