SmartPortSD for IIc with custom case

[AEChadwick]

I wanted to make a SmartPortSD for my IIc. I previously mounted a FloppyEMU in the internal drive; that project turned out fine, but precluded use of the FloppyEMU as a SmartPort device without some creepy wiring. I decided to make a SmartPortSD adapter using erichelgeson’s instructions at TinkerDifferent.

Of course, everything comes in multiples—(5) boards from jlcpcb, (3) arduino nano clones from amazon, (6) SD card adapters from china, and why order just one DB-19 connector...? I figured it was good odds if i built five, at least one would work.

I designed a custom case, because that's secretly why I build anything: to indulge my frustrated wish to be part of Frog Design.

The existing "piggyback" case designs are cool, but would not fit my setup--my IIc leaves very little space under its little monitor. I made the SmartPortSD into a little peripheral-unit instead. I used ribbon cable because i thought that would look like an old IIe accessory, and manufactured DB-19-edge-connectors to facilitate the wiring.

One board discharged its blue smoke and ceased working; no idea.
One board simply refuses to work; bad PCB? bad arduino? no idea.
Three boards work fine.

That means i have two extra: want a free SmartPortSD in a funny case? post a picture of your rig. I’ll randomly DM for an address and drop one in the mail. there’s nothing attainable that i want to trade for, and I’m too lazy to charge money; caveats: BYO SD card, no warranty, no guarantee, no tech support, we got a year end clearance, we got a white sale on a smoke damaged furniture, you can drive it away today.

The SmartPortSD reads .PO images...
i have found .2mg, .hdv, but only one .po image courtesy of @bigmessowires
can i convert .2mg to .po? Anyone have non-ciderpress instructions?

 

[bigmessowires]

The SmartPortSD reads .PO images...
i have found .2mg, .hdv, but only one .po image courtesy of @bigmessowires
can i convert .2mg to .po? Anyone have non-ciderpress instructions?

HDV is the same as PO, you can simply rename the file.
2MG is documented here. If you're allergic to using Cidepress for conversion, you could write a short script in the language of your choice. 98 percent of the time it'll work if you simply delete the first 64 bytes of the 2MG file and rename the remaining bytes as PO. For the other 2 percent, write code to fully parse the header.

 

[AEChadwick]

If you're allergic to using Cidepress for conversion

haha not allergic, i just don't have a way to run ciderpress? i will try renaming an HDV volume!

 

[magnusfalkirk]

Here's a picture of my Apple //c+ running a demo of Flight Simulator II on a Dell monitor, via an HDMI setup. The computer to the left is an Atari 800xl.

 

[AEChadwick]

98 percent of the time it'll work if you simply delete the first 64 bytes of the 2MG file and rename the remaining bytes as PO.

i opened a test image into a hex editor and simply deleted the first 64 bytes.

resaved & renamed, it opened just fine on the SmartPortSD. Thank for the assist...

the 2mg documentation makes it especially clear & easy, the header is delineated by an intentionally blank space:

0030-003F: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Reserved space- at present all must be zero.

 

[François]

That’s a really cool looking device! You absolutely nailed the design language.

 

[AEChadwick]

That’s a really cool looking device!

ooh i see you have the rare IIc mouse... but did you keep the box it came in??

 

[François]

ooh i see you have the rare IIc mouse... but did you keep the box it came in??View attachment 62019

I don’t have the box (never had it, I purchased the mouse recently).

 

[AEChadwick]

(both extra SmartPortSD have been given homes.)

 

[magnusfalkirk]

Got the SmartPortSD in the mail today! Thank you very much for this.

 

[AEChadwick]

fantastic! share anything you discover.