Roland D20 Non standard floppy drive

[kolleykibber]

I was wondering if it's possible to use HxC on a non standard floppy interface. The venerable (1988) Roland D20 uses an interface I can't find else where. Instead of step or direction the Phase magnet signals (Pha, phb, phc phd) are sent directly from the controller chip, which is an unknown MOERO U78152-A (M60012-0110) then another chip is used to maybe amplify these signals to drive the stepper motor. There is no track 0 pin. I imagine the floppy controller uses the phase pins to return the head.

Amongst other strangeness. The floppy controller directly controls the in use LED.

Full details of the pins and schematics are available here (page 13):-

https://www.synthxl.com/wp-content/uplo ... -Notes.pdf

Would it be possible to translate the phase signals to standard step/dir signals to feed into HxC?

Thanks

[Jeff]

Interesting, this look similar, if not equal, to the Apple II floppy interface.
I have done a custom firmware several years ago to support these kind of floppy interface : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaR9noqb0JE
But this still very "proof of concept"/hacky...

The disk format appears to be different too.

But i will study the question .

[Jub]

Interesting stuff.
My D20 drive seems to be dead, and it would be nice if I could replace it with a HxC

[Jub]

My floppy was dead because of a broken belt.
Found a new one one ebay, and it is back online.

But, it was the opportunity to confirm that the Roland D20 floppy interface has nothing to do with other floppys I saw before (PC/Atari/Amstrad computers, Akai samplers...)

IMG_9956.JPG (184.1 KiB) Viewed 6180 times

[Jeff]

mhh interesting !

[Jub]

I found out the service manual (here) and here is the wiring of the floppy

Could it help to fit a standard floppy, and thus a HxC drive into the D20 ?

[Jeff]

Hello,

FYI the HxC firmware for Gotek now support the Apple Disk II emulation :

https://hxc2001.com/docs/gotek-floppy-e ... apple.html

So the firmware "may" work with the Roland D20. Let me know if you want to test it.