Ati fdd-820

[iz8dwf]

Hi all,
does anyone know anything about this third part apple II floppy disk drive? Is it a 96TPI drive as the model name suggests (820Kbytes capacity maybe). Did it require a particular controller or software?
Thanks in advance.
Frank

 

[Wayne Stewart]

The disk II controller is really only good for 140k drives. If that drive is 820k then it'd need a special controller. I'm wondering if it's really a 820k drive or just a disk II clone

 

[iz8dwf]

The disk II controller is really only good for 140k drives. If that drive is 820k then it'd need a special controller. I'm wondering if it's really a 820k drive or just a disk II clone

That was precisely my doubt. It's "sold" as 820K drive, but no additional controller. So it's either useless without a controller, or just a clone of the disk II that I have already (the original).

Thanks
Frank

 

[VERAULT]

I take it it uses a different ribbon cable than the Disk II?

 

[krebizfan]

Perhaps Model 820 might be more accurate since earlier version was sold as a FDD 810. About the only source online for advertising for it can be found in ETI (Electronics Today) issues which have been scanned. The advertising is not informative as to capabilities. A controller card was offered with it. The vendors selling it were selling Apple II clones. The shown connector looks like the external Disk II connector.

I expect that it is a slim line Disk II clone but can't be sure. Had a very short life moving from clone marketers to remainder houses in less than a year. Perhaps one of the current sellers has bothered to save whatever documentation came with it. That would answer many questions.

 

[Anthony Adverse]

Perhaps Model 820 might be more accurate since earlier version was sold as a FDD 810. About the only source online for advertising for it can be found in ETI (Electronics Today) issues which have been scanned. The advertising is not informative as to capabilities. A controller card was offered with it. The vendors selling it were selling Apple II clones. The shown connector looks like the external Disk II connector.

I expect that it is a slim line Disk II clone but can't be sure. Had a very short life moving from clone marketers to remainder houses in less than a year. Perhaps one of the current sellers has bothered to save whatever documentation came with it. That would answer many questions.

There were some very weird drives out there at different times. Just to throw in some extras that while not what you're looking at are A2 devices. Double sided drive with 2 interfaces allowing each side to be written to, attaches to a single 5.25" controller A&B Drives. 800k 5.25" floppies, had its own interface I think and only worked with prodos. Also some of the 1/2 height teac drives started life at 360's and could write extra tracks, like some Apple Drives would write more than regulation 35 tracks. You might get up to 37 on an Apple Drive, the 360's could manage more, of course the extra tracks can only be read in other devices that could manage those tracks.

There's no photo for your FDD820 is there?

A

 

[iz8dwf]

There were some very weird drives out there at different times. Just to throw in some extras that while not what you're looking at are A2 devices. Double sided drive with 2 interfaces allowing each side to be written to, attaches to a single 5.25" controller A&B Drives. 800k 5.25" floppies, had its own interface I think and only worked with prodos. Also some of the 1/2 height teac drives started life at 360's and could write extra tracks, like some Apple Drives would write more than regulation 35 tracks. You might get up to 37 on an Apple Drive, the 360's could manage more, of course the extra tracks can only be read in other devices that could manage those tracks.

There's no photo for your FDD820 is there?

A

there're a couple of pictures on ebay. It seems it has a single connector probably identical to the standard floppy one. I won't be getting it anyway, sounds like it's a slim clone, nothing more.

Frank