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From: blgardne@esunix.UUCP (Blaine Gardner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Floppy drives
Message-ID: <1651@esunix.UUCP>
Date: 9 Nov 89 15:32:37 GMT
References: <2020@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US>
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Lines: 46

From article <2020@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US>, by swan@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US (Joel Swan):
>  I have seen the Chinon drive at Abel Supply for $71, but don't
> know if it meets these criteria:

I just installed two of these drives in my A2000 last night. Abel Supply
took just 6 days to deliver them (UPS ground).

> 1.  MUST be the exact same color as my A2000.

No. Close, but it's not a perfect match. The Chinon is a bit lighter
than the 2000. It's also a bit more gray compared to the 2000's brownish
shade. I'd prefer a closer match, but I can live with it. (Besides, it
looks a whole lot better than the two 1" high (the drive opening is
1.25" high) drives with black faceplates I just replaced. :-)

> 2.  Must have a door on the front (dust killed my previous drive)

Yes, and it looks like the door seals good as well. The faceplate looks
nice too, much better than the drive that came with my 2000.

> 3.  Must be a good, solid ,preferably quiet drive

I've only had them installed for 12 hours, but it looks good so far. The
Chinon is quiet, can be silenced with a no-click program (SetCPU
w/patches, in my case), and the LED lights with motor_on, as it should.
I've seen quite a few third party floppies that light the LED with drive
select, or the step signal, and I was half expecting to have to rewire
this one myself. It was a pleasant surprise to see the LED light
steadily, instead of flashing. Oh yea, the LED is amber, not red.

The drive itself does look solid and well built. One odd thing, there
are only drive select jumpers for 0 and 1, but there are pads on the PCB
for 2 and 3. For an A2000 this doesn't matter though. The drives came
packaged with mounting screws and standoffs, and a jumper block for the
df1: enable jumper on the 2000's motherboard. And there was a two sheet
set of installation instructions too.

If you've got any other questions, feel free to ask.

	Blaine

-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland    580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
Here: utah-cs!esunix!blgardne   {ucbvax,allegra,decvax}!decwrl!esunix!blgardne
There: uunet!iconsys!caeco!i-core!worsel!blaine  (My Amiga running uucp)
                                OPUS LIVES!!!