Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Info resources for diy floppy controller
Dan Moos:
I have been building a 6502 homebrew computer. I plan to do removable storage initially with an AVR controlled SD reader, but would love to do a home rolled floppy controller. To give you an idea of how fundamental I'm willing to go, my video is a VGA controller done with nothing but 7400 logic. I don't HAVE to go that medieval for the floppy controller, but it's not off the table.
I have no need for my disk format to be compatible with anything. Something a modern computer could read would be convenient, but not remotely a requirement.
Also, I'm open to everything from trying to bypass the USB interface on a modern drive, to using a vintage commodore or apple drive. The latter is probably preferable, and I assume more feasible. I think I've read old Apple 2 drives had most of the controller logic built in, whereas commodore drives didn't. I could have that backwards or wrong altogether.
Long story short, I'm having trouble finding resources on how to talk to drives. Any links, or even better, books to look for? I freely admit I'm a crappy Googler, but I have been trying! (Trying to head off the "just Google it" answers at the pass 🙄).
My hope is something I can do with a simple 8 bit MCU. I'm open to basic logic chips too. I've never used an FPGA before. Not against it, but I don't want a pre manufacture FPGA board on my build, and I clearly don't want to try and solder a BGA! I thing FPGAs are out.
I've kinda rambled a bit here. Mostly just want some direction to resources so I can begin my research.
mariush:
edit: this may also help:
* https://wiki.osdev.org/Floppy_Disk_Controller
* http://www.intel-assembler.it/portale/5/intel_8272_floppy_disk_controller/tecnical_manual.asp
I have tons of reference, docs, datasheets, catalogues here: ftp://helpedia.com/pub/temp/manuals_reference_datasheets_old/
Download index.txt if you wish to search for some keywords.
Use Filezilla FTP client or other ftp clients if you wish.
Here's filenames with "floppy" in them:
--- Code: ---\cdc\discs\floppy\
\ibm\floppy\
\micropolis\metafloppy\
\panasonic\floppy\
\pertec\floppy\
\waveMate\Bullet\floppy\
\amd\multibus\00680108rC_95-6110_SDfloppy.pdf
\apple\disk\sony\Sony_Microfloppy_Interface_May83.pdf
\att\3b1\reference_manual\3b1_floppy_tape.pdf
\ccs\2422\CCS_2422B_Floppy_Controller_May81.pdf
\cdc\discs\_appNotes\Worden_Floppy_Jun78.pdf
\cdc\discs\floppy\75897465_9404B_floppyMaint.pdf
\cipher\Cipher_525_FloppyTapeProdDescr.pdf
\cipher\Cipher_Series_525_FloppyTape_Product_Description_Nov84.pdf
\codata\Codata_3300_System_Floppy_Restore_Jan86.pdf
\computerAutomation\schematic\75-53566_Floppy_Controller.pdf
\convergent\miniframe\floppy.c
\convergent\ngen\pictures\A-60-00187-00_Floppy_Disk_Controller_II.jpg
\convergent\ngen\pictures\A-60-00191-00_Floppy_Hard_Disk_Controller_1984.jpg
\corvus\service\7100-04702_FloppySvc_Jul83.pdf
\dec\pdp11\xxdp\listings\AC-E736E-MC_CXRXAE0-RX01-floppy-disk_Sep78.pdf
\dg\software\diag\068-000442-05_6038-6039-floppy-reliability.pdf
\dg\software\diag\068-000443-02_6038-6039-floppy-formatter.pdf
\dg\software\diag\068-000445-03_6038-6039-floppy-diagnostic.pdf
\dg\software\diag\068-001138-00_6096-6101-6102-moving-head-disk-floppy-reliabi.pdf
\dg\software\diag\068-001139-00_6096-quad-density-floppy-moving-head-disk-diag.pdf
\dg\software\diag\096-000442-00_6030_6039_Floppy_Disk_Rel.pdf
\dg\software\diag\096-000445-00_6038_6039_Floppy_Disk_Diagnostic.pdf
\digitalMicrosystems\digitalMicrosystems\DSC-3_Floppy_Disk_Test_Program.pdf
\digitalMicrosystems\digitalMicrosystems\ZSBC-3_CPM_Floppy_Bootstrap.pdf
