bgribble@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Bill Gribble) (02/24/90)
ok, everybody out there, cross your fingers: I'm about to attempt my first hardware hack. I know that to the experienced warrantee-invalidators out there making a power supply for a Supra scsi interface sans drive is a trivial project, but I am a virgin when it comes to doing something to which Supra tech support says "um, you'll have to BUY one of OUR drives if you want power for that 2 megs of ram you just bought. A hardware problem keeps it from working if you just put in a power supply." Fortunately, a VERY helpful Light-Speed Distribution salesman told me point-blank that Supra lied to me. He also told me how to do the hack using the cable and hardware Supra supplied. I have nothing to do with Light-Speed or any other company, but I have to compliment the folks there for saving me many bucks. If I hadn't been assured that this would work, I would have bought a hard drive today, hyperextending my credit card as well as making me eat government commodity cheese and bread for the next six months or so. I bought the interface because I wanted both a drive and the ram, but I only had the cash for one at a time. I was going to buy a Supra drive in a few months, but now I think I'll buy a ~45 meg Conner and a cheap chassis with power simply because the Supra people told me to either give them more money or send my investment back. I bought Supra because I've heard nothing but good about them on the Net, but I doubt I'll buy anything from them in the future. Anyway, wish me luck. I'm going to Radio Shack (God help me) today. By the way, no need to send advice on the basics. I know my way around a multimeter pretty well :-). But if you've done this same project (as the guy at Light-Speed indicated a lot of people have) any pointers would be helpful. I'd rather NOT see smoke come from my Amiga, even if it is a 500 :-). bill gribble ============================================================================= Bill Gribble (714) 621-8000 ext 2045 Platt Campus Ctr. Internet: bgribble@jarthur.claremont.edu Harvey Mudd College wgribble@hmcvax.claremont.edu Claremont, CA 91711 Bitnet: wgribble@hmcvax.bitnet =============================================================================
BAXTER_A@wehi.dn.mu.oz (02/27/90)
In article <4605@jarthur.Claremont.EDU>, bgribble@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Bill Gribble) writes: > ok, everybody out there, cross your fingers: > > I'm about to attempt my first hardware hack. > > I know that to the experienced warrantee-invalidators out there > making a power supply for a Supra scsi interface sans drive > is a trivial project, but I am a virgin when it comes to doing > something to which Supra tech support says "um, you'll have to > BUY one of OUR drives if you want power for that 2 megs of ram > you just bought. A hardware problem keeps it from working if you > just put in a power supply." > > Fortunately, a VERY helpful Light-Speed Distribution salesman told me > point-blank that Supra lied to me. He also told me how to do the > hack using the cable and hardware Supra supplied. I have nothing to > do with Light-Speed or any other company, but I have to compliment > the folks there for saving me many bucks. If I hadn't been assured that > this would work, I would have bought a hard drive today, hyperextending > my credit card as well as making me eat government commodity cheese > and bread for the next six months or so. > > I bought the interface because I wanted both a drive and the ram, but I only > had the cash for one at a time. I was going to buy a Supra drive in a > few months, but now I think I'll buy a ~45 meg Conner and a cheap > chassis with power simply because the Supra people told me to either > give them more money or send my investment back. I bought Supra > because I've heard nothing but good about them on the Net, but I doubt > I'll buy anything from them in the future. > > Anyway, wish me luck. I'm going to Radio Shack (God help me) today. > > By the way, no need to send advice on the basics. I know my way around a > multimeter pretty well :-). But if you've done this same project > (as the guy at Light-Speed indicated a lot of people have) any > pointers would be helpful. I'd rather NOT see smoke come from > my Amiga, even if it is a 500 :-). Oh Well. Time to shatter the glass balloon. Supra tried to steal $2,400 eighteen months ago when I sent in an order for disk/memory. They never sent the disk, and denied receiving the check. We traced the check, and found they had cashed it. Challenged them, and they sent it with wrong manual and half the software. I have only just received the software, the manual was 6 months late. Oh. I forgot to say, the "autobooting drive" was delivered non autobooting. The required PAL was about 8 months. Anyway, The interface was faulty. The solder was crazed and I experienced intermittant electrical faults. I wrote to Supra 7 times. Finally they offered an upgrade to the new interface for $100. I sent it. That was 4 months ago. They deny receiving the check. I am having the bank trace it. This costs money. Personally, I would strongly recommend against anyone buying anything from Supra. They appear to be deliberately and systematically stealing money. I can't believe there is any other explanation. If anyone from Supra takes exeption to these comments, I would be delighted to post in serial form my correspondence with Supra. The one when they "find" the check they have already cashed is a ripper. Oh yes. If anyone is interested, a local shop resoldered the interface, and it works fine. They can keep their shit. I just want my money back. Combining my experience with Supra and CMI.. Boy am I glad my Amiga was assembled in Hong Kong and not the USA!! Regards Alan > > bill gribble > > > ============================================================================= > Bill Gribble (714) 621-8000 ext 2045 > Platt Campus Ctr. Internet: bgribble@jarthur.claremont.edu > Harvey Mudd College wgribble@hmcvax.claremont.edu > Claremont, CA 91711 Bitnet: wgribble@hmcvax.bitnet > =============================================================================