Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!agate!darkstar!ucscb.UCSC.EDU!ericz From: ericz@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Eric Zamost) Newsgroups: comp.periphs.scsi Subject: Future Domain/Adaptec controller question. Keywords: 16-bit controllers, 4-floppy systems. Message-ID: <6704@darkstar.ucsc.edu> Date: 8 Sep 90 06:01:33 GMT Sender: usenet@darkstar.ucsc.edu Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz; Open Access Computing Lines: 40 I recently purchased an AT-bus SCSI controller which was sold as a Future Domain. It can address seven SCSI devices (6 disks and a tape back up - why the distinction?) and (supposedly) four floppies. It develops that this board is not made by Future Domain, but only uses their chipset. Also, closer inspection reveals that it is not really a 16-bit board - the AT-unique portion of the connector only has 7 "fingers" - 2 are ground and 5 are interupt-select. To be "truly" a 16 bit board (in my mind, at least) you have to send data 16 bits at a time. My questions: Is the Adaptec 1542B truly a 16 bit board (and how do other people define "truly" in this context)? How are the Adaptec 1542A and 1542B different, and what is the 16xx? Can the Adaptec 1542x support 4 floppies? Is it neccessary to buy special drivers for the Adaptec to support unusual devices (tape backups, Bernoulli cartridge systems, four floppies, etc.)? Are there any other controllers I should be thinking about? (I want the best performance I can get in the $200-300 price range, integrated floppy support, and future versatility (Bernoulli?)) This "Future Domain" controller recognizes my Wren IV, but then Disk Manager reports strange (and varying) numbers of heads and cylinders. This makes me nervous -I expected it to report one fictitious number and stick to it. Any comments? Thanks, Eric. --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ericz@ucscb.ucsc.edu - Eric Zamost - (408) 426-9530 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------