Internal HDD interface for Mega ST?

[Muzz73]

Are there any mass storage devices out there that use the Mega ST's internal interface? Is the UltraSATAn the only one? Everything I have seen so far either requires your MegaBus slot or doing a form of hardware installation that is beyond my scope.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I don't know about that storage device (adapter) for Mega ST's internal expansion slot was ever sold.

Here is design of IDE IF for : http://atari.8bitchip.info/megastide.html

But we made only couple of boards, so can not order.

The reason is low count of such machines, so low interest too.

Why you call UltraSatan internal device ?

Then, what is "Mega ST's internal interface" and what is "MegaBus slot" ?

As I know there is only one expansion slot in Mega ST, and no "internal interface" ..

[guus.assmann]

The mega ST has a DIN connector inside that can be used for a co-processor card.

It's also used for TOS extensions.

Basically it's all CPU lines. (And sometimes refered to as Megabus-Slot)

I've seen an interface for IDE and TOS on this bus, but can't remember where.

 

BR/

Guus

Edited April 21, 2014 by guus.assmann

[Charlie_]

Are there any mass storage devices out there that use the Mega ST's internal interface? Is the UltraSATAn the only one? Everything I have seen so far either requires your MegaBus slot or doing a form of hardware installation that is beyond my scope.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Is there a reason you would want something other than an UltraSatan? I've never used the internal version. I would recommend the external anyway, as you could use it with any ST.

[Umberto]

There is, here is the link you buy the IDE adapter and get the extra magabus adapter for it. He takes paypay, I got one

 

http://www.freemint.org/ide/ide.html

[atarian1]

ICD made the AdSCSI Micro host adapter that plugs into the internal ACSI port inside the MegaST. Supra also made an internal SCSI host adapter for the internal ACSI port. Both are quite hard to find in the wild. Even small SCSI hard drives are hard to find.

 

You're much better off using one of the modern HDD adapters that use SD cards as mentioned here already.

[+DarkLord]

Yep, there actually was one:

 

 

but I agree with the others - get one of the SD card reader solutions.

 

[Muzz73]

I have already lost my MegaBus slot to a TOS 2.06 upgrade and didn't really want to start tearing things out if I didn't have to, so I was hoping that the internal ACSI port might have yielded some results.

 

I was thinking of an IDE or CF interface of some sort (I have some new, 3GB CF microdrives sitting around), but it seems like they all use the MegaBus slot. Granted, it's a lot easier that way than most alternatives, but I just wanted to see what else was out there and if I had missed anything.

 

Thanks, all!

[+DarkLord]

Wait - is there an internal ACSI port on the Mega ST? I know there is on the

STacy and Mega STe, just wasn't sure about a regular Mega.

 

Thanks.

[Muzz73]

I believe so... it's a set of pins (two rows) in the back-left corner. Check out Lotharek's site:

 

http://www.lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=93

[+DarkLord]

Okay, thanks.

 

I don't know if this port is the same as the internal ACSI port on the STacy and Mega STe, but if it is,

then there are cables available for those ports.

 

Alan H. over at Atari Forum sells one. I've got one installed in my STacy.

 

http://www.freemint.org/ultrasatan/ultrasatan.html

 

I'd contact him and ask him if it will work with the Mega ST's internal ACSI port.

 

alanh@freemint.org

 

HTHs.

 

PS here is a pic of the cable installed in my STacy:

 

 

[Muzz73]

Yeah, I looked into that one and it still uses the MegaBus slot and requires his TOS 2.06 upgrade (won't work with the one that I already have), but his devices can be daisy-chained, so that may be my best option.

 

Thanks for the info! I'll probably go that route.

[+DarkLord]

Er, I think you're mixing things up here.

 

I've got a STacy. It does not have an internal megabus slot implemented (although it

does have a possible header on the motherboard that Atari never implemented).

 

It is an ACSI connection. The internal cable I linked to plugs into it, then into the

Ultrasatan. It does not require TOS 2.06. The version you are talking about is a

newer one that Alan released.

 

 

check out the header in this pic here - you can clearly see its not a megabus.

 

HTHs.

 

[+DarkLord]

Here is a zoomed in pic, with arrows pointing to the ACSI interface on the STacy that

Alan H's internal ACSI cable plugs into:

 

 

HTHs.

 

[Muzz73]

Hmm... that looks just like the internal ACSI on the Mega. I'm going to dig and see if the pinouts are the same. That would be great!

 

Thanks for the pics!