35 replies to this topic

[Philsan]

I would like to make a SIO2SD - SDrive comparison.

INSTALLATION: both are easy to install, you only have to put a loader/create a folder on the SD card; then you just copy all your .xex and .atr from your PC without compatibility problems.

PROGRAMS SELECTION: both offer on screen selection, SIO2SD let you select programs from the lcd display too (useful to swap disks on the fly).

ON SCREEN MENU: SIO2SD displays long filenames of all files and file selection is quicker (loader v2.5), SDrive displays long filenames of selected file only.




NUMBER OF DRIVES/DISKS SUPPORTED: SIO2SD 15 - SDrive 4 (f.e. Alternate Reality, The Dark Crystal, F.R.E.E., Gunslinger need more than 4 disks)

SPEED: according to this thread, SIO2SD seems faster but IMO more tests need to be done.

SD CARDs: SIO2SD up to 32GB - SDrive up to 2GB

LAST SOFTWARE UPDATE: SIO2SD 2012 - SDrive 2009

PRICE: SIO2SD parts are more expensive but SIO2SD devices strangely seem cheaper. EDIT: recently AtariAge user santosp started selling cheap SDrives (look my topic for newbies).

VARIOUS CASES:
SIO2SD


SDrive


CONCLUSIONS: SIO2SD and SDrive are both good devices. SIO2SD has the advantage of drives/disks supported (15 instead of 4, important for some games contained in more than 4 disk), disks selection on the fly and loader long files names display (all files, not selected ones only); obviously with this device you can select .xex/.atr on the fly with the LCD display too.


Please feel free to fill voids, add fields and correct me if I am wrong.
I will update this post accordingly.

[BillC]

Philsan, on Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:56 AM, said:

I would like to make a SIO2SD - SDrive comparison.

INSTALLATION: both are easy to install, you only have to put a loader/create a folder on the SD card; then you just copy all your .xex and .atr from your PC without compatibility problems.

PROGRAMS SELECTION: both offer on screen selection, SIO2SD let you select programs from the lcd display too (useful to swap disks on the fly).

ON SCREEN MENU: SIO2SD displays long filenames of all files, SDrive displays long filenames of selected file only.
SIO2SD3.jpg SDRIVE.jpg

SPEED:

NUMBER OF DRIVES SUPPORTED: SIO2SD 15 SDrive 4

PRICE: look my topic for newbies.

Please feel free to fill voids, add fields and correct me if I am wrong.

With the new V3 firmware the SIO2SD is also supposed to support larger SDHC, and possibly SDXC cards.

[mimo]

but are you really going to need more than 2GB?

[GlowingGhoul]

mimo, on Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:43 PM, said:

but are you really going to need more than 2GB?

With support for long filenames, SIO2SD looks better than SDrive. Am I missing something here about the SDrive? The comparison makes the SIO2SD look better in every way.

[Rybags]

There's also extensions to the supported SIO command set with SIO2SD for stuff like mount file, change directory, get directory entries etc.

That's something worth comparing too... since SDrive has to control everything from the computer, then obviously it also has some kind of command set.

[a8isa1]

Can't offer much new information or even an opinion since I only own SDrive.

I can offer some speed data.

SDrive with Hias Reichl's beta firmware ver. ???
Hias' HISIO driver ver. 1.20
Pokey Divisor=0
MyDOS 4.53



I use the high speed for daily use stuff and for game loading.

Edited by a8isa1, Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:14 PM.

[kurtm]

Rybags, on Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:00 PM, said:

There's also extensions to the supported SIO command set with SIO2SD for stuff like mount file, change directory, get directory entries etc.

That's something worth comparing too... since SDrive has to control everything from the computer, then obviously it also has some kind of command set.

SDrive also has SIO command set to do all that stuff. That's how the software on the Atari does its work. We should probably see about getting FJC an SDrive, so he can look at any deficiencies and say "I can fix that."

[Philsan]

Added various case designs in first post.

[kurtm]

Philsan, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 11:39 AM, said:

Added various case designs in first post.

Keep in mind the SDrives sell with the cases, your pictures of SIO2SD cases are all mods done by someone after purchase.

