Jean-François DEL NERO (who’s behind the HxC SD Floppy Emulator) recently has released a version of the HxC emulator firmware that is compatible with the STM32 chip used in the Gotek floppy emulators.

This means that the great functionality of the HxC SD emulator is now available on cheaper and more widely available hardware.

The bootloader to convert the Gotek floppy drive in HxC compatible must be purchased on the website HXC 2001 by sending an email to Jean-François DEL NERO. The price of the bootloader is one-off 10 Euro per Gotek that you want to update. Future updates of the software are free and can be made from a USB stick

The HXC Usb (Gotek) firmware supports: + many more….

USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware v3.3.1.2a -> v3.4.4.6a cumulative changelog:

• QuickDisk support : Fixes/Timing improvements. Data masked outside the read window.
• OSD : Keys/Rotary regression fixed.
• QuickDisk support : Various write enhancement for Roland machines support (Roland S-10,S-220,…)
• OSD : Keys/Rotary wake-up behavior changed/enhanced.
• QuickDisk support : More Fixes again ! Blank.qd image : Ready window increased from 5s to 5.5s
• QuickDisk support : More important write support fixes !
• QuickDisk support : Write support fixed (DMA descriptors fixed).
• Work in progress : QuickDisk emulation support added !
• A new build variant is now available to emulate QuickDisk drive !
• The Gotek floppy port to the QuickDisk interface is:
  • – Shugart pin –          — QuickDisk Machine–
  • Pin  2 (/DC)           ->  /MS (/MediaSense)
  • Pin 10 (/DS0)          ->  Connect it to GND/VSS
  • Pin 16 (/MotorOn)      ->  /MO
  • Pin 20 (/Step)         ->  /RS (/Reset)
  • Pin 22 (/WriteData)    ->  /WD (/WriteData)
  • Pin 24 (/WriteGate)    ->   WG (WriteGate)
  • Pin 28 (/WriteProtect) ->   WP (WriteProtect)
  • Pin 30 (/ReadData)     ->   RD (ReadData)
  • Pin 34 (/Ready)        ->  /RY (/Ready)
  • Pins 4,6,8,12,14,18,26 and 32 can be left unconnected on the Gotek.
  • Odd pins Gotek pins (1,3,5,7,…,33) should be connected to the GND/VSS.
  • The jumper must be set to “MO”.
  • A Blank QuickDisk floppy disk can be found in the firmware archive in the /QuickDisk folder.
• Fix 3.3.8.14a PC Floppy interface mode regression.
• Faster disk-change state head-step clear and mask ready during the diskchange delay. (Fix Yamaha Clavinova diskchange issue)
• USB stick browser : Faster/smoother files/folders browsing.
• USB stick folder Auto mount : Faster files copy/image generation.  
• You can hide HXCSDFE.CFG, AUTOBOOT.HFE and /mount/emptyfat.img files on the stick now.
• Default 7 segments screen standby / powerup can changed on the custom firmware page : https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/
• Fix non-working v3.3.6.1a firmware !
• On screen display : Separated HSYNC/VSYNC signals support added:
  • For machines without CSYNC (Composite Sync) signal.
  • Once this option is enabled the Gotek video IOs are mapped as this :
  • OSD Video out : Gotek U8 Pin 5 (PB15).
  • OSD Video HSYNC in : Gotek “JTCK-SWCLK” pin (PA14).
  • OSD Video VSYNC in : Gotek U8 Pin 1 (PB12).
• New system family raw file support : Roland W30/W50/S50/S330/S550. (7 digits display menu entry -> 019)
• Fix floppy IO pins state when the select line is permanently low (v3.3.4.1a regression).
• Write codes speed optimizations.
• HFE : Format support : Fix the “too early index” issue.
• Raw files : Fix interface mode settings. (v3.3.4.4a regression)
• File sorting : Ignore file name case.
• Direct access : Fix the “set index” command.
• OSD : CSYNC Pull-up enabled.
• Fix some possible format issues.
• Some more optimizations.
• Head settling time default value fixed on the custom firmware page : https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/
• “Interface CFG” LCD/OLED/OSD menu entry fixed.
• OSD:
  • Code speed optimizations (CPU pipeline + Flash prefetch optimizations).
  • OSD Polarity can be now set with the “OLED screen polarity” parameter.
• Better/lower lines jitter while floppy emulation is running.
• USB : Code speed optimizations (read & write Fifos, ISR).
• ASM ISR (Step, Drive Select…) : Many code speed optimizations (CPU pipeline + Flash prefetch optimizations).
• The firmware is now stable with both OSD and floppy emulation working in the same time !
• “Normal mode” / Direct disk browsing : Files entries are now alphabetically ordered. Folders appears first then the files images.
• “Load Last selected image” : Fix reload issue with some long file names.

This is only a little part of the changelog. The original one is very long and you can read it here. (instruction manual here)

The HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware Customization page: https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/

Download: USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware v3.4.4.6a (961)

source: hxc2001.com