[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Some questions about some cards (xebec sidecar controller, gs-ramp

nyder wrote:


On May 8, 6:40 pm, "Michael J. Mahon" <mjma...@aol.com> wrote:


The Superdrive Controller is an example of a device that went from
"overstocked closeout special" to "rare, cheap at any price" in
the space of a few months a year or two ago.


<snip>


I think the reason why the Superdrive Controllers price might of went
up has to do with the availability of DSDD disks.  They are pretty
hard to come by these days, not without a premium price, or used.
DSHD disk aren't compatable, they use a different recording structure
or something.


Actually, the "Apple II 3.5" Disk Controller Card" is intended to attach
the Apple 3.5" "Superdisk" or "FDHD" drive, which accepts both DSDD and
DSHD disks, recording the former using CRC at a capacity of 800KB and
the latter in MFM at a capacity of 1.44MB (PC-compatible mode).

The "other" 3.5" controller card is the so-called "Liron" card, which
controls only the 3.5" Unidisk, and is compatible only with DSDD disks
at 800K capacity.


You know, what I really need is just a SD reader that the system sees
as a harddisk or something.  I don't see the point in a CDrom
connected to my GS.  I would like a harddrive, yes, but the truth is,
harddrives that work with any controllers you get are starting to get
hard to come by.

I know theres the CF with the IDE adaptor on it, but wouldn't it be
easier just to make a CF card, or a SD/MMC card?


The CompactFlash card is natively an IDE interface "pseudo-disk", so
it's natural to adapt it to use as a hard disk.  The only additional
cost for allowing connection of IDE drives is adding a connector!

It isn't much harder to adapt other flash cards, but it does require
a microcontroller plus firmware to bridge the gap.  Alex Freed has
an SD-based card, though its functionality is somewhat different
from the CFFA.

-michael

NadaNet file server for Apple II computers!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."