Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!mcsun!unido!cat!incom!spock
From: spock@incom.de (Martin Georg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: HD controller and step/trace on //e
Summary: Megaboard controller comes from germany
Keywords: Megaboard, ST-506
Message-ID: <1991May28.085602.1781@incom.de>
Date: 28 May 91 08:56:02 GMT
References: <16552@helios.TAMU.EDU> <1991May27.032727.8839@agate.berkeley.edu>
Sender: spock@incom.de (Martin Georg)
Organization: /usr/lib/news/Oorganization
Lines: 60

Yes, the Megaboard is a ST-506 Controller that was originally designed and
distributed by a German company named "Frank & Britting", named after the 
Inventor and designer of the board, Mr. Britting. Mr. Britting stopped de-
velopment on that board about three years ago, but he's still around here
in Germany (somewhere near Mannheim) and very helpful when it comes to solve
problems for the existing user base.

However, there's another guy here in Germany who's also involved in harddisk
adapters for MS-DOS style harddrives. He currently has two controller types
for sale, of which one is a re-design of the original Megaboard controller.
It's called "Hardport FaST-506" and allow data transfer rates of up to 220KB
per second, which is much faster than the original Megaboard (100KB/sec) or
the Apple Rev. C card (80KB/sec). Included with the FaST-506 is a slot-spe-
cific Eprom and a special GS/OS driver for optimal performance.

The other controller is brand-new and is called "RamFAST IDE". It is a hard-
disk controller for AT-Bus harddisk like they are now commonly used in MS-DOS
machines. This board also carries a slot-specific eprom and comes with a 
special GS/OS driver. The board has, like the FAST-506, 16 bit Data transfer,
and in addition an 8 KB cache buffer. It is not much slower than a RamFAST
CSI from CV Technologies, but much cheaper.

OK, the full package includes:
Harddisk controller (either RamFAST IDE or FaST-506)
Harddisk cables
Complete manual
A Diskette containing:
- The content of all slot-specific EProms
- The GS/OS driver for all slots
- A harddisk formatting and preparation utility
- Utilities for bad-block scans and remapping, speed tests and much more.

Both controllers work in every Apple II+ (64KB), //e (even unenhanced) and
Apple IIgs (System Software 5.x is highly recommended!) 
You have to specify your machine type and size of disk drive!!!

And now the price:
RamFAST IDE, like described above:	170,- Deutsche Mark
                                        (1 US$ = 1,75 Deutsche Mark)

MegaBoard FaST-506, like desc. above:   140,- Deusche Mark

You have to add shipping and handling, but I'm not sure about  current rates.

For more information, you can write to the following address:
Mr. Joachim Lange
Schoenstrasse 80a
D-8000 Muenchen 90
phone: Germany 89 6515150 (12:00am - 4:00 pm Eastern time only, please!).

I can highly recommend Mr. Lange and his boards. He's a long-time member
of my Apple IIgs users group and is very helpful and friendly when it comes
provide help for it's products. And the prices can't be beat - compare it 
to SCSI drives and the RamFAST SCSI.


Martin Georg
Frankfurt/Germany
GEnie: A2.Martin, FIDO: Martin Georg, 2:243/100
----> Apple II forever! <----