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FreHD on Model II/12/16/16B/6000 - FIRST ATTEMPT

lowen said:
Hans, when you say 'busconnector' what exactly are you talking about? Is this a full hard drive interface card, or just the bare card edge?
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It is the card connector from a ruined Memory board.
I have removed the passthrough connections for BAKIN and BAKOUT and IEIN and IEOUT signals.

Now, if you want to use it with LS-DOS for testing rather than TRSDOS or Xenix, you might be able to forgo the interrupt logic completely, and the exact same driver for the LO-Tech as used for the Model 4 should work unmodified, since the LS-DOS WD driver doesn't use the WD1010's interrupt facility.
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That's exact what I want do to get started.

It sure would be nice if those long-lost schematics for the hard disk interface were to show up. Barring that, look closely at the schematic for the integrated hard disk interface/controller that was previously posted, and see how the WD1010 subsystem is interfaced to the card edge
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Can you help me to find this scematic where the WD1010 subsystem is interfaced to the card edge.
 
Ah. I assumed the LO TECH would interface direct to the buss as it does on the Model 4. If that were true, all we would need an adapter to connect the 50 way Model 4 expansion bus connector to the Model II card bus. Fingers crossed I'm not mistaken. Those HDD cards are pretty rare.
 
JonB said:
Ah. I assumed the LO TECH would interface direct to the buss as it does on the Model 4. If that were true, all we would need an adapter to connect the 50 way Model 4 expansion bus connector to the Model II card bus. Fingers crossed I'm not mistaken. Those HDD cards are pretty rare.
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The hard disk interface card is the interface between the Model II bus and the model 3/4 compatible expansion connector.

Hans, the sections of the 6000 service manual that include the schematics for the other integrated hard disk interface and controller were previously posted in this thread, post #16 I believe.
 
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Well that's it, then. The end of my Model II odyssey right there.. :(

After the brilliant LOTECH on the Model 4 I really can't go back to clunky 8" drives!
 
I don't think that's the end of the road. Original Model II HD interface cards might be uncommon, but one will probably turn up one of these days. And maybe somebody will design an HD emulator card specifically for the Model II family?
 
JonB said:
Well that's it, then. The end of my Model II odyssey right there.. :(

After the brilliant LOTECH on the Model 4 I really can't go back to clunky 8" drives!
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OK Jon I'll take the model II off your hands whenever you want.

Rich in Shropshire.
 
By the way: Have any of y'all noticed the rather dusty Model II with external drive bay and line printer on eBay right now? $100, no bids, pickup-only in Lancaster, California. Might be a nice fixer-upper for somebody in southern California.
 
JonB said:
Well that's it, then. The end of my Model II odyssey right there.. :(

After the brilliant LOTECH on the Model 4 I really can't go back to clunky 8" drives!
Click to expand...

If you hate the 8inchers then you can always try an HxC and be happy with floppy emulation. That's my next project. I have the HxC. I just have to decide whether to make the 50 pin to 34 pin cable or try to solder a 34 pin socket on my only late FDC card and possibly ruin it. I personally like getting the big old floppies to work. That's half the fun, no?
 
NF6X said:
By the way: Have any of y'all noticed the rather dusty Model II with external drive bay and line printer on eBay right now? $100, no bids, pickup-only in Lancaster, California. Might be a nice fixer-upper for somebody in southern California.
Click to expand...

I saw that. What's with the blue color on the bezels?
 
pski said:
If you hate the 8inchers then you can always try an HxC and be happy with floppy emulation. That's my next project. I have the HxC. I just have to decide whether to make the 50 pin to 34 pin cable or try to solder a 34 pin socket on my only late FDC card and possibly ruin it. I personally like getting the big old floppies to work. That's half the fun, no?
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Yes, you are right pski. I have HxC too, and will make the cable. Then I can get a CP/M image onto the 8" or boot direct off the HxC. Also, I believe the TRSDOS 2.0d image was requested, so I need that rig to deliver an uploadable image.

Hey, why not start some new threads to discuss this? I feel we are hijacking Ian's original purpose a little...
 
So, I finally got my hands on a Type 2 HDA...yay! I was wondering if there was any progress on Ian's Model II/FreHD or if we have decided the Hans' LoTech is the preferred approach. I'm willing to help out with the FreHD solution since I think I now have all of the required pieces of hardware.
 
I personally prefer the FreHD approach for software compatibility. LoTech is also interesting, and I hope that work on both approaches will continue.
 
Attempts to move RSHARD6/DCT and RSFORM6/CMD from my Model 4P to the Model 12 via serial port have been disastrous... the LS-DOS COMM/CMD program is terrible and while I can move the files over and they seem to be there (3Kb and 2Kb in size respectively), when I go to add a device via SYSTEM (DRIVE=x,DRIVER="RSHARD6") or execute RSFORM6/CMD then nothing happens and it returns to LS-DOS ready.

To help me along with this, a pal from the US is shipping me some 8in disks, via snail mail, which have RS and Misosys drivers on them, and he has successfully used his FreHD connected to his Model 16 via a Type 2 HDA so I am confident I can get it working on my system. I think the only important thing is to upgrade the FreHD firmware to version 2.14

Will update everyone when the disks arrive.

Cheers,

Ian.
 
@ian and many others

Status of my Model II harddisk project so far.

I have my Model II and a Model 12 running for a few weeks now with the Lo-Tech adapter.
It is very fast, has no problems so far and is easy to use.
It needs my adapter and one modification on the Lo-Tech adapter.
The only problem is the availability of the Lo-Tech adapter. They are sold out at Lo-Tech, but James is busy to stock them again.
If you want more info just ask him at Lo-Tech

I'm working now on the FreHD adapter and have the intention to use it with the same PCB as I use for the Lo-Tech.
This seems to me possible, but this need far more modifications. The PIC and GAL must be reprogrammed, and a chip must be replaced.
Fred has helped me very much with reprogramming and has given importend advices (thanks Fred)
Ian has helped to find a friend who has done a first drawing of the PCB for my adapter. I'am testing the adapter with the FreHD, it is promising
but it take much more time to get it working.

I face the following problems now.

Should I start building the interface or wait for the FreHD
This is possible, but may need some adjustments afterwards for the FreHD.
Possibly a new adapter.
How many adapters must be build. Who wants to distribute them.
Keep in mind that the size of the PCB will have high production costs.
It will fit in the connector but there will be no protection agaist upside down insertion, as only a printed text. Be aware !!!!
There is no provision for locking the PCB in the cardcage, you need to make a bracket yourself.
For the moment I have only drivers and a formatter for LS-Dos.
I have spend many weeks (months) on this project and used my Model II and 12 many times a guineapig with many, sometime light damage on them.
My spare time is not endless.

All this questions must be answered before I take a next step.
Keep in mind, I'll do this to help the community and don't earn anything on this project and I don't want to get involved in the production or afterwards services.

If you have any remarks or suggestions, please let me know.
 
Hans, here are my thoughts. The adapter is still sorely needed and I will buy at least a few of them. The type 2 adapters are so rare. I personally favor FreHD but only because I have some experience with using it. Ian has a proven track record of delivering these limited production run devices for TRS-80s so he is a good manufacturing partner. We will call it the "HansAdapter" if that helps! :)
 
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