ToToTEK.COM

Strike · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 33

Since these units are so hard to find, and I am not up for making my own interace, I am asking if it is possible to just use a simple external parallel port cdrom.

geppettoz · Joined: 18 Nov 2006 Posts: 23

i want the cd7!!!!!!!!!!!!
but i don't know how!!!!!!!!!! Crying or Very sad

if anyone can make a very simple guide...... Wink

thanks

kyuusaku · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us

No, you cannot use a generic parallel port CDROM. The GDSF7 CDROM "CD7" is not even a parallel CDROM (a device which interfaces IDE CDROM with the parallel port) it is a very specific type of CDROM which uses a "MKE" interface which is incompatible with IDE. MKE is 8-bit which suits the 8-bit parallel port, IDE is a 16-bit interface which doesn't without a great amount of extra logic on the CDROM side. The hardware inside a SF7 CDROM is very simple, just a single IC chip--a 8-bit tristate (bus driver) which isn't even really a logic chip.

You have 3 options:

1) Buy an expensive original CDROM
2) Make your own for the price of a used MKE CDROM off eBay ($10) and the IC ($0.50) and a parallel CDROM case with power supply ($15?)
3) Make an IDE interface--add IDE interface hardware (a couple registers, tristate only $2-3), add new port to GDSF7 case (dremel - $100), hack GDSF7 BIOS (cheap EPROM programmer- $50+) for said interface...

madman · Joined: 07 Jul 2006 Posts: 598

You can do a google for the plans for building the interface.

smalz · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 37

Will making one of these require soldering? If so maybe tototek should look at making some "cd7's", I'd buy one.