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From: hdrw@ibmpcug.co.uk (Howard Winter)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,connect.audit
Subject: Conner 200M IDE drive
Message-ID: <1991Mar31.162532.9509@ibmpcug.co.uk>
Date: 31 Mar 91 16:25:32 GMT
Organization: The IBM PC User Group, UK.
Lines: 33


I have been given a number of recommendations to go for the Conner
CP3204 200M IDE disk drive as a good way to upgrade my machine.
Before I order it, a couple of questions:

1. I've seen it advertised as 15mSec in US adverts, but 19mSec
from the only English firm I've seen advertising it.  What is the 
correct access time, and is this the TRUE speed, or only apparent due
to the controller hiding the actual head/track/sector configuration ?

2. What is the achievable data-transfer rate ?  I have tripped up on 
this before, when I bought an ST296N, only to find it cannot be formatted
at better than 3:1 in my machine, so limiting it to 300K/Sec.
I am hoping for about 1M/Sec from the Conner.  Is this possible ?
Are there any implications (such as processor or AT Bus bottleneck, or 
anything else like that) ?

3. Am I really getting the best value for money ?  How does this
drive compare with the ST2139A, which has similar basic spec. (~200M,
15mS) ?

4.  Has anyone got Conner's phone/fax number, so I can request data
sheets from them (I have been going on adverts and dealers' words
so far) ?

Thanks in anticipation,
Howard.
-- 
Automatic Disclaimer:
The views expressed above are those of the author alone and may not
represent the views of the IBM PC User Group.
-- 
hdrw@ibmpcug.Co.UK     Howard Winter     0W21'  51N43'