Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

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Castlebrick
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Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by Castlebrick »

I've had my VIC-20 for a while, but I still don't have a floppy drive or datasette. I want a modern way to load and save programs for these, and I am aware of the SD card readers, but they are quite expensive. Are there any easy ways to replace the 1541, and datasette? Thanks.
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mrr19121970
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by mrr19121970 »

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Mike
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by Mike »

To be slightly more elaborate:
Castlebrick wrote:I want a modern way to load and save programs for these, and I am aware of the SD card readers [...]
Well, you already answered your question by yourself. Irrespective, what you say about their perceived costs - and there *are* some inexpensive variants of SD2IEC available.
Are there any easy ways to replace the 1541, and datasette? Thanks.
No. The datasette contains a 1-bit digitizing circuit, and any replacement using a standard tape deck would have to reproduce that. You can source a datasette at the flea market for even less money, or as extra take-away.

A CBM disc drive contains a full computer (without keyboard and video/sound output), so there's much less an easy solution available there. All known drive replacements employ at least a microcontroller to provide functionality up to DOS level (so SD card contents can be accessed at their file system or disk images can be mounted and their contents be handled as inserted disk, down to single sector access) - SD2IEC devices mostly remain at that, and just (re-)implement the protocols of some fast loaders (including JiffyDOS), at a moderate price. This is sufficient for most applications on the VIC-20, and I've been using one for years now.

The C64 places much more stringent requirements, and the more expensive solutions available there not only provide DOS level function, but drive *emulation* including the CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O chips and even the signals as read/written by the R/W head (the *.g64 format is used there instead of *.d64). This also allows the more complicated fast loader and copy protection schemes to work with SD cards, and it's also possible to execute own programs in the RAM of those devices in the same way it is possible on the CBM drives.

It's just the commercial market of the VIC-20 never got that far in those times, that more than a small lot of programs used those extra features of the CBM drives, so nowadays we can get away with a SD2IEC most of the time.
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Castlebrick
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by Castlebrick »

Thanks, I'll look hard for a economical solution. I saw someone use an actual old computer as a replacement for a disk drive, so what you said makes sense. I don't have the link, but the man in the video was showing a Pac-Man clone. I'll finally be able to program now! :D
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by eslapion »

Castlebrick wrote:I saw someone use an actual old computer as a replacement for a disk drive...
About 7 years ago I purchased a software/hardware package that allowed the use of a 386/486 PC to do that and it was truly a clunky solution.

If you mostly use the VIC-20 then I guess the Princess from Manosoft is a decent solution.

If you use the C64 then the 1541 Ultimate II emulates a 1541 disk drive, emulates many cartridges and even offers direct DMA transfers for lightning fast loading of single file software.

Recently the UK1541 also appeared on the market with interesting features.
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by RobertBe »

Castlebrick wrote:...I still don't have a floppy drive or datasette.
Where are you located?

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Robert Bernardo
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Mike
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by Mike »

Castlebrick wrote:Thanks, I'll look hard for a economical solution. [...] I'll finally be able to program now! :D
We have similar discussions here in Denial every now and then, for example in this thread: '3.5" PC floppy Drive - Convert to VIC 20/C64'. And to quote from there:
Mike wrote:SD2IEC devices give you a much easier transfer by using a storage medium which can now be accessed by both VIC-20 and PC with no further hassles. If you do not only want to play games, but seriously want to go into programming (as you've indicated somewhere else), data transfer is the last thing you want to have troubles with.
Emphasis added.
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Castlebrick
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by Castlebrick »

RobertBe wrote:
Castlebrick wrote:...I still don't have a floppy drive or datasette.
Where are you located?

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
July 30-31 Commodore Vegas Expo v12 -
http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
Not to sound paranoid, or untrusting, but I'm not comfortable with sharing that. I've read a lot of the posts on the forum, and nobody has indicated that they would track anyone down with intentions of harm. You all seem great, and I thank you for replying, but I want to maintain privacy for now.
CastleVIC would have been a much better name.
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RobertBe
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by RobertBe »

Oh, I was going to offer you a 1541 drive if you were in the area. Oh, well...

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
July 30-31 Commodore Vegas Expo v12 -
http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
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eslapion
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Re: Replacements for floppy drives, and datasettes?

Post by eslapion »

Castlebrick wrote:Not to sound paranoid, or untrusting, but I'm not comfortable with sharing that. I've read a lot of the posts on the forum, and nobody has indicated that they would track anyone down with intentions of harm. You all seem great, and I thank you for replying, but I want to maintain privacy for now.
My profile says "Canada" which is a pretty large country, I think the second largest after Russia.

On the other hand, considering I sell stuff in the Commodore community, I think I gave my personal home address to about 600 people over the last 18 months.

Probably triple that number has my e-mail address...
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