New user, possible broken SuperCard Pro?
#1
Hi Jim,

I just bought the SuperCard Pro and have been dying to try it out however, I plugged it in via USB, the green light came on and the red light next to it flashed and Windows made the 'bong' disconnect  reconnect USB device sound.
There was a slight solder like smell and Huey chip was too hot to touch.

I disconnected everything and checked it all, nothing looked out of place or bent. Bottom middle green LED lights up however, windows tells me no device is found.

Huey chip no longer gets warm however, the software doesn't find the card. I am wondering if I have a defective one?

When plugged in, Windows device manger tells me there is something wrong.

Is my board ok because that chip got super hot, bunt my index finger and all.

Kind regards,

Adam
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#2
The Huey/Duey chips are the interface buffers for the floppy drive. It sounds like you have (or had) the floppy drive cable plugged in backwards (at either the floppy drive or SuperCard Pro). That typically destroys Huey (and sometimes Duey), but does not affect the USB. That is an isolated system. If the green LED next to the USB connector lights up, then the USB connection is active and working. You might try another USB cable or port.

I hand assemble, program, and test every single board before it goes out so I know they all work. It's likely that you will need to return your board for repair.

What floppy drive and cable are you using?
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#3
(04-19-2017, 10:41 AM)admin Wrote: The Huey/Duey chips are the interface buffers for the floppy drive.  It sounds like you have (or had) the floppy drive cable plugged in backwards (at either the floppy drive or SuperCard Pro).  That typically destroys Huey (and sometimes Duey), but does not affect the USB.  That is an isolated system.  If the green LED next to the USB connector lights up, then the USB connection is active and working.  You might try another USB cable or port.

I hand assemble, program, and test every single board before it goes out so I know they all work.  It's likely that you will need to return your board for repair.

What floppy drive and cable are you using?

I have ordered a new one.
The standard, notched IBM PC cable. 100% certain it was not plugged in backwards. The notch prevents it from happening on both ends (of cable) and the drive end port cover too.
*update*
The USB light is on today! I am using the same cable. I don't get it. I did nothing different. Huey chip is still cool.
I will power the floppy from an external source just to put less strain on circuits and see if it works today.
Oh well, least I have a spare card and it gives you some extra $$$ to keep making awesome gear.
Fingers Crossed! thanks Jim.
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#4
If either Huey or Duey ever got hot then they are destroyed and there is only one way to do that and that is by having a short in the cable, which occurs when you are a pin off or backwards.
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#5
       
(04-19-2017, 10:12 PM)admin Wrote: If either Huey or Duey ever got hot then they are destroyed and there is only one way to do that and that is by having a short in the cable, which occurs when you are a pin off or backwards.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your diagnosis however, the cable only fits one way in the port. There is a notch in the floppy connector to prevent reversal unless extreme force is used. same for the housing on the back of the floppy.
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#6
Well, i'm stumped. It appears to be working. I expected the worst.
*update*
I think it must be the current draw via the card Jim because the only change now is that I run from an external power supply now.

Anyway, I just want to extend my thanks for the caring and support you gave me right off the bat.

I hope to see many more products like this in the future.

Actually, I have a request!

This is a fantastic first step, may I be so bold to ask for some improvements.

1. interface wise, any way of making Windows see the floppy through your interface like a device controller?? as in read/write to it?
I'd love to tinker with formats and see what can be achieved writing various ways to the floppy and be able to read/write to it like a storage folder.

2. Any plans to design something for tapes???????
I have an old C64 tape drive i'd just looooove to backup my old basic programs from, and backup my games!
I have tried using an audio sampler to then convert from audio however, i've not had a lot of luck here and the programs online to extract the data don't always work.

Thanks again, really happy with it, I'll be keeping my spare just in case Smile
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#7
Hmm.. the interface chips should never get hot. Like I said, that is only possible with a bus problem.

ALL 3.5" drives should be able to be powered via a standard USB port. I wonder if that particular drive has a problem with excessive current draw? Model brand/model drive is that?

While it is certainly possible with the SCP hardware to access a floppy drive via Windows, I have zero experience with Windows device drivers. So, I won't be able to do it. If someone has experience in this area, I can supply everything necessary to read/decode and encode/write data.

There are many devices already (using just a simple interface and PC sound card) for archiving tapes.
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#8
   
(04-20-2017, 01:33 PM)admin Wrote: Hmm.. the interface chips should never get hot.  Like I said, that is only possible with a bus problem.

ALL 3.5" drives should be able to be powered via a standard USB port.  I wonder if that particular drive has a problem with excessive current draw?  Model brand/model drive is that?

While it is certainly possible with the SCP hardware to access a floppy drive via Windows, I have zero experience with Windows device drivers.  So, I won't be able to do it.  If someone has experience in this area, I can supply everything necessary to read/decode and encode/write data.

There are many devices already (using just a simple interface and PC sound card) for archiving tapes.

I'll get some pictures of the drive up for you. It was a Sony 3 1/2" drive, I know that much.

I wish I knew how to code, my best efforts were BASIC on C64 i'm afraid.
Maybe a bounty in the forum section? I'd be willing to donate for sure however, yeah, I won't be able to help code.
Would love to see it happen though.

I'll have to re-investigate the tape stuff, thanks again for your time Jim.

*Update*
sony drive model pic attached
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#9
(04-20-2017, 03:46 PM)shades_aus Wrote:
(04-20-2017, 01:33 PM)admin Wrote: Hmm.. the interface chips should never get hot.  Like I said, that is only possible with a bus problem.

ALL 3.5" drives should be able to be powered via a standard USB port.  I wonder if that particular drive has a problem with excessive current draw?  Model brand/model drive is that?

While it is certainly possible with the SCP hardware to access a floppy drive via Windows, I have zero experience with Windows device drivers.  So, I won't be able to do it.  If someone has experience in this area, I can supply everything necessary to read/decode and encode/write data.

There are many devices already (using just a simple interface and PC sound card) for archiving tapes.

Quote:I'll get some pictures of the drive up for you. It was a Sony 3 1/2" drive, I know that much.

I wish I knew how to code, my best efforts were BASIC on C64 i'm afraid.
Maybe a bounty in the forum section? I'd be willing to donate for sure however, yeah, I won't be able to help code.
Would love to see it happen though.

I'll have to re-investigate the tape stuff, thanks again for your time Jim.

I, too, would contribute to an author who could write a Windows driver so we could use attached floppies as if they were standard Windows floppies.

Tom L
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