Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

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

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Bosbouter wrote:
Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:51 pm
I'm very curious how the wiring for rgb goes.......
I have a page on how I set up the RGB rotary encoder:

https://sites.google.com/one-n.co.uk/am ... ry-encoder

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

4 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.4.16.5a

- Amstrad CPC / ZX Spectrum EDSK & DSK : Fix deleted data mark support.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

6 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.4.16.8a

- Amstrad CPC / ZX Spectrum EDSK & DSK :
Fake Track ID protection support.
Fake Side ID protection support.
Bad CRC protection support.
6144 bytes sectors support fixed.

Fix the following copy protected ZX Spectrum games :
Robocop 2,Turrican 2,Barbarian 2,New Zealand Story,
Dan Dare 3,Operation Thurderbolt,Simpsons and probably others titles
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

7 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.4.16.10a

- "Normal mode" / Direct disk browsing mode :
Fix possible erroneous "No file image found !" message issue.
Update recommended.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

12 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.4.16.12a

- New custom firmware page option (https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/) :

Upside down orientation OLED screen option.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

20 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.4.16.14a

- Regression fix : Fix Amiga 1.76MB HD .ADF images support.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

21 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.4.18.1a

- USB Stick : GUID Partition Table (GPT) support.

The firmware now support medias with GPT, MBR or without any partition
table.
GPT is becoming the default partition table used by most operating
systems.

- New custom firmware page option (https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/) :

GUID Partition Table (GPT) support option (enabled by default).
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

31 August 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.5.1.1a

- Major release : Image-less mode support! Mount USB stick's FAT12 partitions !

The HxC Floppy Emulator firmware for Gotek and clones drives is now able
to emulate floppy disks directly from the USB Stick partitions.
This mean that you can now easily exchange files without the need of
any floppy image with machines supporting the common DOS/FAT file system.
In Image-less mode Windows/Linux/macOs operating systems are able to
mount automatically the floppy disks partitions and let you access to the
floppy disk files.
All floppy disk partitions size is supported : 720KB (DD), 1.2MB (HD),
1.44MB (HD) and even non standard sized disks (2.5MB and more...)

-- How to prepare the USB stick ? --

You need to prepare the USB stick to use the Image-less mode.
Some USB stick files are available in the Image_Less_Mode folder in the
firmware archive.
You can write them with rufus or dd or any other tool.

The firmware is supporting 4 different partition types / usb stick "format" :

- GPT partitioned USB stick :
This format allows you to have up to 128 floppy disks/partitions on
the USB Stick.
This is supported by all current operating systems
(Windows 10 and recent versions of macOs and Linux).

Pre-partitioned USB stick GPT images are available in
the Image_Less_Mode folder.

- MBR partitioned USB stick :
This format allows you to have up to 4 floppy disks/partitions on the USB
Stick. This is only recommended if you are working with old
operating systems. (Windows XP...)

Pre-partitioned USB stick MBR images are available in
the Image_Less_Mode folder.
You can write them with rufus or dd or any similar tool.

- "No partition" USB stick :
This format allows you to have 1 floppy disk per USB Stick.
This is supported by all opertating systems.

You can write any DOS compatible floppy image with rufus or dd or
any similar tool.

- Original Gotek firmware "Batch Manage Tool" formatted stick :
The HxC firmware is now compatible with the original Gotek firmware
tool "Batch Manage Tool". So you can now use this tool to prepare and
access the USB stick partitions.

The firmware recognizes automatically how the USB stick is prepared.
No particular action is needed on the emulator. Please note that the
classic floppy images modes still of course supported.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

1 September 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.5.1.2a

- v3.5.1.1 regression fix : Broken USB stick folder Auto mount feature fixed.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Paris
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

3 September 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.5.1.9a

- Internal parameters : Power-up clear/reset right button timeout set to 3 seconds.

- Electone EL-900 disk change issue fixed :

-> Clear internal ready timer at image selection.
-> Internal default ready timing changed from 200ms to 400ms.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Paris
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

14 September 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.5.1.12a

- Roland machines out,img,ima files support : sector interleave and track
skew adjusted to the S-550 values. (Fix S-550 issues).
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Paris
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

4 November 2020 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.5.2.5a

- IMG file images : Fix Technics SX-F100 organ format and file deletion
support.

- HFE files : Blind write mode now used on all non-MFM/FM HFE files.

- Quickdisk .QD files write support : Some fixes and improvements.

- Code improvements.
HXCFEUSB_HFE_beta_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

29 March 2021 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.6.1.2a


- Preparing the firmware for the next releases / features :
Important code size optimizations. (First round !)

- OSD : The HSYNC polarity can be set on the custom firmware
page : https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/.
(VSYNC already supports both polarity)

- Finally introducting the Raspberry Pi Zero W Gotek companion :

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_dri ... ulator.zip
(To be installed on the SD Card with rufus, dd, ...)

Use the USB device port to connect the Raspberry Pi Zero W to the Gotek.

You can access the virtual stick through Wifi.
The Raspberry is by default setup as an access point. (HxC2001_RPIZeroW SSID)

The following services are currently enabled in the image :

IP : 192.168.100.1

Samba/Windows Share -> login : data, password : data
ftp -> login : data, password : data
ssh -> login : data, password : data / login : root, password : root
http -> just a test page for the moment.

Documentation will be available soon on the firmware user manual :
https://hxc2001.com/docs/gotek-floppy-e ... -firmware/

Further developments will be done on this new powerful Gotek companion. :)
HXCFEUSB_Gotek_HxC_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

11 April 2021 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.6.1.2a for Artery AT32F415RCT7 Goteks
Since March/April 2021 we can see some new Gotek variants on the market.
Gotek_ARTERY_AT32F415RCT7.jpg
Gotek_ARTERY_AT32F415RCT7.jpg (88.83 KiB) Viewed 195322 times
Due to the electronic components shortage, these new Gotek revisions use different MCUs.
The STMicroelectronics STM32F105 MCU was replaced by Artery MCUs : AT32F415RCT7, AT32F415CBT7,...

These MCUs are "mostly" compatible with the previously used STM part but there is an important
difference : The RAM size. While the STM32F105 offers 64KB of RAM, these Artery parts have only
32KB of RAM.

These changes imply modifications in the firmware.

A first HxC Firmware compatible with the AT32F415RCT7 MCU can be found in the
Artery_AT32_Gotek_HxC_Firmware folder.

Others changes :

- The bootloader was updated this week to support all the 3 Gotek variants :
STM32F105RBT6, AT32F415RCT7,AT32F415CBT7.

- The bootloader now supports GPT/GUID formatted USB sticks.

- The server was updated this week to support all the 3 Gotek variants :
The bootloader can installed on all these Gotek using the normal online procedure :
https://hxc2001.com/docs/gotek-floppy-e ... ation.html

More details on the forum : viewtopic.php?p=23695#p23695
HXCFEUSB_Gotek_HxC_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

Jeff
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Posts: 8091
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Paris
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Re: Firmware updates for the STM32/Gotek HxC floppy emulators !

Post by Jeff »

12 April 2021 : Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.7.0.1a for all Artery Goteks

Now support all Artery versions (AT32F415RCT7, AT32F415CBT7...)

- Fixes : EPROM emulation support, Index signal.
- Rotary connections moved to PA13/PA14 (2 pins in the prog header)
for the 48 pins MCU version.

More details on the forum : viewtopic.php?p=23695#p23695
HXCFEUSB_Gotek_HxC_firmware.zip

USB_HFE_hxc_floppy_emulator_firmware_release_notes.txt

Custom HxC firmware

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