Post by thread:PIC to FDC?

Anyone have any ideas on interfacing a PIC to a floppy disk controller? I'm working on a project where there will be a substantial amount of battery backed static RAM holding user data. I'd like to have removable storage so the user can easily load multiple sets of data. For interface simplicity, I'd have a load button and a store button that would read or write a single file to a 3.5 inch floppy. I have some 8086 code for dealing directly with floppies (without going thru BIOS), but if someone has already done it with a PIC, it'd be nice to not have to reinvent the wheel. Also, what is anyone's favorite FDC? It looks like the original NEC 765A requires an external PLL, which I'd like to stay clear of. Something like the National 87311 moves the PLL onto the chip, but also has IDE, UART, and parallel ports I don't really need. Harold Harold Hallikainen spam_OUTharoldTakeThisOuThallikainen.com Hallikainen & Friends, Inc. See the FCC Rules at http://hallikainen.com/FccRules and comments filed in LPFM proceeding at http://hallikainen.com/lpfm ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: dl.http://www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

> Anyone have any ideas on interfacing a PIC to a floppy disk > controller? Dont? :) It's not nice, they require you to take relatively large chunks of data fast, and you have to manipulate a directory structure of some kind. Compact flash cards might be a more viable alternative, equal or better storage capacity, same portability, and you can write at your leisure. 1.5 mby in serial EEPROMs wouldn't be too bad either, if you need cheap.

On Thu, 15 Jul 1999 10:26:16 -0500 Dave VanHorn <.....dvanhornKILLspam@spam@CEDAR.NET> writes: >> Anyone have any ideas on interfacing a PIC to a floppy disk >> controller? > >Dont? :) > >It's not nice, they require you to take relatively large chunks of >data >fast, and you have to manipulate a directory structure of some kind. > >Compact flash cards might be a more viable alternative, equal or >better >storage capacity, same portability, and you can write at your leisure. > >1.5 mby in serial EEPROMs wouldn't be too bad either, if you need >cheap. Thanks for the advice! Only problem is that the competition IS doing storage on floppy. The drive and media costs are so attractive that it SEEMS worthwhile to spend the time on the code. I may be wrong (it's happened before...). Harold Harold Hallikainen haroldKILLspamhallikainen.com Hallikainen & Friends, Inc. See the FCC Rules at http://hallikainen.com/FccRules and comments filed in LPFM proceeding at http://hallikainen.com/lpfm ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: dl.http://www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

> Thanks for the advice! Only problem is that the competition IS > doing storage on floppy. The drive and media costs are so attractive > that it SEEMS worthwhile to spend the time on the code. I may be wrong > (it's happened before...). Are they storing it as dos compatible records, or just their own format? It might be workable, I suppose one could dedicate a processor to talking to the drive. I've done this, but only through a WD1772 controller, which handled the uglies. They are obsolete now AFAIK.

Hi, The idea to use a flash card or EEPROM is good for (let say) a new device. But the problem is when you want use your stored data. To my knowledge, only laptop can read flash card, and I don't know any PC that can read EEPROM directly. So, a floppy is a good idea too. It maybe painful to design a new device with a floppy drive but how will use it afther that? And floppies are so cheap, you can use that for archives. Bruno Tremblay Graduate Electrical Engineer (my very old web page)http://www.gel.ulaval.ca/~btrembl/ On Thu, 15 Jul 1999, Harold Hallikainen wrote: {Quote hidden}> On Thu, 15 Jul 1999 10:26:16 -0500 Dave VanHorn <.....dvanhornKILLspam.....CEDAR.NET> > writes: > >> Anyone have any ideas on interfacing a PIC to a floppy disk > >> controller? > > > >Dont? :) > > > >It's not nice, they require you to take relatively large chunks of > >data > >fast, and you have to manipulate a directory structure of some kind. > > > >Compact flash cards might be a more viable alternative, equal or > >better > >storage capacity, same portability, and you can write at your leisure. > > > >1.5 mby in serial EEPROMs wouldn't be too bad either, if you need > >cheap. > > > Thanks for the advice! Only problem is that the competition IS > doing storage on floppy. The drive and media costs are so attractive > that it SEEMS worthwhile to spend the time on the code. I may be wrong > (it's happened before...). > > Harold > > Harold Hallikainen > EraseMEharoldspam_OUTTakeThisOuThallikainen.com > Hallikainen & Friends, Inc. > See the FCC Rules at http://hallikainen.com/FccRules and comments filed > in LPFM proceeding at http://hallikainen.com/lpfm > > ___________________________________________________________________ > Get the Internet just the way you want it. > Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! > Try Juno Web: dl.http://www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj. >

