Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!yale!venus!yalevm!maine!io91461 From: IO91461@MAINE.BITNET (Tom Nezwek) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: All this talk about HD controllers Message-ID: <90214.221507IO91461@MAINE.BITNET> Date: 3 Aug 90 02:15:07 GMT References: Organization: University of Maine System Lines: 59 There has been a lot of talk about "Which HD controller should I Buy" Well I've had 3 different controllers in my a2500 and I have finally settled on a Hardframe 2000. I had a GVP and it measured about 250k per sec. The 2090a (which i liked alot) measured in at 650k per sec. W/Quantum my new Hardframe 2000 measures in at 695k per sec. (not really any faster than the 2090a). One problem with the 2090a was that the boot partition could not use the Fast File System and thus reeked of long boot-ups. This is easily avoided by making the first partion very small; about 300k. This partion would only mount one of the fastfilepartions and then transfer full control to that fastfile partition's startup-sequence. One problem that I have encountered with the Hardframe is that whenever I warm-boot or turn on the system for the first time, The controller pauses at the initial white screen for say 8 seconds while the 2090a only paused for about 2 seconds. This may not seem like much but it is a pain to wait when you are used to almost instant execution of the boot process that the 2090a yeilded. If I had not sold my 2090a prior to my aquireing the Hardframe 2000, I probably would have kept the 2090a and bagged the Hardframe idea. I judge the speed of the 2090a and Hard Frame as about equal and that I would have prefered to work around 2090a's little problem rather than wait 6 seconds for the Hardframe to boot. I know people with Trump cards and they agree that they are a slower than the 2090a or Hardframe. I can't comment on the Fireball only that It seems a little too good to be true, kind of like the out-rageous claims that the Synchro Express made in its first showing. Fireball claims DMA speed without DMA, So why haven't we seen a review of it any Amiga mags? Sounds a little too good to be true. And Mast says that their Fujitsu drives are as good as Quantums.. Ya another pipe- dream. Quantum has a 2 year warranty. what is fujitsu's? 90 days? My main opinion is go with what is proven.. Why mess around? If your buying a Hard Drive then your investing a good sum of money.. It dosen't make sense to take a chance on a Fireball or Advantage w/40meg for say $499-$549, When you can get a Hardframe2000 & Quantum 40s for $599. You could spend a lot of money and get a good controller or you could end up with a dog slow one. Why take the chance when your only talking about $50 more for a sure thing? Its not worth the chance IMHO. The 2090a, the newer 2091 and Hardframe 2000 have all been proven as lightning fast Hd controllers. I recommend all three. If the 2091 was discounted enough to compete with the Hardframe's price then I'd get a 2091 no question. If you have a 2090a I'd hold onto it and maybe put a Quantum 40s on it to replace the 'dog slow' MFM rodime drive. When all is said and done all 3 of these are DMA controls that work, are proven fast, and don't rely on gimmicks that claim DMA speed. I had a GVP, Its nice but not fast enough to compete with these. Lets try to avoid flames, I gave My time to inform people of what I ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Know and to not take un-needed risks. I am not saying that specific controllers are bad, only that these 3 are proven. So I would appreciate it if the flame club would take a vacation instead of hauling out the slam-wagonTM on this one. Well I hope this helps someone, Tom Nezwek PS: I know the 2090a has a slow down problem in 16 color Hi-res. But patch 2090a (PD) cures that with speeds of 270k per sec. Down from 650k per sec. Still respectable speeds..