KLENSIN@INFOODS.MIT.EDU (John C Klensin) (04/11/88)
Roger, Don't know what version of MediaMaster you are using, but, from our experience, it sounds like you have gotten a different product from a different company. We have (usually) found them very responsive when we have called them, and have used versions of MediaMaster... 1) On Rainbows, under CP/M86-80, to read and write SSDD PCDOS diskettes, SS Osborne diskettes, Kaypro diskettes (subject to the bug earlier mentioned), SuperBrain diskettes, and a few other things. Most of these require driving the 80 track drive in every-other-track mode and we have had few problems (the ones we have had *can* be attributed to individual diskettes or source machines, since others from the same type of machines and software have worked and the problems have been tracked back to slightly out-of-alignment drives or otherwise mis-recording). 2) On DDOsborne Is, reading and writing IBM PC PCDOS diskettes (the DD Ozzie handles most of the CP/M formats that it can handle at all internally, so MediaMaster has not been needed -- but we have used MM on the Ozzie to format diskettes in the formats of a few other systems and used those diskettes successfully thereafter). 3) On the IBM PC, to read and write a number of CP/M formats, and several deviant MSDOS formats. We had no problems with any of these that were within the limitations of the controller (e.g., I know of no one who has succeeded in getting a PC or PC/XT diskette controller to deal with single density diskettes, and MediaMaster seems to be a good program, not a miracle. Recently, we added a replacement controller and a 1.2Mb drive to one of the XTs, with the intention of being able to read and write Rainbow 400Kb floppies on the XT. Media Master manages to make that work too, for both Rainbow MSDOS and CP/M formats, but, at present, seems to leave the controller in an indeterminate state (i.e., MM works fine, but, once we leave it, we need to reboot the machine in order to use the diskette drives again). The problem is likely with the controller, or the XT BIOS, but Intersecting Concepts (Media Master) has been reasonably helpful to us with trying to debug that too. We've even made design suggestions to them, and a fair number have shown up in subsequent versions. The only thing we've asked for that they have not done is support for VMS Files-11 formats on the Rainbow, and I understand and sympathize with their reasons. I've tried their CP/M software emulator for the IBM PC, and it seems to work, but, other than assembling a few programs, I haven't pushed it hard enough to have a good opinion. As I say, I think we may be using a different product, from a different company. Or one of us has weird hardware. John Klensin, Klensin@INFOODS.MIT.EDU ----------- No, we have no affiliation with Intersecting Concepts or Media Master. Just reasonably satisfied customers (I'm rarely completely satisfied with anything I haven't designed and/or written myself, and not often those).
rzh@FREEDOM.LLNL.GOV (Roger H. Hanscom (415) 423-0441) (04/15/88)
My recent post about problems I have had with Media Master was intended
as a warning to folks who might purchase the product for reading CP/M
diskettes, and then discover that it will not work with the particular
format of interest.
I assumed, after seeing the number of messages from "satisfied"
customers that have appeared in the last year or so, that it DOES work --
particularly on the more common formats such as Kaypro, Osborne, DOS, etc.
I was disappointed with it, and with the vendor.
I was trying to use it on a vanilla IBM/PC/XT, attempting to read
diskettes that I was able to read on other machines. We had no
problems with reading and writing standard MS-DOS diskettes on the
IBM in question, or with copying files to and from it....nothing that
would suggest alignment difficulties. It was very surprising to me
to have trouble with the Cromemco CDOS format. A format as common as
that should have been tested...quite a lot.
The fact remains: if at all possible, try it out with your format
**BEFORE** spending your money. DON'T ASSUME THAT IT WILL WORK WITH
ALL THE ADVERTISED FORMATS. You may be disappointed.
Roger Hanscom
rzh%freedom.llnl.gov@lll-lcc.llnl.gov
"your mileage may vary"KLENSIN@INFOODS.MIT.EDU (John C Klensin) (07/21/88)
The most recent Intersecting Concepts we have indicates that the CP/M version is still alive and well. Order from Intersecting Concepts, 80 Long Court, Suite 1A, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, USA. Telephone +1 805 373 3900.
swillett@violet.berkeley.edu (07/21/88)
Check out: Central Computer Products 330 Central Ave. Fillmore , CA 93015 (805) 524-4189 Order lines: (800) 533-8049 (800) 624-5628 (California) Uniform is $59, Media Master is $37 These folks claim to be the largest supplier of CPM software in the country and I believe it . They have a catalog which they will send you regularly if you get on their list. Usual disclaimer applies - no connection except satisfied customer.
rzh@lll-lcc.aRpA (Roger Hanscom) (07/21/88)
= = Subject: Media Master = = The most recent Intersecting Concepts we have indicates that = the CP/M version is still alive and well. Order from = Intersecting Concepts, 80 Long Court, Suite 1A, Thousand Oaks, = CA 91360, USA. Telephone +1 805 373 3900. I've said this before (and got roundly roasted for it), BUT be careful of MediaMaster!! They advertise that it works for lots of CP/M formats, when in fact, of the five that I tried, only 1 (Kaypro) worked. This was the PC version. That was bad enough, but the people at Intersecting Concepts were NO help at all with pleas for help. You might try to use a copy of the program on your particular CP/M format BEFORE you throw your $$'s at them. (The above is MY opinion, derived from personal experience. I don't want to hear about ALL the formats that MM works with. It didn't work with the ones that I needed it for, and I felt/feel ripped off. Your mileage may vary!) .............................................. ARPA: rzh%freedom.llnl.gov@lll-lcc.llnl.gov
bridger%rcc@RAND-UNIX.ARPA (Bridger Mitchell) (07/22/88)
Coincidentally with today's info-cpm message, I had a chance to drop in on Mark Grabill at Intersecting Concepts, publisher of Media Master. They have a slightly changed address: 68 Long Court, Suite 1B, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, USA. Telephone +1 805 373 3900. There are different Media Master versions that run on the following CP/M machines, and the set of formats supported differs somewhat by machine: Osborne Vixen Kaypro 2x,4,10 Kaypro II/2 Osborne 1/Exec DEC Rainbow -- bridger