Greaseweazle disk image reader writer

[catmando]

Anyone tried reading writing any ST disk image formats with this yet?

https://github.com/keirf/Greaseweazle/wiki

[Bama]

I have not but I just requested to be added to the facebook group in hopes of learning more.

[Bama]

I have purchased the hardware pieces. I will need to test and then assemble the hardware and then test an Atari diskette.

[catmando]

Look forward to hearing about your experience

[Bama]

Hardware assembled.
Firmware installed.
Python and GreaseWeazle installed on Mac.
I used "ls /dev/cu.*" to confirm my Mac sees the Greaseweazle and to get the proper device name.

I have been testing with known good Atari Floppy diskettes.
I was able to image a diskette with FastCopy program on it.
I then wrote the image as an HFE file. Opened the disk and ran FastCopy from the HXC.

Early results are promising.

[catmando]

How much did the parts cost you in total?

[ijor]

It is very nice to have an open source alternative to SCP and the Kryoflux. But unless somebody will provide this fully assembled, and with software that would run directly without something like phyton, then it would be very restricted.

Btw, I'm not sure this device is suitable for older 5.25 drives that require high current drivers and buffers. I would check with the developer before.

[ijor]

Btw, it is just by chance that the name is so similar to the Catweasel, a predecessor of all these "flux level" devices?

[Bama]

It is very nice to have an open source alternative to SCP and the Kryoflux. But unless somebody will provide this fully assembled, and with software that would run directly without something like phyton, then it would be very restricted.

Btw, I'm not sure this device is suitable for older 5.25 drives that require high current drivers and buffers. I would check with the developer before.

Less than $23 US, for two complete systems and that includes five USB/TTL converters (I only needed one to install the initial firmware.)
If you have have USB/TTL & the DuPont wires then it’s just the cost of the “blue pill” which was $9.80 US (including shipping from Germany.)

A7983ED8-1115-41C3-B9E9-4C22420970D4.jpeg

B9637939-72D6-4C6C-8794-296522B06E36.jpeg

I am a novice with a soldering iron and did fine attaching the pins to the blue pill. So if I can do it...

Yes the 5 1/4 drives must have an external power supply.

[ijor]

Yes the 5 1/4 drives must have an external power supply.

I'm not talking about the power supply, but about the maximum current of the input/output buffers/drivers at the board. Older DD 5.25 drives (not just any 5.25 drive) require high current components.

[Bama]

Yes the 5 1/4 drives must have an external power supply.

I'm not talking about the power supply, but about the maximum current of the input/output buffers/drivers at the board. Older DD 5.25 drives (not just any 5.25 drive) require high current components.

Now I understand.
Are there risks to the hardware if the buffers don’t get enough current?

[ijor]

I'm not talking about the power supply, but about the maximum current of the input/output buffers/drivers at the board. Older DD 5.25 drives (not just any 5.25 drive) require high current components.

Now I understand. Are there risks to the hardware if the buffers don’t get enough current?

Probably no, just that it won't work correctly. But I wouldn't try just in case. Anyway, the problem is probably only when connecting old 5.25 DD drives.

[Bama]

There are recent postings on the Greaseweazle Facebook group about 5.25 and 8 inch drive use if that is of interest.