Revison C HCX2001 - firmware: 1.0.1 help please

[wolfeman]

greetings

some time ago I bought an HCX2001. I think it was from lotharek because I still have the box it was shipped in and it has a return address in Poland

I have many uses for it including various classic computers, synths and samplers but not long after I bought it I was sidetracked and forgot about it.

meanwhile, sometime last year I bought a Gotek USB floppy emulator from ebay meaning to use both units in different computers and I even bought JOOKIES rapberry pi unit strictly for my Atari ST

flash forward to this weekend, which is the first time in years that I have had time and inclination to play around with this stuff and I find myself in a bit of a dilemma

I'd like to upgrade the firmware on both the HCX and the first Gotek that is unflashed

from what I have read, I need the HxC_SD_Bootloader_V1_0TOV1_1.upd but I cant find it on your website which makes me wonder why... I also didn't see any mention of it in the current firmware instructions which caused a bit of frustration when I kept getting the five red light blinks. it wasn't until a few hours later of checking the forums (I even forgot I had registered for it) and found others asking the same question and saw that Jeff sent one fellow the bootlaoder in his email but didn't post it publicly which makes me think the file is being used for evil ? or is it just because it is obsolete?

I hope someone can help me locate the bootloader

my question regarding the Gotek is in reference to using an Altera USB blaster which I have here from way back when I bought the first Atari Lynx flash card which requires the altera to load roms... can I use this device to flash the Gotek which seems to have a set of pins that matches the altera, there are actually two spots on the back of the gotek, pin holes on the left side as you're facing the back of it and the pins that fit the cable for the altera on the right side. I have yet to research these fully so I'm loking to be pointed in the right direction.

keep in mind that despite my love of old gadgets i'm not a programmer nor I am any good with a soldering iron and i don't know a lot of tech terms for the pin outs on these devices so I would need good documentation preferably with photos

I'm looking forward to upgrading the HCX it looks like its been through a ton of amazing revisions which is something I knew would happen back when I first bought it... I am coming to be in need of using these floppy emulators on various devices for both gameplay and music creation so I hope someone can help me stay on track and not put them on a shelf for another 5 years



cheers and thanks!

Mark

Edit: just realized the set of pins on the Gotek have to be ID jumpers? Still curious if the thing can be programmed with the altera but I already ordered a programming kit for $13 on eBay that has the proper cable and interface so I guess it's a mostly moot question other than pure curiosity

[wolfeman]

I just found this post by Jeff elsewhere

https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/view ... 41&t=58345

I'm interested to see just how far combining all this great technology can go, particularly in the area of adding universal support for as many floppy and hard disk platforms as possible for as many operating systems as possible. I've been using computers to make music since the 80s... I have tons of old disks, hard drives and all sorts of things and the main thing that keeps the machines from operating properly is obsolete floppy or HDD drives

Please show me more on how to combine the Pi with other devices like the HXC & Gotec...

I also came across the Apple II series SD floppy emulator from bigmessowires BMOW

Wondering if I need that one as well to handle more Apple centric computers like the IIGS & Mac Plus which are just collecting dust if only I could get them to read and write to an SD or USB... Also what about SCSI drive emulation or adaption for hard disk recorders like my TASCAM MX24 which could be Amazing if it could work with new flash media

Old ProTools systems could be revitalized

Just thinking out loud


Edit: oh well there goes one idea down the drain:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/view ... 63&t=93012

I guess I need to follow the Rpi forum a little more closely but then of course if I had followed this one more closely I would not be stuck with HCX 1.0.1 firmware ... Hope to at least upgrade that so I can take advantage of some of the improvements made to it.

Edit 2:
Oh but you know Jookie's Rpi unit works through a scsi connector if you bought the ASCI/SCSI version (which I did). It acts as a hard drive so why couldn't it do the same on a Mac IIGS or a Mac Plus ?? Hmm

[Jeff]

Which hardware is it exactly ? a SD HxC Rev C or B ?

[wolfeman]

Revision C of The SD version

[wolfeman]

It seems I made a stupid mistake

This is revision B board

I didn't notice it before because it was under the SD card

Lotharek has graciously agreed to upgrade it for cost of shipping

Meanwhile I will use the Gotek as soon as the firmware upgrade wire kit arrives unless someone can tell me how to use the altera USB Blaster ... I think either way I need the wires to do it

[kolla]

I am in the same boat - I bought two HxC years ago, also Revision B, and it seems there is no firmware around for it. What does this "upgrade" contains? You had Rev B replaced with Rev C? Or did he flash your Rev B for you?

[kolla]

I now understand that the last firmware that works with unmodified Revision B is v1.7.2.7 - but where can I find this?