On the topic of a NEW controller card for the TI-99/4A

[Omega-TI]

With all the new goodies coming out lately, and people upgrading and buying Lotharek HxC's, the topic of a NEW controller card was raised. This poll is to gauge possible interest in a new device.

[+Ksarul]

Actually, I'm in the middle of doing a new layout for the Myarc FDC controllers for Richard. . .no time frame yet though, as it has to fit into all of the other things I've been working on. I've got all of the components placed on the board--now I just need to run all of the traces (using the latest version of the board as my template).

Edited January 13, 2015 by Ksarul

[+OLD CS1]

You sticking with 720k, or will we be able to use 1.44MB?

[Omega-TI]

Actually, I'm in the middle of doing a new layout for the Myarc FDC controllers

 

 

 

 

You sticking with 720k, or will we be able to use 1.44MB?

 

You beat me to it! Ditto!

[+Ksarul]

720K--anything else would require a redesign of the board, and the latest mods to the Myarc FDC made it the most rock-solid TI floppy controller out there--even better than a BwG.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

720K--anything else would require a redesign of the board, and the latest mods to the Myarc FDC made it the most rock-solid TI floppy controller out there--even better than a BwG.

 

High Density would also force necessary changes to the DSR EPROM code to control the IO and to calculate the higher sectors per AU throughout the lower level operations. The current Myarc FDC DSR has little spare space, so a larger EPROM and more static RAM would also be required. And unlike the RAMDisk ROS code, there is the matter of not having any source code to work from.

[Omega-TI]

720K is still awesome, that îs 8 times what an original TI disk could hold. In that amount of space a guy can fit quite a bit of stuff, and with up to four drives at a time... That new card will really exploit the full potential of the HxC's as well. I cant wait!

[+mizapf]

I'd really favor a high density disk controller (1.44 MB). My idea is to have a simple way of swapping disks between PC and TI disk drive. As I wrote some time ago, we would even be able to include a FAT-compatible mode.

[Omega-TI]

I understand where you are coming from mizapf, but with what Ksaurl mentioned about the complexity of having to redesign the hardware and write new software... sometimes it might be better to stay with proven and obtainable technology. There are a couple of other things that get in the way (at least on my end).

 

1) None of my three PC's even have an old-style disk drive, so for me at least, FAT compatibility would do me no good.

2) People are starting to migrate away from the old-style disk drives and over to the SD card based HxC which modern PC's use.

 

Since the Lotharek can emulate two drives at the same time, that sort of gives you 1.44!

 

The original Myarc controller card supported four drives, which translates into two HxC's. So about the only thing I would ask for, if at all possible, would be the ability to have at least 5 drives supported, then I could have at least one REAL external drive, but again that would probably require the re-engineering of software and hardware. So in the end I'll gladly settle for the one HxC operating as DSK1 & DSK2 with the other disk drive operating as DSK3. In reality that gives me just over 2 megabytes available at one time, probably more than enough for what I'll ever need from the TI.

 

+1 on the 720K unit!

[+mizapf]

Well, I do understand of course. The point is the question "would you spend money for a new controller card", and my honest answer in that case is "yes, if it supports 1.44 MB", regardless of how difficult it is to achieve. Otherwise I'm quite happy with my SCSI drive on my Geneve and the serial connection to the PC. I hope this does not sound too much like letting someone down. :-)

 

3.5" drives are still out there; it is indeed a real pain to find a 5.25" drive.

[Omega-TI]

I hope this does not sound too much like letting someone down. :-)

 

 

Not at all, I too would like 1.44's!

 

You know, the more I think about it, I'm not sure I'd really be able to utilize all that space! With the current state of TI menu loaders, I've never seen one with enough options to support all the selections a guy could use on a full 1.44. Now I suppose a guy could link batch files in 4A DOS by file type, (i.e. UTILITIES, GAMES, GRAPHICS, etc) but it would really scream for a new menu program, maybe something based on the old PC program called DIRECT ACCESS 5.1 or something like that... but then that would open up a new can of worms requiring the F18A for it's 80 column capability. Where would it all end?

 

Also we have to think of the person willing to make and sell these things too. A 720K version from a sales aspect I think would have the widest appeal as there are already a lot of 720K 3.5's out there, so whoever ends up making them would get more sales due to current compatibility. Most people buying them could just 'plug & play'... with no additional expense.

