BridgeBoard Floppy Ctrl?
5 messages in this thread
I have been using a multi-function board on the MSDO side of the Amiga with
a 2088 Bridgeboard for quite a while. This board offers two serial ports,
one parallel port, a game port, and a floppy disk controller. I have used
all except the floppy controller which I have had disabled by jumper
selection. Recently I was given a 1.4Meg floppy disk drive and I would
like to use it with the Bridgeboard. I understand that the floppy
controller on the Bridgeboard cannot be used for this but the controller on
my multi-function board can. My only problem is that I cannot figure out
how to disable the floppy controller on the Bridgeboard.
Is there an easy way to do this? If not, is there a not so easy way to do
this? I have the Janus 2.0 upgrade and MSDOS 3.3. Cutting or installing
runners are no problem since I am a design engineer. I just don't have
enough documentation on the 2088 Bridgeboard.
George
George,
I've heard, but haven't tried this:
The fix is simple, remove the drive cable from the BB and your own
floppy controller should "take over".
Again…that has NOT been tried by me.
Presuming it doesn't work I have also heard, but not tried:
To the left of the FDC chip is a grid of solder pads. This
supposedly is used to enable/disable drives.
Finally, this will work…send in $40 to Commodore Applications and
Technical Support for the "A500/A2000 Technical Reference Manual" it
contains technical information on the A2088.
Don
Don,
Thanks for the info. I have noticed that you are considered as the
Bridgeboard expert!
Suggestion 1 doesn't seem to work. Suggestion 2 sounds good if I follow
suggestion 3!!! I was hoping that some kind fatherly individual would have
discovered the correct method by now and saved me the trouble <grin>.
George
George,
Unfortunately, I need my BridgeBoard often enough, that I haven't
tried the 'cut the pads' option…since it works ok for me as is.
I do seem to recall others have said they tried the pads, and it
worked…but my recollection could be wrong…so be careful.
Don
George…
I forgot I had already dealt with this in CROSSINGS …
Apparently the floppy drive controller chip in the 2088 board also controls
some communications functions, so you can't disable it completely. You
would have to figure out which lines are involved and cut them.
There isn't much in the way of schematics available for the XT Bridgeboard.
The board's design has been changed several times, so the set of schematics
that was circulating early on might not be useful for you, even if you
could get it.
Sorry to be a downer…
Marion