Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cacilj!paul
From: paul@cacilj.UUCP (Paul Close)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Hard drive kits
Summary: Seagate vs Miniscribe?
Message-ID: <874@cacilj.UUCP>
Date: 19 Jan 89 19:47:19 GMT
References: <11275@ihlpa.ATT.COM> <6458@cg-atla.UUCP>
Reply-To: paul@cacilj.UUCP (Paul Close)
Organization: CACI Products Company, La Jolla, CA
Lines: 40
Keywords:

In article <6458@cg-atla.UUCP> tremblay@cg-atla.UUCP (Ken Tremblay) writes:
>In article <11275@ihlpa.ATT.COM>, lincoln@ihlpa.ATT.COM (Lincoln) writes:
>> I'm looking for a low-cost hard drive for my 1040ST.  Does anyone
>> have any first-hand experience with either the ICD or Tech-Specialities
>> kits?
>
>  [...]                                If you get a drive that is
>  MFM and buy an RLL controller then you could get more capacity
>  from the hard drive.  His 40meg is now packing 60 meg.  ICD is
>  a good choice and the price is right.  But that's just an opinion.

*WARNING*

As far as I know, formatting a MFM drive for RLL use voids the warranty.  It
might well work, but it is not part of the MFM spec, so be careful!!  Dealers
I've talked to advise not trying the MFM->RLL until the warranty expires.

I'm waiting for my order from Berkeley Microsystems (BMS).  It's not a kit
per se, but you can buy everything you need (save the drive) from them.
I'll know more once I get the parts, so email if you're interested.  The
cost breakdown is (roughly):

	BMS-200 (Atari-SCSI)	$150
	MFM Adaptec controller	$115
	Case w/power supply	$ 80
	80mb, 28ms Seagate 4096	$565
				----
	Total			$910

I think this is even cheaper than the ICD kit.  Also, it is my impression
that the ICD kit will only hold half-height drives.  The Seagate I'm
considering is full height, as is the 71mb Miniscribe 6085 (an alternate).
Something to consider....

P.S. Does anyone have any experience using either the Seagate or the
Miniscribe?  Would you recommend either?
-- 
Paul Close	paul@cacilj.CTS.COM 	...!{uunet, ucsd, crash}!cacilj!paul

    The Obi-wan Kenobi method:  "Use the Source, Luke"	-Jim Fulton