ugogan@ecsvax.UUCP (06/03/88)
A question to anyone out there either from Farallon Computing
(home of PhoneNET) or familiar with the new TandyLink Adapter
from Tandy (home of Radio Shack) -
We have found the TandyLink Adapters (Tandy's AppleTalk PC cards)
to be totally compatible with various AppleTalk software packages
for PCs: for example, TOPS and AppleShare PC run fine and dandy.
Furthermore, not only are they cheaper than either the TOPS PC
FlashCard or the Apple AppleTalk PC card, but they come with an
AppleTalk ... er... LocalTalk connector built into the card
itself. So if you're in a situation where you've got to help a
department plan for an AppleTalk installation, and you're given
the following alternatives:
1) a TOPS Flashcard + PhoneNet connector = $211 + $56
2) an AppleTalk PC card + PhoneNet connector = $266 + $56
3) a Tandy TandyLink card = $96
(above are the prices our University departments pay for the
stuff)
it's real difficult not to go with the contents of door number 3
above.
The problem arises with the point above that the TandyLink cards
come with an APPLETALK (sorry, that's LOCALTALK) connector built
onto the card, not a PhoneNet connector. (The back of the card
actually has two of the three-pin circular sockets, just like a
real LocalTalk connector.) Due to ease of installation, existing
telephone wiring, etc., etc., we're going with the PhoneNet
wiring scheme and PhoneNet connectors for the Macintoshes.
However, if we want to use the TandyLink cards, I believe that we
would have to use the Farallon AppleTalk-to-PhoneNet cable FOR
EACH PC with one of these cards, and Farallon does not recommend
more than one of these per net.
Inasmuch as we are likely to have more than one PC per star
branch, let alone per net, are we really stuck with having to go
with the TOPS or Apple PC cards at a price three times greater
than the Tandy card, in order to use PhoneNet for a departmental
system?
Any suggestions, tips, pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
-- Jim Gogan (ugogan@ecsvax)
Microcomputing Support Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
--
Jim Gogan mail:ugogan@ecsvax (UUCP/BITNET)
Microcomputing Support Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599ugogan@ecsvax.UUCP (Jim Gogan) (06/06/88)
In article <24525@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> preese@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Phil Reese) writes: >In article <5182@ecsvax.UUCP> you write: >>... >>The problem arises with the point above that the TandyLink cards >>come with an APPLETALK (sorry, that's LOCALTALK) connector built >>onto the card. >Now how to determine which way it works. Do the instructions talk about >adding a resistor at the ends of the net or do they not mention anything >about this but do talk about a 1000' limit to the length of the net? If >they talk about adding a resistor then you are in fine shape (it is very >similar to PhoneNet) if it is limited to 1000' then procede with caution. Well, based on your comments, it sounds like we should "proceed with caution". The TandyLink documentation does NOT talk about adding a resistor, but DOES talk about a 1000' foot limit. Drat! I would guess then that the TandyLink board is a COMPLETE LocalTalk "clone", rather than being in any way similar to PhonNet. >Question: Does the TandyLink work at TOPS's high speed mode? Between >PCs, TOPS can run at 768k baud. If it is able to work at that speed >then you have really found something! > Yes, the TandyLink card (like the TOPS FlashCard) can work at the high speed mode (770Kb) if it is communicating with a similar card or automatically switches to the lower speed (240Kb) if not. I too thought we had really found something, but may only be useful for those instances where there are a very few number of PCs to connect to a network of Macs. Just goes to show, if something looks like it's too good to be true, it probably is. >Phil Reese >School of Ed, UC Berkeley >preese@garnet.berkeley.edu -- Jim Gogan Microcomputing Support Center Univ. of North Carolina -- Jim Gogan mail:ugogan@ecsvax (UUCP/BITNET) Microcomputing Support Center University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599