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From: csuaw@warwick.ac.uk (Patrick Clark)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: BBC disc drives..
Keywords: 8-bit
Message-ID: <%`J&`M-@warwick.ac.uk>
Date: 14 Mar 91 14:45:53 GMT
References: <1991Mar12.024637.12084@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au>
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Daniel Bowen writes:
>Now, the clincher is this. Can I use a standard IBM-PC 1.2Mb drive? (Which
>will be a great deal cheaper than having to order a special drive from
>the UK, as Beeb distributors here are as rare as hen's teeth)
>
>My logic says yes. A 1.2Mb drive is a double-sided, 80 track
>drive running under quadruple density; am I right?
>
>Where as I want a double-sided 80 track drive running under single
>density; okay? But, the density is dependent on the disc controller,
>is it not? That way on a PC a 1.2 can impersonate a 360... (which
>would be a 40 track double sided, double density). But as I still
>want 80 tracks, I should have none of those problems about disc
>head width or whatever.

        Yes this seems to make sense to me . I have a PC disk drive on my beeb
BUT it is only 40 trks .. somebody else fitted it for me. Hasving thought
about it .. it must have been a 360k drive .. but I dont see any reason why
you couldnt do the same with a 1.2 Mb drive.
-- 
______________________________________________________________________________
Patrick Clark          |                            | 'In Europe and America
University of Warwick  |   patrick@uk.ac.warwick.cs | theres a growing feeling
Coventry , CV4 7AL     |     csuaw@uk.ac.warwick.cu | of hysteria. ' - Sting