7 Jan
2003
7 Jan
'03
7:58 a.m.
Hi all,
A while ago I bought a rather unusual C64/VIC20 add-on - a "Quick Data
Drive", presumably made by a company called Phonemark. After thumbing
through the manual I found a few photos of the cartridges. From what I can
gather, it's an early "stringy floppy" device that uses a cartridge filled
with tape that's set in a continuous loop. The cartridges in the photos
carry the branding "Entrepo". Now, the problem is, the manual mentions a
"Master QOS Wafer" that contains the operating system for the drive - my
drive is missing this. Also, I don't have any blank cartridges/wafers. For
curiosity's sake, I removed the cover and noticed that it uses a BSR (what
ever happened to them?) mechanism. After a quick search online, I found out
that the Rotronics Wafadrive (sp?) uses a very similar, if not identical
type of cartridge. Does anyone have a spare QOS cartridge and/or a few
blanks they feel like parting with?
I'm also trying to track down a Commodore 15xx disk drive - 5.25",
3.5",
MFM, GCR, whatever, as long as it uses the Commodore serial bus. I'm also
after any information on the Commodore serial disk drive interface. Ideally
I'd like to use one of these drives for data storage. I was going to use a
WesternDigital controller or a Super I/O chip and a floppy drive, but no-one
seems to sell either "raw" FDCs or Super I/O ICs... MFM, GCR, I don't give
a
damn how it records the data on the disk. I've got a Mitsubishi 3.5" drive
lying around gathering dust and I want to get it to do something useful!
Thanks.
--
Phil.
philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/
7 Jan
7 Jan
8:47 a.m.
New subject: Phonemark "Quick Data Drive" - info?, also WTD Commodore 15xx drive, info.
At 19:01 07/01/2003, philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com wrote:
Hi all,
A while ago I bought a rather unusual C64/VIC20 add-on - a "Quick Data
Drive", presumably made by a company called Phonemark. ... Does anyone have
a spare QOS cartridge and/or a few blanks they feel like parting with?
I've got a drive somewhere around here, and maybe a tape or two, I can't
really remember. However, I got two of them in a "10kg box of goodies"
bought from Bull Electrical
(http://www.bullnet.co.uk/shops/test/Default.htm). I took one of them
apart, because at that time I didn't recognise the connector. I had vague
notions of using the box for something, but couldn't be bothered in the
end. I chucked that one out. Then, a couple of years ago, I noticed the
price they were selling on eBay for, and cursed...
If I can find the bits, you can have 'em for free - the box shows severe
water damage, so I've no idea what the drive itself is like. I don't think
I have a master cartridge either. I'd recommend you call Bull and see if
they can find any for you, chances are you'll get loads for a song if they
haven't got rid of them all already.
I'm also trying to track down a Commodore 15xx disk
drive - 5.25", 3.5",
MFM, GCR, whatever, as long as it uses the Commodore serial bus.
eBay if you don't mind paying, otherwise check out garage sales & the like.
--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com
9:24 a.m.
New subject: Phonemark "Quick Data Drive" - info?, also WTD Commodore 15xx drive, info.
Adrian Vickers wrote:
I saw one at a hamfest - unfortunately She Who Must Be Obeyed walked up
behind me and said "If you buy that piece of junk, you and your 'find' are
sleeping outside." Grr... Two quid for a C64, tons of disks (not that I need
them - IIRC I've got fifty of 'em) and a 1541. Well, it was a murky brown
colour with a black drive faceplate and it was 5.25", so I guessed it was a
1541. Problem was, the seller would only sell it if I took *all* of it, C64,
drive, disks, the lot.
BTW, last time I saw a C64 at a car boot sale was two years ago. Can someone
suggest a car boot sale either in or within, say, 20 miles of Leeds,
England? I've tried the car boot sale that's usually held on Cross Green
Trading Estate weekly (every Sunday, 9AM->noon IIRC) - total white elephant.
Perhaps someone here has a 1541 or a 1571 they want rid of (hint hint), or
perhaps a few (two or three) WesternDigital WD177x series drive controllers?
Later.
--
Phil.
philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/
I've got a drive somewhere around here, and maybe
a tape or two, I
can't really remember. However, I got two of them in a "10kg box of
goodies" bought from Bull Electrical
(http://www.bullnet.co.uk/shops/test/Default.htm). I took one of them
apart, because at that time I didn't recognise the connector. I had
vague notions of using the box for something, but couldn't be
bothered in the end. I chucked that one out. Then, a couple of years
ago, I noticed the price they were selling on eBay for, and cursed...
