There are plenty of topics about connecting a PC disk drive to the SVI 738, but couldn't find any about the 728. Even www.hansotten.com completely evades this one. And besides, SVI 728 is an MSX1 machine, you can't use one of those Sunrise ATA/IDE cartridges and be done with the issue.

Ok, so I figured if I could find the specs on one of the Yamaha FDD disk drive cartridge thingies, I could craft my own MSX->PC_DiskDrive cable. Well it just so happens this information isn't available that easily, even after an extensive search.

Does anyone know how to connect a PC disk drive to the 50-pin slot on top or the extension module interface at the back of the SVI 728? Does anyone know how to connect it so that it actually works (and doesn't break anything)?

Cheers

You have to build something like this. This is a disk interface for standard MSX slot, but you can connect it to back of SVI-728 as well as the signals going to that connector are same.

After making the interface it is just matter of connecting the pins correctly and burning working ROM for it.

As you may see attaching disk drive is not that easy and that is propably why the disk drives were more expencive than the computer it self.

Quote:

you can't use one of those Sunrise ATA/IDE cartridges and be done with the issue.

That is outdated information. With latest firmware it should work just fine.

NYYRIKKI is right. The subject is not evaded on my site, it is a bit more complicated then just a matter of wires.
The SVI738 has a diskcontroller builtin and a floppy disk, and a connector for a second drive is on the back.

The SVI728 does not have a diskcontroller builtin, typical for MSX1 computers. The connector on the back of the SVI728 is a standard MSX cartridge slot, with a non-standard connector.

The only way to add a floppy disk is to add a MSX diskcontroller to be placed in a MSX slot.

The advice of looking at the HDB50 controller is a good one, also the VY0010 service manual may help here.
Or even the SVI738 manual or other MSX 2 service manuals all show how to connect floppy disk drives.

If you succeed, please write an article about this!

Hans

Point taken. I remember having one of those disk interfaces when I was a kid. I just hope it's still around somewhere. I'll take a look in the storage cellar later today.

If it can't be found, then what other ways are there of transferring data between a PC and an MSX? I know there's that din cable method, connecting the MSX cassette port to a PC soundcard. Any other methods?

Sunrise CF-IDE also works on MSX1.

But doesn't it require a disk drive, though?

No

What about this: http://www.msx.org/Sunrise-release-MSX1-compatible-driver-for-IDE-and-CF.newspost2846.html

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but if I've understood that stuff correctly, in order for the IDE interface to be used on an MSX1 machine, the following three requirements have to be met:

- A disk drive
- A memory-mapper
- A slot expander (depending on the number of slots required)

I must be missing something

Ah, ok... It seems that I was wrong... maybe I was thinking about some other HDD interface.

Well, try to get an external disk drive then anyway

Some progress: I might be able to get my hands on a batch of HN4827128G-25 EPROMs, for a fairly low price I might add. Prommers are easily available, so the only problem is building the rest of this and somehow finding out what the software on the ROM is. Any help is much appreciated, and yes, I could me serious about this, maybe.

this FDD model is not a good way for building because half of chip are in the cartridge ( decodeur and interface ) and other half in the box of FDD ( chip controleur )
search a real interface of a MSX2 PCB out of order is a good way

Never mind, something great happened. My father found the Sony Hit-Bit disk drive and the FDD-cable while going through his electronics storages. I tested them and they work. It's amazing! I mean I was 5 when I last used them - that's 17 years ago - and they still work perfectly.

I even have that box of msx-disks full of games I used to play. Brings back memories..

Is it a Sony HBD-50?

Yes, it is. And a beautiful one at that. I heard from someone that the disk drive is worth more than the MSX machine itself.