SSlmixed.com Forum

Tech discussion => 4K,6K,8K Series => Topic started by: horizonsound on December 01, 2025, 01:28:34 AM

Title: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: horizonsound on December 01, 2025, 01:28:34 AM: Hi All,

I'm trying to copy U3.01 program disk from 3.5" over to an 8" format, however Copy ALL only wants to copy within the same drive.
It should fit on an 8" disk.

Anyone know if there is a command to copy across drive formats?

Alternatively, I have made a 3.5" disk .img file, but can't work out how to convert that to an 8" .img file.

Anthony.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Jdm5149 on December 01, 2025, 03:56:58 AM: Hey there. I don’t know but I was thinking of this today also. I just received a 5.25 drive that was on eBay. Console still in storage but once up and running I was thinking of using the 8” drive I know that works and using this 5.25 and hopefully a 3.5 that I have as backups and archiving data also. All my manuals are in storage but I thought I read somewhere about saving across drives.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: horizonsound on December 01, 2025, 06:12:37 AM: Yeah you can copy reel disks across drives, but am struggling on the program disk.

The protocols for 3.5" and 8" are completely different. 5.25" drives were never used in an SSL system, but may be compatible with the 8" Shugart MFM protocol.

Anthony.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: pascal.verdet on December 01, 2025, 08:27:44 AM: Hi Anthony,

Normally, the "COPY ALL EX" command duplicates the system disk.
BUT !!! As I recall, I believe that in SSL programming, they assumed the same drive would be used...

Cheers,
Pascal
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Jdm5149 on December 01, 2025, 10:49:15 AM: This is the discription of the drive I purchased. Will try to get my computer out of storage to test it it came with a v3.5 program disc :
This listing is for a vintage Solid State Logic (SSL) 5.25" Floppy Disc Drive, originally used in SSL 4000/6000 series console automation systems. Pulled from BBC Maida Vale Studios, this unit is a rare artifact from one of the most iconic recording environments in broadcast history.

Brand: Solid State Logic (SSL)
Type: Console Automation Drive
Compatibility: SSL 4K / 6K Series (E/G)
Media: 5.25" Floppy Disk
Provenance: BBC Maida Vale Studios (UK)
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Richealey on December 02, 2025, 06:25:31 PM: SSL never used a 5.25" floppy drive. I looked up the ebay listing and that is an 8" floppy drive. If you look up the part # of the Verbatim floppy FD 34-8000 you'll see that's an 8" floppy.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Dave Dicson on December 02, 2025, 06:43:33 PM: SSL did use a 5.25" data cartridge for a short time.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Jdm5149 on December 02, 2025, 06:53:13 PM: Yes. Just looked at it. 8”. Well at least I have a spare 🤞
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Richealey on December 02, 2025, 07:04:54 PM: Is this Metalworks Dave Dicson ? Are you thinking Bernoulli
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Dave Dicson on December 03, 2025, 03:06:52 PM: Yes.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: Clip6 on December 13, 2025, 02:59:00 AM: https://youtu.be/__yq7rKpCG8?si=WzBcwgX84CprPkNi

Anthony you look into this Zulu drive.

We need a floppy replacement.
Title: Re: Copying U3.01 Program Disk
Post by: horizonsound on December 13, 2025, 05:54:48 AM: Unfortunately it is not that simple.

The SSL 3.5" disk system uses a SCSI interface with some fairly specific protocols. It converts SCSI to IDE through a Teac FD-1 card.
The drive itself is a rather specific Teac FD-235HF 6700.
Power for the FD-1 is taken from a the modified 3.5 drive, back up the 34way ribbon, IIRC.
I've tried many combinations of emulators on the SCSI and the IDE side of it, even have the developers work along side me.
Still no luck.
The 8" USB emulator, whilst took a bit of time to work out, has been 100% solid for me over the last 5 years.

Anthony.