\digitalMicrosystems\digitalMicrosystems\ZSBC-3_Floppy_Formatter.pdf
\dtc\pictures\DTC-6282-24_ESDI_Floppy.jpg
\evansAndSutherland\novoview_sp1t\901181-392_Floppy_Quad_Disk_Storage_System_Engineering_Drawings_and_Associated_Lists_Dec1989.pdf
\futureDomain\pictures\Future_Domain_TMC-1670_SCSI_Floppy.jpg
\hp\64000\hardware\64941-90902_floppySvc_Apr83.pdf
\ibm\system32\System32_floppy_ch8.txt
\intel\_dataSheets\82078_CHMOS_Single-Chip_Floppy_Disk_Controller_Jan94.pdf
\intel\iPDS\163238_Mini-Floppy_Diskette_Considerations.pdf
\intel\iPDS\164498-001_iPDS_External_Floppy_Jul83.pdf
\intel\MDS2\9800425-02B_MDS_II_Double-Density_Floppy_Schematic_1980.pdf
\intel\MDS2\9800885_MDS_Double_Density_Floppy_Brochure_Nov78.pdf
\intel\MDS3\9800967-01_Siemens_Floppy_Maint_Nov79.pdf
\interdata\periph\29-506_FloppyPgmg_May77.pdf
\ithacaInterSystems\firmware\DPS-1_Floppy_BOOT_1280.BIN
\memorex\disc\2944.010_650floppyOEM.pdf
\memorex\disc\651.60-05_651floppyOEM.pdf
\mfe\MFE_700_750_Floppy_Drive_Brochure.pdf
\micropolis\metafloppy\1084-02_Micropolis_Floppy_Disk_Subsystem_Maintenance_Manual_Feb79.pdf
\micropolis\metafloppy\MetaFloppy_Brochure.pdf
\microTechnology\MXV21_floppyCtlr.pdf
\mitsubishi\M2894-63_FloppySpec.pdf
\morrow\artwork\PC_Floppy_Controller_1985.pdf
\motorola\_appNotes\AN917_Reading_and_Writing_In_Floppy_Disk_Systems.pdf
\national\_dataSheets\DP8473\AN-505_Floppy_Disk_Data_Separator_Design_Guide_for_the_DP8473_Feb89.pdf
\national\_dataSheets\DP8473\AN-653_DP8473_Implementation_into_the_PS2_Floppy_Controller_Design_Sep89.pdf
\national\_dataSheets\DP8473\DP8473_Floppy_Disk_Controller_PLUS-2_Jul90.PDF
\nec\_dataSheets\uPD372_Floppy_Disk_Controller_Addendum_Apr77.pdf
\nec\_dataSheets\uPD372_Floppy_Disk_Controller_Mar77.pdf
\pertec\floppy\Pertec_5_Inch_Floppy_Brochure.pdf
\pertec\floppy\Pertec_8_Inch_Floppy_Brochure_Sep78.pdf
\plessey\peripheral\qbus\703530_XCV21_floppyCtlr.pdf
\pro-log\std_bus\7387_Floppy_Disk_Controller_Mar82.pdf
\pro-log\std_bus\7387_Floppy_Disk_Controller_Nov81.pdf
\r2e\photos\Floppy_Disk_Controller.jpg
\remex\112670-108e_Remex20_24_40_48_floppy_1979.pdf
\remex\112670-109H_RFS2410_floppy_1980.pdf
\shugart\_appNotes\Lesea_Floppy_May78.pdf
\sigmaInformationSystems\400255-C_SDC-RXV31_Floppy_Ctrl_Man_Aug86.pdf
\sigmaInformationSystems\SDC-RX50_Floppy_Ctrl_Man_Jun87.pdf
\sigmaInformationSystems\SDC-RXV21_Floppy_Ctrl_Man_Feb81.pdf
\sony\Sony_Microfloppy_Disk_Drive_OA-D32W_OA_D32V_OEM_Manual_Sep83.pdf
\sony\Sony_OA-D32_Microfloppy_Service_Nov83.pdf
\standardMicrosystems\TN6-1_9216_Floppy_Disk_Data_Separator_Jun82.pdf
\tektronix\85xx\firmware\160-0412-00_8550_Floppy.bin
\tektronix\85xx\PCB\8550_Floppy_B.jpg
\tektronix\85xx\PCB\8550_Floppy_T.jpg
\ti\_dataBooks\TMS279X_Floppy_Disk_Formatter_Jun84.pdf
\vectorGraphic\Vector_8_Inch_Floppy_Disk_Controller_Jan81.pdf
\westernDigital\WD57C65_Floppy_Disk_Subsystem_Controller_May88.pdf
\xerox\820-II\610P72377_MS-DOS_OS_Handbook_for_8_Inch_Floppy_Disks_Nov83.pdf
\yeData\FDAA-522041_YD-702D-6639D_3.5_Floppy.pdf
\yeData\FDZ-529022_YD-702J-6637J_Super_Slim_3.5_Floppy.pdf
--- End code ---
MarkF:
Where are you going to get floppies?
Anyway, the old Apple II's provided schematics for their motherboard, serial interface, parallel interface and the floppy drive.
I can't find my floppy documentation but was able to dig up a Apple III circuit from Google.
MarkF:
FOUND IT!
Here is the Apple II Floppy Controller from the DOS manual.
Dan Moos:
Tons of good stuff to dig through. Thanks guys!
You can certainly still get 3 1/4 inch disks on Amazon. Just got some for my old HP logic analyzer. I haven't looked, but I bet 5 1/2s are still there to be had too.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version