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Archive for the ‘Commodore Disk Drives’ Category

Commodore CBM 8050 Dual Drive Floppy Disk

July 14th, 2013 No comments
Commodore CBM 8050 Dual Drive Floppy Disk

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Commodore 8050 and Commodore 8250 were dual unit 5¼” floppy disk drives for Commodore International computers. They used a wide rectangular steel case form similar to that of the Commodore 4040, and used the IEEE-488 interface common to Commodore PET/CBM computers.

The 8050 was a single sided drive, whereas the 8250 could use both sides of a disk simultaneously. Both used a “quad” density format storing approximately 0.5 megabyte per side. The density of media was similar to later PC high density floppy disks, but the 8050 and 8250 could not use PC high density disks reliably. Since “quad” density disks were rare even at the time, users quickly found that typical double density floppy disks had enough magnetic media density to work in these drives.

These drives were not dual mode, so they could not read or write disks formatted by the more common lower capacity Commodore 1541 or Commodore 4040 models. Some variants of these drives existed. The Commodore 8250LP was the 8250 in a lower profile, tan-colored case. The Commodore SFD-1001 was a single drive version of the 8250 in a Commodore 1541 style case (similarly to the Commodore 2031LP), often used by bulletin board systems for their physical similarity to 1541s and high capacity and speed.

source: wikipedia

New Donation: Commodore VC-1541 to Repair + Klain Tape + Some IC.

April 4th, 2013 No comments

Material donated:

  • Commodore VC-1541 (need to fix it)
  • Microcomputer Data Recorder Klain for Commodore 64/VIC20/PET.
  • Some IC.

Thanks Alessio for the donation.

Commodore Single Drive Floppy Disk VIC-1541

January 1st, 2013 No comments
Commodore Single Drive Floppy Disk VIC-1541

Autopsy:

The motherboard is the same of Commodore VIC-1540 (Rev A/B PCB 1540007 (C) 1981 made in Japan) with a old HIGH Rom MOS “901229-03″ instead of “325303-01″.

The Commodore 1541 (aka CBM 1541, and originally called VIC-1541), made by Commodore International, was the best-known floppy disk drive for the Commodore 64 home computer. The 1541 was a single-sided 170 kilobyte drive for 5¼” disks. The 1541 followed the previous Commodore 1540 (meant for the VIC-20).

Here you can find the US version of the Commodore Single Drive Floppy Disk VIC-1541.

Testing the Floppy Drive:

New donations – C128 / C1571 / CD32 Games / Snes RGB Cable

February 5th, 2012 No comments

Today a friend has donated to me some nice things. Thanks Damiano (Manosoft).

Things that have been donated:

  • Commodore 2 x C2N.
  • Amiga CD32 Games (Rise of the Robots / Brutal Football)
  • Super Nintendo/Snes RGB  Cable with AV Power Switch.
  • Commodore 128 (Only Box)
  • Commodore 1571 (Only Box)
  • A unopened box of 10 Floppy Disk FujiFilm 5″ 1/4
  • Catalog of Jackson 1987-88.

C64 / 1541 / C16 Datassette found in the trash

May 29th, 2011 2 comments

I have found a Commodore 64 / 1541 Floppy Drive and a C16 Datassette in the trash.

The Floppy Drive was very dirty but in good working state, while the Commodore 64 was faulty (black  screen with tiny raster effect). I have replaced the video chip (MOS 6569) and is back to run better than never.

Commodore yellowed spare parts

November 5th, 2010 3 comments

Commodore yellowed spare parts:

  • 1 x Commodore 64C (Motherboard ASSY 250407)
  • 1 x Commodore 1541 II (Floppy Drive Chinon)
  • 1 x Commodore Mouse 1351.

Commodore 1541 Single Floppy Disk (Boxed)

October 19th, 2010 No comments
Commodore 1541 Single  Floppy Disk (Boxed)

Autopsy:

Today i picked up a Commodore 1541 Single Floppy Disk with serial IEC / Powersupply cable, Manual and Test demo Disk in original Box and in good working condition.

Commodore Disk Drive 1541 II Boxed

August 25th, 2010 No comments
Commodore Disk Drive 1541 II Boxed

Autopsy:

Today i picked up a Commodore Disk Drive 1541 II in original box, it is in perfect condition with no damage at all including the Manual,Geos Floppy,Serial cable and original Powersupply.

source: wikipedia

Commodore CBM 8250 Dual Drive Floppy Disk

March 17th, 2010 No comments
Floppy Disk Drive CBM 8250

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Commodore 8050 and Commodore 8250 were dual unit 5¼” floppy disk drives for Commodore International computers. They used a wide rectangular steel case form similar to that of the Commodore 4040, and used the IEEE-488  interface common to Commodore PET/CBM computers.

The 8050 was a single sided drive, whereas the 8250 could use both sides of a disk simultaneously. Both used a “quad” density format storing approximately 0.5 megabyte per side. The density of media was similar to later PC high density floppy disks, but the 8050 and 8250 could not use PC high density disks reliably. Since “quad” density disks were rare even at the time, users quickly found that typical double density floppy disks had enough magnetic media density to work in these drives.

