Difference between revisions of "Vortex Disc Drives"
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| − | Disc drives from [[Vortex_Computersysteme|Vortex]]. | + | Disc drives from [[Vortex_Computersysteme|Vortex]], with 80 tracks and 720K capacity (704K available). |
| − | == | + | == Vortex -S and -D Drives (720K/disk) == |
| − | + | * '''F1 - S''' Single 5.25" drive with [[FDC|NEC765]], with [[VDOS]] 1.0 | |
| + | * '''F1 - D''' Double 5.25" drive with [[FDC|NEC765]], with [[VDOS]] 1.0 | ||
| + | * '''M1 - S''' Single 3.5" drive with [[FDC|NEC765]], with [[VDOS]] 1.0 | ||
| + | * '''M1 - D''' Double 3.5" drive with [[FDC|NEC765]], with [[VDOS]] 1.0 | ||
| − | + | These are the original drives from Vortex, for use on CPC 464. The hardware supports one or two 80 track drives, additionally a 3" [[FD-1]] can be connected as third drive, ie. unlike most other CPC disk interfaces it supports more than 2 drives. VDOS allocates RAM for only 2 drives though, which of the 3 drives are in-use is selected with |S command. | |
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| − | + | == Vortex -Z Drives (180K/side or 180K/disk?) == | |
| − | * '''F1 - | + | * '''F1 - Z''' Single 5.25" drive without FDC, without VDOS |
| − | * ''' | + | * '''M1 - Z''' Single 3.5" drive without FDC, without VDOS |
| − | + | These are the ''Low-Capacity'' drives from Vortex, for use on CPC 664/6128 or CPC 464 with DDI-1 (ie. on computers that already have a FDC and AMSDOS). There doesn't seem to be anything special about this product, just an off-the-shelf disk drive, shipped with a CPC-specific connection cable. | |
| − | + | Although the drives might have 80 tracks (?), AMSDOS can access only 40 tracks. No info if the drives are double-sided, and if yes, if they have a side-select switch? | |
| − | == | + | == Vortex -X Drives (720K/disk) == |
| − | + | * '''F1 - X''' Single 5.25" drive without FDC, with [[VDOS]] 2.0 | |
| + | * '''M1 - X''' Single 3.5" drive without FDC, with [[VDOS]] 2.0 | ||
| + | * '''F1 - XRS''' same as F1-X, upgraded with RS232 interface | ||
| + | * '''M1 - XRS''' same as M1-X, upgraded with RS232 interface | ||
| − | + | These are the newest drives from Vortex, for use on CPC 664/6128 or CPC 464 with DDI-1 (ie. on computers that already have a FDC). | |
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== Tape == | == Tape == | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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== I/O Ports == | == I/O Ports == | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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| + | == Germanized-English RSX Commands == | ||
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| + | Vortex considered the normal AMSDOS RSX commands |TAPE.xx and |DRIVE/|USER too difficult for german users, and changed them to |CAS and |SELECT - (which resemble equivalent german words ''Kassette'' and ''Selektieren''). This is making VDOS slightly incompatible with AMSDOS and all other AMSDOS clones (except for Dobbertin's X-DDOS, which supports both the english and germanized dialects. | ||
== Manuals == | == Manuals == | ||
Revision as of 08:43, 11 January 2010
Disc drives from Vortex, with 80 tracks and 720K capacity (704K available).
Contents
Vortex -S and -D Drives (720K/disk)
- F1 - S Single 5.25" drive with NEC765, with VDOS 1.0
- F1 - D Double 5.25" drive with NEC765, with VDOS 1.0
- M1 - S Single 3.5" drive with NEC765, with VDOS 1.0
- M1 - D Double 3.5" drive with NEC765, with VDOS 1.0
These are the original drives from Vortex, for use on CPC 464. The hardware supports one or two 80 track drives, additionally a 3" FD-1 can be connected as third drive, ie. unlike most other CPC disk interfaces it supports more than 2 drives. VDOS allocates RAM for only 2 drives though, which of the 3 drives are in-use is selected with |S command.
Vortex -Z Drives (180K/side or 180K/disk?)
- F1 - Z Single 5.25" drive without FDC, without VDOS
- M1 - Z Single 3.5" drive without FDC, without VDOS
These are the Low-Capacity drives from Vortex, for use on CPC 664/6128 or CPC 464 with DDI-1 (ie. on computers that already have a FDC and AMSDOS). There doesn't seem to be anything special about this product, just an off-the-shelf disk drive, shipped with a CPC-specific connection cable.
Although the drives might have 80 tracks (?), AMSDOS can access only 40 tracks. No info if the drives are double-sided, and if yes, if they have a side-select switch?
Vortex -X Drives (720K/disk)
- F1 - X Single 5.25" drive without FDC, with VDOS 2.0
- M1 - X Single 3.5" drive without FDC, with VDOS 2.0
- F1 - XRS same as F1-X, upgraded with RS232 interface
- M1 - XRS same as M1-X, upgraded with RS232 interface
These are the newest drives from Vortex, for use on CPC 664/6128 or CPC 464 with DDI-1 (ie. on computers that already have a FDC).
Tape
- Tape
Software
I/O Ports
Standard Addresses (same as used by AMSDOS): FB7Eh 765 FDC (internal) Status Register (R) FB7Fh 765 FDC (internal) Data Register (R/W) Special Addresses (secondary FDC): FBF6h 765 FDC (Vortex,ext) Status Register (Read) FBF7h 765 FDC (Vortex,ext) Data Register (R/W) (The Special addresses are mentioned in the manual for the Vortex -X drives) (but apparently they are referring to other/older Vortex drives, not the -X drives)
The Special addresses are used only on CPC 664/6128 and only if the Vortex drive includes an FDC chip.
- Note1: The -Z and -X drives do not include FDC chips.
- Note2: The -S and -D drives do reportedly work only on CPC 464 (?).
So, not sure if/when the Special addresses are used at all?
RS232 Ports (for -X drives with RS232) FADC/FADD=Serial Data/Control FBDC/FBDD/FBDF=Counter 0/1/Mode. So it's probably compatible with Amstrad/Pace (and probably also including, but not using, Channel B Ports FADE/FADF and FBDE).
Vortex Disk Format
Sector numbers are 01h..09h (same as AMSDOS IBM Format, but with a 9th sector) Disks are Double-Sided, Double Density, 80 Tracks, 9 Sectors Total capacity is 720K (704K available):
- First 9K contain two System Tracks (eg. CP/M Bootstrap)
- Next 4K contain directory (see Note)
- Next 704K are data (allocated in 4K blocks) (aka 4K clusters)
- Last 3K are unused (due to 4K allocation size)
Note: According to the manual, the directory can hold 128 entries under VDOS2.0 (whole 4K used), but only 64 entries under VDOS1.0 (only half of the 4K area used).
The Vortex -Z drives do not seem to include any VDOS ROM (so they do support only normal 40-Track AMSDOS Formats, but NOT the 80-Track Vortex format).
Pictures
- The Vortex F1 Drives
F1-Z Disc Drive
F1-D Disc Drive
- The Vortex Disc Drive Controller
A anonymous box houses the controller
Look inside the controller
Controller with VDOS mounted
Germanized-English RSX Commands
Vortex considered the normal AMSDOS RSX commands |TAPE.xx and |DRIVE/|USER too difficult for german users, and changed them to |CAS and |SELECT - (which resemble equivalent german words Kassette and Selektieren). This is making VDOS slightly incompatible with AMSDOS and all other AMSDOS clones (except for Dobbertin's X-DDOS, which supports both the english and germanized dialects.
