XL/XE and IDE Hard Drive connection

[calfranklin]

I have several older 40 and 170 meg internal IDE harddrives. What's the easier method for connectiong these to my XL/XE computers?

[classics]

I have several older 40 and 170 meg internal IDE harddrives.  What's the easier method for connectiong these to my XL/XE computers?

1009172[/snapback]

 

You can try a MyIDE interface, which works via the cartridge port for XL/XE computers.

 

http://www.atarimax.com/myide/

 

There is also a interface from Poland called KMK which interfaces by the PBI port.

 

http://8bit.yarek.pl/interface/atari.kmk/

 

Steve

[drac030]

There is also a interface from Poland called KMK which interfaces by the PBI port.

 

http://8bit.yarek.pl/interface/atari.kmk/

 

The official software and documentation support page for this is: http://drac030.krap.pl/en-pliki.php. Since I saw questions about availability on that "8bit.yarek.pl" page, here's some info if anyone is interested:

 

* there are two producers/resellers:

 

1) j u r e k ad r e m b e r t o w . n e t

 

2) p i g u l a _ s h p o o n ad i n t e r i a . p l

 

where ad stands for the @ sign. The first one offers the original design, connectable through CART/ECI, XE only. The second one offers a modernized version of the interface, called IDEa. It is available for both XL and XE models. Both use the same software.

 

I am not informed about the actual pricing, but it is around 150-200 PLN (= 40-50 EUR or 50-65 USD).

 

And some additional photos (IDEa, without the chassis, plus CART/ECI connector): http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/IDEa/Pasiu

Edited January 30, 2006 by drac030

[pirx]

There is one more interface called SIO2IDE, it is a "do-it-yourself" project with all materials available at this address:

 

http://atariarea.histeria.pl/sio2ide/

 

I had SIO2IDE solution and it seems to be the easiest to build, 100% royalty free, the most compatible and the slowest (UltraSpeed is the max.). The best feature in the latest version is USB connection that makes SIO2PC not necessary (Atari files on FAT32 partition are visible under WindowsXP as external mass storage device). Very handy for my notebook withouth RS232 port. It can assign .ATR files on FAT32 partition to A800 disk drives directly. Neat.

 

ready 2 go piece can be bought here (at a very low price):

http://allegro.pl/show_item.php?item=83352102

from

p i g u l a _ s h p o o n ad i n t e r i a . p l

(the same person who produces IDEa)

 

I just loved this interface for its simplicity - you just plug or solder it to SIO connector and voila.

 

--------------------

 

KMK (e.g. IDEa) is the most advanced and clean solution, very well supported and also very fast via parallel interface. Do not think twice, go and buy this one. It is a Black Box for IDE at a fraction of the price.

 

--------------------

 

MyIDE is the least clean option available today - it requires modified system ROM, can not read hard drive's attributes, does not work with SpartaDosX. The whole idea of A800 system expandability is seriously abused in this solution. It does work, though and is easily available.

 

--------------------

 

These were my private opinions only.

Edited January 30, 2006 by pirx

[Shawn Jefferson]

These were my private opinions only.

1009515[/snapback]

 

Can't say I really disagree with what you have said, as far as it goes, although the MyIDE+flash cartridge by Mr.Atari and Atarmax is pretty "plug and play".

 

I know that the SIO2IDE has the ability to copy ATR images to the hard drive and boot them, but does the KMK interface? (I mean more than 16, along the lines of hundreds...) From what little I read of it, I got the impression that it did not offer this type of function.

 

SpartaDOS X compatibility is pretty nice though and something I miss with MyIDE.

[Sikor]

In SIO2IDE You can connect one IDE device on one interfeace (4exam. 1 HD or 1 CD), fully compatible to run progs like normally Disk Drive on Atari, up to 9 active partition, no knowing limits of ATRs images (inactive partition), up to 16MB each (Atari DOS limits).

In KMK interfeace you can connect up to two devices (master and slave - as in PCs) in one cable (for example CD and HD), but this is not fully compatible with all programs (new device). No knowing limits of inactive partition, it is the fastest interfeace for using HD, have CD Player programs, TRS Desktop will be dedicate to this interfeace (but will be working fine with other too), read probably all CDs write up to 450MB in one sesion mode.

MyIDE - I never use/see it personally in working mode, so - I can't write my private opinion.

Edited January 31, 2006 by Sikor

[drac030]

In KMK interfeace you can connect up to two devices (master and slave - as in PCs) in one cable (for example CD and HD), but this is not fully compatible with all programs (new device).

 

The compatibility issue you mention has nothing to do with the so called "new device" mechanism used. This applies to programs containing own serial routines. No harddisk will cope with this, except SIO2IDE (which is connected through the serial port). These are mainly some demos, BTW.

 

The KMK/JZ interface itself and its firmware (the so called IDE BIOS) does not provide any special treatment for ATR images, it uses real partitions instead. If you have disk images in DCM format, you can unpack one with Disk Communicator onto a small partition and boot from that.

Edited January 31, 2006 by drac030

[calfranklin]

In KMK interfeace you can connect up to two devices (master and slave - as in PCs) in one cable (for example CD and HD), but this is not fully compatible with all programs (new device).

 

The compatibility issue you mention has nothing to do with the so called "new device" mechanism used. This applies to programs containing own serial routines. No harddisk will cope with this, except SIO2IDE (which is connected through the serial port). These are mainly some demos, BTW.

 

The KMK/JZ interface itself and its firmware (the so called IDE BIOS) does not provide any special treatment for ATR images, it uses real partitions instead. If you have disk images in DCM format, you can unpack one with Disk Communicator onto a small partition and boot from that.

1010057[/snapback]

 

I just want all you people know that I truly appreciate the input concerning my original topic (connecting HD to XL/XE). Right now, I'm hoping to have my ST Xformer cable modified to work with PCXformer software so I can read/write 8-bit disks on the PC. Has anyone ever tried to connect the ST ICD/IDE hard disk to the 8-bit? I'll have to pop the case and see if the drives are interchangeable. I just hope I don't fry one of my 800XL's in the process. Thanks, Cal

[drac030]

Has anyone ever tried to connect the ST ICD/IDE hard disk to the 8-bit?

 

I don't think so. The problem with connecting the disk is not the drive itself, but the interface between the computer and the disk. In ST it is completely different than in XL/XE. So basically it is easier to get an IDE or SCSI drive and build the XL/XE interface from scratch than to try to use the existing ACSI controller from an ST drive.

 

Not to mention that ST harddisk units are rather rare.

[Zap!]

It is possible for someone to release a Satandisk of some sort for the Atari 8-bit? That would be great.

[Marius]

It is possible for someone to release a Satandisk of some sort for the Atari 8-bit? That would be great.

 

But what would that bring to atari 8bit what we don't have already?

 

There a few very cool solutions today. Fast solutions: IDE+ 2.0, MyIDE ][, SIDE 2 and then there is the very cool Sio2SD (Lotharek and others) and Sio2USB (ABBUC-RAF) and a few more obsolete solutions.

[kogden]

If you really want hi-speed SD, get an IDEPlus and an 2.5" IDE->SD adapter. I use a dual-CF adapter on mine with a 128MB CF and a Seagate ST1 4GB MicroDrive (spinning disk in CF form factor). Works pretty well. More space than that is pretty useless on the 8bit anyway until someone makes a PBI MP3 decoder or writes the slowest PDF viewer in the world.

[flashjazzcat]

Or someone makes a DMA controller so we can play 256 colour 50FPS movies from a file system...

[Kyle22]

 

MyIDE is the least clean option available today - it requires modified system ROM, can not read hard drive's attributes, does not work with SpartaDosX. The whole idea of A800 system expandability is seriously abused in this solution. It does work, though and is easily available.

 

 

MyIDE *does* work with SpartaDOS-X. You must configure SDX correctly, and you can't boot images. I wrote the original driver and FJC perfected it (Thanks Jon).

Using it with SDX does not require changing system ROM or any modifications. Just plug the MyIDE+SDX cart in. Use FDISK and FORMAT to set it up.

 

Agreed it's not the best solution for gaming, but if you use productivity applications under SDX, then it is a cheap easy solution.

[flashjazzcat]

Necro-quote. None of those things existed in 2006, and SDX didn't work with MyIDE back then for various reasons (PERCOM, new device vector, etc), and a custom ROM or soft-loaded OS were indeed the only options (the third now being the SDX driver).

[Kyle22]

Oops, I didn't notice the date on that post.... Sorry about that

[+Larry]

I have several older 40 and 170 meg internal IDE harddrives. What's the easier method for connectiong these to my XL/XE computers?

 

OK, but out of curiosity, why would you want to use those bulky older drives instead of an inexpensive CF card. Those desktop drives require an 5/12 volt power supply, instead of being internally powered from the Atari (CF).

 

All of these interfaces mentioned have certain unique features, but anything that says "SIO" in it is going to be relatively slow. (And I understand that is not an issue with some folks.)

 

-Larry