SCM Microsystems makes the SwapBox Classic (pretty versatile PCMCIA type 2 + Type 3 dock) for desktop systems. There are lots of other manufacturers for this sort of thing (I've bought these for as low as $10 on occasion. Need to sell off my Non-SCM units, now that I have a lifetime supply of SCM's, some day!) NecX has had a simple $10-$15 1-device PCMCIA dock for a while, unsure if they have it now, that'll give you access to a PCMCIA card (Compact Flash just takes a $15 adapter & then fits into a PCMCIA type 2 slot.) Beats putting your palmtop onto the home LAN, though using a laptop is easy enough to do. (Cheating) My Embedded Development PC's with the Needham's EMP-10 & EMP-20, will probably read EEProms 'directly', well, through those programmers anyways =) A Needham's PB-10 is only $129 or so? <EG> Mark Bruno Tremblay wrote: > > Hi, > The idea to use a flash card or EEPROM is good for (let say) a new > device. But the problem is when you want use your stored data. To my > knowledge, only laptop can read flash card, and I don't know any PC that > can read EEPROM directly. So, a floppy is a good idea too.

Yes, I know about some PCMCIA card dock. For my personal use, I will go for that option (PCMCIA). But when you want to do something for buyers, It's strange (for me) to sell kits from another compagny with it. Beside that you can change the case of the dock or put a big label with your logo on it. ;) You know, 3 1/2" floppy drive is a standard device on almost any PC with no extra cost. Bruno On Thu, 15 Jul 1999, Mark Willis wrote: {Quote hidden}> SCM Microsystems makes the SwapBox Classic (pretty versatile PCMCIA type > 2 + Type 3 dock) for desktop systems. There are lots of other > manufacturers for this sort of thing (I've bought these for as low as > $10 on occasion. Need to sell off my Non-SCM units, now that I have a > lifetime supply of SCM's, some day!) NecX has had a simple $10-$15 > 1-device PCMCIA dock for a while, unsure if they have it now, that'll > give you access to a PCMCIA card (Compact Flash just takes a $15 adapter > & then fits into a PCMCIA type 2 slot.) Beats putting your palmtop onto > the home LAN, though using a laptop is easy enough to do. > > (Cheating) My Embedded Development PC's with the Needham's EMP-10 & > EMP-20, will probably read EEProms 'directly', well, through those > programmers anyways =) A Needham's PB-10 is only $129 or so? <EG> > > Mark > > Bruno Tremblay wrote: > > > > Hi, > > The idea to use a flash card or EEPROM is good for (let say) a new > > device. But the problem is when you want use your stored data. To my > > knowledge, only laptop can read flash card, and I don't know any PC that > > can read EEPROM directly. So, a floppy is a good idea too. >

