If you choose a floppy or flash solution there is a common problem, the file
structure, at least when you want to read/write the media on a PC=2E
Does anyone know some (freeware) PIC code that can handle the FAT structure?

Hans Nielsen
--------------------------------------------
Hans Nielsen
NIELSEN Elektronik
nielsen=2Eelek@wanadoo=2Efr
-------------------------------------------

> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Fr=E5n: pic microcontroller discussion list
> [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA=2EMIT=2EEDU]F=F6r Harold M Hallikainen
> Skickat: den 21 november 2001 17:51
> Till: PICLIST@MITVMA=2EMIT=2EEDU
> =C4mne: Re: [OT]: Floppy Interface
>
>
> On Tue, 20 Nov 2001 13:01:20 -0500 Byron A Jeff <byron@CC=2EGATECH=2EEDU>
> writes:
> >
> > =2E=2E=2EFLOPPIES SUCK!!!
> >
> > There, now I've sait it=2E The list of problems are myriad:
> >
> > - Too slow
> > - Too small
>
>         Do you really need to save 100MB out of a PIC?
>
> > - Prone to media failure
>
>         Never been much of a problem for me=2E
>
> > - Drives have minimal control electronics
> > - Controllers are now hard to find because they are embedded in PC
> > chipsets
>
>         Agreed! I've put a National PC84778 on a board, but have
> not yet written
> any code for it (and don't know when I will, but the board's ready!)=2E
>
> > - Standalone controllers have interface and timing complexity
> > issues=2E
> > - And of course the one you've already run across: lack of
> > information=2E
> >
> > Now it's unfair to rant and run, so just in case you're open to
> > other
> > avenues, let me throw out a couple:
> >
> > 1) IDE Zip drives=2E While I admit they do have media failure issues,
> > they win
> > in every other category=2E 100 MB, reasonably fast, embedded control
> > electronics
> > and rock solid standard interface=2E Drives are priced little more
> > than floppies
> > at this point=2E The last time I bought they were $35 US=2E Media is
> > pricy but
> > comes out to about the same price/MB as floppy ($7 US for a 100MB
> > Zip disk as
> > opposed to $15 or so for 100 floppies)=2E Same form factor and about
> > the same
> > power requirements=2E And most importantly since it's IDE the PIC->IDE
> > code
> > that's out there applies=2E
> >
>
>         Again, do you need to save 100MB out of a PIC? I've got
> PIC stuff where
> I've attached 128 KB of nonvolatile static RAM and would like removable
> storage for that=2E Floppy seems ideal, except for writing the code to tal=
k
> to the controller! So, even though the price/MB for ZIP may be the same
> as for floppy, we just don't need that many MB=2E The last 3=2E5 inch FD I
> bought was $8=2E The floppies themselves are something like 15 to 25 cents=
=2E
>
>         But, again, the code to drive the darn thing doesn't exist=2E=2E=
=2E
>
> > 2) Compact Flash=2E Other than pricy media, it's nearly perfect=2E Solid
> > state,
> > compact (hence the name ;-), IDE interface, and a myriad of
> > inexpensive
> > PC interface options (parallel, IDE, floppy, USB)=2E No media failure
> > issues
> > and because many digital camera's and the like use them there's a
> > lot of parts
> > available=2E
> >
>
>         As you say, pricey!
>
>
> Harold
>
>
>
> FCC Rules Online at http://hallikainen=2Ecom/FccRules
> Lighting control for theatre and television at http://www=2Edovesystems=2E=
com
>
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