[Fritz442]

Here's a really good price for some 3.5'' 1.44 floppy drives. Cases of 20 new drives...Free shipping! And he will OBO.

These work fine as 720k too, I have 3 in use. He only has Beige....I asked.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391004479157?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

Edited February 7, 2015 by Fritz442

[+OLD CS1]

Krylon's Fusion spray paint is very good in my experience for changing plastic color. It is advertised as actually bonding with the plastic so it does not flake off like tradition paint. Take that as you will, but I have used it before and no problems.

[Omega-TI]

Here's a really good price for some 3.5'' 1.44 floppy drives. Cases of 20 new drives...Free shipping! And he will OBO.

These work fine as 720k too, I have 3 in use. He only has Beige....I asked.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391004479157?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

 

That's a damn good price at just over $2.00 each (free shipping).

I don't know how old these are though, so even if unused, I would have thought they may be 'gummy' and need to be cleaned and re-lubed, but since you have three in use, no problems I guess! Great find!

 

You know, beige looks pretty good in a TI P-Box...

[Fritz442]

 

That's a damn good price at just over $2.00 each (free shipping).

I don't know how old these are though, so even if unused, I would have thought they may be 'gummy' and need to be cleaned and re-lubed, but since you have three in use, no problems I guess! Great find!

 

You know, beige looks pretty good in a TI P-Box...

I bought 2 cases and offered $35 per case...he accepted.

Date on both cases is 5/24/05. Each drive is wrapped in a plastic bag and I

have had NO issues or cleaned any of them.

[Omega-TI]

I bought 2 cases and offered $35 per case...he accepted.

Date on both cases is 5/24/05. Each drive is wrapped in a plastic bag and I

have had NO issues or cleaned any of them.

 

Hmmmm 40 individual drives... NICE! Have you considered selling a few (at a profit of course). I'm thinking there 'may' be a few people needing to upgrade to 720K format before this years is out, but would rather spend a few dollars more per individual drive, than to have to store a ton of em.

[Fritz442]

 

Hmmmm 40 individual drives... NICE! Have you considered selling a few (at a profit of course). I'm thinking there 'may' be a few people needing to upgrade to 720K format before this years is out, but would rather spend a few dollars more per individual drive, than to have to store a ton of em.

I thought about it but after adding shipping costs. I think you could buy them from him

just as cheap(or close). He sells individuals for $9.89 with free shipping.

If I sold it for $3 with $5.95 shipping US(cheapest I could find) it would be about the same.

He also has an OBO for these too and I know he will work with people.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-PIECE-NEC-FD1231H-3-5-1-44MB-Internal-Floppy-Drive-BEIGE-Bezel-NEW-1-PC-/391037090232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5b0ba079b8

 

But if his deal won't work for some reason, I'll be glad to offer some.

 

Fritz

[Omega-TI]

This say's it all!

[+OLD CS1]

This say's it all!

 

It looks to me like "lorem ipsum." What exactly is it saying?

[Omega-TI]

 

It looks to me like "lorem ipsum." What exactly is it saying?

 

Filler? I thought a picture was worth a thousand words and that I was just being brief!

I still maintain it's self explanatory!

[+InsaneMultitasker]

I think what is happening is that the orientation of the bars and the location of the red bar are misleading. At minimum, you should move that red bar "forward" or move the three blue "backward" so that all four columns start at the same point.

[Omega-TI]

Not bad, as of now 10 with a possible 21. I'm thinking that once this thing becomes available, it'll become VERY popular.

Now this is 'just my opinion' but with the relative size of most TI programs, multiple 720K drives will fill the requirements of most users. Combine the new FDC with an HxC and you'll have a pretty tricked out TI. I'm now thinking I'll never need a HD for my system.

[+Schmitzi]

Great idea. I would like to have that, too

[GDMike]

Just make sure Matt continues his video project, don't pull him off of that for this.

He keeps stretching thin..we only got 1 Matt.

Edited March 19, 2020 by GDMike

[+jedimatt42]

On 3/19/2020 at 4:14 PM, GDMike said:

Just make sure Matt continues his video project, don't pull him off of that for this.

He keeps stretching thin..we only got 1 Matt.

That is at least 1/2 wrong.

 

-M@