Can someone
here please enlighten me? How much are these things going for on
Ebay?
I'm thinking "L@@K!!! R@R3 !!! QUICKDATA DRIVE C64 **NIB**" :-)
If I can find the bits, you can have 'em for free
- the box shows
severe water damage, so I've no idea what the drive itself is like. I
don't think I have a master cartridge either. I'd recommend you call
Bull and see if they can find any for you, chances are you'll get
loads for a song if they haven't got rid of them all already.
I'll try
them, thanks. I got mine from Greenweld, perhaps they've got some
spare wafers in stock...
I'm also
trying to track down a Commodore 15xx disk drive - 5.25",
3.5", MFM, GCR, whatever, as long as it uses the Commodore serial
bus.
eBay if you don't mind paying, otherwise check out garage sales &
the
like.
10:14 a.m.
New subject: Phonemark "Quick Data Drive" - info?, also WTD Commodore 15xx drive, info.
At 20:26 07/01/2003, Philip Pemberton wrote:
You could have offered her in part exchange.... :)
Can someone here please enlighten me? How much are
these things going for on
Ebay?
Well, 3 have sold in the last calendar month for between ?8.50 & ?10. Then
2 batches of 4 for circa 8.50 (so around 2.12 quid each). The first one I
saw going through eBay notched up about ?35.
I'm thinking "L@@K!!! R@R3 !!! QUICKDATA DRIVE
C64 **NIB**" :-)
Hmmm. NIB I can legitimately put (it's still wrapped in its plastic inner),
but the box is shafted...
I'll try them, thanks. I got mine from Greenweld,
perhaps they've got some
spare wafers in stock...
I suspect most of the eBay ones have come from other purchasors of Bull's
Box'o'Junk^wGoodies, BICBW.
eBay if you
don't mind paying, otherwise check out garage sales & the
like.
I saw one at a hamfest - unfortunately She Who Must Be Obeyed walked up
behind me and said "If you buy that piece of junk, you and your 'find' are
sleeping outside." Grr... Two quid for a C64, tons of disks (not that I need
them - IIRC I've got fifty of 'em) and a 1541. Well, it was a murky brown
colour with a black drive faceplate and it was 5.25", so I guessed it was a
1541. Problem was, the seller would only sell it if I took *all* of it, C64,
drive, disks, the lot.
One of these?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11991&item…
Mind you, there's no way I'd pay 23 quid for one...
BTW, last time I saw a C64 at a car boot sale was two
years ago. Can someone
suggest a car boot sale either in or within, say, 20 miles of Leeds,
England? I've tried the car boot sale that's usually held on Cross Green
Trading Estate weekly (every Sunday, 9AM->noon IIRC) - total white elephant.
Dunno about Leeds. The best I've been to is Hackney market (N. London,
natch). And all they had in the classic comp range was one mucky but
servicable C64C (?1), and a Mac LC ii (which I wish I'd bought, even though
it was just lying in some mud).
--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com
10:46 a.m.
New subject: Phonemark "Quick Data Drive" - info?, also WTD Commodore 15xx drive, info.
Adrian Vickers wrote:
Hmm... Might be worth
ringing Gweld, ordering ten of them, then auctioning
them off :)
I *was* going to buy one of
Bull's "Five 2.3Ah 12V Yuasa Lead Acid batteries
for fifteen quid" boxes but then I noticed that postage would be ?5.50 and
there was no guarantee that the batteries would even work...
You could have offered her in
part exchange.... :) LOL!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11991&item…
08
That's it! That's the one!
That's about the best I've seen
around here, too. A Sinclair Spectrum +2 for
?45 - just the machine. No thanks. I still need to track down a lightgun and
the games pack for my +2A. My brother pulled apart the lightgun and the
tapes when I was six. I got the +2A as a birthday present and I'd really
like to complete it. A disk drive and controller would be nice, too.
Right now, I need to get the Jupiter Ace fixed, my silly little Samsung
SyncMaster3 replaced (I've got my eyes on a Sony CPD-E215) and my EPROM
eraser replaced. In that order.
The EPROM eraser's problem? It's got a very minor light leak. i.e. the
manufacturer didn't see any reason to put any seals around the top cover. So
it leaks UV from two gaps in the casing and also has a white time setting
control that glows blue when the eraser's running... Can someone suggest a
fix for this or is my eraser a junker? The damn thing cost me ?70 from
Maplin Electronics (special order, too)...
Are the Magenta EPROM eraser kits any good?
Later.
--
Phil.
philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/
Can someone
here please enlighten me? How much are these things
going for on Ebay?
Well, 3 have sold in the last calendar month for between #8.50
& #10.
