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interfacing microcontroller to floppy drive

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froten

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Hi all,

Is it possible to interface the microcontroller to the floppy drive to store data, what chips need to be used, any tutorials and information will be very helpful.

thanx in advance for any help
 
Did you try google? Here is an IDE interface https://www.pjrc.com/tech/8051/ide/wesley.html

Try "pic floppy drive interface circuit" then try atmel in place of PIC. Also try "microcontroller floppy drive interface circuit schematic"

Funny though, I saw the heathkit robot station (Hero and computer) and a TRS-80 clone in there. Not safe to type floppy on google.
 
could be done but you must learn the IDE,ATA and all the plah plah around it... it will be a tedious job. Do a google search for that and you'll find the info.

If it was me, i would prefer the use of FlashCard or a simple interface PIC/PC by USB or COM port with an home made GUI. Of course bigger, but can be done within an hour.

@mramos1
Is it possible that we can't write at the same time ;)
Your link seems great!
 
There was a LOT on the PICList years ago, as I recall no one managed to interface a floppy drive to a PIC? - a major problem is the buffer space required.
 
Froten:

Tell us what you are tring to do? Data collection? Or just want to play with an old floppy drive with a microcontroller?

mr_E.. hehehe.. Ready POST
 
I'm trying just to make a Data collection using FDD, any other Data collection using any other media is welcome.
 
the following link contains a very simple, can this cercuit implemented using 2051 or 4051 or any other microcontroller?

**broken link removed**
 
The Flash Memory Card is still the easiest way. Use the PIC MSSP port and you're in business.

Once again a Google search will give you a few links.

a PIC can't really host any slave device like USB storage drive Nothing is impossible so far depending how many hours you want to spend on it.
 
Last edited:
Can you get am external PROM (i2c) to store the data?

How much data are you storing?

Floppy is 1.44 meg. Memory cards, a lot more capacity, very small, more money, but less time to make it.
 
Compact Flash is repeat IS an IDE device and it is quite straight forward to build an IDE interface for most micros and the IDE command set make them easy to use.
 
That's way cool. Anyone have manufacturer and part numbers for a pcb mount MMC/SD card socket? I think I'd like to experiment with this and try to convert the example C code to assembly language.

Thanks. Mike
 
Mike:

I thought it was cool too. I guess I need 3.3V regulators and the MMC sockets. But MMC is cheap now. My company bought 3 TREO 650 phones and they came with free 256K MMC cards.

Not 1.44meg but small in size, power and interface parts.
 
I believe later PICs should be able to do IDE because they have a lot more RAM for buffers.
Flash cards (SD, MMC, I assume XD cards) just use a SPI port and not a lot of buffering required so the MSSP works ok.

Digikey/Mouser carry like a hundred SD/MMC card sockets. Under $1.
 
You don't really need 3.3V regulators. I've used a 5V supply and voltage dividers of 1k and 1.5k resistors on the necessary lines. Never had a problem.

Mike
 
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