Gotek & STFMs

[mikro]

Apart from Gotek being really unfriendly with the Falcon (http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=31260) I've discovered that so are STFMs but in a different way. While everything works as expected, both the floppy and power cable are simply too short! They are long enough in the Falcon and STE but for some reason STFMs use totally different layout.

So what did you do? Do I have to really extend both the floppy cable (here I can imagine some kind of brute force to fold it "the right way") and power cable (here's certainly no way do to anything except extension...) ?

[kolli]

While everything works as expected, both the floppy and power cable are simply too short!

Not in my STFM. Both cables were long enough. Maybe a question of board revision?

[Maeke]

https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/storenew/#0065

[mikro]

This is my situation:

IMG_20170304_193911.jpg

Considering the fact that I have to twist the floppy cable and the power cables needs to go to the other side you see my problem.

I can certainly do the extension by myself, it just makes me extremely unhappy.

[wongck]

It is well known that we need to extend the cable to have it as a floppy replacement.
The place to buy the HxC is also selling extension canles http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=138.

[mpattonm]

I would prolly just turn Gotek upside down, rather then messing with STFM. I would happily ditch segment LCD for that purpose. Maybe make fitting Gotek cage too.

[kolli]

Considering the fact that I have to twist the floppy cable and the power cables needs to go to the other side you see my problem.

My floppy cable wasn't longer than yours. Just twist it, you will see that it get's not much shorted .
And making an extension for the power cable isn't that complicated, I think.

Or mount your Gotek head over!

[joska]

Considering the fact that I have to twist the floppy cable and the power cables needs to go to the other side you see my problem.

Split the cable into 10 sections or so and it will not be noticeably shorter when you twist it.

[mikro]

Thanks guys, stupid me, I was just buying some 8-bit stuff from Lotharek.

Jo, can you elaborate? No idea what do you mean here, 10 sections where, how? :D

Btw, why are those emulators upside down? AFAIR when I was replacing Falcon floppy drive for some other (PC one), I didn't need to twist cables at all.

[Maeke]

This is my situation:

IMG_20170304_193911.jpg

Considering the fact that I have to twist the floppy cable and the power cables needs to go to the other side you see my problem.

I can certainly do the extension by myself, it just makes me extremely unhappy.

I see your problem even better now since i just discovered i'm in the same boat, do you have a c070789 motherboard?

Btw, why are those emulators upside down? AFAIR when I was replacing Falcon floppy drive for some other (PC one), I didn't need to twist cables at all.

It's not a matter of emulators, it's a matter of norm; all hd floppy drives have the 34 pins connector inverted compared to the dd ones, so this gotek, which is probably able to emulate hd floppies, respect this norm, while the original floppy drive of your stfm was a dd one.

[mikro]

My STFM was earlier (year 1988 or so) but I guess it didn't change.

Interesting info about the DD/HD difference, had no idea.

[Maeke]

and so, as your falcon had a hd floppy drive from factory, you didn't need to twist the cord.
as to what Joska meant, look this: http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/ ... ble_guide/
http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/ ... 1&pid=8605

[mikro]

This is ingenious! Thanks guys. Will try and report back (although I can see how much 'fun' this will be -- I can't pull the cable out).

[Maeke]

you still could try this http://www.retrogameforum.com/technical ... -t378.html

[wongck]

Ah... now I finally know why ppl twist the ST FDD cables.

[mikro]

Although the idea of splitting the cable was cool, it didn't help. The top wire is simply too short to reach the bottom pin of the emulator. So yes, I have to desolder it, damn it!

[Maeke]

there is still the possibility of an extension.

[mikro]

there is still the possibility of an extension.

Nah, the work I put into the extender I can put into replacing the motherboard socket.

[Maeke]

well yeah and it's pretty cool, you can even prepare a cord for two drives, one to keep compatibility for real floppies, the other for a gotek without it's case, and you make a switch on the cord's pin 10 to chose the drive you'll use, a bit like this amiga 1200 mod: https://www.ikod.se/amiga-1200-gotek/

[mikro]

I've chosen much simpler approach:

IMG_20170307_201045.jpg

without the socket I can twist the cable without actually twisting it. ;) So if someone will ever want to install the regular floppy drive, there wont be a problem (another thing is that I plan to sell this STFM, with Gotek, so simpler solution = better).