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Omron's user-friendly, fully-integrated software solutions are designed for easy set up and manageability of the most complex automated applications.
Gotek+D=Virtual Spectrum Floppy Disk. Posted on November 3, 2017 by admin. In the not too distant past, I was made aware of the Gotek Floppy Drive Emulator. This device, very cleverly, stands in as a real hardware floppy drive. I’ve been using a 3.5in floppy drive with my Datel +D Interface for a while but I have found that floppy disks can. DR ZX Diagnostic Tool Palm TE2 Version V3.10 Latest Version Software. Part Name: DR ZX Diagnostic Tool. Applied: Hitachi Excavators. Product brand: SINOCMP. Category: Diagnostic tool. Note: All diagnostic tools are one year warranty with good quality. JamHamster’s unit is a specialized version of a TZXDuino, which is an open source Arduino device designed for storing and playing ZX Spectrum tape files. The typical TZXDuino is a bit bulky, but JamHamster’s version fits entirely inside of a cassette tape’s plastic shell. That includes the tape heads, so this can be inserted into a tape. The ZX Spectrum +3, released in 1987, looked similar to the +2A but featured a built-in 3-inch floppy disk drive (like the Amstrad CPC 6128) instead of the tape drive, and was in a black case. It was launched in 1987, initially retailed for £249 41 and then later £199 42 and was the only Spectrum capable of running the CP/M operating.
Workbench + 3e is a graphical user interface for ZX Spectrum designed for easy access to your programs stored on a hard disk.You can organize the installed software in a logical and orderly manner and load it from the simple and intuitive environment.
The +3e ROMS provide powerful commands for using IDE drives however because of thedesign limitations inherent it leads to an absence of subdirectories and the short filename can make the process of storing and executing software both complexand arduous.
With Workbench +3e just have to boot your computer and select the LOADER option and you will have a graphical environment that lets you access your programs clearlyand easily where you can then load them with a few simple clicks of the mouse. You can also use Workbench +3e to browse through the contents of your hard drives.
Workbench +3e also Includes utilities for copying files and managing hard disk backups plus you can also use it when restoring your backups at a later date.
Workbench +3e automatically detects whether it is running on a ZX-UNO and will take advantage of the CPU’s turbo modes and increase the execution speed of the environment without affecting its compatibility with games and programs.
- ZX Spectrum +2a/+3 or ZX-UNO.
- +3e Project ROMS.
- Storage interface supported by +3e ROMS (Divide, DivMMC, ZX-MMC.....).
- Kempston Mouse or Sinclair Joystick interface.
Workbench +3e can be controlled by mouse or joystick.
- Mouse: Compatible with interfaces that meets Kempston Mouse protocol.
- Joystick: Compatible with Sinclair joystick interface. Connect the joystick in port
CURRENT VERSION
- v.2.2:
Dr Zx Software Downloads
- v.2.1:
- Modern folder increases its capacity and now works in the same way as the Classics folder, with subfolders to organize the entries in alphabetical order.
Revised all graphical icons to enhance their appearance.
- v.2.0a:
- v.1.1:
Same features of the previous version except the UNITS window that lacks functionality.
Presented at Retromadrid 2018.
- v.1.0:
DESCARGAS
- Workbench +3e v.2.2 -->HDF image (with preinstalled software):
- Workbench +3e v.2.2 -->HDF image (without preinstalled software, system only):
- Installation Floppy Disks: [DSK]
- Workbench +3e v.2.1 to v.2.2 Update --> Update your computer without losing your installed software:[RAR]
- User Manual:[Manual]
- Roms +3e v.1.43
- Original +3e Roms: Available for all IDE interfaces.
- Modified +3e Roms for .TAP file loading: Available for ZX MMC, DIV MMC and 8 Bits interfaces.
- +3e Roms for ZX-UNO:.TAP files to load +3e ROMS (ariginal or modified) on ZX UNO.
INSTALLATION
- HDF image with preinstalled software: HDF images provided are configured to run directly in Spanish, with control by mouse and a single IDE unit installed. To modify the initial configuration, restart your computer and load 'SETUP' program that you will find in the 'sistema' partition of the hard disk. The configuration program will give you the option to select the default control type of the program, define the number of IDE units connected to the system and select the default language of the entire application. This version contains a good amount of installed software.
- HDF image without preinstalled software: Same but without any software included, so you can start your own compilation.
- Installation Floppy Disks:Insert the disk in drive A, select option +3 BASIC. Set A as default unit with LOAD 'a:' and run LOAD 'setup'. Installation program will perform all necessary operations and guide you through the process. Caution:All data on IDE unit 0 will be deleted.
EMULATING WORKBENCH +3e
The program can be executed in any emulator that supports the emulation of + 3e Roms and any of the IDE interfaces supported.
You can view the STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO EMULATE WORKBENCH + 3e IN FUSE
RELATED DOWNLOADS
- 3e v.0.5 alpha + StrowSaw: File manager for +3e IDEDOS drives. Allows transfer files between PC and Spectrum. Works with IDE physical drives and disk images.
