toddtmw

Hehe. I started the topic you linked. Im actually looking for a utility that will ask for the disk number. I insert it and it reads the disk TOC and stores it then asks for the next disk number. Then it it allows me to then edit and add to it from there.

I have acquired a huge collection of floppies with binary games on it. Each disk is numbered and labeled, but I’d like to make a master list of everything. What is is the best utility for a real A8 that I can use to catalog them all? I’d like to be able to do a brute force catalog of them all and then be able to supplement the data with more information. For instance since they only have 8+3 disk directories, it would be nice to be able to go back and key the real name. Obviously, I’d want to be able to enter the disk number/name as I am scanning the disks and then be able to sort it many different ways. (Name, disk, size, etc...) thank you.

I’m not sure I understand the question. What are you looking to do differently? I would love to have more memory (Arduino mega) to allow more features. An option for a bigger screen would be cool. What do do you envision this new device doing differently than the SDM?

So, I see that on this topic, because I checked notify me of replies when replying, but, when I go to another topic, I do not see it.

How do you subscribe to a topic without posting?

@Albert !!!!! I can FINALLY tag people!!! Welcome to 2010! This looks like a great update. I know it was a lot of work and we all appreciate the effort you put into this!

The auction ended yesterday with no bids. Regardless of condition, that was a LOT for what was being offered. Todd

THANK YOU! This makes sense. Once I get back in town, I will do this to my SDM (Much better way to refer to it) and I will start a new topic for creating one from scratch. Thank you, again.

It's been my experience, that many of the people that have been here a while tend to give very high-level instructions on how to do something that leave out details that may be obvious for the poster, but not necessarily for the audience. Given the choice, I'd like to have both. The executive summary showing how to do it if you don't want to get in the weeds, supplemented by the details so when you get stuck on a command that seems vague to you, you can trace through the details to get the answer. I will provide an example based on this same device. The SDrive Max ATX support thread started exploring why the diode didn't always work when you wanted to hook it up with more than one SIO device. The community came up with an elegant solution that involved a custom board and some components. Then, BigBen came in and said: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/275629-sdrive-max-atx-support/?p=4189049 There was a picture showing the second pin out of the socket, but not connected to anything. There is a pin on the Arduino that is labelled 1-TX, but I wasn't sure what that meant. I posted a response that had pictures showing the layout of the processor and the layout of the board and asked if that was what needed to be done. BigBen helpfully tried to clarify it for me, but left me somewhat more confused than I was before. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/275629-sdrive-max-atx-support/?p=4289859 This includes a picture showing a different pin being removed than the earlier post. The first post said to pop out pin 2 and connect it to 1-TX, the second, clarfying, post said to pop out pin 3 and connect it to SIO pin3. While I GREATLY appreciate that there are so many people on this board that are willing to help people out, and I don't want to come across as complaining, these high-level answers can sometimes lead to frustration, and I can imagine scenarios where it might even damage something. Now, I will admit that there is a LOT of low-level detail in that SDrive MAX ATX Support thread, much of it is above my ability to understand. I'm sure the explanation is in there somewhere, but I would love to see someone put together a thread similar to the OP showing how to assemble the hardware so that it can be used with more than one SIO device with distinct separate instruction sets depending on the form factor of the CPU. I would be happy to do that for the DIP CPU if I could figure out what I need to do. Todd

I have a scanner and would be happy to help in any way I can. PM me if you would like me to scan them for you and send them back to you.

Given the age of these disks, many of them you may only get one chance at. It is important to clean the drive heads frequently to ensure thaat first attempt has the highest chance at success. If you would like some help dumping the disks, you can send them to someone with a Kryoflux. I live in Ohio. If you cannot find anyone closer, I would be happy to dump them if you want to send them to me. If shipping cost is an issue, I can help there too. I do not sell the disks I dump for several reasons, but the biggest is that if someone buys ones and then dumps it and it is compared to the one I dumped, then we have a false preservation and if there is an issue with the disk, we will not know it. I am much more interested in preserving this legacy than making money off of it. In fact, I've already got several hundred dollars invested in this. PM me if you are interested in sending them to me. Thanks. -Todd

I know I'm late to this conversation, but I made 2 power supplies by buying this Midi cable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CQR5L1C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Cutting it in half and then wiring each half to one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ERJIA42/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Seems to be working well for me and not too costly. ($25.50 for two chargers....) -Todd

