* Does not require a separate 5v power supply (the computer supplies power).
* Can supply 5v to an attached CF card adapter if necessary. Also supplies +5v via IDE Pin 20, although not all devices use it (hence the additional supply option).
* Driver supports Amstrad PCW CP/M Plus version 1.14 and higher, and Locoscript only at this time (it is implemented as a FID).
* A separate driver exists for Lifeboat CP/M 2.2 on the TRS-80 Model II that can be ported on demand to other CP/M 2.2 variants.
* Intertec Superbrain QD now fully supported.
* uIDE may not be compatible with certain types of IDE device (CF cards, DOMs).
* There is no driver support for IDE CD drives.
* There is no I have not provided driver support for uIDE-16 on the CPC 6128 yet. I'm working on itHowever, please see the [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/applications/hdcpm-boot-and-run-cpm-plus-from-hard-disk/ HDCPM thread]
* Any IDE device connected to uIDE should support IDE-ATA 8-bit data transfer mode. If you connect a device which only supports 16-bit mode, you may find it is incompatible or has half the expected space available (this is because in ATA 16 bit transfer mode, the interface only uses 8 of the possible 16 transfer bits).
* IDE devices must also support LBA (logical block addressing) mode (for my drivers).
|-
| http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/File:Xdriver_PCW_suite_0.1.zip || Zip file containing uIDE utilities and the PCW driver FID file. You don't need this if you are using the uIDE-PCW.img file. || [[UIDE_Universal_IDE_adapter_cards_for_Z-80_computers#Drivers|Drivers]]
|-
| http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/File:Xdrv_n.zip || Zip file containing uIDE xdrv.fid v1.11 variants that allocate different numbers of uIDE drives (from 1-12), for use in situations where having many drives slows the PCW down (such as when starting up Locoscript), or you find that CP/M Plus does not have enough memory to support the full compliment of drives, devices and applications you need to run (not a problem I've encountered yet!). || See http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/nc100-nc200-pcw-pda600/locoscript-and-fid-files/msg173804 for discussion.
|-
| http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/nc100-nc200-pcw-pda600/announce-pcw-xdriver-suite-v1-11-for-uide-users/ || Announcement thread for the later driver with download and discussion of repair procedure to fix possible problems with the earlier formatter. Use this instead of the v0.1 driver. || [[UIDE_Universal_IDE_adapter_cards_for_Z-80_computers#Drivers|Drivers]]
| [[File:IDE SPEC.PDF|framed|IDE specification document]] || IDE Specification document, which is needed for writing IDE drivers. || [[UIDE_Universal_IDE_adapter_cards_for_Z-80_computers#More_information|More information]]
|-
| https://drive.google.com/openfile/d/1HaWvlNjYw6uwRpdOBd-Tokw0SgrVJanO/view?idusp=1VyHVd_wvhW6o6_qjQrx_pjYCS9jnaxRn share_link || Intertec Superbrain I and II QD uIDE driver installation v0.12 package ||
|}
These cards allow connection of a uIDE card to the 50 way expansion port on the back of the machine. They are designed to support the PCW edge connector type port, but the European Centronics type port might be accommodated if a suitable connector exists (50 way Centronics, 2.54 header pitch). In addition they provide access to the PCW's 5v and 12v power supply, as well as other signals from the card edge connector. One variant has a small composite video circuit so that you can connect an external monitor to the PCW.
=== Schneider PCW variants ===
You can connect uIDE-8 to a Schneider PCW expansion plug using a 50 way Centronics to 50 way IDC cable.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Schneider adapter cable.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Schneider adapter cable]]
|}
You also need a modified PCW expansion port adapter card, with a 50 way IDC header installed instead of the 50 way edge connector. The Schneider cable plugs into this, and you then connect the uIDE to it in the usual fashion.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Schneider adapter cable fitted.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Schneider adapter cable fitted, with uIDE and DOM, in an enclosure]]
|}
=== CPC 6128 ===
|[[File:CPC 6128 bus adapter.png|200px|thumb|left|CPC 6128 Bus adapter]]
|}
The CPC 6128 bus adapter is a card which plugs directly into the 6128's expansion port with the front face of the board facing away from the CPC. The image shows an early render from OSH Park. Per the other adapter cards, uIDE plugs into it via a 40 way IDC cable. A special variant for the MX4 backplane is available - see below.
