Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!daver!bungi.com!news From: sverre@lev.Seri.GOV (Sverre Froyen) Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k Subject: Re: floppies for the pc532 Message-ID: <9104091601.AA18237@lev.seri.gov> Date: 9 Apr 91 16:01:11 GMT References: <> Sender: news@daver.bungi.com Lines: 51 Approved: news@daver.bungi.com > >>I am starting to realize that I need a floppy drive for the pc532 > >Me too. We should be able to do better than the $180 TEAC though. I was hoping somone would say that :-) > >NCR makes something called the model 32 SCSI<->ST406 for around U$150, >that usually goes in a box with a drive for attaching an external floppy >to a Mac. Getting small quantities might be difficult, and the total >cost would be > $180 anyway, but it shows that the Mac world might be >a place to look. For an external floppy, that is probably the way to go. This controller allows all sorts of floopy drives to be used. The reason I prefer the TEAC is that I don't want to mount another card inside my pc532. > >Dave Bowman has found a possible source of ~ U$100, 2.88M, 3.5" SCSI >floppy drives, BUT: > a) we don't know for sure that they work with the PC532, > b) we don't know for sure that they can read/write 1.44M floppies > (they are supposed to), Can they write 1.44? In this not like the cartridge tapes where the number of tracks increase and therefore the track width becomes too narrow. Since I want the drive for exchanging files with other systems being able to write 1.44MB floppies is imperative. > c) we don't know how many we can get, > and > d) we don't know the final price. This could be the other TEAC model (FD-235JS). The price I have seen for that one is $219 (from Tulin Corp in San Jose). I have not made any extensive search for the lowest price so it may very well be possible to get these for less. I did however call several distributors and stores in Denver/Boulder and none of them could supply the drives. A call to the official TEAC distributor in Denver revealed that they were not allowed to sell quantities less than one hundred drives -- which I guess explains why computer stores don't carry them. >We should have answers to a) and b) by the end of April, I'll post more info >as soon as I have it. (I'm waiting as fast as I can!) Please keep us informed. -- Sverre Froyen sverre@seri.gov, sunpeaks!seri!sverre