Gotek Floppy Emulator for MPC60

I thought we'd gather some information on the Gotek Floppy Emulator model SFRM72-FU in this thread. I got mine from eBay via this auction:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281080225618?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649



Contrary to popular belief, the included software works on Windows 7 and 8. Since it's supplied on a mini CD which probably won't work in a slot load CD-ROM, I've uploaded the contents of the disk here:

https://mega.co.nz/#!eUIxwQDR!GaOBegoeMD2ESDWlwQpf82FAG0MRIj9DhVLyscP_tcA


Installation

To install the drive in your MPC60, first remove the four screws under the chassis under the disk drive. Then proceed with opening the MPC60.

MPC60 MKI:



MPC60 MKII:



Unplug the four pin power connector and the ribbon conector from the original floppy drive. Then unscrew the two metal holders attached to the original floppy drive, and attach them to the floppy emulator. I used the screws from the metal holders for this, but there are three screws included with the floppy emulator which might be better for this since they have a sharper edge. Now screw the floppy emulator back on the MPC and connect the power- and ribbon connector. There is no need to change any jumper settings for the MPC60, it just works.



Formatting USB-drive

On the CD, navigate to "CD/english/SOFTWARE for XXX-U100" version and extract "usb-floppy-format-tool_v123_sfd" and start the application "V123_SFD.exe".

Just select 720 kB as Floppy Type, and click "Begin Formatting...".




Usage

The documentation on the CD can be somewhat confusing, but I found this to be the most comprehensible since it describes the practical usage step by step, even though it's for an embroidery machine: "CD/english/embroidery machine/SFR1M44-GU FU SFRM72-GU FU for TAJIMA HAPPY BARUDAN SWF.pdf".

I'm just getting the hang of how it works, but I'll try to summarize.

The floppy supports 99 directories and a root directory. Each directory is numbered from 00 to 99 and represent the contents of a 720 kB disk. The files are saved directly in the file system of the USB drive, i.e. no virtual disk images or the like that you need special software for reading/writing.

The floppy emulator has two buttons on the front. These buttons have different functions depending on if a USB drive is inserted or not.

If no USB drive is inserted in the floppy emulator, the buttons are used to select the directory. The left button increases the directory/disk number by 10, and the right by 1.

When a USB drive is inserted the buttons change function to "out" and "in". The floppy emulator has a built in flash memory buffer and these buttons are now for exporting the contents of this memory to and from the USB drive.

To write to the USB drive, press the left button. The display on the floppy emulator should now read "d1". Save your files on the MPC. Now press the left button again. This exports the files from the internal memory of the floppy emulator to the USB drive. Now press the right button, which puts the contents of the selected folder on the USB drive into the floppy emulators internal memory. Done!

Now you can remove the USB memory, plug it into your computer to backup the files or edit the files with Awave Studio for example.

Thanks for this!

very good info - sounds like it works completely differently from the hxc emulator. thanks

Thanks guys! Nice to be able to give something back to the community.

tapedeck wrote:very good info - sounds like it works completely differently from the hxc emulator. thanks

More importantly, easier to use, USB and around 60% cheaper.

Thanks again to Milando for being the guinea pig and sharing his findings on this with us:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=148895&hilit=milando

Hopefully Jeff (HxC) wont come and spam this thread with propaganda like he did with that one.

very cool. i borrowed an xp machine and my mission this weekend was to sort out this emu software deal. the documentation kind of sucks. I installed the winhex software last night formatted the usb drive and that about it.

Also it appears you can format the usb drive via the floppy emu drive itself. insert it and hold down the two buttons until it counts from 000 to 999.

but thanks for this. i've not had time recently to dig ii. you've just made my life easier to not have to dig thru this sucky documentation.

Got it working, thanks!

Any idea how to clean the internal memory of the floppy emulator?

Make your 00 (root floppy image) empty.
@ the end of each session, just reset the MPC with your usb stick pluged in.
That should do it.

milando wrote:Make your 00 (root floppy image) empty.
@ the end of each session, just reset the MPC with your usb stick pluged in.
That should do it.

Yep, that works, thank you!
What about changing the folder names? Possible?

You can rename folders 001 to 002...
you can also add long txt after numbers, viewable by computer only.

Usually I add names of my drum kits to the folder name, that way I can track my samples easily on computer when I am adding some new samples or just remixing some sounds.

RED ALERT!!

My Mpc isn't starting, just making noise from the power supply or something around it..
I knew something isn't right when sometimes, after trying to insert the pen drive in the emulator the MPC resets. After one of those resets, the MPC isn't starting anymore

My mpc blow a fuse...
Anyone with the USB emulator is experiencing the same issue? (sometimes when plugging the pen drive, the MPC resets)

SDC wrote:My mpc blow a fuse...
Anyone with the USB emulator is experiencing the same issue? (sometimes when plugging the pen drive, the MPC resets)

Is your MPC60 the MK1 or MK2?

Clint wrote:

SDC wrote:My mpc blow a fuse...
Anyone with the USB emulator is experiencing the same issue? (sometimes when plugging the pen drive, the MPC resets)

Is your MPC60 the MK1 or MK2?

MKII

Just curious, which email did you guys use to contact Gotek, the one in the old thread, or through their website ?

I got an answer back last year for the 3000, recommending an SFR1M44-U100K, which i bought, and it clearly isn't the correct model at all.