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Re: More Information for MFM Drives

Bryan Parkoff wrote:


More Information for MFM Drives

    I know that we have already discussed the MFM drives couple months ago,
but I want to give you the consideration about one or more ideas to overcome
the hardware's design.  Please try to answer only one question below.

My question:
    MFM controller card is designed to detect the beginning header bits
before it begins to read only 512 bytes at this time.  The hardware's design
does not allow me to manipulate by reading each bits instead of bytes
however it has its own manipulation.

Your answer:
    Is it correct to my one question above?

    If my question is answered yes, it means that there is no way to FORCE
hardware's design to be modified in order to manipulate.  For example, it
can only read/write 720KB and 1.44MB.  It does not allow me to modify the
size such as 800KB and 1600KB.  If it is to be Universal (Not USB) MFM
drive, yes, it will be possible to modify the size.
    It is my goal to begin to design and build USB device driver that will
support ANY sizes including GCR + MFM formats by using low level through USB
device driver which it is the independment hardware rather than
stupid--old--traditional MFM hardware.
    What do you think?  Please advise.

--
Yours Truly,

Bryan Parkoff
BParkoff@satx.rr.com
I'll freely admit that I'm rather ignorant of technical matters, but what does this have to do with the Apple II? There are, at present, no USB adapters for any model of the II, and I've heard of none under development (I wonder if any II could even handle the high rate of data that USB can kick around). So your "goal" has, at present no Apple II application, does it?
Besides, if I want to move files from a PC, I read them on one of my older Macs and copy to a ProDOS 3.5" disk on the same machine. Then I can copy to a 5.25" disk on a //gs. 

Roy