Re: FS: Deluxe Option Board,Central Point

[Wayne Lafreniere <wplafreniere@lynx.bc.ca>]

Hi, Bryan

According to the manual this board (copy ii pc DELUXE option board) is mostly
for Mac fans. I have used this in a 386 to format,read and write Mac disks
(720k) in the PC that were perfectly usable in my PowerMac There is another
board (copy iipc option board) (not deluxe) that would probably be of more use
to AII fans., however AII fans can use it. From the manual:-

"Making Backups of non-IBM disks

TC (transition copier) can be used to create backups of nearly all IBM PC
compatible disks. It can also duplicate most other formats. Because TC simply
copies magnetic transitions from one disk to another, it is not too concerned
with how those transitions are created or ordered. Diskette formats can be
grouped into three basic types:

MFM example PC
FM example Atari
GCR example Apple II

The deluxe option board and TC can copy all of the above formats. (Standard
Apple and Atari formats are copied readily. The TC software may not be able to
copy all protected Apple and Atari disks, however. It also can't copy the
backside of "flippy" diskettes (ed: what are those?)). It should be noted that
not all IBM drives are capable of reliably reading and writing GCR formats
(Apple ). The only way to know is to try."

In addition the support options for disk drives   are as follows:

MUST be physical drive a: and b: NOT logical  a: and b:
Can use 360K,1.2 Meg 1.44 Meg or 720k drives with following limits:

Reads and Writes 720k 3.5" drives but TC track end must be set to 4F to copy
all 80 tracks, and when copying from 5.25" to 3.5" will be a 360k format on
720k disk (wasted space)

1.2 meg drives
Reads from 1.2 drive and writes to 360/720drive
reads 1.2 drive writes 1.2 drive
Cannot read from 360/720 drive  and write to 1.2 drive
Cannot read from or write to 1.2meg diskettes.

1.44 Meg drives
reads from 1.44 drive and writes to 360/720 drive
can read 1.44 drive and write 1.44 meg drive
Cannot read from 360/720 drive and write to 1.44 meg drive
Cannot write to 1.44 meg Diskettes

Really need to make a chart for that.

Wayne Lafreniere


Bryan Parkoff wrote:

> Ed,
>
>     I understand now.  If it is only magnetic transisiton to be duplicated
> on PC floppy drive through Deluxe Option Board, I am positive sure that it
> will never boot on Apple II's Disk II floppy drive.  GCR encoding appears to
> be invalid.  I have no idea why PC software can't read Apple II software
> diskette on PC floppy drive through Deluxe Option Board.  Your answer may be
> correct that it has no intention by reading bit by bit, but only magnetic
> transisiton.
>     The conclusion states to drop Deluxe Option Board because it is not the
> solution for Apple II software for duplication.
>
> --
> Bryan Parkoff
> "Ed Eastman" <ed@apple2.com> wrote in message
> 3FF9A738.3010604@apple2.com">news:3FF9A738.3010604@apple2.com...
> > The board takes control of the drive in a way not possible via the
> > standard floppy controler in a PC.  The option board monitors the heads
> > to look for transisitons from one polarity to another.  The software
> > then records every magnetic transisiton on the source media and writes
> > the same transisitons to the destination media.
> >
> > It does not rely on any specific encoding, length of bit or anything.
> > The timing I believe is done via the 'index hole' to determine when it
> > has read an entire revolution of the disks and has therefore captured
> > all the magnetic transisitons.
> >
> > As it doesn't look at the 'bits' at all, it can't misinterpret them,
> > CGR, MFM, or whatever, it's just a magnetic transition.  Think of it as
> > a making a mold of a sculpture.  You don't have to know what it is to
> > replicate it.
> >
> > :)
> >
> > Bryan Parkoff wrote:
> > >     Please tell me how can you copy Apple II software diskettes in PC
> floppy
> > > drives using Deluxe Option Board, but I doubt.
> >