These drives were not dual mode, so they could not read or write disks formatted by the more common lower capacity Commodore 1541 or Commodore 4040 models. Some variants of these drives existed. The Commodore 8250LP was the 8250 in a lower profile, tan-colored case. The Commodore SFD-1001 was a single drive version of the 8250 in a Commodore 1541 style case (similarly to the Commodore 2031LP), often used by bulletin board systems for their physical similarity to 1541s and high capacity and speed.

source: wikipedia

Commodore Disk Drive 1541C with drive mechanism by Alps Electric

August 9th, 2009 4 comments
Commodore Disk Drive 1541 with drive mechanism made by Alps Electric

Autopsy:

Click here for my collections of Commodore Floppy Drive and here the clones.

from Wikipedia:

The Commodore 1541 (aka CBM 1541, and originally called VIC-1541), made by Commodore International, was the best-known floppy disk drive for the Commodore 64 home computer.

The 1541 was a single-sided 170 kilobyte drive for 5¼” disks. The 1541 followed the previous Commodore 1540 (meant for the VIC-20). The disk drive used Group Code Recording (GCR) and contained a MOS 6502 microprocessor, doubling as a disk controller and on-board disk operating system processor. The number of sectors per track varied from 17 to 21 (an early implementation of Zone Bit Recording).

The drive’s built-in disk operating system was CBM DOS 2.6. There were two versions of the 1541 mechanics. Early models used a drive mechanism made by Alps Electric, distinguishable by its push-down drive door. Later models utilized a drive mechanism manufactured by Newtronics (Mitsumi), which used a lever release.

All but the very earliest 1541s can use either the Alps or Newtronics mechanism. Visually, the first models, of the VIC-1541 denomination, had an off-white color like the VIC-20 and VIC-1540. Then, to match the look of the C64, CBM changed the drive’s color to brown-beige and the name to Commodore 1541.

source: wikipedia

Some Commodore stuff donated to me by a Friend

June 22nd, 2009 No comments
Some Commodore Items Donated to Me by a Friend

Gallery / Autopsy:

Stuff Donated:

  • 1 x Joystick TAC II from Suncom.
  • 1 x Commodore 64.
  • 1 x Commodore Floppy Drive 1541 II.
  • 1 x Compatibile Powersupply for Commodore 64/VIC20.
  • 1 x Cabletronic Compatible Powersupply for Commodore Floppy Drive 1541 II.
  • 1 x Commodore 64 Cover Protection.
  • 2 x Serial Floppy cable.

Thanks to Igor.

from Wikipedia:

The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer released by Commodore International in August, 1982, at a price of 595 USD.

Preceded by the Commodore VIC-20 and Commodore MAX Machine, the C64 features 64 kilobytes (65,536 bytes) of RAM with sound and graphics performance that were superior to IBM-compatible computers of that time.

It is commonly known as the C64 or C=64 and occasionally referred to as CBM 64 (Commodore Business Machines Model number 64), or VIC-64. It has also been affectionately nicknamed the “breadbox” and “bullnose” due to the shape and colour of the first version of its casing.

source: wikipedia

Commodore Floppy Drive 1570

March 6th, 2009 1 comment
My compilation is completed!

Autopsy:

My Commodore Floppy drive collection is completed!

Description:

  • Country: Usa
  • Most Common: Usa/Europe
  • Rarity: Yes, it’s rare
  • Year: 1985

from Wikipedia:

The Commodore 1570 was a 5¼” floppy disk drive for the Commodore 128 home/personal computer. It was a single-sided, 170KB version of the double-sided Commodore 1571, released as a stopgap measure when Commodore International was unable to provide large enough quantities of 1571s due to a shortage of double-sided drive mechanisms.

Like the 1571, it could read and write both GCR and MFM disk formats. The 1570 utilized a 1571 logic board in a cream-colored Commodore 1541 case with a drive mechanism similar to the 1541 except that it was equipped with track zero detection.

source: Wikipedia

Floppy Drive Commodore *updated*

January 19th, 2009 1 comment

Description:

  • 1541: Alps Electric mechanics (push-down drive door), chip broken (7406), repaired and now works, clean up, original roms.
  • 1541: Newtronics (Mitsumi) mechanics, tested and working, clean up, jiffy roms.
  • 1541C White: Newtronics (Mitsumi) mechanics, tested and working, clean up, jiffy roms.
  • VIC 1541 (1540): Alps Electric mechanics (push-down drive door), tested and working, clean up, original roms.
  • 1541-II: Tested and working, clean up, original roms.
  • 1551: Tested and working, external case broken and repaired, clean up, original roms.
  • 1541-II: Tested and working, clean up, original roms.
  • 1581: Tested and working, clean up, jiffy roms.
  • … to be continued …

wiki: 1541-Wiki

download: jiffy roms

Commodore Floppy Drive 1551 (c16/Plus4)

January 16th, 2009 No comments

Description:

  • Country: US
  • Most Common: Europe
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Year: 1983

The Commodore 1551 (originally introduced as the SFS 481) was a floppy disk drive for the Commodore Plus/4 home computer. It resembled a charcoal-colored Commodore 1541 and plugged into the cartridge port, providing faster access than the C64/1541 combination.

Commodore reportedly planned an interface to allow use of the 1551 with the C64, but it was never released.

wiki: 1551-Wiki

Commodore Disk Drive VIC-1541

December 14th, 2008 No comments

Note: Motherboard is the same of Commodore VIC-1540 (Rev A/B PCB 1540007 (C) 1981 made in Japan) with a old HIGH Rom MOS “901229-01″ instead of “325303-01″.

Description: The Commodore 1541 (aka CBM 1541, and originally called VIC-1541), made by Commodore International, was the best-known floppy disk drive for the Commodore 64 home computer. The 1541 was a single-sided 170 kilobyte drive for 5¼” disks. The 1541 followed the previous Commodore 1540 (meant for the VIC-20).

source: wikipedia