Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jarthur!nntp-server.caltech.edu!toddpw
From: toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: ZIP ACCELERATORS
Message-ID: <1991Apr19.052541.6096@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Date: 19 Apr 91 05:25:41 GMT
References: <1991Apr19.023153.23601@ims.alaska.edu>
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 26

Your article is based on information that's changed -- I visited Zip a month
ago and here's what the scoop seems to be:

The tiny board versions don't really exist; it's far more cost effective for
Zip to sell the same upgradable board with a relatively cheap 7 mhz chip on
it for $149 or so.

Zip buys 7 and 8 mhz rated chips from WDC, and hand picks the faster ones
for upgrades. I am running at 10 mhz with an 8 mhz rated chip and I have not
had any problems that caused me to suspect the accelerator. They must have
plenty of real 7's they've already paid WDC for.

The top bus connector is disappearing in the next board revision, for the
following reasons:
	(a) it is not cost-effective (who will manufacture a product that
depends on an add-on?)
	(b) it adds a lot of noise to the system, and could inhibit high
speed operation or all operation in noisy/loaded systems.

Everything else you mentioned sounds ok. Thanks for word-of-mouthing the
Zip, I heartily recommend it to anyone who is serious about their GS.
I seriously think the TWGS is a disgusting piece of overengineering compared
to the ZipGS.

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu