Jean-François DEL NERO (la persona che sta dietro lo sviluppo dell’emulatore Floppy HxC SD) ha recentemente rilasciato una versione del firmware HxC compatibile con il chip STM32 utilizzato nel Floppy Drive Gotek.

Questo significa che possiamo godere di quasi tutte le features che il firmware HxC supporta anche per l’economico Floppy Drive Gotek.

Il bootloader per convertire il floppy drive Gotek in HxC compatibile va acquistato sul sito di HXC 2001 inviando un’email a Jean-François DEL NERO. Il prezzo del bootloader e’ di 10 euro una tantum per ogni Gotek che si vuole aggiornare/convertire. Gli aggiornamenti successivi del software sono gratuti e possono essere fatti da chiavetta USB.

The HXC Usb (Gotek) firmware supports: + many more….

USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware v3.8.1.2a -> v5.0.0.7a cumulative changelog:

• Another internal interrupts priorities fix : Fix possible read issues with some usb sticks brand/models with HD disk images. (v5.x.x.x regression fix)
• Fix internal interrupts priorities.
• Some optimizations. (OLED I2C Layer, head step irq).
• A new series of Goteks based on the new AT32F435 is now available (PCB “SFRKC30.AT4.35″). This MCU is more powerful than the previous AT32F415 MCU. The AT32F435 has 384KB of RAM ! (This was 32KB for the AT32F415 and 64KB for the STM32F105) The AT32F435 can run at 288MHz ! (This was 150MHz for the AT32F415 and 72MHz for the STM32F105) This hardware revision removes the 32KB memory size challenge introduced by the “SARS-CoV-2″ Goteks (based on the AT32F415). This is definitively more reliable because file system cache can be properly implemented to deal with the USB stick latency. I strongly recommend this new AT32F435 Goteks hardware revision. Regarding the HxC firmware the new v5 version is now compatible with this new core. It still compatible with the STM32 and AT32F415 Goteks.
• Others changes:Artery AT32F415 Gotek now runs at 144MHz ! (the v3 & v4 run this core at 72MHz) Many changes and some fixes in the low level layers.
• The bootloader was updated too and finally gain the OLED screen support.
• The offline firmware installation (activation at hxc2001.com) now supports this new core.
• The online serial installation doesn’t support yet this core. But this will be done next week.
• Fix erroneous “No file image found !” message issue when a dirty CFG file is used on another USB stick.
• QFN32/SFRKC30.AT2 Gotek : Fix v4.2.10.10 regression : init crash due to a race condition.
• QFN32/SFRKC30.AT2 Gotek : Fix possible 7 segments screen issues. Fix possible bus gating issues.
• QFN32/SFRKC30.AT2 Gotek : Low level IO routines optimized : Faster floppy signals update.(Fix possible issues on accelerated Amiga and fast machines)
• By default don’t enable the swap file on MCU with more than 32KB of RAM. Embedded menu added to disable/enable the swap file.
• USB stick reset improved, Check USB stick block size and reject incompatible USB sticks (Fix hardfault crash). Fix possible hardfault crash if the USB stick is removed during the mount process. Bootloader : QFN32 Gotek – Fix possible unwanted update mode selection if the floppy bus is forced in low state at power up.
• Important bug fix in the write support : Fix possible Gotek crash when writing to a high density HFE image. Update strongly recommended to all v4.x.x.x firmwares users (v3.x.x.x firmwares not affected by this issue).
• Fix alternate rotary port support on Artery Gotek with 48 pins AT32.
• AT32 SFR1M44-DU26, SFR720-DU26 (SFRC2D.B Gotek PCB) support added !
• SFRKC30.AT2 PCB Gotek (QFN32 AT32 MCU) support added !
• SFRKC30AT3 PCB Gotek (TQFP48 AT32 MCU + New rotary port) support added !
• Init layer enhanced to support all Gotek variants in a better way.
• Low level layer enhanced to support all Gotek variants in a better way.
• More STM32 and AT32 MCU models supported !
• Amiga and Atari ST File selector updated to support the new v4.x.x.x firmwares series.
• Sound fixed on Artery Goteks.
• New “SWAPMEM.BIN” swap file system implemented to deal with the low RAM memory ARTERY Goteks : Better HFE format and long write operations support (Amiga, E-mu Emulator, Arburg…)
• Bug Fixes !
• Raw *.IMG PC Files : Fix the 40 tracks double sided images support.
• Build-in USB stick init / format function (custom firmware) : If the the 7 segments screen embedded menu is disabled, the format mode can be enabled by the user by just pressing both buttons with no USB stick connected.
• The eject/insert feature can now be disabled on the custom firmware page.

This is only a little part of the changelog. The original one is very long and you can read it here. (instruction manual here)

The HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware Customization page: https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/

Download: USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware (542)

source: hxc2001.com