[Coco] 26-3022 Disk Drive and controller

[CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts]

On Friday 09 May 2014 19:22:01 CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts did 
opine
And Gene did reply:
> Greetings all.
> 
> First, Thanks for allowing me to be a member to this list.
> 
> I am (very) new to the Coco community, platform, and Coco
> hardware/software.
> 
> I recently bought the above units.  For their age I'm amazed at the
> good condition.  I also recently bought a Coco2, and understand this
> disk drive/controller will will only work with my system using at
> least a multi-pak - which I also purchased.  I read some negative
> remarks re: unreliability this combination of disk and controller, and
> I was wondering if  there is anything I can do to improve or
> eliminate these disadvantages of the combined units?  Should I locate
> a FD-501 or 502 controller?  Your expert opinions would be greatly
> appreciated.

On the CoCo2, which does have a 12 volt pin on the expansion port, I think 
that controller will run with or without the MPI.
 
> Also can someone recommend a vender to buy the 160k (or whatever is
> compatible) floppy disks?

AFAIK, all 5.25" 360k disks are usable with the CoCo's. but you will have 
to format them yourself since the CoCo's do not use a format compatible 
with any "pc" dos.  When your docs get there, you should find the 
instructions as to how to do that.  These disks are usable on both sides, 
at 40 tracks a side, but the std format for RSDOS (CoCo's) only uses 35 
tracks of one side.  Most drives newer than a Texas Peripheral that you 
can get today are double sided, and 40 or 80 tracks.  Those drives are 
80-100% fully usable if you are running Nitros9 on your CoCo-2.  The 20% 
error is because there are also drives for sale that turn 360 rpm rather 
than 300, expect a 500 kilobaud data rate.  The CoCo controllers, unless 
heavily modified, are 250 kilobaud only.

Beware to 5.25" disks labeled HD or QD, they are intended for use in that 
20% of high capacity pc drives, and the magnetic coating is too hard 
magnetically, to take the lower level of drive the 40 track drives use 
when writing.  You might get away with it for 30 minutes, but will 
probably have faded to unreadable in a month or 2.

> If some other capacity can be used please
> educate me and are they formatted in Basic?  I also found some
> manuals, but haven't received them yet from ebay.
> 
> Thank you very much for your advice.

Welcome to the list Spencer.
> 
> Spencer

Cheers, Gene
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