Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!MTUS5.BITNET!JCKASPER From: JCKASPER@MTUS5.BITNET Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple Subject: BITNET mail follows Message-ID: <8804120248.aa03770@SMOKE.BRL.ARPA> Date: 12 Apr 88 06:26:00 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 200 Date: Tue, 12 Apr 88 00:23:27 EST From: "John C. Kasperski (Otherwise known as 'Jc')" Subject: Hard Disk Summary To: Info-Apple@brl.arpa ======================================================================== Well, I originally stated that I wasn't going to bother posting this directly to Info-Apple, but after I unsuccessfully attempting to E-mail it to one of it's first requesters about 5 times I realized that posting it would be the only sensible thing to do. If you are not at all interested in hard disks or you already own one... there is no need for you to read any further and you may discard this piece of mail. For those of you that did ask for the hard disk summary I mentioned... well here it is. First, I must admit, this is by no means a complete list and I'm accepting any comments and suggestions about things I left out from anyone out there who is willing to give them... Also, I do not claim to be a writer and I actually hate writing... so don't be surprised if this seems crude and unprofessional... because it IS. :) /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ | | | HARD DISK SUMMARY | | | | (Price comparision guide) | | | | Written up by: John C. Kasperski | | | | Bitent address: JCKASPER @ MTUS5 | | | \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ Well I've investigated all, or nearly all, the possible options there are in hooking up a hard disk to an Apple //xx computer. I've found that there are basicly 4 different options that you can take. (NOTE: This report is for 20 megabyte drives only!) These options vary quite a bit as far as price and their pro's and con's. At the end of this list of these options, I included a list of all those companies I cited along with their corresponding addresses and phone numbers in case you wish to get further information or order a hard disk. Option 1. Apple, Sider, CMS hard disk. Hard Ware Needed Price Company Comments ----------- ----- ------- ---------------------------- Apple HDsc $1200? Apple Con: Very expensive, no software, only ProDOS Apple II $119 Apple Pro: Expandability, Apple II SCSI card will SCSI card allow you to hook up multiple devices. Sider 20 meg $549 Programs Pro: Partioning (I think) and multiple Plus (A+) operating systems CMS 20 meg $579 Quality Pro: Partioning and multiple operating CMS SCSI Computers systems controller $ 95 (A+) Option 2. MegaBoard and one of their pre-built systems Hard Ware Needed Price Company Comments ----------- ----- ------- ---------------------------- MegaBoard & $499 Perlin Pro: Partioning into 2 drives Lapine LT 200 Electronics Allows multiple operating systems (20 meg) MegaBoard & $599 Perlin Pro: Same as stated above. SeaGate ST225 Electronics (20 meg) Option 3. Buy just the MegaBoard from Perlin Electronics and buy the hard hard disk, case, & power supply from someplace else. (The least expensive 3rd party dealer in IBM hardware I found was JDR Microdevices... PLEASE tell me if you find prices for lower than those that I listed. ) Hard Ware Needed Price Company Comments ----------- ----- ------- ---------------------------- MegaBoard $200 Perlin Pro: Same as above Electronics Con: You will have to build the system Case & Power $50 JDR yourself Supply Microdevices Con: Limited to 64 megs... 2 (32 megs) Lapine LT-200 $199 JDR Microdevices MegaBoard $200 Perlin Pro: Same as above Electronics Con: Same as above Case & Power $50 JDR Supply Microdevices SeaGate ST225 $259 JDR Microdevices Option 4. Buy an Apple II SCSI card and install a SeaGate ST225N drive directly to your Apple Hard Ware Needed Price Company Comments ----------- ----- ------- ---------------------------- Apple II $119 Apple Pro: EXPANDABILITY.... will allow you to SCSI card hook up multiple devices. Case & Power $50 JDR Con: Only ProDOS... NO SOFTWARE... Supply Microdevices Limit of 32 Meg... no partioning. You will have to build the system yourself SeaGate 225N $330 Hamiliton Pro: Low price, it is a SCSI drive!!! Avnet WILL work with Apple II SCSI card Con: The cable may have to be re-wired Apple II SCSI card is 25DB pin & ST225N is 50 pin. Well, that's the 4 main options that I've found. Whatever you decide will probably depend on 1) how much you are willing to spend, 2) whether you want to be able to use multiple operating systems (i.e. ProDOS, DOS 3.3, UCSD Pascal, CPM... etc), and 3) whether you want to be able to expand your system so that you can add on a second hard drive, and 4) whether you want to go through the hassel of trying to build the sytem yourself and save a few dollars of buy it alread built. As far as my own personal self... I haven't gotten a hard disk yet, but I think I've made up my mind on what option 1-4 I plan to take. First in regards to the 4 decisions I mentioned a bit ago, I am looking for the least expensive drive, all I want/need in ProDOS, yes, I want expandibility... and no I don't mind going through the hassel of trying to build my own system. My option therefore is... 4. the SeaGate 225N drive which I asked about on Info-Apple recently, but did not get a single reply back. Why am I choosing this option... it's still going to cost over $500 for it? Well, basicly becuase of the possiblity of expandability. The Apple II SCSI card can recognize up to 7 devices in ProDOS 16 and 4 in ProDOS 8 so therefore, I could have up to 7 20 meg ST225N drives hooked up and running off of my GS. Of course I don't think I'll even do this. I'll only have 6, and the 7th device will be the new Apple CD ROM. :) (Dream on... I know.) That would certainly be one impressive system. :) PLEASE let me knw what your comments are concerning what I cited here... and if you know of any lower prices than the ones I listed. I know A+ had a hard disk evaluation a few months ago, but they did not consider options 2-4 at all. You may wish to look at this writeup however if you are considering option 1. I beleive it was in their Nov 87 issue or around then... but I'm not sure. PERLIN Electronics Programs Plus (A+ magazine) 7394 Calle Real, Suite E 75 Research Drive Goleta, California 93117 Stratford, Conn. 06497 1-800-223-9443 (Orders only) 1-800-832-3201 (Orders only) CMS Enhancement, Inc. Quality Computers (A+ magazine) 1372 Valencia Ave. 15102 Charlevoix Tustin, California 92680 Grosse Pointe, MI 48230 (714) 259-9555 1-800-443=6697 (Orders only) SeaGate Technology Hamilton Avnet 920 Disc Drive (National distributor for Seagate) Scotts Valley, CA 95066 1-800-521-3387 1-800-468-DISC JDR Microdevices 110 Knowles Drive Los Gatos, California 95030 1-800-538-5000 DISCLAMIER: I am not an employee of any of the firms just mentioned and none of them know of the claims I have made in this document. All these opinions are entirely my own. I deny any responsibility of any increase or decrease in sales of any of these companies I listed. And my intent of this document is just to give a list of the prices and data that I have found to anybody that is interested. NOTE: It has come to my attention that the CMS SCSI driver works fine with the ST225N and as far as cost wise, it is also $25 cheaper on the average then the Apple II SCSI card. I am trying to get more information about this, but so far have been unable to reach the person who sent me this information originally. If JeffJ at Pro-Avalon is reading this, could you send me a more complete address so that I can reach you via E-mail. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> < John C. Kasperski, "Jc" Bitnet: JCKASPER @ MTUS5 > < > < Michigan Technological University > < > < Disclaimer: The only foolish question, is the one that goes unasked. > <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>