Virtual A2 floppy drive

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Last seen: 18 years 8 months ago
Joined: Feb 18 2004 - 02:09
Posts: 10
Virtual A2 floppy drive

Check this out(questions should be directed to the person making these the info is on the website listed below):
Would anyone in this group be interested in helping with an Apple ][
(+ & e) floppy drive emulator?

As I collect the old machines, I like to run the original software on
them but was forever trying to find diskettes or setting up some
transfer mechanism. I got tired of it all and created the
"Semi-Virtual Diskette" (SVD).

This device has an RS232 port on one side and a vintage-machine floppy
connector on the other. The idea is that you download a floppy image
to the SVD (from your PC) and then boot the machine...which thinks
it's connected to a real floppy device. The SVD supports the REAL
old formats...you know, those that use floppies that have less than
200k of capacity.

You can read more about it at www.rothfus.com/SVD.

I originally created it for the TRS-80 line, and have since expanded
to include the Heathkit H8/H89.

Now I'm looking to tackle the Apple ][, but wanted to make sure that
anyone cared. If you think it would be useful, please let me know.
More importantly, if you could Beta-test the device when it is ready
for the Apple][, that would be great.

Also, the "driver" software is PC-based, so I could really use help
with a Mac version. Note that the GUI is written in TCL/TK, but there
are 2 programs written in C. Feel free to download the software off
of the web-site so you can see what it is like.

Eric

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Last seen: 1 month 2 weeks ago
Joined: Dec 20 2003 - 10:38
Posts: 249
problem with the link

There's a period at the end of the link causing it to not go through.

http://www.rothfus.com/SVD/index.html

Cheers,

Vince
http://www.applefritter.com/apple1/members/replica1/index.htm

Tom Owad's picture
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Last seen: 11 hours 43 min ago
Joined: Dec 16 2003 - 15:14
Posts: 3384
Great project!

Hi Eric,

I think it sounds like a fantastic project. I can help beta test on the Mac, and maybe even PC.

woogie's picture
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Last seen: 7 years 10 months ago
Joined: Dec 20 2003 - 10:38
Posts: 267
"Virtual Disk" for Apple II

Any more development on this? Haven't
heard anything. Am VERY interested. This
would be an extremely useful tool for
all older Apple users.

Pease's picture
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Last seen: 18 years 3 months ago
Joined: Feb 10 2004 - 21:41
Posts: 30
Connecting PC to Apple ][

Couldn't you just do this with a null-modem? The device you say you are building seems a lot like one of those. Just curious. Thanks.

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