Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!jimmy From: jimmy@unix.cis.pitt.edu (James G Tauberg) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Hard drives (was Re: Atari ST and PC Clone) Message-ID: <40937@unix.cis.pitt.edu> Date: 23 Sep 90 14:33:14 GMT References: <1990Sep15.233100.21009@midway.uchicago.edu> <1990Sep18.001519.15704@uokmax.uucp> <9009180348.AA09366@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu> Reply-To: jimmy@unix.cis.pitt.edu (James G Tauberg) Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Services Lines: 77 In article <9009180348.AA09366@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu> boyd@nu.cs.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) writes: > >Well, you have 4 choices. All of them involve the Syquest SQ-555 44mb >removable platter mech. Three companies (that I know of) make such a beast >for the ST: Toad Computers, Carter Enterprises, and Atari. The fourth choice >is to roll your own. I have a buddie that just bought a magnum Toadfile (this >is the toadfile drive w/three cartridges), and he loves it. I would recommend >it over the Atari unit because of both price and the ICD controller in the >Toad. I have not heard much about the Carter entry, other than it is contained >in a small shoebox-style case. The Toadfile has room and cables for one more >device (but maybe only 3.5", I cannot remember). The SyQuest Mech is a standard 1/2 height 5 1/4" drive. The TOADFILE has space to accomodate TWO of these 5 1/4" drives. NOTE: CARTER GRAPHICS's drive also uses ICD ADV+ host, and is also nice. They make several models... including an under monitor style (like TOAD) and also a SUPER small drive (just a bit bigger than a floppy drive. The front panel is about the same, but it is deeper.) >Since it is an embedded SCSI device, whipping one up yourself should be cake. >Just get a baby AT case with power supply, and ICD host adaptor, and a >Syquest. You can get a Computer Shopper and hunt down a >Syquest mech (I was quoted a price of $519 about a >month ago). Bolt all >the stuff together, and voila. NOTE: THE $519 SyQuest comes WITHOUT A CARTRIDGE!!!!! ----- A cartridge is an additiona $79 plus shipping... The ICD ADV + is (I believe) around $100. A HD Case and Power Supply is at least $80. A fan is cheap, about $10. CONCLUSION: After adding up all of these prices, and NOT INCLUDING ----------- Shipping charges, which may be substantial, we arrive at the figure $788.00. Seems like a lot of TROUBLE When one considers that the TOADFILE is about $850.00, and includes the larger UNDER MONITOR case which has a special power supply to supply TWO (2) drives, and has a case to handle 2 drives as well. I'm not affiliated with any of the above companies, and the opinions expressed are my own. I do own the TOADFILE, and a friend of mine owns the CARTER GRAPHICS drive. We are both very happy and consider our drives to be entirely equal. The only deciding factors in purchase should be case style preferences and locality to MD or Utah (where Toad and Carter are loacated respectively). I would also agree with the previous poster that the ICD ADVANTAGE PLUS host is far superior to any other, ceartanly better than the ATARI. I've read on usenet that people are having troubles with the ATARI when it comes to Swapping disks "on-the-fly" where the disks have different partition sizes... THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER in this type of process using ICD's ADVANTAGE... I consider this a HUGE ADVANTAGE.... PLUS, the ICD ADV+ comes with a battery backed clock that is a great Plus! About using SyQuest disks on other SyQuest drives. I have 2 froends with SyQuests (one Carter, one Toad). Between us we have 7 cartridges. All of these carts. are COMPLETELY compatible in any of our three drives!!! (of course if you had the ATARI host, you'd not be able to swap on-the-fly with these carts... because they are all partitioned differently.... including SPECTRE partitions.) Hope this helps, Jim Tauberg jimmy@unix.cis.pitt.edu jimmy@130.49.254.10 P.S. If you have any questions/comments post here or mail to the above address.