Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

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Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

Firmware update ! :
11 March 2018: Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.1.18.1a

- End part of the read output pipeline reworked (pulses generator).

- Akai S20 IMG images : sectors gap and tracks skew aligned to the real machine.

- Casio FZ1 IMG images : sectors gap and tracks skew aligned to the real machine.
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... _notes.txt

tzok
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by tzok »

Can you do some optimizations for hxcmount? Now it works slightly faster on FF, but what is more annoying, mounting image takes ages on HxC. First I thought that it hang/crashed.

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

tzok wrote:
Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:12 pm
Can you do some optimizations for hxcmount? Now it works slightly faster on FF, but what is more annoying, mounting image takes ages on HxC. First I thought that it hang/crashed.
Share all what is needed to do the bench (the HD disk image used) + the exact method you use to measure read/write speed + the hxc read/write timing you got.
I will test it here and compare and see what can be improved.
Data integrity must also be checked.

tzok
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by tzok »

Maybe the file copy speed test was not very meaningful, I've just tried to copy a 16 byte text file over a demo image from hxcmount (IMGFULL.IMA). On HxC it takes less than 6 sec., of FF it used to take 12 sec. but after recent improvements it is below 5 sec. Yet this requires further investigation at my side (bigger file, more tests). One thing which is most distinctive between HxC and FF, is the fact that FF mounts the image instantaneous while on HxC I have to wait for tens of seconds. Sorry, didn't measure the time, but difference is obvious. I'm using the same USB flash drive on both drives, so same hxcmount floppy image, and same imgfull.ima hard disk image..

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

What you mean by "mount the image" ? the hxcmount start ? i have some doubts that this can be instantaneous since hxcmount check the whole Hard disk file fragmentation at startup.
Anyway i have retested it again, and it doesn't seems "to take age" here.
a video to compare may help to understand what is slower.

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

@tzok : got it ;). The issue is related to the recent user interface code change...

Firmware update ! :
15 March 2018: Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.1.18.2a

- Normal mode : Remove unwanted key delay when entering in direct mode.
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... _notes.txt

tzok
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by tzok »

Ok, now I've found what the issue was - I have to re-insert a floppy image on Gotek in order hxcmount to mount the image. After starting the hxcmount the floppy image on gotek is ejected, and HxCMount won't continue until I re-insert this disk image.

***

You've corrected it faster than I've found what it was.

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

tzok wrote:
Fri Mar 16, 2018 1:18 am
You've corrected it faster than I've found what it was.
Yes. Anyway there is definitively a problem with writing in DA mode... The issue is not present with on the SD HxC Floppy Emulator...

Time to work on this part now (and this will reduce the firmware memory footprint ;) )

tzok
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by tzok »

It's a shame, that this program won't be developed anymore. I really miss the B: floppy access while running it. In theory in DA mode it would be possible to map the whole USB flash drive for Atari, wouldn't be? It is "only" a question of a dedicated driver/loader for the Atari TOS.

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

tzok wrote:
Fri Mar 16, 2018 1:44 am
In theory in DA mode it would be possible to map the whole USB flash drive for Atari, wouldn't be?
yes it is, and is even easier that the current process. the "problem" is the TOS itself, without FAT32 support.
FYI the file selector mount the whole USB stick. It is possible because it have a FAT32 library.

tzok
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by tzok »

So creating a FAT16 partition on the USB-stick should solve most of the problems...

Vaklin
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Vaklin »

Jeff wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:11 pm
Vaklin wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:40 am
Great news!
BTW, I'm ready to pay for the release in some alpha stage, doesn't matter when beta will be ready for sale or will be at all. Of course, we will flash it online with all your protections, to be sure, I'm not a cheater or a thief. You prices are more than fair and your products has a potential and I'm doing some things, related with them.

---
I think that this will be released with the same bootloader, so if you already have an hxc firmware, you can freely switch between the floppy emulator or dumper mode.
Vaklin wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:40 am
Can somebody share with me an empty floppy 'do' file with DOS 3.3 on it? Exactly I have not Apple ][ and I don't plan to have it, because of tons of 'metal' already situated around me. :)

vaklin (at) mail (dot) bg
will check what i have in my archives.
Hi again!
http://apple2online.com/index.php?p=1_64
Is this DSK format is the same or compatible with used by you one?

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

Vaklin wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:12 pm
Jeff wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:11 pm
Vaklin wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:40 am
Great news!
BTW, I'm ready to pay for the release in some alpha stage, doesn't matter when beta will be ready for sale or will be at all. Of course, we will flash it online with all your protections, to be sure, I'm not a cheater or a thief. You prices are more than fair and your products has a potential and I'm doing some things, related with them.

---
I think that this will be released with the same bootloader, so if you already have an hxc firmware, you can freely switch between the floppy emulator or dumper mode.
Vaklin wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:40 am
Can somebody share with me an empty floppy 'do' file with DOS 3.3 on it? Exactly I have not Apple ][ and I don't plan to have it, because of tons of 'metal' already situated around me. :)

vaklin (at) mail (dot) bg
will check what i have in my archives.
Hi again!
http://apple2online.com/index.php?p=1_64
Is this DSK format is the same or compatible with used by you one?
this is a dsk for Apple II.

Vaklin
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 3:41 pm

Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Vaklin »

Jeff wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 9:03 pm
Vaklin wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:12 pm
Jeff wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:11 pm


I think that this will be released with the same bootloader, so if you already have an hxc firmware, you can freely switch between the floppy emulator or dumper mode.



will check what i have in my archives.
Hi again!
http://apple2online.com/index.php?p=1_64
Is this DSK format is the same or compatible with used by you one?
this is a dsk for Apple II.
So, no way to convert it to use with HxC? OK I'll look further for some "do" file.

Jeff
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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

Vaklin wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 9:09 pm
Jeff wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 9:03 pm
Vaklin wrote:
Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:12 pm

Hi again!
http://apple2online.com/index.php?p=1_64
Is this DSK format is the same or compatible with used by you one?
this is a dsk for Apple II.
So, no way to convert it to use with HxC? OK I'll look further for some "do" file.
rename it in .do

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