HxC on MSX

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:45 am

Well, the tests were great on non Japanese computers but I couldn't make it work on the:

1-SANYO WAVY 70FD (Japanese MSX2+)
2-SONY HB-F1XDmk2 (Japanese MSX2)

It worked on the two Philips MSX2 (PAL):

1-Philips 8245: it works on DS1 and MTRON

2-Philips 8280: this model has two disk drives. When both unplugged, HxC works on both units on DS0 and MTRON. When the first unit is plugged, the HxC cannot be used on the second one. On the contrary, when the second one is plugged, the HxC works on the first one on DS0 and MTRON.

I don't know what's the problem with the Japanese MSX models.

By the way, I just opened a Twin Famicom and saw that the 3 inch disk drive has a connector with 17 pins:

OOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOXO

Does anyone have info about the pinout? Could it be possible to load FDS images?

Best regards,

Dioniso

Post by **Jeff** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:33 am

Dioniso wrote:Well, the tests were great on non Japanese computers but I couldn't make it work on the:

1-SANYO WAVY 70FD (Japanese MSX2+)
2-SONY HB-F1XDmk2 (Japanese MSX2)

It worked on the two Philips MSX2 (PAL):

1-Philips 8245: it works on DS1 and MTRON

2-Philips 8280: this model has two disk drives. When both unplugged, HxC works on both units on DS0 and MTRON. When the first unit is plugged, the HxC cannot be used on the second one. On the contrary, when the second one is plugged, the HxC works on the first one on DS0 and MTRON.

I don't know what's the problem with the Japanese MSX models.

By the way, I just opened a Twin Famicom and saw that the 3 inch disk drive has a connector with 17 pins:

OOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOXO

Does anyone have info about the pinout? Could it be possible to load FDS images?

Best regards,

Dioniso

Warning: according to this page ( http://www.mail-archive.com/msx@stack.nl/msg07579.html ) pins 1,2,5,7,9,11 are +5V on the SANYO and on the hxc floppy emulator it's the ground ! So you must cut these lines on the fdd cable to avoid shortcut!

Before plugging the hxc to an msx you must check its pinout, even if it uses a 34pin connector: the pinout is often non-standard on these computers !

Regarding the Twin Famicom , the hxc floppy emulator don't support it at this day, but i am interrested by adding its support (it's a very special disk drive). can you send me some fds ?

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:59 am

Well, it's good you tell me. I really thought I had burned my HxC... But it is still working. I am about to receive some more 34 pins cables and then I will build a special one for the SANYO MSX2+.

About the Twin Famicom: I have just sent you an email.

Post by **Jeff** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:31 am

Dioniso wrote:Well, it's good you tell me. I really thought I had burned my HxC... But it is still working.

Buy some 74LS06, this can be usefull in the future

.

There are no burned track on the board ? (ground point is ok ?).
The FDD 5V lines are ok on the Sanyo ?

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:55 am

I'm not much into electronic... I just can solder and do a few things: yesterday I repaired the disk drive of one on my Twin Famicom... because it had nothing to do with electronic

So... what's a 74LS06? How should I solder it to the HxC? (If that can help my HxC doesn't get burned... it's good)

Anyway, I just double checked the SANYO and it works

I read a disk, loaded a game, played, ... Everything is ok. Next time, before doing any test, I'll ask you first

On the HxC everything seems to be fine. I loaded a game on the Philips 8245 MSX2 and everything worked fine. Actually, in the beginning the PC didn't recognize the HxC. I was about to cry when I rebooted the computer and everything was fine

Post by **Jeff** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:18 am

Dioniso wrote:I'm not much into electronic... I just can solder and do a few things: yesterday I repaired the disk drive of one on my Twin Famicom... because it had nothing to do with electronic So... what's a 74LS06? How should I solder it to the HxC? (If that can help my HxC doesn't get burned... it's good)

74LS06 is the 3 chips near the floppy connector. You can change them without solder.

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:38 pm

Actually, I have 3 different chips close to the connector:

-3 x HD74LSO5P (7B26, 5L36 and 7B26)

Is that OK as well?

Post by **Jeff** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:20 pm

Dioniso wrote:Actually, I have 3 different chips close to the connector:

-3 x HD74LSO5P (7B26, 5L36 and 7B26)

Is that OK as well?

yes, but if you need to change one chip take a 74LS06 instead of a 74ls05.

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:01 am

I built the cable for the MSX2+ SANYO WAVY 70FD, cutting cables 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 29, 31 and 33. Now it works!

What about the Twin Famicom? My console is still opened for testing

Post by **Jeff** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:31 am

Dioniso wrote:I built the cable for the MSX2+ SANYO WAVY 70FD, cutting cables 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 29, 31 and 33. Now it works!

What about the Twin Famicom? My console is still opened for testing

Good !
for the Twin Famicon be patient, i am a little busy at this moment

You will probably need to build a small adaptation circuit to plug the hxc to the Twin Famicom.

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:00 pm

Sure, take your time.

Just give me the info I need to build that circuit, when you are ready for the tests.

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:45 am

I can't find it now in the forum, but I think I read that it is not possible to write a file from the MSX to the DSK image, is it?... I tried and it didn't work so I guess that's the answer

Post by **Jeff** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:53 pm

Dioniso wrote:I can't find it now in the forum, but I think I read that it is not possible to write a file from the MSX to the DSK image, is it?... I tried and it didn't work so I guess that's the answer

hmm what do you mean ?

the write support should work on msx.

Dioniso · Post by **Dioniso** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:00 pm

I mean that I create a DSK image with 2 files: "file.bin" and "file.bas". I can read it on the MSX through the HxC.
But when I write something like

Code: Select all

10 run"file.bas
save"autoexec.bas

the file is not recorded into the DSK. There's a led in the HxC that flashes a second but when I reset the MSX and type FILES, the autoexec.bas file is missing.

Should I do something else from your software after saving the file?

Post by **Jeff** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:22 pm

Dioniso wrote:I mean that I create a DSK image with 2 files: "file.bin" and "file.bas". I can read it on the MSX through the HxC.
But when I write something like
Code: Select all
10 run"file.bas
save"autoexec.bas
the file is not recorded into the DSK. There's a led in the HxC that flashes a second but when I reset the MSX and type FILES, the autoexec.bas file is missing.

Should I do something else from your software after saving the file?

opps sorry, i thought that you have the sdcard version of the hxc.
Yes i confirm that the USB version is a read-only emulator.