Hard sector format

HxC Floppy emulator support for all others computers...
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snhirsch
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Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

There's a comment in the floppy emulator changelog about the AFI format supporting hard sector emulation. If I am able to generate an appropriate AFI file, can the HxC (STM32 USB) properly act as a hard sector diskette? If it can, where can I find documentation for this format?

There are a number of us out here who would like to use the HxC with Heath and Northstar computers. I have documentation on the track format for both of these.

Jeff
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by Jeff »

Any documentation somewhere ?

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

Jeff wrote:Any documentation somewhere ?
I will gather it and either post here (if allowed) or make available on Dropbox.

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

Since the message board will not permit any meaningful attachment (PDF rejected), I'm sending it to the e-mail address you have provided to others for this reason.

Notes:

- The textual description of the sector preamble has two typos. There are 33 bytes of 0, not 16. Sectors contain
512 bytes of data, not 256. The text was written for an earlier FM scheme, I'm guessing.

- The byte following the sync character (0xFB) is an address formed as (sector + (16*track)) MOD 256.

- Encoding is MFM

- Physical track layout is 0..34 on side 0, then 34..0 (logical 35..69) on side 1

Please let me know if more information is required or you want me to do any testing. I own (and know how to use) an 18-ch logic analyzer and can capture activity at the interface from a real drive and/or the emulator.

overCLK
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by overCLK »

Any news about this topic?
Are there hard sectored floppies like the ones used in the Northstar Advantage supported?
I would be really interested

Thanks and regards!

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

Still would be great to have hard sector format support. Is there a chance this will ever be added?

Jeff
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by Jeff »

snhirsch wrote:Still would be great to have hard sector format support. Is there a chance this will ever be added?
which hxc have you ?

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

Jeff wrote:
snhirsch wrote:Still would be great to have hard sector format support. Is there a chance this will ever be added?
which hxc have you ?
Hi, Jeff. I have (2) Gotek units and one SD Rev C. I would like to use floppy emulation with my Heath H89 and Northstar Advantage. Information on both formats is available (and I have posted some of it here in the past).

Jeff
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by Jeff »

FYI the HFEv3 now allows to support Hard sectored formats.

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

HFE3 is a file format only, correct?

- Are there tools that support building such a file from sector data?

- Failing that, where can I find information on how such a file can be built?

Jeff
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by Jeff »

snhirsch wrote:
Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:31 pm
HFE3 is a file format only, correct?

- Are there tools that support building such a file from sector data?

- Failing that, where can I find information on how such a file can be built?
Yes this is the new format available on the Gotek firmware. It allows to define arbitrary index signal. The immediate problem is that i didn't finish yet the write support into the firmware for this format and this will be a problem if you want format the image.
Have you some kind of file image at least to test the read support ?

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

I have file images that are simply ordered sector data. My question is: How do I get from there to the appropriate hard-sector format? The Heath and Northstar machines are quite different in terms of diskette layout, prefix bytes, etc. Defining the index signal is only part of the problem.

I've offered several times to provide you with technical details of both diskette formats. I think I may have uploaded or linked to it at some point.

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Re: Hard sector format

Post by Jeff »

"Easy" way : Have you a kryoflux or something like this ?

snhirsch
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Re: Hard sector format

Post by snhirsch »

Yes, I have a Kryoflux but have not used it much. What type of image should I capture? Do you know the proper command line switches to use?

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Re: Hard sector format

Post by Jeff »

snhirsch wrote:
Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:18 pm
Yes, I have a Kryoflux but have not used it much. What type of image should I capture? Do you know the proper command line switches to use?
In fact i m not even sure that Kryoflux support hard sectored disks...

Please share some images, i will do the loader into the hxc software.

Btw i have checked the documentation you sent me, and the detailed track/sector format is missing (header details / crc/checksum encoding).
Do you know where i can found these informations ?

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