12 May
1998
12 May
'98
10:41 p.m.
Greetings,
Last week, along with a boxload of other stuff, I picked up an external
3.5" floppy drive that apears to be intended for Apple machines.
It's a DS800 from DataSpace Corporation.
It physically plugs into my Apple //c, but I can't get the machine to
recognize it. The drive makes a noise when I power up the computer, but
that's all. Attempts to access S6, D2 or any other slot and drive
combination doesn't get anywhere.
It DOES respond to my Mac 512K, though. I plugged it into that machine
and shoved a Mac-formatted disk in it, and an icon and open window popped
up.
I don't think the drive can be intended for the Mac, though, because it's
got a MECHANICAL eject mechanism. In fact I was able to eject that Mac
disk (write protected, thankfully ;) ) and the Mac didn't notice.
Is there something I need to do to get my //c to recognize the drive? Or
is it intended for use on a //gs? Or did this company make a line of
dangerous Mac peripherals in an attempt to give the platform a bad name
for an overabundance of disk corruptions? ;)
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
12 May
12 May
9:04 p.m.
Early versions of the Apple //c didn't have the support for 3.5"
drives. Mine is like that. You can check which version of the //c
you have by going into Applesoft and doing a PRINT PEEK(64447). If
it returns 255 then you have an original //c. The tech ref shows 3
basic versions and their ID bytes as follows:
Original //c : ID Byte = 255
UniDisk //c : ID Byte = 0
Added 3.5" support
Increased ROM to 256K
Some new serial port commands
Mini-assembler
New monitor commands
Built-in diagnostics
Improved interrupt handler & external drive startup
Memory Expansion //c : ID Byte = 3
Added internal memory expansion connector
Change RAM ICs
Moved mouse from slot 4 to slot 7
New version of Protocol Converter called SmartPort
Hope that helps.
On 13 May 98 at 6:41, Doug Spence wrote:
It physically plugs into my Apple //c, but I can't
get the machine
to recognize it. The drive makes a noise when I power up the
computer, but that's all. Attempts to access S6, D2 or any other
slot and drive combination doesn't get anywhere.
-----
David Williams - Computer Packrat
dlw(a)trailingedge.com
http://www.trailingedge
13 May
13 May
5:24 a.m.
On Wed, 13 May 1998, David Williams wrote:
UniDisk //c : ID Byte = 0
Added 3.5" support
Increased ROM to 256K
What ROM would this be? The Apple ][ basically had 16K of ROM not
counting the 2K of ROM space that each peripheral card had. In the //c
that would give it maybe another 10K for the different built in ports
(serial, mouse, 3.5"...)
Some new serial port commands
Mini-assembler
New monitor commands
Built-in diagnostics
Improved interrupt handler & external drive startup
Hmmm...cool. Didn't know some of that.
Memory Expansion //c : ID Byte = 3
Added internal memory expansion connector
Change RAM ICs
Moved mouse from slot 4 to slot 7
New version of Protocol Converter called SmartPort
What is this SmartPort Protocol Converter?
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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12:49 a.m.
On 13 May 98 at 10:24, Sam Ismail wrote:
I'll have to check the exact details but from the quick glance the
Protocol Converter had something to do with handling the
mapping of ports/slots on the //c. The SmartPort was the same as the
Protocol Converter just enhanced.
If nobody else replies before I get home this evening, I'll check
what they say about the ROMs and the Protocol Converter/SmartPort and
let you know.
-----
David Williams - Computer Packrat
dlw(a)trailingedge.com
http://www.trailingedge.com
On Wed, 13 May 1998, David Williams wrote:
Yes, that stuck me as odd too, that was a lot for what use to be
only 16k. I'll have to go back and check the Apple //c Tech Ref at
home, it says they upped the ROM from 128k to 256k. This is the
hardback series of books Apple put out through Addison-Wesley.