== BOMs ==
* The IDE device can plug directly into the uIDE board. Angled IDC connectors are recommended when building the board.
* A DOM is recommended as it is the only device I have tested the uIDE prototype with. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that specific Compact Flash cards will be compatible but if you let me know what works and what doesn't we can build a compatibility list on this page.
* uIDE-8 cannot be used on the 6128CPC6128 as it uses 16 bit I/O addressing. Choose uIDE-16. === Special notes for uRTC-8 users ===* You can connect uRTC-8 to your computer by choosing any two options from the first two columns.* uRTC-8 cannot be used on the CPC6128 as it uses 16 bit I/O addressing.
== Information for self builders ==
|[[File:8512 uIDE.JPG|thumb|Correct way to fit the expansion port adapter and uIDE to the back of a PCW 8256: LED at the top. (Picture shows a uIDE-16 but the orientation of the uIDE-8 with respect to the cable is the same.)]]
|}
'''Note: On the red adapter board, the Z80 bus cable is on the other side of the expansion port, but the red light is still at the top.'''
=== PCW 9000 series machines ===
|[[File:9512 uIDE.JPG|thumb|Correct way to connect expansion port adapter and uIDE to a 9512 expansion port: Adapter's LED on the RIGHT. (Picture shows a uIDE-16 but the orientation of a uIDE-8 is the same with respect to the cable.)]]
|}
=== Schneider PCW machines ===
The Schneider expansion port is different to the Amstrad PCW edge connector. To connect to it you need a 50 way Centronics to IDC ribbon cable and a Schneider-specific expansion port adapter (this has a 50 way IDC header on it rather than an edge connector).
The cable and connection is shown on this page: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/UIDE_Universal_IDE_adapter_cards_for_Z-80_computers#Schneider_PCW_variants
I can supply the Schneider specific Expansion port adapter, but not the Centronics to IDC cable.
=== CPC6128 machines ===
|-
|[[File:6128-uIDE-16 connection.jpg|thumb|Correct way to fit the expansion port adapter to the back of a CPC6128: LED on the right hand side.]]
|}
=== CPC6128 machines with MX4 backplane===
The 6128 expansion port adapter requires a 50 way right angled male IDC box connector fitted to the expansion port adapter. This allows it to stand up on the MX4 backplane. The main caveat is that the adapter is inserted the other way round to the other MX4 boards, so some rearrangement of your MX4 boards may be necessary.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:UIDE-16_MX4_adapter_2.jpg|thumb|Close up of the 6128 adapter board showing correct orientation of the angled 50 way IDC box header.]]
|[[File:UIDE-16_MX4_adapter.jpg|thumb|Correct way to fit the 6128 adapter board to the MX4 backplane. Note the adapter's component side facing to the left, whereas the next adjacent card's component side can be seen facing to the right.]]
|}
a system disk reset (BDOS call 0Dh) to ensure that all disk allocation
buffers are cleared down. On CP/M 3, use the XRST.COM command to achieve the same thing.
For uIDE-16 users with HDCPM, do not use XFORMAT - follow HDCPM documentation for disk preparation.
== About XRST.COM ==
=== Amstrad CPC6128 ===
'''Note: There are no drivers available for uiDE on the CPC6128 at this timeis supported by [[HDCPM]].''' (But I am working on itKudos to d_kef!)
