Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

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glenn
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Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by glenn »

I would like to use the gotek with HxC for my spectravideo 328.

I have a SV601 super expander, and inside that a SV801 floppy controller, to that I have one SV902 floppy drive, and one homebuilt floppy connected.

Now I would like to swap the second floppy drive for my gotek. I can make a cable converting the non standard pinout to notrmal shugart, but the floppy format on those are a bit special, they use a FM boot track and then MFM.

There are a lot of images of 40trk disks (probably made with kryoflux) that I would like to use with my gotek on the spectravideo, bur how would I convert those disks ? or is there any other way ?

Jeff
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »

Share your kryoflux dump, i will check them.

glenn
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by glenn »

I have sent a disk-image via Email.

Would be great if it would be possible, today there is no soultion to use imagefiles on the SV 3x8.

Jeff
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »

glenn wrote:
Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:04 pm
I have sent a disk-image via Email.

Would be great if it would be possible, today there is no soultion to use imagefiles on the SV 3x8.
Sure this is possible. But have you some stream KF dump (.raw) ?

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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »


glenn
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by glenn »

I just tried it, and it worked :) yieha :)

How can I convert the rest of the floppyimages ? Is there special settings for the converter software i can use, or did you do changes that will appear in a later version of it ?


..The only bad thing was that the quality of the text on the LCD was crap, I suspect it is because I drive it on 3.3V, I'm not sure if it supports that, or if it should have 5V, I guess it should. ..Anyway, thats a completly different problem, and i have ordered a OLED display anyway :)

Jeff
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »

glenn wrote:
Fri Sep 08, 2017 2:28 am
I just tried it, and it worked :) yieha :)

How can I convert the rest of the floppyimages ? Is there special settings for the converter software i can use, or did you do changes that will appear in a later version of it ?


..The only bad thing was that the quality of the text on the LCD was crap, I suspect it is because I drive it on 3.3V, I'm not sure if it supports that, or if it should have 5V, I guess it should. ..Anyway, thats a completly different problem, and i have ordered a OLED display anyway :)
if this is the 2x16 lcd, yes it need 5V :
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... SCREEN.jpg
https://hxc2001.com/docs/gotek-floppy-e ... n-lcd.html

if all is working properly i will add the format description into the software. (this is an xml file).

glenn
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by glenn »

I only tried to boot and read, I can try to write and format too if you want, it was just very late when i got everything hooked up yesterday so I didn't do anything more after it booted.

I use a similar LCD, but it was one I had laying around, but I think the I2C adapter is the same.

Don't think i would put more work into get 5V for it it since I will go for Oled instead.

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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »

yes try to format the image and share it/send me it. with this image i can set the exact format parameters actually missing for this machine.

use the the very last firmware version for this (3.0.26.3a)

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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »

If you want to load / convert other images :

Into the hxc software:
-> Load raw Image
-> Predefined Disk Layout : Choose XML file Disk Layout and select the attached xml file.
-> Push "Load RAW file" and select your dsk file.
-> then you can export the loaded image to hfe.

You can also use the Batch converter to convert multiples dsk files. Just check "Treat input files as RAW files" and set the same xml file.

i will include this xml file later directly into the software.
Attachments
Spectravideo_SV-3x8.xml.zip
(4.87 KiB) Downloaded 465 times

glenn
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by glenn »

Nice, I will do this ASAP :)

I guess it could be nice to also try to make a 80trk image, then I have to hook up the other super expander that should have a 80trk capable controller, but two broken diskdrives.. but that is a later project.

glenn
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by glenn »

Now I have..

- Formatted an image - worked fine!
- Sent it to jeff.
- Converted several other images
- Tested them and it worked fine
- added a 5V line to the display, much better contrast now :)

So cool.

Now I just have to make an adapter to use this on my "normal" SV328 instead of the one with a SV605 I use for test (because this have a standard floppy connector..)

The only problem I got was that it hanged when i moved the gotek while it was in use, I dont know exactly why and if it was a bad contact or something else, but as long as it is still it's fine.

I going to make a better way to mount it as soon as I get the OLED display.

Agip
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Agip »

Could you please post the .hfe file of DiskBasic for double side 40 track?
The single side 40 track DiskBasic you posted worked fine on my SVI328 with SV605 superexpander ,3 1/5" drive and Gotek HxC :D
Copied some of my disks but need the double side version to make backup of the rest.
-8 bitar är nog!

Jeff
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Jeff »

Agip wrote:
Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:53 pm
Could you please post the .hfe file of DiskBasic for double side 40 track?
The single side 40 track DiskBasic you posted worked fine on my SVI328 with SV605 superexpander ,3 1/5" drive and Gotek HxC :D
Copied some of my disks but need the double side version to make backup of the rest.
Have you tried to reformat the HFE image from the spectravideo (if possible?) ?

Agip
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Re: Spectravideo 3x8 combined FM/MFM format ?

Post by Agip »

It's 25 years since i used my Spectravideo system so forgive me i am a little 'rusty' :roll:
Looks like i am using a 80 track version of DiskBasic.
In the Spectravideo documentation there is only 40 track single side and 40 track double side format.
I have disks with 40 track and 80 track written on them. When i boot with 40 track the 80 track does not work and vice versa.
The drive i am using is a 3 1/2" single side 80 track.

Running CP/M on the Spectravideo i formated the .hfe image to 80 tracks.
But when i tried to copy a disk i got an error when writing track 40.
On the OLED display the left number counted up to 80 when formating but the right number is still 40.
Guess the hfe image is still 40 tracks?
-8 bitar är nog!

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