New Atari ST/E Mega ST/E hard disk interface - Faster and more SD card compatible than SatanDisk

[masteries]

A new Hard Disk interface compatible with Atari ST family computers,

Results: The ACSI2STM works perfectly; loading the 3.5 MB size of current Metal Slug port takes around 12 seconds (aprox. 300 KB/s).
Tested against old SD cards, such 1 GB card; 4 GB SDHC and 8 GB SDHC. All these are detected and works correctly!

Original firmware is slightly optimized, gain is around 6 - 8 KB/s; further improvements could be made, but these would require a ACSI command circular buffer management... not easy to perform on few days. Due to this, all pinout is accesible on the final version, in order to update the device´s firmware easily in a future.

NOTE FOR MEGA ST/E USERS:

I saw some photographs of your ACSI port. The power connector is located up to ACSI port.
If you have a Mega ST/E computer with the power connector located upper the ACSI port, give these directions (that you have a Mega ST/E)
and your version will be provided with a 90 degree DB connector.

Usage video:

https://youtu.be/uRT_0jq9o8w


Photographs of the hard disk interface, Prototype one, final version do not have flying wires

















The hard disk image (DOS & TOS compatible, readable on Windows) I used: http://atari.8bitchip.info/DiskImgPP1.html

You can use Win32DiskImager (Windows) in order to write it.

The ST / STE with a hard disk is another world!


Performance & micro SD card compatibility testing:


SDHC 8 GB




SDHC 4 GB




Normal SD 1 GB




Each unit is completely built and tested,
price is 32€ + shipment (5.50€ for Spain or 8€ for Europe; America and other shipmet price asap).


Lower cost and better SD card compatibility than any Satan disk, and much lower price than UltraSatan.
Its the Atari ST hard disk suitable for the masses,

[eightbitfix]

Greetings! Please put me down for two of these for shipping to USA. I will purchase as soon as I hear back Eightbitfix.com.

[Tronic]

Awesome!

[RealLarry]

price is 32€ + shipment (5.50€ for Spain or 8€ for Europe; America and other shipmet price asap).

Great work! I'd be interested in two devices, shipping to Germany.

[masteries]

price is 32€ + shipment (5.50€ for Spain or 8€ for Europe; America and other shipmet price asap).

Great work! I'd be interested in two devices, shipping to Germany.

Great! Thanks for your support and interest,

I wrote you on the European list,

[masteries]

Greetings! Please put me down for two of these for shipping to USA. I will purchase as soon as I hear back Eightbitfix.com.

Thanks to you,

I wrote you on the list of USA,

I need to give to all USA members a shipping cost for USA asap!

[tuf]

Yep - I'd be interested in a couple for sure!

[masteries]

Yep - I'd be interested in a couple for sure!

Thanks for your interest,

Ok, I wrote you on the list;

Please send a PM with details such your name and address,


----------------------------
Updated: I checked the price of the certified mail from Spain to USA

Can´t edit first post... for USA postal service is 9€ (Japan, Canada and USA are the most expensive ones from spanish national mail system).

[lastic]

I would be interested in 1 device, shipped to Belgium .

[DarkLord]

This looks like a great effort and good results, as you said, a mass storage
device for the masses. Excellent price, for sure.

Any way to increase it's performance though? I'm only asking because the
Ultrasatan(s) that I have give about a 1 meg/sec transfer rate or so...

Thanks!

[masteries]

I would be interested in 1 device, shipped to Belgium .

Perfect, you are in the list of Europeans,

Please write a private message with your name and addresss,

[masteries]

Update: Instructions sheet, and additional info:

Instrucciones.PNG

ACSI2STM reduced PCB and Plug&Play version:
-This device uses the code from ACSI2STM: Jean-Matthieu COULON , give thanks to him!


I planned to create a fork based on original code, based on queued ACSI commands (you need to receive and additional order while the previous is sent to the SD card) and DMA SD card usage, but this will take time and many experiments.

[masteries]

This looks like a great effort and good results, as you said, a mass storage
device for the masses. Excellent price, for sure.

Any way to increase it's performance though? I'm only asking because the
Ultrasatan(s) that I have give about a 1 meg/sec transfer rate or so...

Thanks!

