k2x4b524[
Veteran Member
I have 2, one in metal case and one not in metal case, is there ANY way to connect these to a pc?
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Apple Single Sided Floppy Drive
- Thread starter k2x4b524[
- Start date
magnusfalkirk
Experienced Member
At the moment there isn't anything available but here is a link to a project to design an interface to hook an Apple II drive to a modern PC:
http://www.willegal.net/appleii/appleii-first_page.htm
k2x4b524[
Veteran Member
wouldn't the pin-out be similar? just figure out which pins are the 5volt and 12volt lines, then find the data, motor, and the head lines? the number of pins suggests no ground on the apple drive, explains the lower pin count on the cable. maybe a simple cable mod could do the trick, any ideas?
Dwight Elvey
Veteran Member
Hi
There is no stepper drive circuits on the apple drive
for starters. To connect one to a PC, you'd need
to replace the missing circuits. It is not just a wire
transformation.
Dwight
There is no stepper drive circuits on the apple drive
for starters. To connect one to a PC, you'd need
to replace the missing circuits. It is not just a wire
transformation.
Dwight
k2x4b524[
Veteran Member
so then how does the apple know where to position the heads for the tracks? Too bad i don't know more about the wiring and PCB construction, i'd endeavor to make one myself, also a shame the guy that was making one stopped
The stepper circuits are, I believe, on the interface card. In fact, the best option you have would probably be to interface to the card, and not directly to the drive itself. Of course, you'd need to do more than just wire up a cable, you'd need special hardware, and probably plenty of software too.
Of course, all of the documentation you could ever want or need is available to explain exactly how all this works, so making a device which can read and write to this drive is certainly possible.
Of course, all of the documentation you could ever want or need is available to explain exactly how all this works, so making a device which can read and write to this drive is certainly possible.
Anonymous Freak
Veteran Member
On the PC, there is quite a bit of electronics on the drive.
On an Apple, there is nearly *NO* electronics. All control mechanism is handled in software and on the controller card. That was Woz's great innovation. Make a dirt-cheap floppy drive with no 'smarts' onboard, and control it from the system. (Later Apple systems, including the Apple IIc, Apple IIgs, and Macintosh, used an "IWM" or "Integrated Woz Machine" chip that put all of the disk controller brains into a single chip, instead of needing even the complexity that exists on the Apple II Disk Controller.)
But even after the introduction of the IWM, the way the controller (wether a complex card, or the simple single chip,) talks to the drive is the same.
For more about this interface, see the IWM Specifications.
On an Apple, there is nearly *NO* electronics. All control mechanism is handled in software and on the controller card. That was Woz's great innovation. Make a dirt-cheap floppy drive with no 'smarts' onboard, and control it from the system. (Later Apple systems, including the Apple IIc, Apple IIgs, and Macintosh, used an "IWM" or "Integrated Woz Machine" chip that put all of the disk controller brains into a single chip, instead of needing even the complexity that exists on the Apple II Disk Controller.)
But even after the introduction of the IWM, the way the controller (wether a complex card, or the simple single chip,) talks to the drive is the same.
For more about this interface, see the IWM Specifications.
MikeS
Veteran Member
Hey, if he wants to build an interface then more power to him; can't wait.
k2x4b524[
Veteran Member
i have no skills in that department.. But on the bright side, i have 2 shugart apple floppy drives i can use for parts. Belts and such...