Amiga A1020 5.25" floppy drive (was Re: Atari modem)

From: James L. Rice <jrice_at_texoma.net>
Date: Sun Jun 6 23:08:22 1999

I have a 1020 and a C=1571, the cases are similar, but not identical.
My Amiga and C= stuff is still packed from my mov3e last month, but when
I get it out, i'll check it internally and report back if anyone is
still intrested.

James

Doug Spence wrote:
>
> On 19-May-99, Mark wrote:
> >Hi,
>
> Hail!
>
> >Talking of the Amiga 1020 drive... I would like to get hold of one of
> >these. Am I correct in thinking that they were not sold in the UK
> >(where I live)?
>
> I don't know the answer to that. I don't know of that many A1020 owners
> in North America, either. :) It was basically only used for reading
> MS-DOS format 360K disks with Transformer, but there was also commercial
> software that used it to read/write C=1541 disks. I think one of the
> RKMs mentions software for reading/writing Apple ][ disks, too, and I'd
> like to locate that. (I can only _read_ Apple disks ATM).
>
> >If I can't find an A1020 (or compatible replacement, if any were made),
> >I may try and rig up my own drive.
>
> There were third party Amiga-compatible 5.25" drives made. Picking up a
> random magazine (Amiga Format, January 1991) and leafing through, I
> found an ad for the Cumana CAX1000S on p.165. Not really compatible,
> though, as the Cumana drive has a high density mechanism in it. I think
> there were others as well, also with high density mechanisms.
>
> The Cumana drive also doesn't seem to have its own power supply. The
> A1020 has its own internal supply, instead of drawing off the Amiga's
> floppy port.
>
> I've never met a C=1571 in real life, but I think the A1020 uses the
> same case as that drive. Just look for a 1571 with a checkmark logo on
> it. :)
>
> >To this end, can some kind person who owns an A1020 open it up, and
> >tell me what type/model the drive mechanism is, and also describe
> >any interface PCB that's inside?
>
> The mech is an ALPS DS/DD, but I don't know the exact model number.
> Doesn't matter, because any standard mech will do.
>
> The interface PCB only has three TTL chips and a few capacitors and
> maybe a transistor (can't see the third leg). It's probably not _quite_
> the same as as the board from a 3.5" drive, because the A1020
> isn't recognized and mounted automatically. It has to be MOUNTed
> manually, using an appropriate mountlist. (440K Amiga disks! WooHoo!)
>
> It has the passthrough for daisychaining other drives, too.
>
> There's really not much to it. Rigging up the appropriate cabling
> between any old 5.25" mechanism and the innards of an A1010 would
> probably work.
>
> Note that there is no diskchange signal from the drive. You have to
> remember to issue the diskchange command when swapping Amiga-formatted
> 5.25" disks, to avoid corruption. Not that this is likely to be a great
> concern. :)
>
> >-- Mark
>
> --
> Doug Spence
> ds_spenc_at_alcor.concordia.ca
> http://alcor.concordia.ca/~ds_spenc/

-- 
ICQ 2286850
Home Page http://home.texoma.net/~jrice
Classic Comp Page at http://home.texoma.net/~jrice/classiccomp.html
Robotics Page at ttp://home.texoma.net/~jrice/hobbies.html
All pages under construction!
Received on Sun Jun 06 1999 - 23:08:22 BST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:32:15 BST