Status on the ZoomTape ?

[Carsten Jensen]

This is probably directed at Mr. Arnd.

I've built a box, missing the 2 end sides. I'm waiting to close the box until
I get hands on the hardware of the ZoomTape.

So are there any news on the adapter?


It's not perfect but box can be seen here:
http://i.imgur.com/JfUub9K.png

Made of acrylic plexiglass.
it tends to melt when cutting/drilling using my dremmel tool

[Jim Brain]

On 8/12/2013 8:50 AM, Carsten Jensen wrote:

This is probably directed at Mr. Arnd.

I've built a box, missing the 2 end sides. I'm waiting to close the box until
I get hands on the hardware of the ZoomTape.

So are there any news on the adapter?

I have a daughtercard designed, but here is the main issue:

• When installed, there is no way to use the disk drive portion, and even if I add a switch to allow disk drive operation, there is no way to do so safely with drives and cassettes both connected at the same time.  (B1 on the IEEE/parallel bus is used for the tape motor, so if the user leaves the tape drive connected (and maybe on record or play), there could be issues.

Thus, I am designing a standalone version, since the cost only differs by $5.00 or so...

I also need to verify that two ZF units can exist connected to a single PC.

Jim

[Nate Lawson]

> Thus, I am designing a standalone version, since the cost only differs by $5.00 or so…

Will the standalone version have extra hardware beyond the current ZoomTape design to isolate it?

> I also need to verify that two ZF units can exist connected to a single PC.

Yes, although the user has to manually specify which one they want to talk to (the -@ flag to most opencbm programs, I think).

-Nate

[Jim Brain]

On 8/12/2013 3:04 PM, Nate Lawson wrote:

On Aug 12, 2013, at 12:54 PM, Jim Brain wrote:

On 8/12/2013 8:50 AM, Carsten Jensen wrote:

This is probably directed at Mr. Arnd.

I've built a box, missing the 2 end sides. I'm waiting to close the box until
I get hands on the hardware of the ZoomTape.

So are there any news on the adapter?

I have a daughtercard designed, but here is the main issue:
	� When installed, there is no way to use the disk drive portion, and even if I add a switch to allow disk drive operation, there is no way to do so safely with drives and cassettes both connected at the same time.  (B1 on the IEEE/parallel bus is used for the tape motor, so if the user leaves the tape drive connected (and maybe on record or play), there could be issues.
Thus, I am designing a standalone version, since the cost only differs by $5.00 or so�

Will the standalone version have extra hardware beyond the current ZoomTape design to isolate it?

The standalone design would just have the uC, USB, and the tape connectors (and MOTOR control circuitry, no IEC/IEEE/parallel functionality).

I also need to verify that two ZF units can exist connected to a single PC.

Yes, although the user has to manually specify which one they want to talk to (the -@ flag to most opencbm programs, I think).

Well, I'm happy to investigate another option, but the current IEC/IEEE functionality seems to take all of the IO pins, so isolating would require:

• A new ZF mainboard design that support IO "expansion" (expanding one of the IO ports to add 6 new IO lines)
• a new ZF mainboard design that uses a uC with more IO pins.
  
• Or this ZoomTape standalone option.

I had one final idea, a switch on the daughtercard that both shorted the two "sense" lines to denote ZoomTape operation and also broke the line that triggers the MOTOR circuitry.� But, the user would need to manually flip the switch when wanting to use tape versus disk.

[Carsten Jensen]

Basically the ZoomFloppy in it's current design won't be a good idea to attach the Tape extender,
as a user might be unaware or have forgotten about issues for connecting both tape and drives?

(in other words, I can close my box?)

the standalone device is interesting.
I'd love to hear more.

[me...@gmx-topmail.de]

Hallo Carsten.

Thank you for your interest in ZoomTape.

> Basically the ZoomFloppy in it's current design won't be a good idea
> to attach the Tape extender, as a user might be unaware or have
> forgotten about issues for connecting both tape and drives?

You are right, this may happen with the current design, although disk operations will be blocked when a tape drive is detected at ZoomFloppy startup.

> (in other words, I can close my box?)

This sounds like you cannot reopen it again?
We are currently discussing the design, no decision is made yet.

Regards,
Arnd

[Carsten Jensen]

yeah. the unfortunately the box is un-openable again after closing it.
It's acrylic, and "glued/melted" together with acetone.
it's a good box to protect the ZoomFloppy, but bad in design if I ever need
to access the internal ports.
I don't know how visible it is to see from the link in the first post.

For that I could buy an other one, or just get the stand alone ZoomTape :-)


 

Regards,
Arnd

but thanks alot for all the info. I'm looking forward to see/hear some more
(and do some tests/reviews for http://awesome.commodore.me)

cheers
Carsten / Tomse

[Jim Brain]

On 8/13/2013 11:12 AM, Carsten Jensen wrote:
>
>
> Den tirsdag den 13. august 2013 17.48.29 UTC+2 skrev Menge:
> yeah. the unfortunately the box is un-openable again after closing it.
> It's acrylic, and "glued/melted" together with acetone.

Any chance some countersink screws could be used, or an acrylic dowel
that fits in a hole in the case?

I would strongly discourage such a design, even if we never make a
daughtercard, in that we've had bad things happen to ZF units (a few
blown 7406 ICs, and a few have mysteriously lost their firmware and need
access to the connectors to reset and reflash.

I mean, I created a good design, but it's a consumer device, and I would
treat it as such.