UniDisk //c : ID Byte = 0
Added 3.5" support
Increased ROM to 256K
What ROM would this be? The Apple ][ basically had 16K of ROM not
counting the 2K of ROM space that each peripheral card had. In the
//c that would give it maybe another 10K for the different built in
ports (serial, mouse, 3.5"...) New version
of Protocol Converter called SmartPort
What is this SmartPort Protocol Converter? 
9:45 a.m.
On 13 May 98 at 10:24, Sam Ismail wrote:
What ROM would this be? The Apple ][ basically had
16K of ROM not
counting the 2K of ROM space that each peripheral card had. In the
//c that would give it maybe another 10K for the different built in
ports (serial, mouse, 3.5"...)
Ok Sam, I have the Apple //c Technical Reference Manual with me now.
It has a complete source code listing of the final version of the //c
Firmware ROM. The memory map shows the //c firmware
occupied 32K. 16K listed as "Main side ROM" and another 16K as
"Auxillary side ROM". Besides Applesoft and the monitor, they show
UniDisk 3.5" routines (part of SmartPort), mouse handlers, Mouse
BASIC routines, ACIA routines, diagnostic routines, the
mini-assembler, extra monitor commands, firmware for all of the
"built-in cards" and lots and lots of assembler utility routines and
the SmartPort/Protocol Converter. It says later models had "a 256K
ROM IC to replace the 128K ROM". I'd guess without further digging
that the 32K of ROM on the memory map doesn't include all of the
code.
What is this SmartPort Protocol Converter?
10:02 p.m.
On Wed, 13 May 1998, David Williams wrote:
Ok Sam, I have the Apple //c Technical Reference
Manual with me now.
It has a complete source code listing of the final version of the //c
Firmware ROM. The memory map shows the //c firmware
occupied 32K. 16K listed as "Main side ROM" and another 16K as
^^ ^^ ^^
"Auxillary side ROM". Besides Applesoft and
the monitor, they show
UniDisk 3.5" routines (part of SmartPort), mouse handlers, Mouse
BASIC routines, ACIA routines, diagnostic routines, the
mini-assembler, extra monitor commands, firmware for all of the
"built-in cards" and lots and lots of assembler utility routines and
the SmartPort/Protocol Converter. It says later models had "a 256K
^^^
ROM IC to replace the 128K ROM". I'd guess
without further digging
^^^
that the 32K of ROM on the memory map doesn't
include all of the
code.
I'd bet that these "128K" and "256K" figures are in kiloBITS, not
kiloBYTES. So the "128K" ROM is 16KB, and the "256K" ROM is 32KB,
making
all of the numbers magically work. :)
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
9:10 p.m.
On Wed, 13 May 1998, David Williams wrote:
Early versions of the Apple //c didn't have the
support for 3.5"
drives. Mine is like that. You can check which version of the //c
you have by going into Applesoft and doing a PRINT PEEK(64447). If
it returns 255 then you have an original //c. The tech ref shows 3
basic versions and their ID bytes as follows:
Original //c : ID Byte = 255
UniDisk //c : ID Byte = 0
Mine returns 0, so this is the one. It should support 3.5" drives, though
possibly not the one I've got.
Added 3.5" support
Increased ROM to 256K
^^^^ You've GOT to be kidding
me!
Unless it means "ROMs that will support 256K of RAM".
<snip>
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
8:51 a.m.
I don't think the drive can be intended for the
Mac, though, because it's
got a MECHANICAL eject mechanism. In fact I was able to eject that Mac
disk (write protected, thankfully ;) ) and the Mac didn't notice.
There were
severl third-party 800k external drives for the Macintosh, this
drive sounds like one of them. Try going through old Mac magazines(really
old MacUser or MacWorld), I've seen a lot of interesting things in older
ads... Great way to make up a new wish list ;-)
Is there something I need to do to get my //c to
recognize the drive? Or
is it intended for use on a //gs?
Using it with a IIc is unlikely, and you would
have to try it on a IIgs to
find out, but AFAIK, very few drives that work on a Mac will also work on a
IIgs...
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2:06 p.m.
Doug Spence wrote:
Greetings,
Last week, along with a boxload of other stuff, I picked up an external
3.5" floppy drive that apears to be intended for Apple machines.
It's a DS800 from DataSpace Corporation.
It physically plugs into my Apple //c, but I can't get the machine to
recognize it. The drive makes a noise when I power up the computer, but
that's all. Attempts to access S6, D2 or any other slot and drive
combination doesn't get anywhere.
Not surprising... the only 3.5" drive that will work with a //c is the
Unidisk (assuming you have a //c which will even work with one of
those).
It DOES respond to my Mac 512K, though. I plugged it
into that machine
and shoved a Mac-formatted disk in it, and an icon and open window popped
up.
I don't think the drive can be intended for the Mac, though, because it's
got a MECHANICAL eject mechanism. In fact I was able to eject that Mac
disk (write protected, thankfully ;) ) and the Mac didn't notice.
Is there something I need to do to get my //c to recognize the drive? Or
is it intended for use on a //gs? Or did this company make a line of
dangerous Mac peripherals in an attempt to give the platform a bad name
for an overabundance of disk corruptions? ;)
//gs, definately.
Specifically, this drive appears to be a clone of the Apple 3.5" Drive
(yes,
that's its name). The Apple drive could work on either the //gs or the
Mac
Plus, so this one is probably set up similarly.
FYI, it will probably also work nicely on a Laser 128 or with the Laser
Universal Disk Controller (UDC) card for the Apple //.
<<<John>>>
9:56 p.m.
On Thu, 14 May 1998, John Ruschmeyer wrote:
<snip>
Bummer. I really wanted this drive to work with an 8-bit Apple. Oh well,
perhaps I'll find a Unidisk during next week's visit to the thrift shops.
:)
<snip>
Well, that's cool. I don't have a //gs yet, but as soon as I see one I'll
snarf it up (providing there isn't also a Sol 20, an Ohio Scientific
anything, and an IMSAI at the same place at the same time ;) ).
I did pick up another Apple peripheral at the same time, which may offer a
clue. It's a Modem 1200, Model A9M0301. The "clue", assuming it came
It's a
DS800 from DataSpace Corporation.
It physically plugs into my Apple //c, but I can't get the machine to
recognize it. The drive makes a noise when I power up the computer, but
that's all. Attempts to access S6, D2 or any other slot and drive
combination doesn't get anywhere.
Not surprising... the only 3.5" drive that will work with a //c is the
Unidisk (assuming you have a //c which will even work with one of
those). Is there
something I need to do to get my //c to recognize the drive? Or
is it intended for use on a //gs? Or did this company make a line of
dangerous Mac peripherals in an attempt to give the platform a bad name
for an overabundance of disk corruptions? ;)
//gs, definately. from the same source, is the 8-pin mini-DIN connector.
I don't know what
uses that kind of connection for the serial port.
Specifically, this drive appears to be a clone of the
Apple 3.5" Drive
(yes, that's its name). The Apple drive could work on either the //gs or
the Mac Plus, so this one is probably set up similarly.
Did the Apple 3.5" Drive have a mechanical eject? Fully manual, I mean,
not just a push-button that tells the motorized ejection mechanism to wake
up. Very un-Mac-like.
FYI, it will probably also work nicely on a Laser 128
or with the Laser
Universal Disk Controller (UDC) card for the Apple //.
Now if only I could find a disk controller for my Laser *3000*... ;)
<<<John>>>
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
9720
days inactive
9721
days old
9 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
dastar＠wco.com -
dlw＠neosoft.com -
dlw＠trailingedge.com -
ds_spenc＠alcor.concordia.ca -
jruschme＠exit109.com -
rexstout＠uswest.net