Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!uunet!sbi!zeus! From: nee@cf_su14.Salomon.Com (Robert Nee) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware Subject: Re: CMS 60/120MB tape drives Message-ID: <173@cf_su20.cf_su10.Sbi.COM> Date: 12 Feb 91 15:40:21 GMT References: <26853@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> Sender: news@cf_su10.Sbi.COM Reply-To: nee@cf_su14.Salomon.Com (Robert Nee) Organization: Salomon Brothers, NY Lines: 55 ath: cf_su10!cf_su14!nee > I am interested in the CMS 60MB tape drive (120MB w/compression) > and am wondering: > A. Since I have two floppies hooked up to an RLL controller right now, > do I need the external drive or do I need the special controller > card? No. I repeat NO! All you need is the cable CMS makes for their tape drives. It is a cable with 3 heads. 1 A drive, and 2 B drive. The tape drive shares the B drive designation with a floppy with NO problems. The Tape and floppy use two mutually exclusive sets of lines on the cable. > B. What are the benefits of the external drive? I heard that they are > faster. The only benefit would be from the controller board which is necessary for the external model. The CMS made controller operates at 1 Mbit per second. Twice that of a floppy controller. However, I find the floppy interface to be plenty fast. Yielding backup speeds of about 3.6 Megabytes pe minute when I use a program with compression. Thats about 11 minutes for a 40 MB hard disk. Not too shabby, considering you can start it and walk away. > C. Is the CMS 60MB any good? I have had one now for 4 months. No problems. I've done about 50-60 backups with it. I love this thing. > D. Will it conflict with an IDE controller/disk (Conner CPD3204)? That depends on what you mean by "it"? If you go with the special cable that connects to the floppy controller, the answer is no. This configuration is about as passive as can be. BUT if you go with the tape adapter board (which I hope you realize now is a waste) it may not conflict with the IDE controller but with something else. You must designate a free interupt (IRQ) for this beast. I don't know about you, but I don't have one to spare. I would also like to add... E. How about Price? The CMS Drives are about the least expensive ones out there. But they offer all of the features of more expensive drives. F. Software? Many backup programs will recognize and use the CMS drive directly. I use Central Point Backup with mine and it works like a charm. You don't need any drivers or TSRs. I hope this helps. Mail me if anyone has any more questions. Robert F. Nee P.S. I am in no way associated with CMS, just a happy customer.