Re: ZipChip @ Bargain Price!

[PZ <skierpaul@yahoo.com>]

> - Short UDC Card. Kewl! I figured out what this card was after I made
> the post. This is what I needed except... it's dead. Haha! When I put
> it in the machine nothing will boot up on it. If you throw it in 5 or
> 6 and do a PR# on it the machine just comes to a screeching halt. The
> caps look ok on it. Maybe I should get that bios Henry has on his site
> and see if that would help at all. This would be so perfect (boo hoo).
> Oh well. Definitely can't wait to get my IIe MicroDrive when the back
> orders come in and he is settled into his new apartment.

The original UDC was a full length board with many DIP logic IC's on
it.  The newer one condensed all the logic onto a flat pack ASIC which
I believed they also used in some of the Laser 128 models.

Here's a image of the older UDC (long card):
http://www.downloads.reactivemicro.com/Public/Apple%20II%20Items/Hardware/Universal_Drive_Controller-VTECH-Central_Point/UDC-Long/Pics/UDC-Long-Front---Large.jpg

and of the newer one:
http://www.downloads.reactivemicro.com/Public/Apple%20II%20Items/Hardware/Universal_Drive_Controller-VTECH-Central_Point/UDC-Short/Pics/P9230003.JPG

> - I chatted with Henry in email about the 3.5" controller and
> mentioned he has the prototype working. Now it's just a matter of
> having them made and fixing a price. He definitely has a lot on his
> plate! Definitely too bad that ///SHH didn't make one MicroDrive card
> that would work with both IIe and IIgs. Would make things a bit
> easier.

He has a source for the SWIM chips for the card, but supposedly they
want an exorbitant price for it. Bummer.

- Paul