I suspect that is also why the SIO2SD is often a cheaper purchase, it comes without a case by default.

[Philsan]

If you read my topic for newbies you'll find that you can buy SIO2SDs cased and they are cheaper than SDrives (I checked change Euro-dollar and I found that one cased SDrive is slightly cheaper than the other 2 cased SIO2SDs, the other cased SDrive is more expensive).

I added the images of the two cased SIO2SD devices (I had to "steal" them from their websites with a capturing tool).

Edited by Philsan, Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:32 PM.

[sloopy]

kurtm, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 11:42 AM, said:

Philsan, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 11:39 AM, said:

Added various case designs in first post.

Keep in mind the SDrives sell with the cases, your pictures of SIO2SD cases are all mods done by someone after purchase.

I suspect that is also why the SIO2SD is often a cheaper purchase, it comes without a case by default.

the SIO2SD in the top left post are by lotharek, and he sells them cased like that on ebay
eBay Auction -- Item Number: 180675419161


sloopy.

[kurtm]

sloopy, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:11 PM, said:

the SIO2SD in the top left post are by lotharek, and he sells them cased like that on ebay
eBay Auction -- Item Number: 180675419161


sloopy.

And if you keep reading, you'll see Philsan added that image (and the one to the right of it) 20 minutes after I made my comment....

Edited by kurtm, Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:27 PM.

[BillC]

Philsan, on Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:56 AM, said:

78659127.jpg

I like this one based on the XC12, I also think a 1010 tape drive would make a nice housing to match the XL series, especially if it was possible to reverse the hinge on the tape compartment so that it could be opened with the display facing towards the front.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[CharlieChaplin]

hmm,

"NUMBER OF DRIVES SUPPORTED: SIO2SD 15 - SDrive 4..."

so I guess it could be difficult to play games that have more than 4 disksides on SDrive, e.g.

- Gunslinger (Datasoft, originally 3 disks, 5 disksides)
- A.R. The Dungeon (Datasoft, originally 3 disks, 5 disksides)
- F.R.E.E. (french author, full version has 5 disksides)
- Dunkle Macht des Unriagh 2 (german PD gfx adventure, 8 disksides)

to name just a few games. But since I don`t have an SDrive (yet) this is only a wild guess... (and maybe wong).

-Andreas Koch.

Edited by CharlieChaplin, Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:56 PM.

[remowilliams]

CharlieChaplin, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:53 PM, said:

hmm,

"NUMBER OF DRIVES SUPPORTED: SIO2SD 15 - SDrive 4..."

so I guess it could be difficult to play games that have more than 4 disksides on SDrive, e.g.

Well the big problem is the SDrive has no way to switch images in the mount slots on the fly. So yeah for stuff like The Dungeon you are sort of out of luck there.

[flashjazzcat]

kurtm, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:27 PM, said:

sloopy, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:11 PM, said:

the SIO2SD in the top left post are by lotharek, and he sells them cased like that on ebay
eBay Auction -- Item Number: 180675419161


sloopy.

And if you keep reading, you'll see Philsan added that image (and the one to the right of it) 20 minutes after I made my comment....

Pray you never need to take one apart.

[sloopy]

kurtm, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:27 PM, said:

sloopy, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:11 PM, said:

the SIO2SD in the top left post are by lotharek, and he sells them cased like that on ebay
eBay Auction -- Item Number: 180675419161


sloopy.

And if you keep reading, you'll see Philsan added that image (and the one to the right of it) 20 minutes after I made my comment....

i viewed the thread after he posted the new images, but before he made his post evidently...

no ill will was intended, just a clarification that was (eventually) not needed...

sloopy.

[Faicuai]

Philsan, on Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:56 AM, said:

VARIOUS CASES:
SIO2SD
Phil_'s_1064.jpg
SDrive
sdrive_nuxx_main.jpg

Please feel free to fill voids, add fields and correct me if I am wrong.
I will update this post accordingly.

I will take the Nuke Drive any time of the day, and, in its absence, the SIO2SD but in a 1064 case (but it is not widely available, though).
For any particular SW that needs good old-school work, that's what my IndusGT is meant for.

F.

