Lotharek drive is a game changer

[Vorticon]

I finally decided to put a Lotharek HxC 2001 drive in my PEB, replacing DSK1. As it turns out, I have found out that I no longer have a need for my IDE card anymore with this set up, thus eliminating a source of unreliability from my system. Furthermore, I also no longer need my HDX setup since I can just transfer images straight to the SD card without using clumsy cables and USB to serial adapters.

If I need physical disks, I can just copy from the HxC to either of the real DSK2 and DSK3 drives still connected to my system. The reverse is also true.

With 360K 5.25" drives becoming pretty scarce and rather unreliable, this move makes perfect sense.

Better late than never I suppose

[+arcadeshopper]

Good for you! It does make it easy.. and the gotek version is a lot cheaper.. Hoping to finish modding a peb with one at the warehouse sometime soon. and a trs80 model 3 with one as well

 

Greg

[mizapf]

Just as a reminder, as you are now using an HxC, TIImageTool (2.3) can read/write the .hfe files directly. And I added this it to MAME as well (0.178), so there's not even a need to convert something.

[Sinphaltimus]

I have a GoTek with the HxC firmware. Great stuff. DSK1(80T) GoTek, DSK2(80T), 3.5" floppy, DSK3(40T) 5.25" floppy.

[+Ksarul]

I plan on installing one of the two Lotharek drives I received a week ago into my standard test system. . .probably this weekend.

[+Schmitzi]

I have 3 Lothareks for 1 or 2 years know, and the only thing I can say is, I neeeed some more of them

[aftyde]

I finally decided to put a Lotharek HxC 2001 drive in my PEB, replacing DSK1. As it turns out, I have found out that I no longer have a need for my IDE card anymore with this set up, thus eliminating a source of unreliability from my system. Furthermore, I also no longer need my HDX setup since I can just transfer images straight to the SD card without using clumsy cables and USB to serial adapters.

If I need physical disks, I can just copy from the HxC to either of the real DSK2 and DSK3 drives still connected to my system. The reverse is also true.

With 360K 5.25" drives becoming pretty scarce and rather unreliable, this move makes perfect sense.

Better late than never I suppose

 

Do you have a RS-232 HDX card you'd be willing to part with??? $$$

[Omega-TI]

I finally decided to put a Lotharek HxC 2001 drive in my PEB, replacing DSK1. As it turns out, I have found out that I no longer have a need for my IDE card anymore with this set up, thus eliminating a source of unreliability from my system. Furthermore, I also no longer need my HDX setup since I can just transfer images straight to the SD card without using clumsy cables and USB to serial adapters.

 

I agree the Lotharek IS a game changer. Did you also know that with a flick of a DIP switch it'll also operate as both DSK1 AND DSK2... at the same time?

 

You know, even with the Lotharek, I could never give up my HDX, I find the two devices compliment each other. Giving up some of those cool features that I've become accustomed to (shown in the video below) would be too hard to get used to.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBFrgerq0B0

[jedimatt42]

I finally decided to put a Lotharek HxC 2001 drive in my PEB, replacing DSK1. As it turns out, I have found out that I no longer have a need for my IDE card anymore with this set up, thus eliminating a source of unreliability from my system. Furthermore, I also no longer need my HDX setup since I can just transfer images straight to the SD card without using clumsy cables and USB to serial adapters.

If I need physical disks, I can just copy from the HxC to either of the real DSK2 and DSK3 drives still connected to my system. The reverse is also true.

With 360K 5.25" drives becoming pretty scarce and rather unreliable, this move makes perfect sense.

Better late than never I suppose

That's funny... you use your storage 180 degrees from the way I would. I never use the HDX to do file or disk transfers, I treat it like a hard-drive. And I thought Fred Kaal's DSR for the IDE card allowed it to be used as a hard-drive as well instead of just simulating floppies... I either hack on the software to work with HDX1.___ or only occasionally use the software.

 

Just goes to show how different every setup can be.

 

[email protected]

[Sinphaltimus]

Floppy drive emulators, keeping sneaker net alive in the 21st century.

[Vorticon]

 

Do you have a RS-232 HDX card you'd be willing to part with??? $$$

 

No sorry. I'm keeping it as a backup, along with the IDE card. One never knows...

