Re: Apple //c smartport compact flash adapter

[Eric Rucker <bhtooefr@gmail.com>]

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.