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From: iverson@xstor.com (Tim Iverson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.periphs.scsi
Subject: SCSI integration (was Re: How much faster is a 16 bit SCSI Card than the ST02?)
Message-ID: <1991Jun03.223143.12788@xstor.com>
Date: 3 Jun 91 22:31:43 GMT
Sender: nelson_p@apollo.com
Reply-To: nelson_p@apollo.com
Organization: Apollo?
Lines: 56

From: nelson_p@apollo.com
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 91 09:40:17 EST 
Subject: SCSI integration
To: iverson@xstor.xstor.COM

 [ I saw your posting to comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware on
   " Re: How much faster is a 16 bit SCSI Card than the ST02?".
   I can read Usenet, via the spool file, but I don't have it
   running here so I can't post.  Could you do me the great
   favor of posting this for me?   Thanks in advance and feel
   free to take a shot at an answer if you have any opinions
   on it.     ]

>SCSI is easier to integrate and (with some drivers) more reliable.

 I'm upgrading my hard disk and would like to consider SCSI.  One
 of my biggest worries is integration.  I already have a scanner, a 
 mouse, a modem, a printer, and a (ATI VGAWonder) VGA card.  I
 want to choose a strategy that will minimize my risk of conflicts
 and maximize the ease with which those conflicts can be resolved.

 I've had complaints from Windows and Desqview over DMA-intensive
 devices like my scanner and DMA-heavy activities like Fastback
 (backup software).   Will this be a problem with bus-mastering
 SCSI devices?   Also on both the Adaptec BBS and on Compuserve 
 I've seen references to conflicts between the 1542 and VGA cards!

 One thing that makes me nervous about Adaptec, despite their good
 reputation and market share, is tech support.  They have no end-user
 tech support; they expect the dealer to do it.   But how many hours
 and how many long-distance phone calls to their tech-support line
 does Adaptec expect a dealer to use for a $300 sale?    Anyway,
 I can't find any local PC vendors which are familiar enough with
 Adaptec products to handle installation problems.

 The place I bought my computer prefers W.D. SCSI boards but I know
 nothing about W.D. stuff and I heard a rumour this weekend on Compuserve
 that W.D. is getting out of the board business.  This would be a disaster
 for a SCSI board because the board-maker typically supplies the drivers.  

 Always, as you point out, is problematic because it disables interrupts.
 Also, I suspect it would get bogged down in a CPU-intensive or multi-
 tasking environment since it does programmed I-O.  

 Future Domain is another SCSI board maker I know nothing about. 

 And then, of course, there's the SCSI -vs- SCSI-2 issue.  How important
 is it that I get a board which is SCSI-2 compliant?


 SO -- Is SCSI only a product for pioneers or people who like to
 tinker?   I want a hassle-free SCSI install and someone to back me up
 if I get into trouble.   Is this a pipe dream?   Comments are welcome
 and VERY much appreciated.

                                                       ---Peter