dennya@pnet02.cts.com (Denny Atkin) (06/15/89)
Well, a number of people were also interested in the Expansion Technologies ToolBox (2 Slot Zorro II cage) when I inquired about it. I didn't get a reply from anyone who actually HAD one, but I took the plunge and decided to risk buying one. I got the A1000 version with power supply. Well, I now have an A2000 Xetec SCSI hardcard/ST157N hard drive combo plugged into one of the slots on my A1000 and it works great! I now have an autoboot harddrive (I just leave Kickstart in df0: all the time... If I was really lazy I could buy a ROM board, but I'd rather use the $150 elsewhere). I've had absolutely no problems with it. The trick, though, is that some boards do NOT work properly in the ToolBox on some A1000's. For instance, the MicroBotics HardFrame won't work (and that's what I wanted, too). You just need to check with Expansion Tech and find out which cards have been tested okay. They had never tried the Xetec, but I've had it up for 3 days now with fewer problems than I had with my A1000 controller. Among the cards they say work okay are: 2090a, FlashCard!, TrumpCard, MicroBotics 8-Up, BridgeBoard, and the 2058 ram card. Now, while it is working great with my system, I do have to warn about 2 things: (1) there was no power connector for the hard drive, so I had to add one cut off of a dead PC power supply, and (2) This thing looks REAL cheap inside. The bus is not buffered, but it doesn't seem to matter for SOME cards. Still, I was not impressed with the overall quality. Also, while this thing has a pass-through, it is SO far from expansion connector on the 1000 (and unbuffered), and I'd be REALLY suprised if anything would work plugged in there. However, if the card you are interested in works, the whole combo cost me $375 ($200 for the Toolbox and $175 for the hardcard). If you're looking for an A1000 hard drive, you'll usually spend almost that much for a hard drive controller and external case/power supply. Doing it this way, you get an extra slot and you can move the cards to a 2000. +-----------------------------------------------------+---------------------+ | Denny Atkin, Writer at Large //Amiga |"It's all the | | PeopleLink: DENNY \X/ 1000! | truth--except the | | UUCP:{ames!elroy, <backbone>}!gryphon!pnet02!dennya | bits that are lies."| | INET:dennya@pnet02.cts.com | -- Douglas Adams | +-----------------------------------------------------+---------------------+
tron1@tronsbox.UUCP (HIM) (06/18/89)
Yes, but will it let me run the Ethernet card I need for X11???
(The Escort Toolbox.)
Actually , I have one of the Excort cages, the Escort2. It has the (alas)
old form factor Zorro style slots (about 5 in square).
I wonder if I can exchange it???
****************************************************************************
Something is basically wrong with anyone who uses a disclaimer when they talk
"My thoughts claim no responsibility for my body"
tron1@tronsbox.UUCP
Sysop, the Penthouse ]I[ BBS
(201)759-8450
(201)759-8568docken@argos.uucp (William Dockendorf) (12/11/89)
I have the opportunity to pick up a used Toolbox for my 1000 for $120. Unfortunately, I seem to remember that several people mentioned that some of these expansion type boxes don't work too well and some cards may not work in them. Can someone tell me of any boards that they know will/will not work in the Toolbox. Thanks, William Dockendorf