Date   : Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:43:41 -0000
From   : "Mike" <profpep@...>
Subject: Re: Making a 3.5" Beeb floppy drive

The default PC setting is for the drives to be set at the second drive
select position (to make life interesting, some drives start at DS0 and some
at DS1). The PC uses a twisted cable, so the drive settings don't need to be
changed, for A or B - it's cable select for floppies.

Older 3.5" drives will have  some links or a tiny slide swiitch to allow the
settings to be changed. I got a batch of Panasonic 720K drives, at a rally,
a while ago, and these work very well.

IMHO the TEAC FD series 3.5" drives were always the best, though harder to
get.

By the way. I've just found a box full of 5.25" drives, mainly Cumana's.
I've got singles and a few doubles, if anyone needs one, please mail me.
They're a mixed bunch of 40/80 track, both single and double sided.

||\./||ike




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Gaines" <jeff@...>
To: <bbc-micro@...>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 5:24 PM
Subject: Re: [BBC-Micro] Making a 3.5" Beeb floppy drive


> Hello Group,
>
> On Monday, January 30, 2006, 11:38:43 AM, Littlefield wrote:
>
> > Hello everyone,
>
> > This has probably been done to death but has anybody had any success in
> > getting a generic 3.5" PC drive to work with a Beeb?
>
> Yes and yes :-)
>
> > If so, did you use the standard internal PC type drive, and how did you
> > power it? Is it possible to get the beeb to power it in the same manner
as
> > the 5 1/4" types?
>
> I got a bog standard  Sony from PC World and powered it from the Beeb.
>
> The big but, though, is that it responds as drive 1 - although some
> details were posted about switching it to drive 0 that require a
> soldering iron and steady hand!
>
> Some older drives have a switch/jumper which makes life a lot easier.
> There was also a lot of discussion about whether the cable needs the
> twist taken out of it, in my case I had to remove the twist to make it
> work, others reported a different experience :-)
>
>
> -- 
> Regards
> Jeff Gaines
> Damerham Hampshire UK
>
>
>
>