Re: Apple //c smartport compact flash adapter

[Payton Byrd <plbyrd@gmail.com>]

On Jan 29, 7:06 pm, Eric Rucker <bhtoo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jan 29, 3:26 pm, "Michael J. Mahon" <mjma...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Robert Justice wrote:
> > > It could be used internally by piggy backing on the existing internal
> > > drive connector. The Smartport interface does not care about the drive
> > > select that would be different on the internal connector.
>
> > > What wouldn't work, would be hooking an external smartport drive up.
> > > This is because the smartport init method relies on the each drive in
> > > the chain opening up a latch that stops one of the phase lines being
> > > through connected to the next drive. As each drive in the chain
> > > responds to the init packet, it through connects the phase line to the
> > > next drive.
>
> > > I could implement this behaviour if it is used as an external drive,
> > > it would just need and extra i/o line.
>
> > > I had a quick look inside my //c. If you were to use a micro SD card,
> > > i believe it would fit through one of the slots in the back. There may
> > > be enough room in the back to fit the board and run a ribbon cable to
> > > the internal drive connector. Perhaps it could be made to detect if a
> > > card is inserted, and if not, disable itself. That way an external
> > > drive could be used if needed.
>
> > > Thanks for the link to the connectors Sean, although i would need the
> > > male version. I'll contact them and see if they are also available.
> > > And i'll email you about the possibility of getting a unidisk from you
> > > to test.
>
> > > Is there a preference for either CF or SD card?
>
> > SD cards are getting much more available than CF cards, and at
> > more competitive prices.
>
> > Micro SD cards are not very convenient for frequent insertion and
> > removal, and can get lost in a shag rug very easily.  ;-)
>
> > > And thanks for all of your positive comments.
>
> > You're welcome!  This is a great advance for these "portable" machines.
>
> > -michael
>
> > NadaNet 3.1 for Apple II parallel computing!
> > Home page:  http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon/
>
> > "The wastebasket is our most important design
> > tool--and it's seriously underused."
>
> It depends on how the slot is implemented, although yes, they can get
> lost easily.
>
> (Some slots, you can easily grab the card with a fingernail and pull
> it out.)
>
> Even full SD would be better than CF, though.

I've thought about this a bit and I think the CF solution is best for
the Apple II as it is already widely accepted for CFFA and other IDE-
based solutions.  I think keeping the medium consistent will allow
users to get more value.  I could take my CF card that I use for my
normal A2 activities on my //e and IIgs and use that same card on
the //c without a problem that way.