Yes, I think that implement a circular buffer to manage more than one ACSI command at once, while the previous data is sent/read via DMA from the SD card would reach a speed of 500 KB/s or 600 KB/s ; but really I am not sure about reach up to 1 MB/s

[DarkLord]

Okay, thanks (and thanks for supporting the Atari community)!

[masteries]

--- UPDATE ---


I tested another micro SD card, an 8 GB SDHC class 4; it works ok; brand is PNY


Also, as further news; I found a very rare way to solve my hard disk writing problems for my STE;
I was researching on make the hard disk slower... with same bad results.

Today I tested with a faster hard disk; faster on the way the signals from Atari DMA controller are processed by the hard disk device.

And it works!!!

I need to upload a possible firmware upgrade; but really I am not sure if this new firmware is only useful for STE, or it is useful for everyone...

[masteries]

Tomorrow, I shall post an official update procedure .pdf, including the needed minimal easy to use software, and the .bin update file, and how to connect the jumpers and wires.

Also, thanks for testing on several ST machines; there is a lack of proficiency when the developer do not have more than one machine.

A new video of correct hard disk operation with the new firmware will be welcome too!

[masteries]

Yesterday I was researching the reason for hard disk writing failure on many ST/E computers, as my own STE.

I detected some differences on hard disk port signals timings, due to manufacturing or ageing? Not sure; but the new firmware increases the compatibility, specially at hard disk writing, solving the corruption problem on my STE, as well on many other machines.

A complete and easy update procedure document, that contains the new firmware file, is uploaded here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b8GlEb ... sp=sharing


Thanks for your interest and support!

And sorry for the delay on this discovery,

Future updates focused on performance or extended compatibility will arrive,

[masteries]

This is a video of the updated firmare, version of 5 February 2021, that solves hard disk writing on my STE;
probably this can be useful for many other ST machines.

However, on the update package, the original firmware is also included.




[VIDEO]https://youtu.be/nERQGIlClAg[/VIDEO]

[MegaSTEarian]

I just saw this

NOTE FOR MEGA ST/E USERS:

I saw some photographs of your ACSI port. The power connector is located up to ACSI port.
If you have a Mega ST/E computer with the power connector located upper the ACSI port, give these directions (that you have a Mega ST/E)
and your version will be provided with a 90 degree DB connector.

Are there MegaSTEs with the power connector (I assume you mean the PSU) right above the ACSI port?
I’m asking because I was planning on using one of the two devices I got on the MegaSTE for easy transfer (although I also have Lightning on it so it might be obsolete).

[masteries]

I just saw this

NOTE FOR MEGA ST/E USERS:

I saw some photographs of your ACSI port. The power connector is located up to ACSI port.
If you have a Mega ST/E computer with the power connector located upper the ACSI port, give these directions (that you have a Mega ST/E)
and your version will be provided with a 90 degree DB connector.

Are there MegaSTEs with the power connector (I assume you mean the PSU) right above the ACSI port?
I’m asking because I was planning on using one of the two devices I got on the MegaSTE for easy transfer (although I also have Lightning on it so it might be obsolete).

The Mega version with PSU over ACSI port is very rare, but one user has one of these... unknown motherboard; others have some addon card over the ACSI port (its the VME bus card slot?).

Probably you shall have no problems,

[MegaSTEarian]

Will have to bring MegaSTE back to the desk (it is well packed right now away from dust and humidity). I have Nova ISA adapter and a graphics card connected on the VME slot. I’ll have to check if this is causing problems.

[masteries]

Will have to bring MegaSTE back to the desk (it is well packed right now away from dust and humidity). I have Nova ISA adapter and a graphics card connected on the VME slot. I’ll have to check if this is causing problems.

What type of complex machine is a MegaSTE? It resembles more such IBM PC than an Atari ST like.

A graphics card, probably better than the blitter+shifter of STE...

[calimero]

Mega STe was “professional” like. It was in same desktop case as Atari TT (68030 32MHz) but hardware wise was an STe with 68000 at 16MHz (and cache), VME slot for network and video (like TT) and with SCSI interface (like TT).

[MegaSTEarian]

I think the best ST(E) ever and IMHO, should have been out in place of the STFM or (worst case) the original STE.

[Marsupilami]

Hi, i'd like to order 2 please, shipping to France. I send you a pm.