Re: Disk II Half - Quarter Tracks

[Tristan Mumford <xtristan.xmumford@xgmail.xcom>]

Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> RedskullDC wrote:
-snip-
>> I did once experiment with the track widths to see what could be
>> achieved.
>> 
>> Using a stock standard Disk][, writing on every half track proved to be
>> unreliable.
-snip-
>> The DOS3.3 track stepping routines would need to be modified to support
>> 3/4 track spacing, but it would be possible to easily gain an extra 50%
>> storage capacity
>> on a disk][ this way.
> 
> Actually, just 33% more data--and likely *much* less reliability.
> 
>> Differing results may be obtained using different disk][ drives, as I
>> have no idea of
>> the manufacturing tolerances of the read/write head widths.
> 
> Right.

Agreed. There _is_ another option that has crept into my deepest, darkest
thoughts though.
Using a different type of drive. Looking at the disk ][ etc. signals it
doesn't seem completely out of the realm of possibility to connect a PC
drive to a disk ][ style controller. For instance, every stepper I have
seen on a PC drive has the 4 phases(?) exposed without dismantling, at
least much anyway.
Blah blah... proprietary drive that nothing else could read ... blah. Anyway
my point is that utilising something designed for higher density would
allow it. The main question would be head voltage. Higher densities usually
use lower voltages.

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