Inleiding Amiga IDE FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Over time, The IDE interface has gone through quite a number of revisions, but the questions about the IDE interface have generally remained the same.
I'm going to try to cover some of those frequently asked questions in this Amiga IDE FAQ.
But first a small introduction to the IDE / ATA Interface:
I started developing this interface with a specific target group in mind:
The (Re) Introducer in the world of the Commodore Amiga.
Why specifically this target group? , simply because there are already a number of (professional) solutions that offer the possibility of storage on a hard disk or multimedia card to the more advanced Amiga user.
Think of hard disk products such as Commodore ( A590 ), GVP ( HD + 8 ), or the ACA 500 Plus .
The disadvantage of all these solutions is the accompanying price tag.
The first 2 have become collectors' items, based on (poorly available and therefore expensive SCSI disks), while the latter is a great solution if you want to spend your money on a total package of Compact-Flash based storage.
As a (re) entrant, it is nice if you can get acquainted with the phenomenon of mass storage with a small investment before you have to pull out your wallet for a hefty loss (100-250 euros).
Finally, I wanted a solution that would fit internally in my Amiga 500 without a cable salad.
With the latest revision of my internal interface for the Amiga 500, this wish has become a reality.
No cables whatsoever, you simply place the interface between the CPU and the motherboard and you're done.
Amiga IDE FAQ :
Will this interface fit my Amiga 500 / 500+ ?
If you already have an internal extension somewhere around the 68000 CPU, that can cause problems.
For the Horizontal Direct Mount CF-2-IDE adapter, a kickstart switch may be an obstacle.
Will this interface fit my Amiga 2000 ?
The same interface also offers the possibility to use a Compact Flash Card externally via an IDE cable with a slot CF adapter
I read about a Zorro II interface for the Amiga 2000 ?
For now, this is only a 1st concept version, a later version will actually be option.
I already have a 68000 based extension, does this work together ?
Does this interface work with Kickstart version X.XX ?
at least Kickstart 2.05 if you want to use a CD-ROM drive.
I dare not say whether the IDE driver works with Workbench 3.X, the interface has been tested with the combination Kickstart 3.1 / workbench 1.3 and that works without problems.
Can I place files on the Compact Flash card myself ?
That is to say via floppies, the Compact Flash is set up as a 'real' Amiga Harddisk, which means as much as set up with the Amiga Fast File System (FFS), which is not readable on the PC.
Can I also read / write the Compact Flash card on the PC ?
Yes: If you are more familiar with the matter then you can mount the CF in WinUAE as a hard disk, create a 2nd hard disk based on a directory on your PC, so you can copy files from the PC directory based hard disk to the CF based hard disk.
That is the way I use to further develop the CF which is optionally available from the IDE Controllers.
Can I install a larger Compact Flash card ?
You must specify the drive parameters (cylinders, sectors per track, sectors per cylinder if you want to install the map.
If you have been able to partition the map then you will need to mount the partitions with the correct partition information (filesystem, partition type, start and end sector) )
I specially built this setup so that people do not hassle with all these configuration options, as I set the liver is directly plug and play.
Can I install a hard disk instead of the Compact Flash ?
Furthermore, you will have to provide an external power supply for your hard disk, the 68000 version of the IDE Interface in combination with the standard Amiga 500 power supply is not suitable for supplying hard disks with the required voltage.
Can I install a CD-ROM drive ?
The only drivers I have been able to find work from Kickstart 2.05, and although there is a driver set that should work from kick1.2, I have not been able to get it running.
Mind you, with the 44 pin interface it does get a bit more complicated to connect a CD-ROM, if this is your goal you should consider purchasing a classic 40 pin IDE interface.
Does the IDE interface work with Master / Slave combinations ?
Of course this means that you must have a device that is supported by the IDE / ATAPI driver you are using.
Does the IDE interface also work with SD Cards ?
So it will depend enormously on how good the IDE implementation of an SD-2-IDE adapter is whether it will work on the IDE Interface.
How much memory does the IDE Interface take up ?
What I actually mean by that, if you load a game from floppy / ADF then no memory is taken up by the hard disk and you have your full memory at your disposal.
If you load the hard disk driver with the special boot floppy and mount the device, it will take up about 100 KB of memory.
Does the IDE interface also work with extension X ?
What doesn't work: KCS PowerPC Boards, Trapdoor Memory extensions over 512 KB.
I prefer not to open my Amiga 500, is there also an external version ?
More info to come, work in progress
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With this interface I was able to successfully connect a CDRom to my Amiga 1000.
(Compared to an A500, to connect the interface to the A1000 side expansion slot you have to rotate the interface 180 degrees on the vertical axis, basically the side that faces back in the A500 faces to the front on the A1000. DON’T insert it upside down, you run the risk to damage the Amiga!!).
My system: Amiga 1000 with PiStorm, AmigaOS 3.2.3, CDRom LG GCE-8526B
Very satisfied, thanks a lot Ed!
Ah so it is not really a rotated vertically , just horizontally, that is nice to know.
I already had one working HD for the Amiga, so I review only the adapter.
Ed warned me, and he was very kind, about preparing a disk by myself, as it's not an easy task.
Anyway I plugged the interface and worked out-of-the-box for me.
Got the external IDE + CF today. Clear instructions were included, and setup was a breeze.
It works perfectly. Also appreciated the CF being stacked with software. Thanks!
First: I'm using it in combination with a PiStorm with Emu68 and OS 3.2.2.1. Some problems I have might be due to the PiStorm.
I'm using it mainly to have a CD-ROM drive and to have a possibility to exchange data with my PC (besides network shares).
The quality of the device is very good, the printed case and the pcb.
Communication and support was very good. Thanks 🙂
I have currently connected a DeLock (91624) CF-Card Reader (as Master) and a Toshiba Samsung SH-S182 DVD-Writer (as Slave).
Whats working: using a CF card with 128 MB (2GB seems to work, 4/8 GB failed for me). I've partitioned one with one partition and FFS and one on my PC with FAT32. Created three mountfiles (DVD / CF(with ffs)/ CF(with FAT95)).
Each one works for itself.
What does currently not work: mounting the CD-Drive AND the CF simultaneously (regardless of FFS / FAT95). It will destroy filesystem on CF-Card. Read errors. Meanwhile reading from CD works without problems. This might be due my PiStorm-Setup or the used CF-Reader.
I'm not intending to boot from CF, so thats not tested. (However, the delivered setup worked for me, also with booting.)
Easy to install, top quality add-on, works flawlessly. The 3D printed housing is superb also. Excellent communications throughout the ordering process and after delivery. 5 stars.