Then 2 batches of 4 for circa 8.50 (so around 2.12 quid each). The
first one I saw going through eBay notched up about #35. I'll try
them, thanks. I got mine from Greenweld, perhaps they've
got some spare wafers in stock...
I suspect most of the eBay ones have come from
other purchasors of
Bull's Box'o'Junk^wGoodies, BICBW. eBay if you don't mind paying, otherwise check out
garage sales &
the like.
I saw one at a hamfest - unfortunately She Who Must Be Obeyed walked
up behind me and said "If you buy that piece of junk, you and your
'find' are sleeping outside." Grr... Two quid for a
C64, tons of disks (not that I need
them - IIRC I've got fifty of 'em) and a 1541. Well, it was a murky
brown colour with a black drive faceplate and it was 5.25", so I
guessed it was a 1541. Problem was, the seller would only sell it if
I took *all* of it, C64, drive, disks, the lot.
One of these?
Mind you, there's no way I'd pay 23 quid for
one...
Same here... ?10 maybe, ?20 with a LOT of thought, but not ?23...
BTW, last time
I saw a C64 at a car boot sale was two years ago. Can
someone suggest a car boot sale either in or within, say, 20 miles
of Leeds, England? I've tried the car boot sale that's usually held
on Cross Green Trading Estate weekly (every Sunday, 9AM->noon IIRC)
- total white elephant.
Dunno about Leeds. The best I've been to is Hackney
market (N. London,
natch). And all they had in the classic comp range was one mucky but
servicable C64C (#1), and a Mac LC ii (which I wish I'd bought, even
though it was just lying in some mud).
12:14 p.m.
New subject: Phonemark "Quick Data Drive" - info?, also WTD Commodore 15xx drive, info.
At 21:48 07/01/2003, you wrote:
?10 is about as high as I'd go. There's another C64 auction on the go,
sounds like the same sort of deal as your hamfest one ('64 & paraphenalia
(sp?) + the 1541). Just don't tell the missus about the rest of it until it
turns up "honest, I didn't realise...". Or just immediately re-auction
everything except the d/drive.
I picked up a disk i/f for the speccy a while ago (I can't even remember
what it's called now, without trundling upstairs to look, and I CBA). I
know it's not a Disciple or Multiface, so it's An Other One.
Pretty nifty, though, and I especially like the interrupt button (ala
Multiface).
Adrian Vickers wrote:
>> Can someone here please enlighten me? How much are these things
>> going for on Ebay?
> Well, 3 have sold in the last calendar month for between #8.50 & #10.
> Then 2 batches of 4 for circa 8.50 (so around 2.12 quid each). The
> first one I saw going through eBay notched up about #35.
Hmm... Might be worth ringing Gweld, ordering ten of
them, then auctioning
them off :)
Indeed, although I doubt they'll reach those giddy heights again. Then
again, stranger things have happened on eBay...
I *was* going to buy one of Bull's "Five 2.3Ah
12V Yuasa Lead Acid batteries
for fifteen quid" boxes but then I noticed that postage would be ?5.50 and
there was no guarantee that the batteries would even work...
IMHO, never by 1/2hand LA batteries. It's just not worth the hassle, and
they don't exactly cost squillions to buy brand new.
[1541]
Mind you,
there's no way I'd pay 23 quid for one...
Same here... ?10 maybe, ?20 with a
LOT of thought, but not ?23... Dunno about
Leeds. The best I've been to is Hackney market (N. London,
natch). And all they had in the classic comp range was one mucky but
servicable C64C (#1), and a Mac LC ii (which I wish I'd bought, even
though it was just lying in some mud).
That's about the best I've seen
around here, too. A Sinclair Spectrum +2 for
?45 - just the machine. No thanks. I still need to track down a lightgun and
the games pack for my +2A. My brother pulled apart the lightgun and the
tapes when I was six. I got the +2A as a birthday present and I'd really
like to complete it. A disk drive and controller would be nice, too. Right now, I need to get the Jupiter Ace
Drool. I've always wanted an Ace, also a Sord M5 (those two just because
they look cool).
Also a Sirius ACT 1 (with neat features like volume controlled from the
almost-but-not-quite-standard keyboard, and those idiotic hard-sectored
disks... It would set you back ?2,195 for a 128k machine with 1.2MB
floppies in 1983. I'm not sure what that equates to if corrected for inflation.
--
Cheers, Ade.
Be where it's at, B-Racing!
http://b-racing.com
12:38 p.m.
New subject: Phonemark "Quick Data Drive" - info?, also WTD Commodore
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7869
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7 comments
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