Jim

[Carsten Jensen]

I know, but I'd prefer to properly protect it than having the PCB lying around accidently short-circuitting.
if I need to reset / reinstall a firmware I'll probably either cut it open again, or buy a new ZF. Chances of a physically broken
or shortet pcb are higher than a lost firmware :-)

[geneb]

On Tue, 13 Aug 2013, Carsten Jensen wrote:

>
> I know, but I'd prefer to properly protect it than having the PCB lying
> around accidently short-circuitting.
> if I need to reset / reinstall a firmware I'll probably either cut it open
> again, or buy a new ZF. Chances of a physically broken
> or shortet pcb are higher than a lost firmware :-)

For my ZoomFloppy, I made a base out of 1/4" acrylic and mounted the ZF to
it with 1/4" M-F #4-40 stand-offs and then added a 1/8" acrylic "lid" with
the addition of four 1" #4-40 MF stand-offs. I added four glue on feet to
the bottom and it works great. Protects the board and allows easy access
to all the connectors.

g.


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[Pontus Berg]

Still, the internal micro one will mean no need for a box altogether ... When it becomes available ,)

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[Payton Byrd]

Pics or it didn't happen.  ;)

[Fredric QJ Blåholtz]

 Soo... what's happening with ZoomTape?

Is there no way to do this so you can only have one device connected at the time - physically impossible to have both your standard serial cable and a datassette connector, what if the datassette connector was placed straight over the DIN connector? From what I can read here that's the concern, using both devices at the same time. 

It's been about five years since I first heard about Zoomtape, would be really nice to try it out, the site isn't working anymore: http://zoomtape.de.vu/   :-(  *grät grät*

[me...@gmx-topmail.de]

Hello Fredric.
 

> Soo... what's happening with ZoomTape?
>
> Is there no way to do this so you can only have one device connected
> at the time - physically impossible to have both your standard serial
> cable and a datassette connector, what if the datassette connector was
> placed straight over the DIN connector? From what I can read here that's
> the concern, using both devices at the same time.

ZoomTape is like ZoomFloppy, you connect it via USB to your PC. ZoomTape has an edge and a DIN connector for attaching tape drives, but only one tape drive is allowed at the same time. The final ZoomTape board is still under development at RETRO Innovations. The OpenCBM tape software works with the prototype here, but it will require a few changes to work with the final device. Our time is still limited unfortunately.

> It's been about five years since I first heard about Zoomtape,
> would be really nice to try it out, the site isn't working
> anymore: http://zoomtape.de.vu/   :-(  *grät grät*

de.vu seems to be offline at the moment, sorry.

 

Best regards

Arnd

 

Gesendet: Sonntag, 28. August 2016 um 16:46 Uhr
Von: "Fredric QJ Blåholtz" <e5f...@gmail.com>
An: "ZoomFloppy Users" <zoomflop...@googlegroups.com>
Betreff: Re: Status on the ZoomTape ?

 Soo... what's happening with ZoomTape?

Is there no way to do this so you can only have one device connected at the time - physically impossible to have both your standard serial cable and a datassette connector, what if the datassette connector was placed straight over the DIN connector? From what I can read here that's the concern, using both devices at the same time. 

It's been about five years since I first heard about Zoomtape, would be really nice to try it out, the site isn't working anymore: http://zoomtape.de.vu/   :-(  *grät grät*

 

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[Fredric QJ Blåholtz]

OK, so there's no use in already having a Zoomfloppy, Zoomtape will
only be made as a unit of its own?


https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ML5TZDGY2BQRL
* Fairchild Channel F collector extraordinaire *
http://channelf.se - The Gallery of Channel F

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[me...@gmx-topmail.de]

> OK, so there's no use in already having a Zoomfloppy

 

It's always good to have a Zoomfloppy. ;-)

 

> Zoomtape will only be made as a unit of its own?

 

Yes, that's the plan.

 

 

Gesendet: Sonntag, 28. August 2016 um 20:30 Uhr

Von: "Fredric QJ Blåholtz" <e5f...@gmail.com>

An: zoomflop...@googlegroups.com

[Fredric QJ Blåholtz]

;-)
Yes I like it, but you know what I meant... ;-)

An adapter plug on the edge connector would have been nice. Don't
recall the details but the problem was having both disk and tape
physically hooked up at the same time? So the imaginary Zoomtape
adapter that will never see the light of day could have a plug for the
serial connector that had to be plugged in for it to work... But I
guess it's easier selling another device.

Nice work, would have been fun to try it, I assume there's no beta
version to download and try out?

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ML5TZDGY2BQRL
* Fairchild Channel F collector extraordinaire *
http://channelf.se - The Gallery of Channel F

[blondm...@gmail.com]

I will order it a soon as I find it available, and I am really, really looking forward to using that device!!!

Thanks for all commitment and creativity involved!

[me...@gmx-topmail.de]

Yes, my prototype here is an adapter plugged into ZoomFloppy and only a single drive (tape or disk) may be attached. The final ZoomTape design is standalone and does not need a ZoomFloppy. It has edge and DIN connectors for tape drives.

 

Best regards

Arnd

 

Gesendet: Dienstag, 30. August 2016 um 09:43 Uhr

[Nate Lawson]

Hi Arnd,

Thanks again for all your work on this. Perhaps we can encourage Jim to finish this and the mythical Micro ZoomFloppy?

:-)

-Nate

[nhoijtink]

It seems someone has taken up the challenge, i found the following on the internet regarding a new TapeXUM device:

TapeXUM | rime.ddns.net  

TapeXUM - Capture and write Commodore tapes via USB device - Share Project - PCBWay 

r1me/TapeXUM: Capture and write Commodore tapes via USB device (github.com)

 
I didn't order or test it, so it's info only for those interested.

Op zondag 11 september 2016 om 01:18:06 UTC+2 schreef Nate Lawson: