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From: mrichey@orion.oac.uci.edu (Mike Richey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Hard Disk hookup via parallel port...?
Message-ID: <3932@orion.cf.uci.edu>
Date: 4 Jan 90 20:20:55 GMT
References: <1676.259f524a@cc.helsinki.fi> <344@marvin.moncam.co.uk>
Reply-To: mrichey@orion.oac.uci.edu (Mike Richey)
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Lines: 50

In article <344@marvin.moncam.co.uk> emmo@moncam.co.uk (Dave Emmerson) writes:
>In article <1676.259f524a@cc.helsinki.fi>, stickler@cc.helsinki.fi writes:
>> Does anyone know of a hard disk which can be hooked to a 
>> non-hard disk laptop through the parallel (or serial) port.
>> [deleted]
>
>I'm replying to this one because I rather doubt if such a beast exists,
>if I'm right, this could be the only reply you get. 
>
>The parallel option is particularly unlikely, since most PC pll ports
>are only designed for output, to a printer or suchlike. The serial
>port is so slow (many can't top 38.4Kbaud) that nobody is likely to
>consider it saleable.

I use a product called "Flying Dutchman". You connect a cable between two
PCs. The cable connects to either LPT1,2, or 3, of either machine. The
transfer rate between machines is great. Much better than any asynchronous
package. The parrallel ports are I/O addresses available to just that, input
or output. The ICs that connect to the DB25 connector are tristate devices.

Xircom manufactures a device that connects to the parrallel port, and has an
ethernet thin net connector and a Novell driver that one may use to connect
to a laptop and a Novell LAN. Soon to ship... Token Ring and ArcNet. Now
there's I/O for you! 8-).

The UARTS in PCs can operate up to 115K buad. Brooklyn Bridge, and I forget
the package Toshiba shipped, but both of these will operate at 115 Kbaud.
The UARTS can do it, with the proper protocol.

To answer the original request, There is a product by a company called 
Weltec. It's called PHD and it's a portable hard disk for laptops that
operate through the serial port. Weltec is in Irvine, CA, area code 714.
I don't have the number. 47st sells the PHD, their number is 800-221-7774.

Disclaimer: I've never used the PHD, and don't have any plans of using it.
Just noticed the add recently.

IMHO, Brooklyn Bridge and Flying Dutchman are excellent products.

>
>If anyone can prove me wrong, I'd be pleased to hear of it..
>
>Dave E.

Consider yourself informed, not proven wrong 8->.

Michael S. Richey    Internet: mrichey@orion.oac.uci.edu
Bitnet: MRichey@UCI  CompuServe: 71650,3132    Voice: (714) 856-8374
University of California, Irvine    Network and Telecommunications Services
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