Re: Iomega Parallel Zip?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Erick Dietrich <madsci@tribeca.ios.com> wrote:

> In article <17SEP199620145246@vax2.concordia.ca>, spec@vax2.concordia.ca
> (Mitchell Spector) wrote:
> 
> > In article mpearce@crl.com (Matthew Pearce) writes...
> > >
> > >Richard Sarner (rsarner@widomaker.com) wrote:
> > >: Out of curiosity, would an Iomega Zip parallel drive work with a GS and a
> > >: parallel card? It wouldn't be the ideal way to go, but would it work at
> > >: all?
> > > 
> > >It would require a two way parallel card. I don't know if any were made
> > >for the Apple II.
> > 
> >     The "Apple II Interface Card", designed for the ProFile hardrive, was
> > a bi-directional parallel controller, although using it would require a
> > custom driver be written. Possibly even some hardware modifications done
> > to the board, I'm not certain. Furthermore, these cards are somewhat rare.
> 
> Hmmm.  I thought that ProFILE parallel interface was different than a
> regular PC parallel port?

The only feature it has in common would be that it has an 8-bit
bidirectional data path.  The Apple II ProFile card should provide a
parallel port with the same pinout as the Apple Lisa (which accepts a
ProFile directly).  I don't think I've seen any documentation which
shows the pinout of this connector.

The Apple /// ProFile Owner's Manual does provide some information: the
interface has eight bidirectional data lines and five control lines.

Apple's Apple II "Parallel Interface Card" provides 8-bit data output
and input (via separate pins), plus strobe out and acknowledge in, so
handshaking is provided in the output direction only.


The parallel version of the ZIP doesn't require a bidirectional parallel
port, but it work faster if it has one (it has several drivers, and the
appropriate one is selected according to the hardware detected).  It
should also support communication over a standard PC parallel port,
which has eight output lines (plus strobe and three control lines) and
five input lines.  It should be possible to use it with an Apple P.I.C.,
given an appropriate cable adaptor and some software.

But why bother?  The SCSI version doesn't cost any more, and doesn't
require special hardware or software support.

> Could a ProFILE be controlled from a PC's parallel port with a driver?
> Might be usefull for emulators.

It might be possible (with an adaptor cable), but I doubt it would be
useful.  Software emulation of a 5MB hard drive via a file on the PC's
hard drive would be faster than a real ProFile.

> Soeaking of driving new hardwares, would it be possible to write a simple
> frame capture driver/program to allow the use of a Connectix QuickCAM on a
> IIgs?

The QuickCam uses the high-speed external clocking facilities supported
by the Mac serial port, with synchronous data transmission.  As long as
it uses the Handshake In line to provide the clock (some Mac models can
also use GPi), and the data rate isn't too high for the IIgs SCC
(maximum of 921.6kbps).

Does anyone have vague specifications on the QuickCam comms protocol?

I got a few clues from their web site.  For example, it claims to
require all eight lines of the serial port, but it also works on Mac
models that don't implement pin 7 (GPI).  This implies that it should be
possible to interface it to the IIgs, though the frame rate would be
severely limited.

The colour model would be of limited use, but the greyscale one might be
useable.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand