Re: Hardware Idea -> IBM drives on Apple //e,GS

[jdb8042@TAMUTS.TAMU.EDU (John Donald Baker)]

There are a number of 8" disk controllers that were available for
the Apple ][ series.  Sorrento Valley Associates made the MegaFlex
and ZVX-4 disk controllers.  Some other manufacturer produced a
card called the Vista.

Being 8" controllers, they supported the 500Kb/sec data rate that
8" and high-density (*BM-AT-style) 5-1/4" disks used.  They used a form
of 'soft-DMA' to handle the speed and from my observation are the fastest
floppy drives ever on an Apple ][ machine (I have a ZVX-4).

ProDOS was probably not even dreamed of when these things went off the
market and none that I'm aware of support ProDOS directly.  Most did
have patches to DOS 3.3 that would let it use the higher density
disks in some manner.

I have a pair of TEAC FD-55GFR 5.25" drives hanging off of my ZVX4 and
since I use CP/M almost exclusively, I can read and write from/to these
disks and then use SYDEX's 22DISK to transfer files to/from a *BM clone
machine.

So.  Such cards DO exist.  However, I too, would like to see a more
up-to-date card that supports ProDOS directly.


John D. Baker  ->An '802-powered Apple //e CardZ180 Z-System nut//
Internet:  jdb8042@{tamuts|rigel|sigma|summa|zeus|venus}.tamu.edu
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