Hi everybody,

I don't usually come here as I don't have a MorphOS machine (more on that later :) ).

However, I was wondering....

People who use AmigaOS 4 or AROS may be aware that I've been writing drivers for these systems to support the Catweasel Mk3 and particularly the Mk4(+). As I understand it, though, there's no support in MorphOS?

My question is this: is there a way that I can port the driver to MorphOS, with the simple proviso that I don't spend any money? I'd like to see it supported under all 3 Amigoid systems, but I'm completely and utterly skint. Is there a way to get sponsors or a development machine? I have a Mac Mini (1.25GHz PPC) but that's no good for Catweasel support (no PCI!), and I can't afford the MorphOS license anyway!

Of course, it's all open source, so if someone else wants to port it I'm happy to collaborate.

Current features:

Various formats supported (all read and write):
* Amiga DD/HD disks
* PC DD/HD disks
* C64 1541 disks
* Macintosh DD (400K (untested) and 800K), HD (just not got round to it yet - trivial job as they're similar to MS-DOS HD)
* Atari 400/800/XL/XE 90K FM (1050 disk drive)
* Western Digital WD1770 (BBC 'B', TI-99/4A et al) 3.5"/5.25"
* NEC uPD765A (3.0" Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, Sinclair Spectrum +3 - can add more platforms using this chip easily)
* Probably Atari ST (not tested... yet - but it's the same as MS-DOS I believe)
* soon anything else I can get my grubby mitts on.

Catweasel Prefs program to set the type of drive attached, and which SIDs are enabled. You can connect 40 track 3.0"/5.25" drives (the latter untested for now), 80 track 300rpm DD 3.0"/3.5"/5.25" (the latter needs a few tweaks when I get round to it, but I don't have one..), 80 track HD 300rpm 3.5", or 360rpm 5.25" drives.

Mono and Stereo SID support - currently Vice 2.2 supports it with a special compile, I'm trying to get the changes merged with the main build.

GUI-based disk imager - uses MUI so will be dead easy to port.

I've also added Catweasel joystick, mouse and keyboard support to JanusUAE under AROS. The device comes in two files: catweasel.device and catweaselsid.device (the catweaselsid.device uses the same read/write system as Windows, so it's easy to port).

Does anyone have an interest in this?

Thanks,

Quote:

I doubt I will be selling either of them, as I plan to keep one in my PC and the other in my G4 PowerMac.

I think they are still in stock at several retailers, so you should be able to find one with no problem.

Just a little heads-up for people - I just successfully installed Ork (which is heavily protected) from the original disk using WHDLoad under MorphOS. The only thing I needed to do was to use InstallerNG for the install script. Once that was done, it ran fine in UAE. Just thought you might want to know. :)

Edit: That's all I needed to do apart from installing NSDPatch. See my webpage http://www.retroreview.com/iang/Catweasel/ for more info. Just installing Shadow of the Beast 2 now. :)

[ Edited by spirantho on 2010/11/19 10:17 ]

I've just tested with my old CW MK3 on Peg2.

It seems to work too (I was able to read Amiga and MSDOS disks) !
Btw, I had some stability issues. I will do more tests and let you know.

But it's really nice already.

it work with Mk4+ ?

it work on PowerMac ?

thanks for your answer

[ Edité par Papiosaur le 20/11/2010 13:55 ]

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[ Edited by Velcro_SP 25.04.2011 - 07:02 ]

So it looks like it basically works with the Mk3 (I think it should, too)... and it should work on any MorphOS machine, PowerMac or whatever. The only exception is the MacMini version of MorphOS, for fairly obvious reasons. :)

Sprirantho

Awesome job man! Now i'll have to look for one.. now where the hell to put the floppy drive in my case? :)

Wouhaou, interesting.
Is it planned to have a "codecs" system to add formats ? and develop myselft codecs ?
It's a shame that CW4 support all know formats but original software only 10-15, without any possibility to add some myself.

There's no 'plug-in' system as such... but it's open source so you're quite welcome to add codes if you like!

After all the praise for the MorphOS Catweasel driver, what is the actual status after 2 months of silence in this thread now ? Does it work fully ? Can I read/write amiga floppy disks with it without any issues ? Just interested how things turned out ....

@pega-1

I couldn't get it to work on my PM MDD. Haven't got around to testing the catweasel with my Pegasos2

Doesnt the guy working on this have a blog or something? I'm interested in the joystick port support as well as floppy rw.

