MSD Dual Drive, sort of...

[airship]

Does anyone know if the MSD dual drive ROM images are online anywhere? And does the MSD use the same drives as the 1541? If I could burn the ROMs, stick in two drives from surplus 1541s, and hack in a new power supply, this deal would be pretty cool. Even with single-sided drives, it would be cool to be able to use the COPY command in BASIC 7.0. I'd be the envy of all my friends!

[RobertB]

And does the MSD use the same drives as the 1541?

No, the MSD uses specific TEC drive mechanisms.

Hard to find,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Golan Klinger]

I've never seen the ROMs available for download anywhere. I can send you a dump though.

[airship]

Finding the TEC drives is the deal killer here. But thanks for the offer, Golan.

[Golan Klinger]

The mechanisms you need are the FB501, FB503 or FB504 (they're backwards compatible) and they're not as hard to find as you might think. I would check surplus shops and computer recyclers. Still might not be worth the hassle though. The MSD SD-2 isn't all that rare.

[RobertB]

The mechanisms you need are the FB501...

The MSD's that we have in storage have those.

...FB503 or FB504 (they're backwards compatible)...

Even harder to find.

...and they're not as hard to find as you might think. I would check surplus shops and computer recyclers.

I visit computer surplus shops (like Weird Stuff) in the Silicon Valley of California; I've never seen the TEC drives out in the "wild".  However, if you have a  source of drive mechs, that would be great to know.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Andrew Wiskow]

I'd still love to find a good source of 1581 drive mechs!  

-Andrew

[Golan Klinger]

However, if you have a  source of drive mechs, that would be great to know.

You're right, it is great to know. I get them from the same place I get Chinon FB354, Panasonic JU257, TEAC FD-235HF and FD-235Js from. I've got 20+ of the first two types (which are dead common) and two of each of the TEACs on the shelf behind me. That's the shelf your 4.3GB SCSI drive came from.

[RobertB]

I get them from the same place I get Chinon FB354...

Yup, easy to find those.

...Panasonic JU257...

No reason to search for those.

...TEAC FD-235HF...

Yes, common.  Have about 11 of those a few feet away from me.

...FD-235Js...

Uncommon.

That's the shelf your 4.3GB SCSI drive came from.

Too bad it's not recognized by my CMD.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Mangelore]

I'd still love to find a good source of 1581 drive mechs!  

-Andrew

Just hunt down a few A500's and rip the floppy drive mechs out.

[RobertB]

Just hunt down a few A500's and rip the floppy drive mechs out.

Yes, that's what I tell people, too.  We have a couple of dead A500's... board problems but the drive mechs are probably still good.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[airship]

And used Amiga external floppies on eBay sell for a LOT less than 1581s.

But in six months of occasional looking I've found three of the Panasonic JU257s at my local computer recycler for $3 each. I haven't gotten around to trying them in 1581 kits yet, but even if only one of them is good I'll end up with a VERY cheap 1581 drive.

Hopefully all three will work and I'll be able to make $100 profit each for a couple of them on eBay.

[Andrew Wiskow]

I bet this auction would have some working floppy drive mechanisms...  Looks like 13 Amiga 4000's and 1 Amiga 2000!  Too bad shipping would be crazy...  Looks like it'd be $322 for shipping to my house, according to the shipping calculator.

-Andrew

[Blacklord]

I bet this auction would have some working floppy drive mechanisms...  Looks like 13 Amiga 4000's and 1 Amiga 2000!  Too bad shipping would be crazy...  Looks like it'd be $322 for shipping to my house, according to the shipping calculator.

-Andrew

There's no way I'd destroy an A4000 just to get a floppy mechanism!

Lance

[Andrew Wiskow]

There's no way I'd destroy an A4000 just to get a floppy mechanism!

Neither would I... But the description does state: "All are in rough Shape. Sold as-is for Parts or Repair".  If only I lived closer to Tulsa, Oklahoma...  

-Andrew

[Golan Klinger]

That's the shelf your 4.3GB SCSI drive came from.

Too bad it's not recognized by my CMD.

I'm sorry to hear that and I wish you had told me this sooner. It worked just fine when I tested it before shipping. Please send it back so I can inspect it. Thanks.

[RobertB]

...I wish you had told me this sooner.

Uh, I told you many months ago on the #c64friends chat; it's probably recorded in a chat log.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Golan Klinger]

Do you still have my address?

[smf]

I'd still love to find a good source of 1581 drive mechs!  

-Andrew

how about an a500?
thats whats in mine, not used it much but it seems to work.

It's a chinon and it's my favourite floppy drive ever, the noise it makes takes me back to 89. The panasonic drives aren't the same at all.

although I'm now torn since the 68000 from my a500 has turned up ( yeah I don't understand why it wasn't inside it... ), it kinda needs the floppy drive back.