From [email protected] Sat Nov 17 15:10:36 2001

Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 15:10:36 +0100

From: Maciej Witkowiak <[email protected]>

To: ListaC64 <[email protected]>

Subject: Announcement: CIA-IDE

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Elysium is proud to announce a new software and hardware solution for your

Commodore mass data storage needs.

The CIA-IDE is yet another approach to connect an IDE hard drive to C64/128.

It differs from previous similar projects in these areas:

- it is the simpliest one (only two chips required (or just one in case of

C128))

- it is free (documentation and software),

- the software is available in source code form under GNU GPL,

- there _exists_ a ready to use GEOS 2.0 driver.

The name comes from using a third CIA chip (it can be also a VIA). The

interface is 8-bit, but 16-bit version can be built without using any

additional chips. Due to simplicity and my laziness I`ve chosen 8 bits,

leaving half of disk unused.

There is a configuration program and disk driver for GEOS 2.0. It can

handle any hard drive compatible with at least ATA-2 standard (that is no

more than 128GB) in 3840KB pieces. Such virtual disks can be easily changed

with a Desk Accessory that is also available. For GEOS 64 you need a REU,

there are no requirements for GEOS 128.

I don't have Wheels so I don't know how my installation program will work

there. Any help, suggestions or sponsorship ;) are welcome.

There is a preliminary version of wedge that makes it possible to access IDE

from BASIC. I'm planning to make an additional or replacement ROM for CBM

Kernal.

Documentation, source codes and binaries made out of them are available on:

ftp://ftp.elysium.pl/groups/Elysium/Projects/ciaide/

There is also GeoMakeDir there, an application for 1541/71 but it

should be especially useful CIA-IDE users. It allows to use

subdirectories that could be changed using Desk Accessories.

A word of explanation: this project was not meant to compete with IDE64 or

any other similar project. I did it for fun and I want to share my work so

other could benefit from it too. Adapting my software for any other

interface that offers raw IDE registers is just a matter of small changes.

Maciej Witkowiak <[email protected]>

YTM/Elysium

(with help of Elysium Public Relations Department)