[comp.sys.amiga.hardware] Sony MPF11 to A1000

<LEEK@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> (04/09/90)

In article <3342@uwm.edu>, dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Daniel Shurilla) says:
>
>This weekend I sucessfully interfaced two Sony MPF11 3.5" disk drives
>to my A1000. The motor-on latch and autoconfigure circuit was obtained
>from a local BBS but was evidentally grabbed from a Commodore schematic.
>The Sony MPF11 drive can be purchased from Jameco Electronics for $49.95.
>That's $100 + $20(small parts) for a dual drive!
>
>The question :
>The Sony drive provides the diskchange signal (CHNG pin11) but doesn't
>provide the ready signal (RDY pin1). The RDY line should become active
>500ms after motor on. I left the RDY line connected to the autoconfigure
>part of the interface circuit but not connected to any drive signals.
>Why does this work? Does software wait 500ms after motor-on before doing
>any read/writes? I would think you would wait for the RDY line to become
>active before doing read/writes but this must not be the case. I wonder
>what the recommended method is, wait for the hardware RDY line or wait in
>software for 500ms to pass.
>
>Another Question :
>What is software doing to make the drives click? (stepping past trk0 when at
>trk0 ?) Is there any hardware modification I can add to my interface circuit
>to stop the #%$@ing clicking ?
>
>thanks
>
>dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

I had my homebrew dual SONY drives since last summer and they have been working
fine for me.  They would run most of the copy protected programs -games without
any problems.  All I did was to route the SELn* signal back to the RDY* pin by
using a $0.05 diode. (I build the hack into one of the SONY drives and use the
drive selection signal coming out of the switch at the far right hand corner.
This allows me to select the drive number at will.)  The diode  makes the
autoconfig software as well as some of the copy programs (such as Marauder
(sp?)) happy.  Other programs simply ignore the RDY* and didn't care whether or
not I put it in.

The only software that dislike my SONY drives is TRANSFORMER.  It totally
disregard the TRK0* signal when it do a SEEK to TRK0.  It didn't run with
Lucas/Frances anyway.  The only complain I have for the SONY drive is that it
don't do too well on marginal disks.  Mine won't read AMAX minitransfer disks
created on a MAC.  (I had SONY drives as DF0: & DF1: )

K. C. Lee
( Happy owner of the A1000, Lucas/Frances, internal Hard drive & Sony drives. )

dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Daniel Shurilla) (04/09/90)

[eat this]


This weekend I sucessfully interfaced two Sony MPF11 3.5" disk drives
to my A1000. The motor-on latch and autoconfigure circuit was obtained
from a local BBS but was evidentally grabbed from a Commodore schematic.
The Sony MPF11 drive can be purchased from Jameco Electronics for $49.95.
That's $100 + $20(small parts) for a dual drive!

The question :
The Sony drive provides the diskchange signal (CHNG pin11) but doesn't
provide the ready signal (RDY pin1). The RDY line should become active
500ms after motor on. I left the RDY line connected to the autoconfigure
part of the interface circuit but not connected to any drive signals.
Why does this work? Does software wait 500ms after motor-on before doing
any read/writes? I would think you would wait for the RDY line to become
active before doing read/writes but this must not be the case. I wonder
what the recommended method is, wait for the hardware RDY line or wait in
software for 500ms to pass.

Another Question :
What is software doing to make the drives click? (stepping past trk0 when at
trk0 ?) Is there any hardware modification I can add to my interface circuit
to stop the #%$@ing clicking ?

thanks

dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Daniel Shurilla) (04/11/90)

Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Sony MPF11 to A1000
Summary: RDY* is needed, is it required? 
Expires: 
Sender: 
Reply-To: dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Daniel Shurilla)
Followup-To: 
Distribution: 
Organization: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Keywords: 

[eat this]

>>
>>The question :
>>The Sony drive provides the diskchange signal (CHNG pin11) but doesn't
>>provide the ready signal (RDY pin1). The RDY line should become active
>>500ms after motor on. I left the RDY line connected to the autoconfigure
>>part of the interface circuit but not connected to any drive signals.
>>Why does this work? Does software wait 500ms after motor-on before doing
>>any read/writes? I would think you would wait for the RDY line to become
>>active before doing read/writes but this must not be the case. I wonder
>>what the recommended method is, wait for the hardware RDY line or wait in
>>software for 500ms to pass.
>>
>
>I had my homebrew dual SONY drives since last summer and they have been working
>fine for me.  They would run most of the copy protected programs -games without
>any problems.  All I did was to route the SELn* signal back to the RDY* pin by
>using a $0.05 diode. (I build the hack into one of the SONY drives and use the
>drive selection signal coming out of the switch at the far right hand corner.
>This allows me to select the drive number at will.)  The diode  makes the
>autoconfig software as well as some of the copy programs (such as Marauder
>(sp?)) happy.  Other programs simply ignore the RDY* and didn't care whether or
>not I put it in.
>
>K. C. Lee
>( Happy owner of the A1000, Lucas/Frances, internal Hard drive & Sony drives. )


You're right! I ran Marauder II and it doesn't work with RDY* not connected 
anywhere. Which leads to the $64 question. What is the Commodore guideline
in this case. Should software monitor the RDY* line before doing read/writes
or is a software delay recommended. Installing the diode you suggest should
work in most cases provided disk activity occurs after 500ms.

Wiring in a 500ms delay of RDY* would not be difficult but if the $.05 diode
trick is all that's needed I won't bother. I would like to know what the
'proper/recommended' procedure is.

dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins) (04/11/90)

> You're right! I ran Marauder II and it doesn't work with RDY* not connected 
> anywhere. Which leads to the $64 question. What is the Commodore guideline
> in this case. Should software monitor the RDY* line before doing read/writes
> or is a software delay recommended. Installing the diode you suggest should
> work in most cases provided disk activity occurs after 500ms.

The Commodore drive spec includes they RDY line, so we don't buy/use drives
that don't include it and the system software may decide to pay attention to
it someday...

-- 
George Robbins - now working for,     uucp:   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing:   domain: grr@cbmvax.commodore.com
Commodore, Engineering Department     phone:  215-431-9349 (only by moonlite)

deven@rpi.edu (Deven T. Corzine) (04/14/90)

On 10 Apr 90 18:26:27 GMT, dannys@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Daniel Shurilla) said:

Daniel> Wiring in a 500ms delay of RDY* would not be difficult but if
Daniel> the $.05 diode trick is all that's needed I won't bother. I
Daniel> would like to know what the 'proper/recommended' procedure is.

Why not just add a small one-shot timer built around a 555?  It's
pretty easy to do, and shouldn't cost more than a couple dollars...

Deven
-- 
Deven T. Corzine        Internet:  deven@rpi.edu, shadow@pawl.rpi.edu
Snail:  2151 12th St. Apt. 4, Troy, NY 12180   Phone:  (518) 274-0327
Bitnet:  deven@rpitsmts, userfxb6@rpitsmts     UUCP:  uunet!rpi!deven
Simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible.