Re: Question identifiing a 3.5" drive

["Polymorph" <polymorph69@hotmail.com>]

On Mar 21, 3:09 pm, demp...@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:
> macdog <bigdog...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Judging from the picture, it looks like a generic PC 3.5" drive in an
> external case. I've never seen something like that for an Apple II, but
> I haven't seen much clone hardware.

I owned one of these drives up until a few months ago and they do
strongly resemble a PC floppy drive. But IIRC, there are differences
in dimensions. I know when I owned mine, I was also curious and so I
placed it side by side with a PC 3.5 floppy. From what I can remember,
I *think* the Laser drive was bigger in dimensions. So I suspect they
are not modified PC drives but sourced from elsewhere? Another thing I
have heard is that when one of these drives is used with a Mac, they
will auto eject when ejected from within the Mac OS (I've never used
Macs so I don't know the correct terminology) this is another
indication that they were not converted PC drives - not unless they
were heavily modified.

> It might be for use with a PC Transporter. Educated guesses: it is
> unlikely to work on the built-in port of a IIc+ or IIgs. It might work
> on a UDC or Laser 128. It might work on a Superdrive card. It is very
> unlikely to work on a IIc or a Liron card.

As I had erroneously bought mine to work with a IIgs, I can confirm
that they do *not* work with the IIgs smartport. From what I was able
to determine, the Laser drives required a Laser 128, a UDC, or an
early Mac (they supposably use the same interface as early Mac drives
- however, I don't own one to confirm or deny this). I agree that they
almost certainly will not work with a Liron or IIc or IIc+. As for a
Superdrive controller, maybe?

If that interface card is in fact a UDC then it should work fine with
a slotted A2, although it looks kinda small for a UDC. I thought UDC's
were a fairly big card - but IIRC, there was a number of UDC
revisions, so this might be one of the revisions I'm not familiar
with.

cheers,
-p