Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!sunic!dkuug!ncrsecp!ncrlnk!ncr-mpd!gkendall From: gkendall@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM (Guy Kendall) Newsgroups: comp.periphs.scsi Subject: Re: speed difference on external drives? Message-ID: <726@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM> Date: 28 Feb 91 16:31:40 GMT References: <1991Feb23.194013.13400@unixland.uucp> Reply-To: gkendall@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM (Guy Kendall) Organization: NCR Microelectronic Products Division Lines: 22 In article <1991Feb23.194013.13400@unixland.uucp> bill@unixland.uucp (Bill Heiser) writes: > >Does having a SCSI drive external to a 386 system, on a cable >several feet long, affect the data transfer rate? Is it significantly >better to have the drive mounted internally in the system? > If you are using asynchronous SCSI, then the cable length does affect the transfer rate. If the external cable is only several feet long, then it should not make any noticable difference. I once heard that the SCSI signals travel at around 5.25 nS/meter and if you are only talking several feet then this will not add much at all to the transfer period. If you are using synchronous SCSI, then it is not supposed to make any difference at all. -- Guy W. Kendall - Applications Engineer gkendall@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM NCR Microelectronic Products Division Voice: 719-596-5795 1635 Aeroplaza Drive Fax: 719-570-6045 Colorado Springs, CO 80916 BBS: 719-596-1649