IBM 6360 - Filesystem(ish) info?

[Ali]

> I'm planning on a USB controller, but I've seen ISA projects that are
> also
> microcontroller based so I think it wouldn't be awfully difficult to
> replace the USB data pipe with an ISA one.

Well just because you don't have enough to do please plan on an ISA version as well ;) I think it really is time someone did a super floppy controller bringing together a number of older technology on to one easy to use card (e.g. 8" drive support, copy protection bypass, GCR reading) - all of this was available as separate products in the past...

> My friends think it's silly, and they're probably right. =P


Hey silly things can lead to great discoveries: https://gizmodo.com/scientists-produce-rigorous-study-of-why-grapes-spark-i-1832660386

-Ali

> 
> On Tue, Feb 19, 2019, 1:18 PM Ali <cctalk at ibm51xx.net wrote:
> 
> > >
> > > Now that I have my glorious disk toaster (2D model I think, says
> "2D"
> > > on
> > > the drive levers), I want to build a controller for it. I found
> pinouts
> > > and
> > > some description of the media organization here:
> > >
> > > http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/6580_Displaywriter/S241-
> > > 6248-3_Displaywriter_6360_6580_Product_Support_Manual_Feb1983.pdf
> >
> > Congratulations! Those are nice looking drives. The problem of course
> is
> > they don't work with anything "standard".
> >
> > > I'd like to actually store data to these disks in the same manner
> the
> > > original systems did, and I'm proficient in hardware/firmware. Has
> > > anyone
> > > made a controller for this already? How about emulating the
> filesystem?
> >
> > Wow. That is going to be big endeavor.... A question what is your
> target
> > system (i.e. are you planning on implementing this on a controller
> > connected to a modern system w/ USB or are you planning on a nice ISA
> card
> > so these drives can be used on older systems?) I wish I could help
> you
> > technically but my background is far removed from engineering...
> However, I
> > will follow with great interest specially if you go the ISA route...
> >
> > -Ali
> >
> >