[kurtm]

sloopy, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:52 PM, said:

kurtm, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:27 PM, said:

And if you keep reading, you'll see Philsan added that image (and the one to the right of it) 20 minutes after I made my comment....

i viewed the thread after he posted the new images, but before he made his post evidently...

no ill will was intended, just a clarification that was (eventually) not needed...

sloopy.

No worries, I just didn't want folks to think I had either ignored those images, or said they were after-market...

[sloopy]

kurtm, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:59 PM, said:

sloopy, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:52 PM, said:

kurtm, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:27 PM, said:

And if you keep reading, you'll see Philsan added that image (and the one to the right of it) 20 minutes after I made my comment....

i viewed the thread after he posted the new images, but before he made his post evidently...

no ill will was intended, just a clarification that was (eventually) not needed...

sloopy.

No worries, I just didn't want folks to think I had either ignored those images, or said they were after-market...

I think its all flashjazzcat's fault, he has to go make those cases that look all professional looking. And you cant tell if the XM301 and the 1064 were designed for the sio2sd, or if they were made by a user...

(you know I love ya jonny ;')

sloopy.

[flashjazzcat]

sloopy, on Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:45 PM, said:

I think its all flashjazzcat's fault, he has to go make those cases that look all professional looking. And you cant tell if the XM301 and the 1064 were designed for the sio2sd, or if they were made by a user...

I can still be persuaded.

I think the SDrive NUXX is one of the best-looking peripherals designed for the A8, period. It also looks damned sturdy and totally professional. This quality and strong aesthetic seems to be echoed by the other SDrive units in Phil's pictorial collection. Unfortunately I have never owned an SDrive so I can't really make any practical evaluation.

SIO2SD's don't seem to fare quite so well. The board has no mounting points and the buttons and screen are poorly positioned and not suited to being fitted inside a case. The only solution is to remotely mount the components, and this is best achieved by starting with a bare SIO2SD PCB and directly attaching only those parts required, and remotely mounting the rest with ribbon cable. The lack of mounting holes can only be overcome by careful drilling, judicious glueing, or (in some cases), liberal application of hot-glue. It's easy to spot an SIO2SD board which has been "hacked" into a case, because the directly mounted buttons, LEDs, and LCD header are still on the board (the remotely mounted switches, etc, mounted in parallel), suggesting that the board is keeping its options open with regard to housing.

My SIO2SD case conversions look good because they are carefully and painstakingly produced, and are usually built around a PCB which is initially unpopulated. The case is held shut with screws, so it's easy to access the AVR header should the unit need to be reflashed. The units are also built to order, so pass-through SIO ports, integral SIO2PC, and large LCDs are all optional. Relatively speaking, they are not cheap, although I fancy their value will appreciate over time. They are also time-consuming and difficult to produce. I estimate around a dozen of them have been produced over the past year.

[sloopy]

heh, yeah you dont want to see the (unfinished) hack job i did on my SIO2SD in a XM301 case...

it would be an insult to even put a C= product in it...

sloopy.

[AtariNerd]

Are there any technical reasons why an SDrive can't support more drive images? Heck, you wouldn't have to mod too much... not even the control scheme..just keep pushing those left/right buttons until you get to the next row. ((I'm teasing..I know it's a gargantuan task...)

Edited by AtariNerd, Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:01 PM.

[kurtm]

AtariNerd, on Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:48 PM, said:

Are there any technical reasons why an SDrive can't support more drive images? Heck, you wouldn't have to mod too much... not even the control scheme..just keep pushing those left/right buttons until you get to the next row. ((I'm teasing..I know it's a gargantuan task...)

Two stumbling blocks: 1) The design already uses all the outputs available on the microcontroller. 2) The memory on the microcontroller is packed full.

The latter could be overcome by swapping to the newer available chips (which might be what happens for the new run of SDrive NUXXes since the old are out of production) and then just rewriting the firmware.

The former? Less so.

That said, those indicators are more to indicate which of the four images is the current "D1:". If the firmware got rewritten, I suppose one could increase the number of assigned images, and just only swap in the first four based upon the buttons on the front.

[krupkaj]

wrong post, just wrote what kurtm said.

Edited by krupkaj, Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:24 PM.