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Has anyone ever installed a floppy emulator(Gotek or HXC)in a commodore floppy drive?

VERAULT

VERAULT

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So I know there are lots of sd2iec and such alternatives to a commodore 1541 drive. But has anyone ever tried to replace the actual flopy drive mechanism with a gotek or HXC unit while keeping the rest of the unit intact? Is it possible? Since I have had a lot of fun and success getting my gotek to work in my kaypro, I figured I would try another project. Since my Commodore PET 2001-8 is pretty much 100% operational now IT would be nice to have something other than the datasette to get data onto the PET. I do have an SFD-1001 drive that seems to work. IT seeks and tries to read disks, but I have never gotten it to read a single disk. Many say it only reads and writes to quad density disks which I don't have, so who knows. I was wondering if it would be possible to remove the floppy drive portion and replace it with a gotek.

Im serious about this since its my only IEEE-488 drive and IT would be really nice to have it for my PET; that and the fact that I cannot find anyone who is currently selling a PET DISK or anything like that.

Let me know your thoughts on this.
 
Hallo Verault,

You cannot replace the actual floppy drive mechanism of a Commodore drive with a PC floppy drive (FDC) or an emulator like the Gotek. This mechanism is just a floppy, nothing more. A FDC is a floppy plus some electronics to control it. The electronics controlling the floppy drive of a Commodore is completely different.
But there used to a PCB that could connect a PC FDC to a Commodore 64: PLC TIB DD-001. There are plans to make a remake of it, just google on "TIB DD-001" and you'll find this archive. You'll find pictures of the original card here. IMHO it should be possible to use a Gotek or HxC here.

Regarding other Commodores like the CBMs, if it works for a C64, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work on another Commodore as well. You just have to find somebody willing to do the job to adapt the card :).

I cannot find anyone who is currently selling a PET DISK or anything like that.
Click to expand...
May I point you to my own project: CBM-HD? Material and some soldering is needed. Have fun!
 
Thanks Ruud, this is all good information. I don't think the TIB DD-001 would suit my needs as it is independent from a commodore floppy unit. See I have this SFD 1001 IEEE488 drive that I need to do something with as it doesnt read disks currently and Id like to find a use for it.
I will read up more on your CBM-HD project it looks very interesting.
I understand what you are saying though. Technically wasn't the Apple II disk drive similar as all the hardware to control the floppy was in the card or software and the drive was essentially Dumb?
 
With that board and a pc floppy drive, are there many problems with programs, particularly copy protected ones, working? This looks like an entirely different style of interface, as the 1541 etc. had in essence it's own computer.
 
Similar? No. Polar opposites. The Disk ][ has no "intelligence" at all, and the Commodore drives are Turing complete.
 
2icebitn said:
With that board and a pc floppy drive, are there many problems with programs, particularly copy protected ones, working? This looks like an entirely different style of interface, as the 1541 etc. had in essence it's own computer.
Click to expand...

2icebitn, are you referring to the TIB DD-001? I agree. My sfd-1001 and 1541 drives are essentially a computer right. That is why I am looking for a way to remove the mechanical portion and replace it if possible.
 
I don't know what that is. I've only had 1541/1571s in tne past. It sounds like an interesting project, but largely a waste of time. If most s/w for the commies these days is available as images, why bother with the floppies?
 
2icebitn said:
Incidentally other computers that use quads operate fine with dd disks. There lilely is no reason a dd disk won't work.
Click to expand...

the drive is IEEE 488 standard, so it wont work on a c64/128 unless you have a ieee 4888 cartridge, which I dont have and are expensive. Right now it would be the only device I can use to communicate with my PET, thats why I want to do this. Plus if it works I can try it on a 1541 just for fun. I have to assume thefloppy mechanism for the drive doesnt work anymore, IT attempts to read or format but doesnt.

Google sfd 1001
 
VERAULT said:
... 1541... That is why I am looking for a way to remove the mechanical portion and replace it if possible.
Click to expand...
In that case may I point you to my 1541IDE8 project? The FDD is replaced by an IDE HDD, or even better, a CF card. But a warning is on its place: the 1541 uses its own FS to save stuff on the HDD/CF; all D64 in a row and a directory for these images. Having started to use CF cards instead of HDDs, it could be interesting to find out if it is possible to use FAT16 or FAT32. The problem: I have no experience at all with FAT32/16, only a bit with FAT12.
 
2icebitn said:
Incidentally other computers that use quads operate fine with dd disks. There lilely is no reason a dd disk won't work.
Click to expand...
I can only advice you: use quads in a 1001 or 8x50. Some DDs work fine but others don't. I have worked with quite some DDs that seem to work fine but the next day (parts of) these DDs were not readable anymore.
 
All I can say is when I received my sfd-1001 the caps were fine. I replaced them anyway as I read they were a major failpoint for the drive. The drive listens to commands, seeks, communicates with my pet or zipfloppy, but it doesnt format or read any of my floppy disks.
 
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