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Gotek Floppy Emulator Remote Interface

This is a device that relocates the USB, screen, and dial of a Gotek floppy drive emulator (running FlashFloppy) to a standalone unit you can build yourself. It solves the problem of not having easy access to the drive, for example if your computer's front panel doesn't have a cutout for it. The remote connects to the main unit via a flat flex cable (FFC) which can be threaded through the narrowest of cracks in a desktop chassis, giving you the freedom to place it wherever you prefer.

The remote being used with a PC-9821

blip.mp4

Building one

There are two (small) PCBs: One goes inside the Gotek, and the other forms the remote, along with a 3d printed case.

You'll need:

  • A Gotek drive with FlashFloppy installed
  • A rotary encoder and 128x32 0.9" OLED screen recommended by Hardware Mods
  • A USB-A through-hole female connector
  • A 10-pin, 0.5mm pitch, straight-through FFC of the desired length (shorter is better)
  • Two 10-pin, 0.5mm pitch, SMD FFC connectors
  • An electrolytic capacitor for the USB connector, 10uF?
  • Some M2 screws
  • The two PCBs, fab-ready gerbers are available for the breakout and remote
  • A 3d printed case, print-ready STLs are available for the top and bottom
  • Optional, a 2x2 right angle female 2.54mm pitch header pin socket
  • Optional, two sticky-backed PCB standoffs

Assembly:

The breakout, connected

Connect the underlined connections. J8 mirrors the headers mid-board in these revisions of the Gotek, in the same positions, only the underlined connections are needed. J11 goes to the right side of R1 and R2 (in the same order). Make an effort to have these USB jumper wires the same length, and as short as possible. Optionally, J12 goes to the bottom side of the L4 activity LED (replacing the LED). The right-angle connector will make the board slip into place.

Connect the FFC, feed it through the hole left by the screen and out the front of your PC. Hook up the floppy side of things.

When assembling the remote, you'll probably have to desolder the angle pins of the rotary encoder and solder in straight ones. For both the rotary encoder and the OLED screen, the boards will be connected on the right side, so place a spacer on the left side to match height for better support - I use sticky tack. Trim the excess off the header pins for a flush fit.

Assemble the remote in this order:

  1. Front side of the case
  2. The remote PCB
  3. Attach the FFC now before closing the case
  4. Rear side of the case, screwing all the layers together
  5. Push on rotary shaft cap

I use these options in ff.cfg:

  • display-type = oled-128x32-rotate-slow
  • rotary = half