=== Intertec Superbrain QD ===
| Making CPM Images.pdf || A very well written guide to creating CP/M images on IDE devices, written by the guys at [http://www.s100computers.com www.s100computers.com].
|-
| uide.img || The PCW uIDE disk image (see below).
|}
The Intertec Superbrain uIDE disk image is called sbuIDE v0.11.img and is distributed as part of the Superbrain download package (see "Downloads" sectiopn above). The PCW disk image is called uIDE.img and it is a copy of the N8VEM image, with the PCW uIDE driver loaded, as well as some PCW specific files (on drive C:, User 0) and additional games.
=== Image contents ===
man dd
..and be aware that dd is also known as the "disk destroyer" because if you get it the ''-of'' wrong your hard disk may be wiped. I use GParted (under Ubuntu Linux) to ensure I have the correct device by loading it up and looking in the dropdown for the list of disks. One of them will be 125MB and that is the DOM. You'll see it is named as "/dev/[something]" - that's what your dd ''-of'' argument should be.
==== To transfer the uIDE disk image under Windows ====
|[[File:Z80 bus board layout.PNG|thumb|Z80 bus board layout]] || |[[File:Z80 bus board 3D.PNG|thumb|Z80 bus board 3D view]]
|}
It needs a quick rethink though, because I would like to add some additional lines for special host pins such as are found on the PcW.
=== PCW Serial / parallel port ===
|[[File:CPS8256 clone.png|thumb|CPS8256 clone PCB layout]] || [[File:CPS8256 3D.PNG|thumb|CPS8256 clone 3D view]]
|}
=== uRTC-8 Real Time Clock ===
This board is an external RTC that enables the host computer to maintain the time and date even when switched off.
Please see [[URTC-8 Universal RTC for Z80 computers]] for more details.
=== PCW uIDE boot card ===
This board would enable the PCW to boot directly from the uIDE board. A bit complicated but I intend to have a go at it... It's special in that it requires access to the "unused" pins of the PcW expansion port adapter - these are /REFSH, /NMI, /HALT, /MDIS, 3.2Mhz respectively (the boot card really needs /MDIS as far as I know). Others have implemented hard drive booting on the PCW, and I need to find out how - then I can build this card.
=== Other expansions ===
|}
== About CP/M USER areas. ==
This section was written for xdriver v1.9 under CP/M 2.2 and may or may not apply to CP/M Plus.
Some of this stuff you probably know.. but anyway, in case you don't...
=== Faster loading of CP/M COM files on the PCW ===
One of the first things you should do after setting your uIDE up is to copy all the CP/M program files to one of the IDE drives so that they load quicker.
* What this does is make the CCP (command line processor) look for SUB and COM files on the IDE drive C: before the currently logged disk. So if you are on A: and you issue the command BASIC (to load BASIC), it will be loaded from the IDE drive rapidly, even if there is a copy on A:. In fact, it looks on M: first, and a submit file like BASIC.SUB takes precedence over the real executable BASIC.COM.
=== Public USER 0 (SYSTEM files) on the PCW ===
Another useful trick is to make the CP/M COM files in user area 0 into SYSTEM files. This means that they won't be visible when you do a DIR, and they will be executable from all user areas on the same disk. So:-
* If you want to list them, enter the command DIR[SYS] (note, needs the program DIR.COM installed)
=== Fast switch between any drive / user combination on the PCW ===
One last info nugget, which you should find useful when looking through the download image. You can go to any drive / user combination by typing DN: where D is the drive letter and N is the user number. CP/M alters the CCP prompt to tell you where you are. For example:
== Prices ==
This is a summary of the prices I have posted to the forum so far.hgave been advised that I am sorry that the assembled not allowed to display prices are what they areon a Wiki page, but it is a time consuming and dreary job, not I am allowed to mention the effort and cost link to acquire the partsthem. I encourage self build!
