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From: dragon@oliveb.UUCP (Give me a quarter or I'll touch you)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Current Status of ST Emulation Packages
Message-ID: <1612@oliveb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 25-Jun-87 12:08:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: oliveb.1612
Posted: Thu Jun 25 12:08:53 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 27-Jun-87 01:59:31 EDT
References: <12901@topaz.rutgers.edu>
Organization: Dragon Technology, Inc. San Francisco, USA
Lines: 36

in article <12901@topaz.rutgers.edu>, lachac@topaz.rutgers.edu (Gerard Lachac) says:
> Posted: Wed Jun 24 14:54:13 1987
> 
> In article <1502@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> braner@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (braner) writes:
>>Question: will Atari convert the STs to a 1.4-Megabyte disk format compatible
>>with the new IBM PS/2 machines?
>>
>>- Moshe Braner
> 
> If I'm not mistaken, aren't the drives on the PS/2 series using some kind of
> propriatory drive/controller combo that makes them ultra expensive?? (and also
> not compatible with the drives in the current ST's)
> 
> -- 
> lachac@topaz.rutgers.edu <-----OR-----> {seismo|ames}!rutgers!topaz!lachac

NO.  The drives are pretty much off-the-shelf units of 1.44 mb 3.5".  The
controller is a standard high-density controller (like those used in ATs)
that support higher bit rates on drives that handle it (1.2 mb 5.25" drives
are of this type).
 
If a high density controller were built into the ST, then we could take
advantage of these drives (including 8", too!  WOW!).

Then, (for an MS-DOS machine) the disk format must either be supported in
the ROM or a handler must be installed.  I imagine it would be supported in
the ROM if an ST ever came with this built in.

But is it so important?  The going price for 2 mb 3.5" floppies is about $6
a piece.  I prefer taking more room with the smaller disks :-)


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