RE: Some upgrading questions...

[bpvh@shell1.fullfeed.com (Bradley VonHaden)]

smtrimbl@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu wrote: 

>1) What is generally preferred, the Turbo IDE DMA card or the
>RamFast SCSI card?  What are the drawbacks to each?

In the past, SCSI drives were more expensive than IDE drives.  This
is no longer the case.  I like SCSI.

>2) What sort of hard drives are recommended?  What sort of
>options are there for the Apple II (BTW, I'm thinking in
>terms of both enhanced IIe and IIGS)?  Preferences as to
>internal/external?  What is the general wisdom as to the best
>systems?

'Internal' drives for an Apple IIe/IIgs are not the same things as
internal drives for MACs/PCs.  For the IIe/IIgs, it means a hard
drive on an interface card.  For MACs/PCs it means a hard drive
without a case.

'External' drives are external drives; internal drives in a case.

If you are going to have only one hard drive and no other SCSI
devices on the chain (CD-ROM, removable, tape drive, etc), then an
internal hard drive card (Focus Hard Card) is an OK choice.

If you are planning on more than one device on the SCSI chain, then
go with a SCSI card (RAMFast, Apple High Speed) and external drives.

I prefer external even for one device chains because it can be moved
to other platforms.

So, get the RAMFast SCSI card and an external SCSI drive (at least
twice the size you think necessary) in a decent case.  Shopping for
the external SCSI drive is easy; just pick up a MAC mag (MACWORLD or
MACUSER) and price shop the ads starting about 2/3rds through.  Buy
from a place that has a 30 day money back guarantee.

'Quantum' brand hard drives are very good.

>4) What exactly is an accelerator card?

An accelerator card 'accelerates' the computers processing speed.  A
stock IIgs has a 2.8mhz cpu speed.  ZipGS cards vary from 7 to 10 mhz
(stock) to 12-16+ mhz (hobby modified).  The card takes up a slot and
has a cable with a connector that takes the place of the IIgs CPU
chip.  Really nice.

****bpvh     Internet: bpvh@fullfeed.com      GEnie: B.VONHADEN****
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