herbw@midas.UUCP (Herb Weiner) (01/07/87)
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I am contemplating the acquisition of a Dataframe (20,40?) XP. When these
versions were first announced, they required modifications (new ROM) to the
mac. I have since heard that Dataframe XP does *not* require any mods to
the mac (I have a mac plus). I would appreciate any relevant information
regarding the following questions:
1. Does the Dataframe XP require any modifications to the mac (plus)?
2. If not, how do they achieve the performance improvement?
3. If the XP does not require mods to the mac, why doesn't SuperMac
make only the XP version? Does it cost more to make, or is it just
a marketing strategy?
4. Any info on reliability?
Thanks.
-- Herb Weiner (...tektronix!midas!herbw)korn@eris.BERKELEY.EDU (01/08/87)
In article <978@midas.UUCP> herbw@midas.UUCP (Herb Weiner) writes: > >1. Does the Dataframe XP require any modifications to the mac (plus)? Nope. >2. If not, how do they achieve the performance improvement? They re-wrote the driver software on the mac end, rewrote the software on the Dataframe end (new ROM must be put into the Dataframe), and re-format the drive so that the interleave is 1:1 (no interleave)-- this means that an entire track of data is read in one revolution, as opposed to two or three revolutions. >3. If the XP does not require mods to the mac, why doesn't SuperMac > make only the XP version? Does it cost more to make, or is it just > a marketing strategy? Marketing strategy. The new ROMS cost them basically nothing. Same mfd. costs in making the older ones or the newer ones. Thing is, even w/out the XP speed, the Dataframe is one of the fastest drives out there. A 100% speed increase (only on straight data transfers) is enough for them to make it cost more. >4. Any info on reliability? All you are changing is the ROMS & software drivers. The Dataframe is just as reliable as the DataframeXP. The stuff that breaks is the same--same power supply, etc. etc. I've found that I get no more r/w errors on my XP than I did on my unupgraded drive (none in both cases). Every time I've had drive problems thus far, it's been b/c of bad software, and worse reactions from me. Of all the Dataframes I've seen & worked on (about 15 or so), if they don't work, they don't work. If they work, they work. Only time one died was b/c of power supply. They're DOA rate seems to be higher than some other mfd's drives, but I've found that their support makes up for it. My only complaint is that they aren't doing as well as they might in getting software updates out and about. Supposedly there's to be a big mailing REAL SOON of new manuals and software to all registered owners. REAL SOON was almost a month ago, but deadlines are deadlines... Peter ----- Peter "Arrgh" Korn Hacker? Me? A hacker? No, actually korn@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU I'm a mac-er. All's we do is {decvax,dual,hplabs,sdcsvax,ulysses}!ucbvax!korn make library calls.
dwb@well.UUCP (David W. Berry) (01/08/87)
No, the DataFrame XP upgrade requires no mods to your existing scsified mac. It consists of a replacement ROM for the controller card in the DataFrame. If they're still marketing the DataFrame 20 it certainly doesn't make much sense to me. The upgrade manufacture cost isn't but about $20... David -- David W. Berry dwb@well.uucp dwb@Delphi dwb@GEnie 293-0752@408.MaBell