Re: PC as 1541

On Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 07:38:12AM -0500, Jim Brain wrote:
> On 4/26/2011 3:38 PM, Gábor Lénárt wrote:
> >
> >Honestly, since the need of parallel port, MSDOS, etc, I think the way
> >should be followed to use some kind of uC at least, which is a much
> >"comfortable" solution and no need to have "extra" stuffs like a PC running
> >DOS ... I know about projects like 1541-III, SD2IEC and such. However, I
> >still think I don't want to "fight" with memory cards etc, when my goal is to
> >use PC "as the drive" but in a modern way, let's say via USB connection.
> As someone noted, the hardware exists: ZoomFloppy.  It was designed
> to allow firmware updates to include drive emulation.  But, it needs
> firmware updates, and given the other alternatives (1541U, SD2IEC,
> 1541III, etc.), it's not been a top priority.

Ahaam, well, I thought ZoomFloppy is "only" for connecting 1541 (or similar
IEC drive) to your PC, and not what I need, but then it seems I am wrong.


> >Is there any project like this? As far as I can see, the mentioned projects
> >by me are mainly focused on various memory cards (or connecting a real 1541
> >to PC again, just with USB), while I would like to use my PC as the data
> >source (of course it's acceptable to transfer at least some parts of - let's
> >say - the disk image to the uC, just I don't want to write/read memory card
> >on PC, change it, read/write with the CBM machine on the end of an 1541-III
> >or so, change it, etc etc ...).
> IDE64 offers a USB connection option that make a remote PC look like
> a drive, as far as I know.  Also, WarpCopy (I think that is the
> name, time is short right now), works with a network card to allow
> data to be transferred.  You might also want to look at PCLink,
> which I believe is used by X-devs in just the mode you are
> describing.

Thanks for the great ideas, network card is not so an option for me (on the
CBM side) since I am also thinking on the C64DTV where you wouldn't connect
an ethernet solution easily (at least not the already given ones like
RR-Net, and such things). Of course in theory it's possible to use the user
port (DTV has solder points for data lines), but again: then it becomes a
project which is brand new, and it's bigger than my current experience on
designing/building things like this not even mentioning the available
freetime of mine ...

> >Some cross-development projects would need this for me, that I can easily
> >access data from both of C64 and PC but using no special software on the C64
> >(or DTV) side. For this, I think the best solution is to use the PC as the
> >1541 itself, that's the reason of my whole thread here.
> I think the best solution is an IEC-based device that utilizes
> Ethernet.  Such a device could attach to local or remote storage, as
> well as remote repositories.

Maybe yes, but I don't want to most complex sultion ever first ;) Anyway,
with cross-development I mean about various sources, needs "make" and
Makefile to build. Then it's easy to - let's say - write "make final" (or
whatever) which would mean to transfer the generated disk image (from
current build) to the "virtual 1541" which is connected - let's say - via
USB with PC, but via IEC bus with C64. But you're right, maybe it does not
make too much difference to have the connection between "virtual 1541" and
PC as an USB cable or an ethernet link (especially if the uC which aimed to
emulated 1541 can support both - at least some PICs can do it), and ethernet
is much more versatile from this point of view, as you noted. First, I
thought there is an easy "DIY" solution which can be built from spare parts
(PC parallel port cable) but I think I have to admit that for my "ultimate"
goal it's not so easy (especially because I would like to use modern OS -
Linux - on the development PC, which makes it hard to run an 1541 emulation
software on the PC, if it's not even impossible: using an MSDOS machine just
too complex again, then I can be fine even with SD2IEC or so, just I have to
move memory card all the time between the device and PC, which is not so
nice).


- Gábor

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