lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (10/26/90)
In <67692@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>, tqhoang@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Toan Q. Hoang) writes: >I have a hard drive question to ask. What kind of hard drive can the Amiga >use? What are the different type of controller I need for different drive? >For example, can I use RLL, MFM, SCSI or is there only one type I can use. >Or is it just didferent type of hard drive require different controller? All hard drives require a controller that 'speaks the right language', whether it be SCSI, ST506 (RLL or MFM), ESDI, or any other interface protocol. Because of this, you will have more or less trouble interfacing drives, dependent upon the protocol you choose. Here's the scoop: ST506: MFM: Limited number of controllers available that will plug directly into the Amiga and talk directly to the drive. One that will is the 2090 or 2090A, and it is limited to two ST506 drives. RLL: Even less choices (since the 2090A will not directly talk to an RLL drive, thereby reducing the choices by at least one). ESDI: No choices at all. To my knowledge, there are no controllers that will talk directly to an ESDI drive. SCSI: Best choice for a host adapter (commonly called a controller. Not only will it handle SCSI drives, but it will handle any of the ST506 MFM or RLL drives, or ESDI drives, with the addition of a SCSI to drive controller adapter. In fact, there is even a SCSI to SMD interface available, if you really need one. Most 'controllers' you see on the Amiga are SCSI. -larry -- It is not possible to both understand and appreciate Intel CPUs. -D.Wolfskill +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
tqhoang@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Toan Q. Hoang) (10/26/90)
I have a hard drive question to ask. What kind of hard drive can the Amiga use? What are the different type of controller I need for different drive? For example, can I use RLL, MFM, SCSI or is there only one type I can use. Or is it just didferent type of hard drive require different controller? Thanks, Toan