- Drive Image 1.07: Program to transfer HDF disk images to physical disks or vice versa.
RELATED LINKS
Dr Zx Software Download
- ZX Spectrum +3e Homepage:+3e project main page with all the documentation and downloads.
- Fuse:Emulator with good support for +3e ROMS and IDE units. Perfect for running under emulation Workbench + 3e.
- ForoFPGA about MYST: Detailed information Informacion detallada and all the necessary software to use Workbenck +3e in a MYST (created by desUBIKado).
- Foro Anachronic ZX GO+: Infomation about Workbench +3e usage in a ZX GO+.
Workbench +3e has been developed by OCTOCOM:
- Code: Jorge del Llano (Forsaken)
- Graphics: David Mochales (Workbench)
In collaboration with:
- Character Print and Floppy Detection routines: Rafa Pardo (Spirax)
- Mouse Driver: Chris Cowley
- Joystick Driver: Miguel Angel Montejo (Radastan)
- Screen saver: Jose Daniel Muñiz
- Traslation and testing: D. Rimron-Soutter
Thanks:
- Antonio Villena for give us a ZX-UNO for development and testing.
Workbench + 3e is owned by Octocom and is distributed under FREEWARE license. Free personal use is allowed for an unlimited time at no cost.
Distribution is allowed with prior notice and subsequent authorization from Octocom, as long as it is for free. The distribution of partial or total modifications of any of the parts of this software is not allowed in any case.
Use for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited without specific authorization of Octocom.
Workbench + 3e includes parts of code made by collaborators, which is their property. The contributors have authorized their use and integration into this software and are governed under the same Freeware license.
'In memory of Pumu that accompanied me throughout the creation process ofthis program but could not get to see it finished'
Forever with you, comrade!
In the not too distant past, I was made aware of the Gotek Floppy Drive Emulator. This device, very cleverly, stands in as a real hardware floppy drive. I’ve been using a 3.5in floppy drive with my Datel +D Interface for a while but I have found that floppy disks can be a little tempremental due to their age, and I’m not surprised. I bought a batch from eBay and they range from usable to completely useless. Until I was given a box of new-old stock DS/DD disks by my good friend Russell, I wouldn’t have relied on any of them.
Enter the Gotek, the ideal solution. Instead of floppy disks, you use a USB memory Stick that can hold up to 1000 (000-999) virtual disk images. Great! I had to have one. I did a bit of research and, guided by Keir Fraser, I bought the cheapest Gotek drive I could on my favorite online auction site (eBay).
Whilst I waited for the Gotek, I did some research on how to enhance it. I already knew you could add a nice OLED Display, a Rotary Encoder and even a speaker if you wanted authentic disk drive sounds! Another mod was to make a hole for the unused power LED concealed in the case.
I found a post on an Amiga Forum page by Fook42 (Rene) that had details of the Rotary Encoder wiring. Rene kindly gave me permission to repost it here.
This seemed pretty easy and uses an easy to obtain module. I ordered one, again from eBay (Search for KY-040 Module), and got on with other research. Kier Fraser has written some really nice firmware for the Gotek drives. I understood that the Cortex firmware was no longer supported and HxC had a charge associated with it. I also knew that Kier’s firmware supported the OLED display modification which was a feature I particularly wanted.
Programming the Gotek drive can be done in two ways. You can either use a non-standard USB ‘A’ to USB ‘A’ cable, which I didn’t have, or use a Serial to USB adaptor. Zeb Elwood on Facebook said “(it is easy) to make one by cutting up two USB cables and joining the color-coded wires together, simple as there’s only four. So many products come with USB cables as they’re so cheap.” However, I plumbed for the second option since I had a few Serial to USB adaptors from programming Arduinos etc.
The Gotek arrived in a few days and I had already watched several YouTube videos on how to flash the new firmware by that time. There are plenty to choose from. The one I concentrated on showed flashing the Gotek with Kier’s ‘FlashFloppy’ firmware. I have flashed firmware in devices before so I (thought) it would be plain sailing. However, I did have a few issues. Perhaps one of my connections wasn’t quite making the cut but the connection to the ST Flash Demo software was very flaky and took several attempts to upload Keir’s firmware. However, it did work eventually in exactly the way the YouTube video shows. Additionally, the same video also shows how to fit the OLED Display.
Having flashed the new firmware, and since you have to open the case to solder headers in, I connected the OLED display according to the details in the video and connected power from an adaptor that came with an external hard drive cable. I added a dual floppy drive power splitter to enable this. I was very pleased to see the display reporting ‘FlashFloppy v0.8.7a’ I went on to use the guide image and connect the rotary encoder module. This also worked first time! I was on a roll.
