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HxC SD/SDHC floppy drive emulator

C

ChrisCwmbran

Experienced Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
483
Location
Cwmbran, Wales, United Kingdom
For anyone who isn't familiar with the device I've just finished the second section of a multipart write up on the HxC SD/SDHC floppy drive emulator. I'm nothing to do with the card, or its creation and have no financial interest in it at all.

I do however think its a great device and those behind it deserve full recognition:

https://www.micromuseum.co.uk/display_article.php?id=157

https://www.micromuseum.co.uk/display_article.php?id=159

I hope this is of interest to those who haven't tried this device!
 
I think they are great too. I've just used one to aid development of a CP/M CBIOS for the LSI M-Three computer I recently restored.
Thanks for the write-ups Chris.
 
I've not looked at the HxC firmware programmed Gotek's. Do they allow non-PC standard formats? i.e. could I have generated an 8" DSDD 77 track 1024 byte sector format with one?
 
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Chuck(G) said:
Do real HxCs even make sense, with the low-cast Gotek emulators that can be reprogrammed with the HxC firmware?
Click to expand...

Hi Chuck,
this USB emulator does not is the same as the SD-card versions.
Frank
 
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Yes; both are basically a STM32F MCU based. The Gotek uses a slightly (older) STM32F103, but it's adequate to the job and comes in a nice package.

Several sites describe this; see here for example.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Yes; both are basically a STM32F MCU based. The Gotek uses a slightly (older) STM32F103, but it's adequate to the job and comes in a nice package.
Click to expand...
The SD-card HxC emulator use a PIC18F4620 and again, you can not compare it with the USB HxC.
Frank
 
ChrisCwmbran said:
Incidentally looking on eBay a Gotek with a display is for sale for a buy it now of £54.99 plus £6.99 shipping. I paid £58.51 including shipping for my HxC SD/SDHC Rev C.

I know which I think is more desirable and I'm very pleased with my decision.
Click to expand...

My last one was about $USD 18.00, shipped. Perhaps things are much more expensive outside of the US? Is Aliexpress not available in the UK?
 
I got my Gotek for a much lower price a while back. They are slightly more expensive now, but I could still find one at $29 incl. shipping on ebay.
 
That seems to be a Gotek that is already pre-modified with an extra LCD and including the HxC upgrade - that's the only one I could find at £54.99. The out-of-the-box unmodified Goteks are in the $30 range or a bit lower (or higher), which is still a bit more than when they were at their lowest.

Edit: Wait, they're much cheaper at Aliexpress (should have taken that hint from Chuck(G) earlier and checked..) $17-$19 free shipping. And as any model is suitable for the modification it's possible to start from there. But it's a bit of work as I understand, so the question is if it's worth it, or if one should just get an HxC or a Gotek already modified by somebody else (and ending up at about the same price as the HxC)
 
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