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From: csbrod@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Claus Brod )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Re-using a Megafile
Message-ID: <2707@medusa.informatik.uni-erlangen.de>
Date: 7 May 90 15:39:15 GMT
References: <9005030701.AA17821@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: CSD, University of Erlangen, W-Germany
Lines: 27

MALCOLM@tower-vax.city-poly.ac.UK writes:

>1.  RLL is a means of formatting a disk to obtain more space at a slight
>    time penalty, isn't it?  Is it a modulation technique (like MFM)?
>    Can it be used with any drive?

RLL is a modulation technique, that's right. Drive manufacturers tell you
not to use RLL controllers with drives that aren't RLL-certified. You can,
however, use many MFM drives with an RLL controller, but nobody guarantees
you it will work.

>2.  My understanding is that a hard drive for the Atari ST needs three
>    things:  a host adaptor (which converts the ST DMA interface to SCSI),
>    a disk controller card (various Omti and Adaptec part numbers are bandied
>    about), and the drive itself.  The controller card can be omitted when
>    the drive has embedded SCSI.  If I've got this right, it seems that the
>    'controller' board in the Megafile combines the first two functions.
>    I'll need to bypass the host adaptor part.  Any tips?

You've got it quite well. Nevertheless, I don't know any way to bypass
the host adaptor part of the Megafile's controller board since both
parts have been combined. You might try to get a stand-alone Adaptec
RLL controller from Adaptec or from an old SH204, but I guess it'll
be cheaper and easier for you to get a real SCSI drive and sell your
Megafile.

Claus Brod