Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!ULKYVX.BITNET!KRSEAR01
From: KRSEAR01@ULKYVX.BITNET (Kendall 'Opusii' Sears)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: CBM 1581 and etc on Amiga
Message-ID: <8903121350.AA00545@jade.berkeley.edu>
Date: 12 Mar 89 12:47:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: University of Louisville
Lines: 59


>> I have a Commodore 1581 disk drive. This is the 3.5" drive for the 64/128.
>
>> Since it is hooked up to a serial-type bus, it has alot of intelligence
>> that in not required from "normal" drives.
>
>>I wondered if it is at all possible to hack it up so that it can be used
>> as an external drive on my amiga 2500.
>
>> Thanks.......
>  If what you mean is that you want to use the 1581 as another floppy
>  for Amiga software, I would have to say not likely.
>  If you built your own interface (not too big of a job) and wrote your
>  your own driver for it (bigger job) you could possibly get to use it
>  as SOMETHING.  Just better that 800k and comparatively slow speed.
>  I doubt you could ever read Amiga disks, and possibly not even
>  C64 disks.  I expect that this would be a BIG project and not worth
>  the time and money spent.
>

There are two alternatives that I can think of.  One is use the new 64
Emulator 2 which includes a plug that allows CBM 1541/71/81 and compatibles
to be used with the Amiga, I dunno if comes with drivers as I haven't bought
the thing.

Another alternaive is to remove the drive from the case and use the drive it-
self.  The '81 uses the same drives as the Amiga so all it would take is a
small 2 chip circuit to hook up the bugger.
One good thing about this method is that you can still use the '81's power
supply and not the Amiga's.  Some bad points are:
   * you have to mutilate your drive.
   * you void your warranty
   * you take the change of trashing your drive if you dont know what you're
     doing.
I thought about doing these modifications a little while ago, but have
since started using my 128 and Vic-20 again.

If the 64 emulator has drivers (anyone out there know about this?) then
that would be the way to go.  Else you could hack away.

Any suggestions Commodore?

Ps
  I really wish that Commodore would have put just ONE CBM serial port
  on the Amiga.  That would have really sped up sales of the Amiga because
  more people like me who have mega 8 bit stuff could use the stuff on the
  Amiga.  But I'm getting along without the stuff on mine.
  BTW, is anyone thinking about a card to do this?

Sorry for rambling.
Opusii.


   Kendall "Opusii" Sears
   KRSEAR01@ULKYVX.bitnet
   ...!psuvax!ulkyvx.bitnet!KRSEAR01  (UUCP)
   Opusii                             (GEnie)
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"VIC's LIVE... Really. I just used one..."