If you just ordered it, you might be able to send an e-mail asking for the order to be cancelled. I had an Atarimax SIO2USB and sold it on eBay after I got the one from Lotharek. The Respeqt software is supposed to work on Mac or Windows. I use Macs day-to-day, but I had an old Windows PC laying around, so I used that as my dedicated Atari File Server. Another option, which I also really like, for diferent reasons is to build (or buy) and SDrive Max. This uses a standard Arduino Uno and a screen which are both fairly cheap to be a standalone "drive" for Atari. You load the software onto a microSD card from whatever computer you want and then pop it into the sdrive and load and go. If you decide to build your own, I can print a case for you and send it to you. PM me if you get that far and want to do that. -Todd

Thanks, Tim. I'll let Farb know about these. I'm not in a place where I can test them right now. In order to be considerered "preserved", we try to find two dumps from different sources that compare the same. If we can compare your dumps to a Kryoflux dump of rcamp48's version we might be able to mark it "preserved"! -Todd

It does NOT look like we even have a dump of Diskkeeper at all, so it would be great to try to Kryoflux that one. Thank you for all your hard work! -Todd

Removed. I answered my own question.

Hi BigBen (or anyone else who understands this), I'm having trouble with the last sentence that I have quoted above. The picture shows pin 2 bent out of its socket, but then not attached to anything. But the statement above says "it" should be connected to the lead of 1-TX. Is "it" pin 2 of the Atmega Dip? What exactly is the "lead of 1-TX? Does this refer to the Pin 1-TX on the Uno? (Circled here:) Now that I am typing this, I think it makes sense. On the board, Pin 2 of the ATMega328P is receive, so we are wiring receive on the processor to transmit on the pin header? (Although, looking at pictures, it kind of looks like pin 2 on the mega already has a trace running to the 1-TX pin header. But, I'm having trouble finding high-quality images of the board and I am not at home right now, so cannot look at the actual board.) Thank you all of indulging my ignorance here. -Todd

Maybe you can test in Altirra? Sorry, I know you are having a bad day, but I couldn't resist. FWIW, Phaeron has done such an AWESOME job on Altirra, I would expect it to work the same too. Cheers! -Todd

I've always wanted to ask, and now seems as good a time as any (especially since I am starting my third beer), can you explain your avatar? It feels just a little intimidating. Maybe another time, we can talk about the origins of "Flashjazzcat"? Thanks!

okay cool. California is in the United States, so you know anyone there should be able to help. As they said in The Frisco Kid one of my favorite under-rated movies starring people who were not yet famous (the other being Hollywood Knights): Avram: Where is San Francisco? Rabbi sending him there: Near New York. Of course, later there was this: Avram: I'm from Poland. Tommy: Is that near Pittsburgh? Avram: No, that's near Czechoslovakia. Anyway, I live in Ohio, which, unfortunately is not near California. I am also away on a trip and will not be back until next week. However, if no one else has been able to help by then, I'd be happy to send you some disks with whatever you need on them. (someone did that for me when I was starting, and I'd love to "pay it forward". -Todd

Get a USb Brother Ptouch Label printer. Something like the Ptouch 970 and then get the silver tape. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076H827N1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (Make sure the tape you get is compatible with the printer you buy, then print it out saying whatever you want it to say, cut the ends diagonal. I did something similar for my SDrive Max.

Your profile doesnt say where you live. Perhaps there is a community member near by that you can meet up with to get a disk? You could also order Lothareks sio2usb or make an sdrive max....

To be fair, there are some that are under $150. I cannot speak to their pros and cons, however.

Oh, and that floppy case printed in 4 pieces and took about 2-3 hours per piece. Here is a time lapse of one half of the top: https://www.getanywhere.io/pub/guesttl/b6be998d-2c76-41c7-b26e-7957fc8e975f -Todd

Hi. The printer I have is currently listed on amazon.com for less than $300 1Kg of filament runs around $20. With that, you can print 1Kg of stuff. So, if a widget weighs 10 grams when complete, its cost is about 20 cents. There are different quality settings you can pick. Mostly around layer height and speed. Slower prints with smaller layer heights are smoother, but take longer. I usually print big things like the disk case at .3 mm which is fast mode compared to .1 mm, which is quality mode. Even with fast mode, the results are pretty good. I do not sand my things after printing them. I didnt sand the cases for my floppy or Kryoflux. Not sure if you can zoom the picture enough to see the smoothness. I try to design things so that they do not have parts that hang out over an empty space below. The printer prints from platform up one layer at a time and overhang doesnt work well. There are ways to have overhang better, but they are not perfect.