Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!uunet!sdrc!thor!scjones From: scjones@thor.UUCP (Larry Jones) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware Subject: Re: Why are SCSI drives so cheap? Message-ID: <160@thor.UUCP> Date: 8 Sep 90 18:27:32 GMT References: <2247@sud509.ed.ray.com> <481.26db8352@sunset.sedd.trw.com> <488.26e76a41@sunset.sedd.trw.com> Organization: SDRC, Cincinnati Lines: 22 In article <149@thor.UUCP>, I wrote: > The Seagate 296N is the same disk as the > 251-1 (which is a 42Mb MFM drive) -- since the controller is so close > to the drive they can reliably use an RLL encoding to double the number > of sectors per track. In article <488.26e76a41@sunset.sedd.trw.com>, rose@sunset.sedd.trw.com writes: > If the 296 is simply a 251-1 with a SCSI controller can you buy the SCSI (ST-01) > and the 251-1 seperately? The 251-1 with out controller is approx $250-300 > and the ST-01 is $30. This would save an additional $50-100 (if allowed). No. The ST01 (like all SCSI controllers) is >not< a disk controller -- it's a host adapter that interfaces your computer to the SCSI bus. The disk controller is actually a part of the disk drive. When I said that the 251 and 296N are the same disk, I meant the actual disk (the heads, platters, actuator, etc). The drive electronics are completely different. ---- Larry Jones UUCP: uunet!sdrc!thor!scjones SDRC scjones@thor.UUCP 2000 Eastman Dr. BIX: ltl Milford, OH 45150-2789 AT&T: (513) 576-2070 I'll be a hulking, surley teen-ager before you know it!! -- Calvin