"Mageco" disk controler. [infos, Docs wanted]

[didier]

hello mark , hello grammary


609/5000
to start and access the menu, you must type:

rand usr 9123

a menu appears ... be careful of the times if there is no floppy disk in the floppy drive, the following message is displayed: floppy disk missing ..

so when you put the floppy disk, the following menu is displayed:

floppy management

0 RETURN BASIC
1 LOAD
2 SAVE
3 MENU 2
4 CATALOG
5 DELETE

if on the floppy disk there are registered programs, the name of the programs appears under the menu ...

example: (with program names that are on 3 letters)

0 RETURN BASIC
1 LOAD
2 SAVE
3 MENU 2
4 CATALOG
5 DELETE

MON - SZX -SZ1-SZ2-SZ3

[didier]

to format a floppy disk:

you put your floppy disk, you hit 9123, the menu is displayed:

FLOPPY MANAGEMENT 0 A

0 RETURN BASIC
1 LOAD
2 SAVE
3 MENU 2
4 CATALOG
5 DELETE

DISKETTE NOT INITIALIZED

then you hit the 3 key ... and the menu 2 is displayed:

FLOPPY MANAGEMENT 0

PAUSE
6 DISK
7 COMP
8 INITIALIZATION
9 COPY
3 MENU 1

DISKETTE NOT INITIALIZED

you tap the 8 key, and the menu 2 appears with a small change ...

FLOPPY MANAGEMENT 0

PAUSE
6 DISK
7 COMP
8 INITIALIZATION
9 COPY
3 MENU 1

8 INITIALIZATION? (WE)

DISKETTE NOT INITIALIZED

there, you tap O, and the diskette is formatted ..

logically the diskette drive has 160 tracks of 3000 bytes ... so we can record 480 KB of programs by floppy disk ...

Track 1 on each side is used for the catalog.

here is ...

bye

didier

[1024MAK]

@didier

Thanks for that

Mark

[1024MAK]

Can give the layout files in Eagle 3.55 format or as PDF. And the ROM image too. Anything you need to build your own mageco.

@Kai - that would be helpful

Mark

[Kai]

Coming soon! Have to check that I take the correct files with the latest revision.

[gammaray]

Would I be in error to say that the electronics use a 3.5" PC floppy disk drive?

Would I be in error to say the only electronics necessary is the previously published schematic?

(By the schematic, I cannot tell how the connector attached/connector to a ZX81.)

[gammaray]

Some clues...

I indicates that inside the floppy disk drive there is a second small interface that is connected to the mechanical part of the floppy disk drive.

http://zx81.over-blog.com/article-le-fl ... 94262.html

[Kai]

The mageco connects to shugart bus. I used a 3,5" PC floppy with it.
It has no controller or special chip, yes.
Other floppy interfaces have WD17xx controllers oder at least a MC6850 (Larken). The mageco does not and works even though. That's the most interesting thing with the mageco.

[1024MAK]

5¼ inch drives and some 3½ inch drives use the Shugart interface.

Some 3½ inch drives have jumper shunts / links to select various configurations, including for use on a Shugart Interface or on the later IBM PC floppy drive interface (which is a variation of the Shugart Interface).

Nearly all later models of 3½ inch drives are designed only for the IBM PC interface, but may have a solder blob link or SMD zero ohm ‘resistor’ to select if it will respond to the second device select line (default) or the first device select line.

Interface pin out here

Mark

[gammaray]

I think we are missing a piece on the back of ZX81...no?

The instruction manual may have intimated that a "floppy & printer interface" was used??? (Unless imprimature meant "printed manual")

Maybe a look inside the floppy box would confirm or refute this idea.