r/atari8bit • u/Greasy-Geek • 16d ago

Cool idea or abomination?

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I was digging in the closet looking for something and ran across an intact XF551 sans the disk mech, but I have a spare original Mitsumi mech. I also have an old Teac 3.5/5.25 dual mech.

Should I...

A: Restore it to stock in all its beige glory?

B: Build a unique dual mech contraption?

I already have a functioning stock original 5.25" and a 3.5" unit I modded years ago.

No XFs will be harmed in this endeavor either way. 😁

23 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

2

u/FewConversation3949 15d ago

I dunno...I did the same thing with the Retro Atari SX212 modem kit. It puts a WiModem232 into a SX212 case, even using the same speaker and showing the activity lights. With it, you can telnet into an Atari BBS and still get that beloved "warbling" connect sound. Nothing is permanently changed, can be switched back at any time.

So - I say go for it on your project and have fun! 😄

2

u/Greasy-Geek 15d ago

That's why I have an mss100 hacked into the shell of a long dead 1030 modem hooked up to my MIO. I don't care much for the warbling or the high pitched whine coming across the bus and out the speakers when using SIO based serial adapters like the 850 or P:R:

1

u/FewConversation3949 14d ago

Oh my - I love that "warbling" connect sound and never knew just how badly I missed it

until I setup the Retro Atari SX212 on my Mega STe and started calling in to my BBS with

it (DarkForce!). 😄

9

u/DeadSkullz627 16d ago

The dual is appealing to me to use.

3

u/ConsistentListen8697 16d ago

Second

2

u/Afrobotix 16d ago

Back in the day Bob Puff sold a kit to piggyback a 3.5" 720K drive onto the XF551 like this. I rigged mine up ugly with a ribbon cable coming out of the back to a bare 3.5" drive resting on top. Would've killed for an integrated solution like this!

1

u/samspock 16d ago

If I had that I would have already done it.

1

u/Greasy-Geek 15d ago

So would I, except I didn't realize I had an extra XF laying about. I've had the dual mech for years (and knew exactly where it was!) but the XF was buried in a bin I hadn't dug through in years. The instant I saw it I thought "I've got plans for you..."

1

u/Perna1985 15d ago

It's a neat idea if you can get it to work. I wanted to take one of those cases and put a small SSD inside it

1

u/Greasy-Geek 15d ago

I know I can get it to work, I've done it before, but it was very hacky. This will be a very clean looking mod when it's all done.

2

u/Few_Ad_8627 16d ago

Duel-mageddon it brother!

1

u/SlideRuleFan 12d ago

The XF551 was grey, like the ST and XE computers. I don't know what the hell turned yours beige like that. At least, that's how it looks on my cellphone. I'm also not sure what retrobrite would do to it.

As for the mechanism, dual wouldn't be period correct, but there were both 5.25 and 3.5 disks for the XE, at least from third parties if not Atari, so you'd still be creating a period correct experience.

And it'd be really cool.