Reading various format 5.25" floppies on a PC

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Mon Jun 16 14:18:00 2003

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003, Hans Franke wrote:
> > > Acorn BBC / BBC Master / Cambridge Workstation (I believe these are all the
> > > same low-level format even if filesystem structure is different)
> > > Apple (Apple ][, //e and /// - again I believe low-level structure is the
> > > same for all 3?)
> > The PC controller won't handle those either.
> Except you use a Turnover in a real PC/XT.

The PC controller won't handle them.
Additonal hardware (Turnover, Option, Catweasel) will.
I won't go into my opinion of the reliability of the Turnover. (Nor the
mediocre software)

> > > (the couple of Macs I do have might be a better bet for this job, but
> > No, it is a lot easier to modify the disk controller hardware on a PC than
> > on a Mac.
> Depends.

Turnover and Option board are ISA.
Can the PCI version of the Catweasel be used in a Mac?
Is there any comparable unit available for the Mac to read diskettes at a
flux transition level?

The PC hardware is so crude and simple that even with MY soldering skills,
it is possible to do mods such as for single density. The Mac hardware is
much more integrated, and is full of surface mout chips, etc. that I'm not
skilled enough to work with.
Received on Mon Jun 16 2003 - 14:18:00 BST