Hi,
I have a Famicom Disk System drive unit that needs a replacement belt. Does anyone know the exact dimensions of the belt (thickness, width and length/diameter)?
(I could buy a compatible replacement for about US$6 on eBay, just interested to find out whether I could source one locally.)
From what I've heard the FDS drive belt is not a standard size like you'd find in a 3.5" floppy drive. I'm guessing though since the format is based on the QuickDisk format that if you find a drive belt used in a QuickDisk device (like music keyboards I think) it might work.
Smith-Corona word-processing typewriters have Quick Disk drives in them too, so you might be able to cannibalize some parts from one of those if you can find one cheap at a Salvation Army store.
Go the eBay route. I tried all sorts of alternatives to an actual FDS belt and even though they'd functionally work, the drive itself would always get I/O errors or experience other oddities often the result of a misaligned belt.
I ended up just buying a belt off eBay (at the time going for around US$20 + S/H from Japan); problem solved.
http://nesdev.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=614
Be aware, someone else used these measurements and ended up just buying one from JFgoods.
-Rob