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From: graham@dolmen.UUCP (James Graham)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
Subject: Re: amiga---ibm (can I use IBM HD)
Message-ID: <18ba05af.ARN012f@dolmen.UUCP>
Date: 23 Feb 91 15:32:15 GMT
References: <1095@qusunb.queensu.CA> <19117@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Reply-To: dolmen!graham@news.cs.indiana.edu
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Organization: The Portal Dolmen BBS/ParaNet ALPHA-GAMMA (sm)
Lines: 42


> In article <1095@qusunb.queensu.CA> rosenblo@qucis.queensu.CA (Arnold Rosenbloom) writes:
> >I have an A500 and an old IBM clone with a 20MB harddrive.
> >I was wondering if anyone out there has looked into using
> >the harddrive on a IBM through one of the ports. What I had
> >in mind is a program running on the IBM which would service
> >requests from the amiga...would this be difficult...impossible...
> >or has it been done?

Yes.  It has been done, several times.  

Check out some of the ads in AmigaWorld.  There are 3 or 4 companies
that sell interfaces for connecting ST506 type drives (the old ibm
throwaway drives) to the amiga.

I'm presently using an interface from Pre'Spect Technics, a company in
Canada.

I have two Seagate ST238 RLL drives connected to my A500 and have never
had any problems.

What is interesting is that these drives are much faster.  For one thing,
the Amiga does not DMA as the PC does, hence the interleave can be set
much lower, which can really speed things up.

This particular interface supports a very LARGE list of ST506 drives, and
of course, allows one to adjust the parameters for those not on the list.

It is also relatively inexpensive.

There are also a couple of American companies that make interfaces as well
and all are fairly competitive in price.

Hope this helps.

-Jim

--
Jim Graham
dolmen!graham@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu
The Portal Dolmen BBS/ParaNet ALPHA-GAMMA (sm) (9:1012/13), 
(812)334-0418