Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
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By Beater Bang Wed Nov 13, 2013 10:18 pm
Okay.

I really think that there should almost be sticky of advice which would point people at better direction with their xl reader options. I was lucky enough to start the machine with the card inside the reader.

For me at this point it looks like that the final price arises, as usually (this is wery common; I have noticed).

It seems like I came to a right place. Thank you both wery much.
By HEATthebeatmaker Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:06 pm
Is there a way to buy the atapi 741 card reader? I tried buying it and there's no add to cart option. I called them and sent an email and no answer. This is the best option because I have 1.14 and no way to upgrade. Plus this card reader can use sd cards, it's hot swappable and partitions over 1gb.
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By SimonInAustralia Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:29 pm
I replied in your floppy not working thread, to try and get that going.

Are you trying [email protected] ?

Not sure of their current status, I bought my readers from them a year ago now.

If you can't get your floppy going, and can't get in contact with Compuapps, can't find them anywhere else, and really want one, I could sell you one, I have about 7 spare sitting here unused.

They are new and unused, but would be sold without any support/warranty/etc., as I am not a reseller/retailer/etc. in anyway.

And it would have to be sent from Australia.
By HEATthebeatmaker Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:49 pm
Thanks for the reply. as of now i need to either buy new floppy or upgrade. im deciding to upgrade because i have gone through a few floppies that went corrupt after a few days of using it. that means if i format it, the floppy will eventually corrupt itself. i used these floppies on a friends mpc before i had bought mine. i dont want to use floppies after that experience.

Anyways, i did email them at that address, but received no reply. that is when i called. i need to know because not only am i looking to purchase it, but a friend is interested as well. i want to try buying from Compuapps, but if all else fails a friend and i will have to buy them from you.
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By SimonInAustralia Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:30 am
No probs, let me know if you do want them.

You sure you have tried a floppy cable without the twist, and that pin 1 of the power connector on the MPC mainboard is connected to pin 1 on the floppy power connector?

If the floppy drive still works on a computer, then it is working, and a new floppy drive will possibly not make any difference.
By HEATthebeatmaker Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:50 am
SimonInAustralia wrote:No probs, let me know if you do want them.

You sure you have tried a floppy cable without the twist, and that pin 1 of the power connector on the MPC mainboard is connected to pin 1 on the floppy power connector?

If the floppy drive still works on a computer, then it is working, and a new floppy drive will possibly not make any difference.


No i haven't tried a floppy cable without the twist. Thats the only thing i didn't try. Other than that i have tried everything else. The floppy power has been connected correctly. I think i need the cable without the twist. I'm trying to get a card reader right now. I'll try to do what you said if i ended up going back to it. Mainly looking to use the card reader though.
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By SimonInAustralia Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:54 am
I would guess that the twist in the floppy cable is the problem.

The twist is used so that computers can operate with two floppy drives on the cable, with the same settings on both drives, so that the drives themselves do not have to be set individually to operate as drive A: or drive B:.

The twist at the end of the cable, as yours is, makes it work with the computer as drive A:, and a second connector in the middle of the cable, without the twist, if it had one, makes a drive on that second connection operate as drive B:.

Since the MPC is designed to only operate with a single floppy drive, I think that they designed it to communicate with the floppy drive without a twist in the cable.

Having the twist in the cable will cause the floppy to be connected as if it was drive A: in a computer, when the MPC needs the floppy to be connected as if it was drive B:, without the twist in the cable.

Getting the floppy running would allow you to update to OS 1.20, and be able to use IDE-CF adapters that are not ATAPI. They are generally not hot-swap though, if that matters.
By HEATthebeatmaker Tue Nov 19, 2013 8:06 am
what card readers work with 1.14? i know theres a lot mentioned all over the site, but those are not going to be found online. i have been searching. i'm still working on getting my floppy drive working, but i still want something to work with 1.14.

i'm looking for something hot swappable. i found these IISDMC drives to work well but no where to buy them. the atapi 741 is next best, but like i said before the company hasn't replied to email or answered calls
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By SimonInAustralia Tue Nov 19, 2013 8:32 am
If you want new, and hot swap, not sure there are any other options, someone else might know.

Other readers are most likely going to be 2nd hand.

There is one listed on mpcstuff.com...
http://www.mpcstuff.com/akmpc20mcddr.html

You see them come up for sale 2nd hand sometimes, this one was listed as 2nd hand but unused a couple of months ago, might be worth seeing if they still have it...
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=168517


The original MPC2000XL-MCD card readers work with 1.14, Lamp has one I think.

There are some hot swap multicard readers on mpcstuff.com, which are out of stock, but which say they need 1.20, and are hotswap, so I am not really sure which will hotswap on 1.14 and which need 1.20, other than the CompuApps ATAPI 741, which I have used, so know it works on both 1.14 and 1.20.


Also be aware that the ATAPI 741 does not have screw holes that line up with the MPC2000 floppy mounting holes, you will have to DIY the mounting of the drive yourself.
By HEATthebeatmaker Tue Nov 19, 2013 8:53 am
SimonInAustralia wrote:If you want new, and hot swap, not sure there are any other options, someone else might know.

Other readers are most likely going to be 2nd hand.

There is one listed on mpcstuff.com...
http://www.mpcstuff.com/akmpc20mcddr.html

You see them come up for sale 2nd hand sometimes, this one was listed as 2nd hand but unused a couple of months ago, might be worth seeing if they still have it...
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=168517


The original MPC2000XL-MCD card readers work with 1.14, Lamp has one I think.

There are some hot swap multicard readers on mpcstuff.com, which are out of stock, but which say they need 1.20, and are hotswap, so I am not really sure which will hotswap on 1.14 and which need 1.20, other than the CompuApps ATAPI 741, which I have used, so know it works on both 1.14 and 1.20.


Also be aware that the ATAPI 741 does not have screw holes that line up with the MPC2000 floppy mounting holes, you will have to DIY the mounting of the drive yourself.



how much would you charge to send it with the screw holes in it already?
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By SimonInAustralia Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:03 am
Not much, jut the cost of the bits, have to do 3 here anyway, just need to go out to the shop and see what they have to do it with.
By HEATthebeatmaker Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:53 am
SimonInAustralia wrote:Not much, jut the cost of the bits, have to do 3 here anyway, just need to go out to the shop and see what they have to do it with.


well how much exactly so i know lol?
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By SimonInAustralia Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:57 am
No idea, a few nuts and bolts, maybe a couple of dollars, $30 for the reader, whatever postage is, maybe $5-10 if you want an IDE cable made up, depending on what the cable and connectors cost.

All just guessing, until I buy the bits, but whatever it costs me.
By HEATthebeatmaker Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:07 am
SimonInAustralia wrote:No idea, a few nuts and bolts, maybe a couple of dollars, $30 for the reader, whatever postage is, maybe $5-10 if you want an IDE cable made up, depending on what the cable and connectors cost.

All just guessing, until I buy the bits, but whatever it costs me.


oh just wondering. im fine for now. Thanks though,