Re: SuperDrive and the IIgs

["Jason Whorton" <jason at microxl.com>]

Hello.  Actually, I think there was a PCT on eBay just a week or so ago.

Thank you,
Jason Whorton


"Mark Percival" <markREMOVE@syndicomm.com> wrote in message
3b768352.14449546@news.videotron.ca">news:3b768352.14449546@news.videotron.ca...
> On Sun, 12 Aug 2001, "Anthony G Beckett"
> <anthony@nospam.unnamedpcmuseum.com> wrote:
>
> >Hello all!
> >
> >Curious - I have recieved a SuperDrive and I am curious as to how I
connect
> >it. According to the Manual, I just connect it to the standard drive
> >connector. However, this does not work - well, it does, it just cant
> >read/format 1.4 MB disks. Some websites indicate I need a SuperDrive
> >controller.
> >
> >Can anyone clear up this one for me?
>
> In order for your external SuperDrive to work with your IIGS you must
> have an Apple II Superdrive controller card.  The official name for
> this card is "Apple II 3.5 Disk Controller Card" and was produced by
> Apple for only a few years before being discontinued.  It is one of
> the rarest, full production, Apple II cards produced and are almost
> impossible to come by.  There was one for auction on eBay recently
> that went for $150.  It was the first time I had seen one up for
> auction in two years.  This auction should have easily fetched twice
> that price however the seller was not aware of what the card was and
> therefore did not advertise it properly.
>
> Just to confuse matters, Apple did produce another similarly named
> card that is -not- a SuperDrive controller.  The "Apple 3.5 Floppy
> Disk Drive Interface Card" is an earlier card that was designed to
> allow the Apple II/II+/IIe access to the white Unidisk 3.5 drive.  The
> Unidisk 3.5 however is only an 800 KB DSDD drive.  This card is easily
> identified by the word "Liron" printed on the back of the card.  They
> are available for auction fairly frequently and tend to go for the $20
> to $40 range.  Over the last month there has been at least 3 of these
> cards sold on eBay.
>
> There are other alternatives to accessing HD 1.4MB floppies on a IIGS
> but none allow you to use an Apple external SuperDrive.  Most
> prominently is the ///SHH Systeme's Bluedisk Controller Card which is
> still available new.  It is designed to work with standard PC floppy
> drives.
>
> I wrote an article comparing the SuperDrive Controller to the Bluedisk
> card and a little about what I went through deciding between them at
> http://www.a2central.com/features/2000-11/24-controllers/index.html .
>
> ///SHH Systeme's web site is at http://www.wbwip.com/shh/ .
>
> >And while I am at it, I am looking for a PC Transporter for my IIgs (with
> >drives) - anyone know where I could get one?
>
> eBay is your best bet and I haven't seen one of those in a long time.
>
> Mark R. Percival - RTC Host - Syndicomm Online Apple II Forum
> "Midweek Madness!" Every Wednesday Night : 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Pacific Time
>
> http://www.syndicomm.com