[comp.sys.apple] Need help with Apple ][ cards

tomk@pro-grouch.cts.com (Tom Kelly) (02/25/90)

 I bought several Apple cards today.  Some I can figure out while others 
 are a mystery.  The following is a list of what I have.      
 1) Franklin Computer Ace 80.
 I suspect it is a CP/M card.  It has 8 4116's, a Z80B CPU, and a Z80B CTC. 
 M&R ENTERPRISES SUP'R'TERMINAL
 I believe it is a 80 column card.  It has 6 2114 chips and a HD46505 chip.
 3) APPLE COMPUTER INC. ROM CARD
 How do I use it?
 4) RANA SYSTEMS ASSY. 29-0020  FOUR DRIVE CONTROLLER CARD.
 How does one use it?  I can't get it to work.  Does it need special disk?
 5) MICROSCI DISK DRIVE CONTROLLER
 6) A CARD I CAN'T IDENTIFY.  I believe it is some kind of drive controller
 It has a cable on it terminated in a DB-37 female connector.
 It also has a EPROM on the board which reads as follows
 103684 C
 COPYRIGHT
 XEBEC/1986
 I was told it was a 8 in controller but I find it hard to believe that 
 anyone was making them for Apples in 1986.
 If anyone has any info or docs on this stuff please drop me some E-Mail.
 Thanks.

UUCP: crash!pro-grouch!tomk
ARPA: crash!pro-grouch!tomk@nosc.mil

cs122aw@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Scott Alfter) (02/26/90)

In article <10364.apple.net@pro-grouch> tomk@pro-grouch.cts.com (Tom Kelly) writes:
> 6) A CARD I CAN'T IDENTIFY.  I believe it is some kind of drive controller
> It has a cable on it terminated in a DB-37 female connector.
> It also has a EPROM on the board which reads as follows
> 103684 C
> COPYRIGHT
> XEBEC/1986
> I was told it was a 8 in controller but I find it hard to believe that 
> anyone was making them for Apples in 1986.

Sounds to me like a hard disk controller.  I was just looking at one of the
early ads for the Sider hard disks ($695 for 10 megs--remember when they first
came out with that?) that was printed in the November 1985 (!) issue of Nibble.
In the ad, they say the Sider uses the "field-proven, industry standard Xebec
S1410A."  (The ad's on page 23 of the November 1985 issue of Nibble, if you
want to see the original.)  You might want to take a closer look at the card to
see if you can find this model number anywhere.  If you can find it, then start
looking for a 10 meg Sider that someone wants to sell who doesn't have a 
controller (not likely, since the controller was shipped with all Siders).  You
might also want to contact First Class Peripherals (3579 Hwy. 50 East, Carson
City, NV 89701) and see if they could set you up with something, because I 
think it's safe to say that what you have is a hard disk controller.

Scott Alfter-------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet: cs122aw@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu    _/_  Apple II: the power to be your best!
          alfter@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu/ v \
          saa33413@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (    (              A keyboard--how quaint!
  Bitnet: free0066@uiucvmd.bitnet    \_^_/                     --M. Scott, STIV

greyelf@wpi.wpi.edu (Michael J Pender) (02/27/90)

In article <10364.apple.net@pro-grouch> tomk@pro-grouch.cts.com (Tom Kelly) writes:
>
> I bought several Apple cards today.  Some I can figure out while others 
> are a mystery.  The following is a list of what I have.      
> 1) Franklin Computer Ace 80.
> I suspect it is a CP/M card.  It has 8 4116's, a Z80B CPU, and a Z80B CTC. 
> M&R ENTERPRISES SUP'R'TERMINAL
> I believe it is a 80 column card.  It has 6 2114 chips and a HD46505 chip.
> 3) APPLE COMPUTER INC. ROM CARD
> How do I use it?
> 4) RANA SYSTEMS ASSY. 29-0020  FOUR DRIVE CONTROLLER CARD.
> How does one use it?  I can't get it to work.  Does it need special disk?

I believe the RANA drives are double density, double sided drives
that store a healthy amount per disk.
I don't know if a prodos driver is available for RANA drives,
but a dos 3.3 one is.  If my memory is right (read that double-check 
first) standard apple drives should be compatible with this card.

To use the double-density feature requires RANA drives, 
and a preboot disk.

---
Michael J Pender Jr  Box 1942 c/o W.P.I.   W.O.S. is not dead.
greyelf@wpi.bitnet   100 Institute Rd.     ...its time to get started,
greyelf@wpi.wpi.edu  Worcester, Ma 01609   there is much to be done.
If my next computer isn't a IIgs, it won't be an apple... Me.