[comp.sys.ibm.pc] PC/AT Configuration Questions

dlu@tekgen.UUCP (Doug Urner) (12/18/86)

I'm planning to buy a PC/AT clone on which to run Microport's
Sys V.  I've pretty well narrowed it down to one box and would
appreciate some feedback on the configuration that I am considering.
The system would be used mostly for text processing, software
development and perhaps a medium sized database.  I would expect
one or two users most of the time.

Here goes...

	Multitech 900, 10MHz, 1 meg of 1 wait state RAM
	Multi-function card (by Multitech I think), 2 serial
		and one parallel port plus sockets for 1.5 meg more of RAM
	Miniscribe 71 meg disk, 28 ms access time
	Thompson 450A monitor (14" Amber)
	STB Chauffeur HT graphics adapter
	The obligatory 1.2 meg floppy

I have a couple of specific questions too...

	What am I loosing with 1 wait state RAM?

	Are there ST412 Disk Controllers out there?  Will I notice
	the difference?

	Does anyone have any experience with Multitech, Miniscribe,
	STB or Thompson?  How does this stuff hold up?

Many thanks,

Doug Urner, dlu@tektools.TEK.COM

bobm@hpcvlo.HP.COM (Bob May) (12/19/86)

	You might want to include a "standard" 360K floppy drive if you
	plan to exchange software with non-AT class machines. The 1.2M
	drive cannot reliably write low-density disks; and the 360K drives
	can't read 1.2M disks. The 360K drives are cheap, and I'm pretty 
	sure that your machine could support it. Software support is "free"-
	it's already in the BIOS. The only problem might come from the 
	power supply, but most clones have a big enough one to support 
	two floppies and a hard disk.

	Bob May
	hplabs!hp-pcd!bobm

steveb@zaphod.UUCP (Steve Brozosky) (12/20/86)

I have a Multitech at home and at work.  I think this machine is great.  I
have not had any problems with it.