OpenFlops and FlashFloppy Firmware for an Open Source Floppy Drive Emulator as a GoTek Alternative

This video is sponsored by PCBWay. Only $5 for 10 PCBs and Only $4.98 for 3D Printing + Express 24 hour service on www.pcbway.com/ OpenFlops is an open source hardware floppy drive emulator running with the open source firmware FlashFloppy. The printed circuit board has been designed as a GoTek alternative with the free and open source software KiCad by SukkoPera. All schematics are available in GitHub. OpenFlops features STM32 microcontroller, more precisely STM32F105RBT6. FlashFloppy is another open source project hosted in GitHub and started by Keir Fraser.
On Linux it is very easy to upload FlashFloppy to OpenFlops using USB to UART dongle and stm32flash command-line interface application: sourceforge.net/projects/stm3...
The demonstration in the video features OpenFlops connected to Commodore Amiga 500.
Useful links:
* OpenFlops
github.com/SukkoPera/OpenFlops
www.pcbway.com/project/sharep...
* FlashFloppy firmware
github.com/keirf/flashfloppy
* FlashFloppy Firmware Programming for STM32:
github.com/keirf/flashfloppy/...
* 3D model: Amiga 500 Gotek USB bracket v2 - FlashFloppy OLED
www.thingiverse.com/thing:274...
0:00 Floppy Drive Emulator
1:15 OpenFlops
4:07 FlashFloppy
6:08 OpenFlops in Amiga 500
7:12 Demo
9:31 Conclusions

[@Mueller3D]

Nice video. It's good to know about this Gotek alternative. Btw, it looks like your soldering would benefit from using more flux. The flux will help with the surface tension of the solder and make the joints much smoother and less likely to bridge.

[@LeonAnavi]

Thank you! Indeed I initially underestimated the hand soldering efforts for this STM32. Probably next time I will just use a stencil and solder paste.

[@mikegravgaard340]

Subscribed and liked. Also cool T-shirt.

[@LeonAnavi]

Thanks :)

[@chapsprzepies5047]

Thank you for this video.

[@LeonAnavi]

You are welcome. Thank you for leaving a comment :)

[@slaapliedje]

I really wish someone would adopt one of the flashfloppy drives to use an SD or MicroSD card instead of USB. The usb sticks are far larger and the SD cards even look similar to old floppy disks... so far the only drives I have seen use them is the HxC 2001 floppy emulator (not flashfloppy compatible) and the GoEx, which are almost always sold out...

[@LeonAnavi]

Yes, I agree. This is a very good idea!

[@mr.iot-tech278]

Thx for your video :) i finally can get rid of old floppy's ! One fast q is there anything like this for emulating CDRom with opensource hardware ?

[@LeonAnavi]

Good question. I've heard about some solution for hardware emulation of CD/DVD-rom like Tattiebogle ATAPI but I haven't tried any of them personally.

[@slvclw]

3 legs on the stm look bridged is that supposed to be like that?

[@LeonAnavi]

yes, it is by design. You can see they are also bridged on the PCB by exploring it in KiCad.

[@lubovmeshkova1458]

Can I use stm32f103 instead stm32f105?

[@LeonAnavi]

This is a very interesting question. I am not sure. It looks like that STM32F103 is still supported in the flashfloppy firmware and the IC pinout is quite similar. I suggest opening a GitHub issue to get more feedback from the community: github.com/SukkoPera/OpenFlops

[@chapsprzepies5047]

I buy A500 today , and i'd like to build this df0 ;)

[@LeonAnavi]

Have fun with your Amiga :)

[@micbanand]

I like the idea of making your own. But I just reveived a org. Gotek for 19+7$ delivery. I have just modded it with flashfloppy 1.3" oled 3,5$ and an ec11 encoder 1$ so just over 30 total :)

[@LeonAnavi]

Yes, your calculation is correct: OpenFlops is definitely more expensive. There are main two reasons why OpenFlops can't even come close to GoTek price: 1. GoTek is mass produced which dramatically reduces the cost for BoM. If someone starts OpenFlops mid-volume manufacturing probably the cost can be reduced but it will be still 2 or even 3 times more than GoTek. 2. GoTek nowadays uses Artery MCU instead of STM32 microcontroller. This switch was again made to cut the GoTek BoM expenses. During the global chip shortage STM32 MCUs were very hard to find and their prices raised. The main benefits of OpenFlops are the open source hardware nature of the project and the use of high-quality proven STM32 MCU. Of course these benefits come at a price (literally :) ).

[@micbanand]

@@LeonAnavi no the real reason. why they switched to Artery from to STM. where Greed! STM raised the price almost 10 fold, for the STM32F105 chip :)

[@NaderGator]

wouldn't be easier for people to be able to build this into an existing dev-board like the STM32F103 "blue pill" ?! .. has anyone tried that yet ?

[@LeonAnavi]

OpenFlops features STM32F105 MCU and blue bill is with STM32F103. As far as I can see for the moment the open source firmware Flash Floppy supports microcontrollers: STM32F105 and Artery Technology AT32F435 but there are some GitHub discussion that also mention support for STM32F103: github.com/keirf/flashfloppy/issues/694 Based on the feedback from the link above probably it should work.

[@peddersoldchap]

Can it be used as an external drive, connected at the back of the A500?

[@LeonAnavi]

Yes, with the proper cables (the same way you can put GoTek on the back of A500).

[@peddersoldchap]

@@LeonAnavi Thank you for your answer and also for the video

[@LeonAnavi]

@@peddersoldchap my pleasure, I hope the video is useful.

[@user-ns9dp6of1c]

Не мога да подкарам моя емулатор на стария ми синтезатор Техникс КN5000.....мамка му....помооощ ! ....

[@LeonAnavi]

OpenFlops ли ползвате? С FlashFloppy или с друг firmware? Нямам опит със синтезатори, за стари персонални компютри като амига от видеото работи отлично.