{| class="wikitable"|-! Item !! Price|-| uIDE-8 bare board || £7.50|-| uIDE-8 assembled || £42.50|-| uIDE-16 bare board || £9.00|-| uIDE-16 assembled || £52.50|-| Z80 Shim bare board (LHS or RHS) || £2.50|-| Z80 Shim assembled (LHS or RHS) || £17.50|-| PCW expansion port adapter with composite video output || £4.00|-| PCW expansion port adapter with composite video output (assembled) || £29.00|-| PCW expansion port adapter "lite" (without composite video output) || £3.00|-| PCW expansion port adapter "lite" (without composite video outputConsequently, assembled) || £18you can find prices for these boards on the CPCWiki forum [https://www.00|-| CPC 6128 expansion port adapter || £3cpcwiki.00|eu/forum/nc100-| CPC 6128 expansion port adapter (assembled) || £18.00|-| 128MB DOM suitable for use with uIDE-8 and uIDE-16 || £7.95|nc200-| Z80 bus cable (40 way IDCpcw-IDC ribbon) || npda600/a|who-| UK postage & packing boards only || £2.50|wants-| UK postage & packing assembled packages || £4.50|ide-| European countries postage & packing boards only || £7.00|drives-| European countries postage & packing assembled packages || £10.00|on-| Rest of the world postage & packing boards only || £10.00|-| Rest of the world postage & packing assembled packages || £15.00|-|} Payment via PayPal, please, in Sterling (GBP). All prices are plus shipping as shown and PayPal fees (send as a gift). The shipping prices are a reasonable estimate and should allow a tracked service. Please contact me if you would like shipping insurance. All shipping will be via UK Royal Mail services. Please note, you will also need a Z80 bus cable. This is a standard 40 way IDC female to female ribbon commonly found in PCs to connect the motherboard to an IDE HDD, so if you have one lying around you don't need my offering. But if you decide to order one, please contact me to discuss the length of the cable. I guess it depends on the machine and where you want to position the uIDE cardpcw/msg235808/#msg235808 here].
== More information ==
[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUdH2u50ocnjPxPmEOyNVLsg PCW uIDE prototype demonstration videos]
[http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?57196-uIDE-on-the-Superbrain Superbrain uIDE discussion thread on VCF Forum]
[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2L62b7tPEXut4B3zgTygFQxfKM3o-x99 Superbrain QD uIDE demonstration videos]
[[File:IDE SPEC.PDF|200px||left|]] - IDE Specification document
== Copyright ==
As I am a hobbyist, not a big business, I need to make a few things clear.
You are free use these designs for '''personal or commercial purposesonly''', on the following conditions:
* You do not attempt to take credit for the work I have put into designing and / or building any device offered here.
* You acknowledge my right to assert copyright and ownership of these designs.
* All work is undertaken at your own risk. I am not liable for any hardware damage or data loss, loss of your homework, your dog getting sick, etc.
* All devices and/or PCBs I offer are supplied as-is and there is no warranty that they are fit for any particular purpose.
* Use for any commercial purpose is explicitly forbidden, this includes reverse engineering, selling or reselling the design or boards.
* Your agreement to these conditions is implicit on ordering any of these devices or PCBs from me.
I will support your use of these designs via the appropriate forum by offering help and advice as necessary. Please review the content of this Wiki page before asking for help, though, and contact me via the channels described below.
== How to contact me. ==
I am member "JonB" of the VCF and CPC Wiki Forums. If you need support or have any comments,
please start a new thread on the uIDE thread in the VCF CP/M forum here:
http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?56162
Or on the relevant CPCWiki / Amstrad.ES forum liked linked to above. You could also PM me.. :)
Note: Forum registration is required.
* CPCWiki member Bryce, who provided a good deal of hardware advice and encouragement. Bryce is also a uIDE beta tester.
* The open source community team responsible for KiCad, which, in its later incarnations, is worth every penny you do not have to spend on it. http://kicad-pcb.org/
* CPCWiki member d_kef, who has written [[HDCPM]] which allows uIDE-16 to work under CPM Plus on the CPC6128.
== Salutation ==