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 »

Kingstener wrote:
Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:44 am
Nice , but even a piezo should not be connected directly without suitable protective, in the case of mechanical excitations (bumps, vibrations) there higher voltages can be generated and the processor can be damaged...
You need to shake this little piezo very very very strong then. In this case add a parallel 1Kohms resistor.

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

Post by Kingstener »

Already by the oscillations of an older hard drive in the same housing I measure here an amplitude of about 10-12V (without a load!) - and that is not yet in resonance! But OK, you're right, is not my problem ....

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

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Kingstener wrote:
Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:45 pm
Already by the oscillations of an older hard drive in the same housing I measure here an amplitude of about 10-12V (without a load!) - and that is not yet in resonance! But OK, you're right, is not my problem ....
10 12V ok. unloaded ? Any clamping diode somewhere ?
what is interesting is the power : current & voltage.

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

Post by Kingstener »

The 0.21.6a looks good so far, have you still changed something yet or is it randomly? I'll leave it on the machine and keep it in mind...
A small error is with the backlight-LED bit (I use for light out from OLED), it goes off after the set time and at the next i2c reset again on and remains on
Last edited by Kingstener on Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by Kingstener »

Again too early happy now - it crashed, a pity...
I have another device with SPI-OLED, which runs smoothly since noon with the 0.21.5, the device with I2C is apparently more sensitive during transmission...

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

Post by snhirsch »

At the risk of this being an FAQ, what is the "IMG" file format? That's a heavily overloaded abbreviation so not entirely clear what is being referred to. Also, in an earlier note on this thread there's reference made to what appears to be a parameter file (?) with byte counts, sectors, etc. enclosed in {}. Is this something I need to create myself? If "IMG" implies that I can operate against a raw sector data image, then that's great, but I assume the system needs to be told about the format. Again, sorry if this obvious but I can find nothing definitive.

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

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snhirsch wrote:
Fri Aug 11, 2017 9:46 pm
If "IMG" implies that I can operate against a raw sector data image, then that's great, but I assume the system needs to be told about the format. Again, sorry if this obvious but I can find nothing definitive.
Exactly "IMG" = "RAW". And yes i still have to specify and develop something to told the format to use. For the moment MFM 512 bytes sectors images and some FM images are supported. But i need to find a solution to set the format for all others formats. Maybe a txt config file per image ? i don't know yet.

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

Post by snhirsch »

If there are a number of recognized formats, what algorithm do you use to figure out which is appropriate?

When I speak of raw sector image, I mean one without formatting information of any sort besides sector data contents. Do you mean something other when you say "raw"? I'm not seeing how an emulator can use pure data without knowing precisely what the formatted layout was.

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

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snhirsch wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:54 am
If there are a number of recognized formats, what algorithm do you use to figure out which is appropriate?
By the file size. For the moment this still possible because i support only 512bytes sectors formats in raw (plus 2/3 in 128 & 256 bytes in FM).
snhirsch wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:54 am
When I speak of raw sector image, I mean one without formatting information of any sort besides sector data contents.
Exactly. That's it.

But to have a generic emulator supporting all format, an "algorithm" can't be used alone. The user will have to specify the layout. there is some options, but i am not sure which one is the better to be "user friendly" (probably no one tbh ;) )

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

Post by snhirsch »

Jeff wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:26 am
snhirsch wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:54 am
If there are a number of recognized formats, what algorithm do you use to figure out which is appropriate?
By the file size. For the moment this still possible because i support only 512bytes sectors formats in raw (plus 2/3 in 128 & 256 bytes in FM).
snhirsch wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:54 am
When I speak of raw sector image, I mean one without formatting information of any sort besides sector data contents.
Exactly. That's it.

But to have a generic emulator supporting all format, an "algorithm" can't be used alone. The user will have to specify the layout. there is some options, but i am not sure which one is the better to be "user friendly" (probably no one tbh ;) )
My suggestion: Retain whatever built-in algorithm you presently have and also look for information in a "well known" file name. If found, that overrides the built-in descriptor.

Would also be great to have hard-sector format support :-).

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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

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snhirsch wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:46 pm
My suggestion: Retain whatever built-in algorithm you presently have and also look for information in a "well known" file name. If found, that overrides the built-in descriptor.
you mean a file text? A file for all images actually present on the stick ?

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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

17 August 2017, new version :

- Write descriptors and write pipeline added :
The drive can now "capture" a new floppy write while it is writing
previous write(s) to the stick.

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip

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

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

Post by snhirsch »

Jeff wrote:
Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:21 am
snhirsch wrote:
Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:46 pm
My suggestion: Retain whatever built-in algorithm you presently have and also look for information in a "well known" file name. If found, that overrides the built-in descriptor.
you mean a file text? A file for all images actually present on the stick ?
I think it would be simpler to have a single definition file for all images. One stanza for each.

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Re: New Alpha version Firmware - Volunteer Testers needed !

Post by Jeff »

20 August 2017: Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.0.24.1a

- GPIOs access speed up (IRQ latency reduced).
- Write flux decoder speed up (+50%).
- I2C/LCD low level routines optimized and prepared to support the incoming OLED screen support.
( + I2C transmission issues fixed)
- User interface : Fix the printed total number of slot in autoboot and indexed mode.
- Indexed mode + LCD : The file name is printed (Fix).


https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip

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

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

Post by elluigi »

Bonjour,

Un petit retour sur cette Alpha, je dois systematiquement affecter 2 fois l'image dans le slot sinon cela ne prend pas en compte est ce normal ?

Merci.
Image

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