Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!rochester!cornell!vax5.cit.cornell.edu!inuy
From: inuy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Hardwareless hack?
Message-ID: <1990Nov23.012503.1150@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>
Date: 23 Nov 90 05:25:03 GMT
Distribution: comp
Lines: 16

Today I was looking through my hardware reference manual for my old Amiga A1000
and I got to looking at the external disk interface connector.  This looks like
a real easy place to build some neat add on's.  The first thing that came to
mind was a current track display with a pair of counters, but that requires
parts.  Not that that should stop one, but it does make it hard to 'play' on a
day when every electronics store in the USA is closed.  However after looking
over the port a bit more I think I have hit upon a just about hardwareless
useful hack! I have not attempted this yes as I need to get a pair of db23's
(BTW anybody know where I can get db23's in small quanities?)  Anyway, after
looking I noaticed that track 0 line (TK0*, pin 15) and the disk write protect
line (WPRO*, pin 14) are both open collector.  I would be willing to bet that
one could just unplug there external drive and plug in a db23 with pins 14 and
15 jumpered and that would make it very hard for a viri to write to track zero.
What do you think?  Can it really be this easy?

Matthew