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Re: Trackstar can use IBM 360K floppy drives to R/W Apple disks?
- To: Frank Townsend <ftownsen@iamdigex.net>
- Subject: Re: Trackstar can use IBM 360K floppy drives to R/W Apple disks?
- From: "Paul R. Santa-Maria" <paulrsm@buckeye-express.com>
- Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 02:30:54 -0500
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
- References: <Fmkz9.12093$Dl.7443@nwrddc01.gnilink.net>
- Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.sys.apple2:24422
Frank Townsend wrote:
> Could some wise person explain this to me? I thought, obviously
> incorrectly, that MFM drives could not decode GCR encoded diskettes? But
> is this untrue for 360k drives? I'm confused.
The DRIVES are pretty much the same. The difference is the
controller chip. Standard PC floppy controller chips handle
MFM only. The Central Point Option Board for the PC could
copy Apple II disks because they used a special controller.
The Apple II controller handles GCR. The original
Woz chips in the Mac can only handle GCR, but the later
Super Woz chips in superdrive Macs can handle both.
Also note that the manual is talking about true 360KB
drives, not 1.2MB drives. You will probably have to
find an old original IBM PC/XT for those.
--
Paul R. Santa-Maria
Monroe, Michigan USA