I now compiled a memory stick with files I had obtained on the HxC site. There is a page which holds a set of quick install disk images. Luckily for me, there are versions for the Spectrum. The file I used was ‘EMPTY80D.hfe’ which I took to mean 80 Tracks Double Sided. I copied the file over to the memory stick and plugged it into the Gotek. After a few seconds, the filename EMPTY80D.hfe was displayed. The next part required a little cable and jumper swapping.
First, I configured the Gotek as drive two with the jumper in the rear, and the real floppy drive as drive one by plugging it into the last plug on the floppy cable. I powered up and booted the +D operating files as normal. I then formatted the virtual disk image in the Gotek. I knew I would need some more disk images so I pressed the rotary encoder to activate the EJECT (a feature I found by accident) and removed the USB stick and placed it in my PC. This allowed me to make several copies of the freshly formatted disk image. I made ten in total.
Gotek drive with first disk image
I then renamed the first image ’00-PlusD-SYS.hfe’. and then, after ejecting the USB stick from my PC, I placed it in the Gotek drive and once again, pressed the rotary encoder to enable the stick. It read the filenames in. I then used the rotary encoder to run through the files until I found the image I had renamed. I then copied over the +D system files. It was then time to power down and make the Gotek disk one and the floppy drive disk two. This entailed changing the Gotek jumper again and swap the plugs on the rear of both drives. Powering up I could then boot the +D files from the Gotek virtual drive. A rather long winded process whch is easier to do than to describe!
Now, I copied a couple more disks from actual disks to virtual disk image and renamed them using my PC. When I plugged the memory stick back in the Gotek, I found that the system file disk seemed to have become corrupted, and the Spectrum reported a ‘Sector error’ upon booting or doing a catalogue for the image. It was easily fixed by re-copying the files across after formatting the image but it happened again. I swapped to an SD-Card and USB adaptor which seemed to fix the issue. I suspect that the memory stick I started with is either faulty or imcompatible with the Gotek. I have had no issues with either the SD-Card and adaptor or the new low-profile memory stick I have now got.
Having now set up the drive and disk images, it was time to modify the drive physically. I had recieved the slimmer OLED display by then and I swapped the larger one out. I had noticed that the display had an auto-off procedure enabled. I prefer a constant display. I posted my progress in the FlashFloppy Facebook group and Keir pointed me in the direction of the usage/config file section of the FlashFloppy Github Wiki. The config file can hold lots of options, one of which is for the display time-out. If you set this to 255, it is constant. I also found an option to use a smaller typeface which, since I was going to use the slim display, I also added to my config file.
Next, it was time for some drilling. First of all, I wanted to utilise the red power LED, usually hidden inside the case. I lightly scratched a line across from the middle of the existing LED hole and then upwards from the middle of the left button hole. This gave me the position to drill a suitable hole for the LED. For the rotary encoder, there was already a spot marked on the front of the case. I’m not sure if this was a coincidence but it seemed to be in the perfect place. What was clear though is that the fixing nut of the rotary encoder would partially obscure the Gotek logo in the top right hand corner of the front panel. So I took a craft knife and very carefully shaved the logo off. I then successfully drilled a hole suitable for the rotary encoder.
I then prepared the rotary encoder module. The version I purchased had the resistors mentioned in the guide image. For this reason I wanted to maintain the module as much as I could.
For speed, I simply disconnected the two far pins on the rotary encoder and bent it forward. This was required because the Gotek case wouldn’t allow it to fit as was. I connected two flying wires to the connections. In hindsight, I should have insulated them but I was eager to finish by this time. I will make sure to do so in future.
Rotary Encoder Module Installed
Next step was to install the OLED Display. Again, I wanted a quick solution so I chose to use hot-glue to affix the display to the front of the case. I found that the previous seven segment display was fixed in place by two mouldings on the rear of the front panel. I carefully shaved these off with a chisel. This allowed the display to get close to the front of the case. I did find that the residual solder on the header was preventing the display from getting completely flush but this was solved by using cutters to shorten them down. To make sure the display sat at the right level, I cut a small piece of balsa wood to fit in under the display.
Now I had carried out all the mods, I realised that the case lid would need some further work. Because I was going for speed, I was going to leave the DuPont cables I’d used for testing in-situ. I have marked two places where I have cut the case and removed material in the next image.
Gotek Lid Modifications
At the back, I required a large slot to allow the DuPont plugs to sit in the jumper positions and at the front, the display holder required removal. However, after this was done, the lid fits back where it should do.
Using the +D interface, it is usual for the disk light to be on after having been accessed. A finishing touch will be a knob for the rotary encoder. I have ordered a suitable one. now the fun begins trying to find a case for both these drives, although I have been told that Farnell do a suitable model.
Finished Gotek Drive and Low Profile USB Memory Stick
FlashFloppy 0.9.2a Firmware flashed and knob fitted
Both drives work well with the Sinclair Spectrum Plus and +D Interface. Many thanks to all the people who helped out with advice and encouragement. A special thanks to Keir Fraser for his great firmware and Kris Cochrane for the informative YouTube video.