Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!uxc!uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!m.cs.uiuc.edu!calhoun From: calhoun@m.cs.uiuc.edu Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Hard Disks Message-ID: <8400082@m.cs.uiuc.edu> Date: 20 Feb 89 18:36:00 GMT References: <8847@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> Lines: 53 Nf-ID: #R:orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU:8847:m.cs.uiuc.edu:8400082:000:2444 Nf-From: m.cs.uiuc.edu!calhoun Feb 20 12:36:00 1989 Connecting a typical IBM drive to a Mac illustrates a good portion of the reason why Mac drives are more expensive. The typical IBM drive has a Segate style interface. The Mac is SCSI. That means to connect an IBM drive you have to add a Segate/SCSI conversion board. IBM drives mount inside the IBM case very easily, however most IBM drives would have to be in an extenal case to work on a Mac. This means a power supply, and a case. Mac drives also require the actual driver software be on the disk - so companies selling drives must either develop or buy the driver software. As you can see, when you buy an external drive for the Mac, you may be paying for the drive, the case, a power supply, a Segate/SCSI conversion board, and the driver software. As an example lets see what it would be like putting these parts together yourself (I have three drives that I assembled this way and they work very well). Item Cost Vendor ------------------------------------------------------------- Atasi 3046 (39MB) Refurbished $275 jb Technologies 5.25" Hard disk case w/power supply $80 WETEX International Adaptec 4000A Segate/SCSI board $60 Timeline, Inc. Internal Cables $12 Altex Electronics Mac SCSI Cable $10 Altex Electronics Driver Software: Ephriam Vishniac (Shareware) - -------------------------------------------------------------- Total: $437 I make no claims as to whether the above configuration will work. In fact I'm not sure this particular hard disk case has enough room for the drive and the Adaptec board. These happened to be the best prices I could find in a quick skim of Computer Shopper Magazine. As you can see, even if you can get the software for a pint of blood (Talk to Mr. Vishniac). The unit will still cost you $162 more than the cost of the drive itself. (Not to mention the time it'll take you to put it together) Also, the above mentioned drive is not new, but is a refurbished drive. Note> You can save some money ($72 Adaptec board & cables) by buying an imbedded SCSI drive. jb Technologies sells the Segate ST251N (42MB) for $395. Jeff Calhoun University of Illinois Computer Science Dept Rm 222 Digital Computing Lab 1304 W. Springfield, Urbana, IL 61801 calhoun@cs.uiuc.edu | Contrary to Mrs. Grundy, sex is not sin. uiucdcs!calhoun | Contrary to Hugh Hefner, it's not salvation | either. -Frederick Buechner