Actually, I'd like to see it just read/write flux changes + index marks onto a SD card for later analysis. Building all the smarts into the controller means that some formats will get missed. One can later write translation code for what ever format one has. Make this information open source, much of it is already in bits and pieces. Make sure it can read and buffer an entire track of data in RAM ( Gotek can't ). We no longer need proprietary hardware. There are a number of off the shelf controller boards capable of handing this. It would only need cables to match the drive. Dwight
________________________________ From: cctalk <cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org> on behalf of Fred Cisin via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2019 2:02 PM To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts Subject: Ultimate FDC? (Was: IBM 6360 - Filesystem(ish) info? >> I'm planning on a USB controller, but I've seen ISA projects that are >> also microcontroller based so I think it wouldn't be awfully difficult >> to replace the USB data pipe with an ISA one. On Tue, 19 Feb 2019, Ali via cctalk wrote: > Well just because you don't have enough to do please plan on an ISA > version as well ;) I think it really is time someone did a super floppy > controller bringing together a number of older technology on to one easy > to use card (e.g. 8" drive support, copy protection bypass, GCR reading) > - all of this was available as separate products in the past... What I would like to see, coming at it from a high level software viewpoint, would be: Complete and accurate emulation of 765. Including ROM or being loadable into RAM (TSR) and repoint the Int13h vector. That would permit it to fully replace the stock 765. Include a switchable "quirks" mode for full compatability with 765 "features", such as "flash blindness" after index pulse, switchable inability to handle 128 byte sectors, etc. 8" and FM and 128 byte sector support (obviously) 125kbps (5.25" FM), 250Kbps, 500Kbps, 1000Kbps (2.8M) Ability to read MFM data with FM headers (RX50) Added commands accessible through the [replacement] Int13h: Track read, modeled after the WD track read (that could also provide access to Amiga, with additional code for sectors and filesystem) RAW track read (flux transition), with and without data/clock synchronization. Hard sector, GCR, copy protection cloning, etc. could be handled by other code that calls that function in the [replacement] Int13h. Optionally: drivers for "modern" OS, inverted data reversal, EBCDIC/ASCII conversion Installable File System (IFS) to permit mounting alien disks, including: Apple2 ProDos/SOS Apple CP/M Apple P-System Mac 400K/800K Commodore Sirius/Victor 9000 CP/M (partial list available at http://www.xenosoft.com/fmts.html) P-System Amiga Northstar N-DOS TRS-DOS and derivatives (list available on request) Coco-DOS Microsoft Stand-Alone BASIC (NEC, Oki, etc.) Unix/Linux file systems If it also does HDDs, . . . >> My friends think it's silly, and they're probably right. =P -- Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com