Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!mit-eddie!bbn!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!pasteur!ames!vsi1!daver!mfgfoc!exodus
From: exodus@mfgfoc.UUCP (Greg Onufer)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Hard Drive Interface
Message-ID: <399@mfgfoc.UUCP>
Date: 24 Aug 88 19:51:41 GMT
References: <226@greens.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: FOCUS Semiconductor Sys., Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 20

From article <226@greens.UUCP>, by matthew@sunpix.UUCP ( Sun NCAA):
> I'm considering a project to build a Hard disk interface for a computer
> that normally doesn't have the capablity to interface to one. What I'm looking
> for is a good source of info on actually building a disk controller for
> any (or preferably all) of the following hard disk interfacing protocols
> 
> SCSI, ESDI, ST506, ST412, SMD

Well.... the first step would be a Computer Interface.  This could
easily be done with National Semiconductor's DP8490 SCSI controller
CHIP (yep... singular, line drivers and all...).  That in turn could connect
to an Adaptec 4000 (SCSI-> ST506) or directly to a native SCSI drive.
The SCSI bus is beneficial in that 1/4" tape drives are also easy to
connect.  The Adaptec 4070 (?) (SCSI-> ST506 RLL) would also be a good
choice if you can get a hard drive that works with it!  You can also buy
SCSI-> nearly anything boards (not all the same board!).  Of course, a
SCSI-> ESDI adapter will not be as fast as a direct ESDI interface, but
at least it's flexible.

--Greg