[Vorticon]

That's funny... you use your storage 180 degrees from the way I would. I never use the HDX to do file or disk transfers, I treat it like a hard-drive. And I thought Fred Kaal's DSR for the IDE card allowed it to be used as a hard-drive as well instead of just simulating floppies... I either hack on the software to work with HDX1.___ or only occasionally use the software.

 

Just goes to show how different every setup can be.

 

[email protected]

I don't have a modern PC close to my TI, so every time I needed to use the HDX I had to bring down my laptop to my work area. So keeping it connected all the time was not feasible...

As to Fred's DSR, I could never get it to work on my IDE card for some reason. It would just freeze up the system.

So the setup frequently reflects one's individual situation...

[Omega-TI]

Oh - BTW... Fred Kaal updated his HDX server, it now recognizes not just V9T9 format, it will also work with TIFILES format now too!

 

http://www.ti99-geek.nl/

[Omega-TI]

Oh, one more thing you need to know about the Lotharek HxC. With the Euro falling 4% over the last few days as the U.S. dollar is getting stronger on the world market, the exchange rate is making this gadget more affordable by the day for those of you who do not have one yet.

[Diecrusher]

Good for you! It does make it easy.. and the gotek version is a lot cheaper.. Hoping to finish modding a peb with one at the warehouse sometime soon. and a trs80 model 3 with one as well

 

Greg

I know that this is the wrong forum but I just added a lotharek to my Model 4 and couldn't be happier!

 

I just finished restoring this Model 4 and added 3 720k 3.5" drives and a 360k 5.25" in addition to the lotharek, not an easy task!! I have 3 separate internal power supplies to keep all of those power hungry drives happy. Cleaned, repainted, everything recapped, added internal cooling and keyboard rebuilt. Oh, and 128k RAM too.

 

Stole alot of time away from my TI.

 

 

[Omega-TI]

Awwww maaaaan.. I'm droolin' over that Mod IV!

[Vorticon]

Beautiful job! I had a model IV a couple of years ago but ended up selling it because of lack of space. I did quite a bit of programming on it with Turbo Pascal under Montezuma CP/M. Loved that machine...

[Diecrusher]

Oh, and I forgot to mention the switch on the lower drive bay allows me to swap between either the 5.25" or 3.5" being the boot drive. The other 2 3.5" drives and the Lotharek are able to be swapped with a switch box (not visible) hooked to the external drive port. Only thing missing is that I wish I could find a 128k badge to replace the 64k one.

[00WReX]

Very, very nice.

 

Great job.

 

When mod's or additions look like they came from the factory that way.... you know you've nailed it. :thumbsup:

 

 

Cheers,

Shane

[Vorticon]

Is it normal for the Lotharek drive to unmount a disk image when it has not been accessed for a minute or so? This is really problematic because many programs I use as well as the pcode card only access the drive intermittently, and it's a pain to keep having to manually mount the images everytime this happens... Has any one else experienced this issue by any chance?

[+Ksarul]

Once I've mounted an image on mine, it stays mounted until I unmount it, even through a cold boot. . .

[Vorticon]

Once I've mounted an image on mine, it stays mounted until I unmount it, even through a cold boot. . .

 

Hmmm... There is configuration setting which sets the duration from 0-255 (no units - seconds?) before the Lotharek goes to sleep. I'll play with it and see. Same goes for the backlight by the way.

[tuf]

I know that this is the wrong forum but I just added a lotharek to my Model 4 and couldn't be happier!

 

I just finished restoring this Model 4 and added 3 720k 3.5" drives and a 360k 5.25" in addition to the lotharek, not an easy task!! I have 3 separate internal power supplies to keep all of those power hungry drives happy. Cleaned, repainted, everything recapped, added internal cooling and keyboard rebuilt. Oh, and 128k RAM too.

 

 

So cool! What was that little external case for originally?

[Diecrusher]

 

So cool! What was that little external case for originally?

I believe that it was for an external 3.5" floppy drive or perhaps an old tape drive. I then matched it up to the color and texture of the Model IV as best as I could.

[Vorticon]

Quick update: Setting the Device standby value to 255 in the settings will prevent the drive from going to sleep. Same goes with the backlight standby value. Good to know...