I have noticed (I have seen it) that exists a new removable mass torage device, the "Iomega click", that stores about 40MB. The "old" iomega click device has a popietary reader/writer, but the new writer/reader device is full PCMCIA compliant (size, bus, connector), PCMCIA type II bay , is _not_ external, and it seems a valuable gadget to some data adquisition projects for example, because the disks are of a size of matches box with a 1/10" thickness. No info about power requirements and related issues. Somebody knows the device? ----- Yes, I know about some PCMCIA card dock. For my personal use, I will go for that option (PCMCIA). But when you want to do something for buyers, It's strange (for me) to sell kits from another compagny with it. Beside that you can change the case of the dock or put a big label with your logo on it. ;) You know, 3 1/2" floppy drive is a standard device on almost any PC with no extra cost. Bruno On Thu, 15 Jul 1999, Mark Willis wrote: {Quote hidden}> SCM Microsystems makes the SwapBox Classic (pretty versatile PCMCIA type > 2 + Type 3 dock) for desktop systems. There are lots of other > manufacturers for this sort of thing (I've bought these for as low as > $10 on occasion. Need to sell off my Non-SCM units, now that I have a > lifetime supply of SCM's, some day!) NecX has had a simple $10-$15 > 1-device PCMCIA dock for a while, unsure if they have it now, that'll > give you access to a PCMCIA card (Compact Flash just takes a $15 adapter > & then fits into a PCMCIA type 2 slot.) Beats putting your palmtop onto > the home LAN, though using a laptop is easy enough to do. > > (Cheating) My Embedded Development PC's with the Needham's EMP-10 & > EMP-20, will probably read EEProms 'directly', well, through those > programmers anyways =) A Needham's PB-10 is only $129 or so? <EG> > > Mark > > Bruno Tremblay wrote: > > > > Hi, > > The idea to use a flash card or EEPROM is good for (let say) a new > > device. But the problem is when you want use your stored data. To my > > knowledge, only laptop can read flash card, and I don't know any PC that > > can read EEPROM directly. So, a floppy is a good idea too. >

In a message dated 7/15/99 10:46:49 AM Pacific Daylight Time, btremblspam_OUTGEL.ULAVAL.CA writes: << Hi, The idea to use a flash card or EEPROM is good for (let say) a new device. But the problem is when you want use your stored data. To my knowledge, only laptop can read flash card, and I don't know any PC that can read EEPROM directly. So, a floppy is a good idea too. >> Hi All, The above statement is not really true. The Smartmedia cards are gaining quite a following, they are available up to 32MB (at present), They are more pricey but for the same storage as a floppy (about 2mb) they are under $10 and they are only about 1.25 inches square. They are easy to read and there are several options for reading with a PC. One of these options is an $80.00 thing that allows you to plug in the smart media card into a device that looks like a floppy and then you stick it into any 1.4mb floppy drive and read it. they would certainly take alot of overhead out of the project (controllers, software etc.) The hardest thing about smartmedia cards (or any other flash memory solution) is the ware leveling required to ensure that the beginning of the device does not wear out before the end. (Fat tables can get written to quite often, exceeding the write cycle lifetime of the flash very quickly) Best regards Dave Duley

On Fri, 16 Jul 1999 10:00:49 -0400 Bruno Tremblay <@spam@btremblKILLspamGEL.ULAVAL.CA> writes: >Yes, I know about some PCMCIA card dock. For my personal use, I will >go >for that option (PCMCIA). But when you want to do something for >buyers, >It's strange (for me) to sell kits from another compagny with it. >Beside >that you can change the case of the dock or put a big label with your >logo >on it. ;) > In a recent Dilbert cartoon, the marketing guy sold several hundred of a product that had not been designed yet based on a mock-up from engineering. The mock-up was the competitor's product with a piece of duct tape over their logo... Harold Harold Hallikainen KILLspamharoldKILLspamhallikainen.com Hallikainen & Friends, Inc. See the FCC Rules at http://hallikainen.com/FccRules and comments filed in LPFM proceeding at http://hallikainen.com/lpfm ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: dl.http://www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

RE Interfacing a PIC to FD. You maybe interested in a product that we stock and support. The 1 or 2 Mb Floppy card. This is a Smart card, that can be addressed by a PIC micro, it has exactly the same file structure as a Floppy Disk and comes on 1Mbit 2 Mbit , 1 Mbyte or 2Mbyte formats There is a PC reader Writer and development system. There is also a data sheet on our web page, or email me direct and I'll send one in PDF format. Lester Wilson Crownhill Associates Limited The Old Bakery New Barns Road Ely, Cambs. CB7 4PW Tel: +44 (0) 1353 666709 Fax: +44 (0) 1353 666710 ----------------------------------------- http://www.crownhill.co.uk http://www.towitoko.co.uk http://www.Edsim2000.com ---------------------------------------- {Original Message removed}