Quote:

Yes, how many MorphOS2.x users have tested any model of the Catweasel cards in a Pegasos, or G4 PowerMac computer and what were your results?

Can you both read and write Amiga formatted floppy disks? Are there drivers for the joystick/mouse ports? Can an Amiga keyboard be connected and used?

It seems that only a few people actually had a chance to try it.
At least I tried to get hold of a Catweasel card but it seems it is not built anymore and Vesalia is out of stock. I got the driver code from Ian Gledhill but until I have a card for testing, I won't start to look any further into it.

AmigaKit say they have them in stock... I think they ship abroad, if that helps.

Spirantho is the man! He's helped me in the past with other issues. I was thinking about getting a Catweasel again in the near future and it figures Ian would be the one to give a working driver!

Has anyone confirmed this working on a Power Mac?

I have not seen any MorphOS users, or developers, post that they have been successful in using any Catweasle card in a G4 PowerMac.

I am still hoping that it will be fully supported in the future, including drivers for reading/writing of 880k floppies, and use of Amiga keyboard and joysticks. Keyboard is not that critical, but being able to use Amiga joysticks when playing games is a must have if MorphOS is going to retain its link to the past.

I was hoping that some MorphOS user that lives in Europe would help provide a Catweasle card for pega-1 to use and test with, so I didn't have to send him mine, but that has not happened. So, if anyone else wants to donate with me to purchase, or find a Catweasle card for pega-1, please contact me via email, or PMail. I will donate $30 toward such a purchase (maybe more if we get close to what we need and only need a little more).

[ Edited by amigadave 20.09.2011 - 14:52 ]

Quote:

In fact I received a Catweasel MK4 card by now. I'm pretty busy with so many other MorphOS things by now though that I couldn't spend much time on it. All I can say is that I didn't manage to use it properly with the provided MorphOS drivers by now (both in PowerMac G4 and Pegasos2). I am in contact with the author and provided some minor fixes but there is still more to do than just that. I couldn't figure out why it doesnt work at all for me yet.
To make any use of the hardware at all, I actually used the original 68K multidisk drivers that seem to work ok to read Amiga Disks on MorphOS at least ....

Well, at least it is good to know that you now have a Catweasle card and that we may see some progress on drivers for it in the future. I am sure other work on MorphOS3.0 is more important at the moment.

Thanks for the update.

Firstly, I don't have anything againist MorphOS support for Catweasel, I'd encourage it.

But regarding hard-to-get hardware, why not get a Kryoflux instead? It has several points why I consider it much better option.
-The team behind it don't hold any special grudge againist MorphOS or its users (like Jens Schonfeldt obviously does)
-Works via USB instead of PCI:
-Works in computers without free PCI slots (Mac Mini, PowerBook, Efika...)
-Hotpluggable (I wouldn't need it that often, so why keep it plugged in)
-Might be easier to get than Catweasel

[ Edited by Jupp3 21.09.2011 - 16:12 ]

The Catweasle has more uses than the Kyroflux, so I will still hope for Catweasle drivers that cover all options on the card, not just the floppy controller.

As for your assertion that Jens does not like MorphOS, I would have to see more proof before making that assumption. From your example, he could have just been pissed off at a few MorphOS users that had gotten too demanding and were complaining too loudly (probably in public) towards Jens, who is often busy with more than one project.

I am not saying that it is not possible that Jens has something against MorphOS, but I would need more proof before believing such a statement than what you provided.

amigadave,

IIRC Jens shared a table at a show with Genesi and he stated at the time that Genesi stiffed him on their half of the table cost. He had a bit of a rant and swore never to support MorphOS again.

Jens has done some classic rants against others such as Amiga Inc, Ack and others. This was all a long time ago, I doubt he has anything against MOS users and I really doubt he would block any efforts to give MOS support to his hardware.

> IIRC Jens shared a table at a show with Genesi and he stated at the time that Genesi
> stiffed him on their half of the table cost.

That's not quite what the quarrel between Jens and Thendic France was about.

http://moobunny.dreamhosters.com/cgi/mbmessage.pl/amiga/104935.shtml

> He [...] swore never to support MorphOS again.

AFAIR he said he would charge MorphOS users extra money for drivers.

Andreas_Wolf,

Aah, my memory was a bit off about the table incident. Thanks for clarifying.

Thanks for clarifying link, but the news about Jens is very disappointing to read.

I hope his attitude toward MorphOS changes someday.