guy@ns.network.com (Guy D'Andrea) (06/14/91)
I posted earlier about a ad in CompuAdd for a tape drive for backup that plugs into the floppy controller of an IBM-type computer? Well I discovered a few things. First, Progressive Peripherals makes a unit that plugs into the floppy connector on an Amiga now. It only goes up to 60 megs and is mail order price is $499.00. Second, and along that line, it is possible to take that Compuadd unit (up to 120megs with compression and priced at $268) and create a cable to plug into the floppy connector of the Amiga also... My problem is I am not a Software person and this type of hookup would need a way to send the proper commands to the tape drive from the Amiga. I own a Bridgeboard so I could just plug it in to it's external drive and use Tar or something, to send my stuff on the Amiga side over to the Bridgeboard side - and then onto the tape drive. I'd rather create something that is useful for all Amiga owners; Bridgeboard or not! Anyone tempted to write the proper code to do this? I would make the pinout of the tape drive to Amiga drive PD of course and would expect that a simple dump routine would be made PD also as to let ALL Amiga'ns profit from the info. I could see a small shareware fee if the program is good enough... I just hate to pay these inflated prices for a SCSI tape backup setup, or $250 more for a unit that does what the IBM units do! Anyways, enough ramble'n. I just wanted the see if there was interest in this sort of thing? -- guy@nsco.network.com // Guy Dandrea \\ // Network Systems Corp., Mpls. MN \X/ 1-800-328-9108 Fax:(612)424-1736 "Me and my Amiga...anything is possible?"
leekil@athena.mit.edu (Lee 'S' Kilpatrick) (06/16/91)
In article <1991Jun14.123430.27128@ns.network.com> guy@ns.network.com (Guy D'Andrea) writes: >Second, and along that line, it is possible to take that Compuadd unit (up to >120megs with compression and priced at $268) and create a cable to plug into >the floppy connector of the Amiga also... My problem is I am not a Software >person and this type of hookup would need a way to send the proper commands to >the tape drive from the Amiga. I own a Bridgeboard so I could just plug it in >to it's external drive and use Tar or something, to send my stuff on the Amiga >side over to the Bridgeboard side - and then onto the tape drive. I'd rather >create something that is useful for all Amiga owners; Bridgeboard or not! > >Anyone tempted to write the proper code to do this? I would make the pinout of >the tape drive to Amiga drive PD of course and would expect that a simple dump >routine would be made PD also as to let ALL Amiga'ns profit from the info. I >could see a small shareware fee if the program is good enough... I just hate to >pay these inflated prices for a SCSI tape backup setup, or $250 more for a unit >that does what the IBM units do! > >Anyways, enough ramble'n. I just wanted the see if there was interest in this >sort of thing? I'm interested in this. But does it really need extra code to make it work on the Amiga? Does it require a special piece of software to make it work on an IBM? I recall a document that came out in PD many years ago (probably around 85 or 86) that showd the wiring required to hook an IBM 5 1/4 floppy to the amiga, for use as dh2: or whatever (with diskchange required). The connection would be the same, and if no additional software would be required for the IBM version, none would be needed for the Amiga, either.. or would it? I can't find the doc I refer to right now, however. Lee
civir1070@ucsvax.sdsu.edu (FURRY R) (06/17/91)
In article <1991Jun15.232010.19693@athena.mit.edu>, leekil@athena.mit.edu (Lee 'S' Kilpatrick) writes... > >I'm interested in this. But does it really need extra code to make it work >on the Amiga? Does it require a special piece of software to make it work >on an IBM? I recall a document that came out in PD many years ago (probably >around 85 or 86) that showd the wiring required to hook an IBM 5 1/4 floppy >to the amiga, for use as dh2: or whatever (with diskchange required). The >connection would be the same, and if no additional software would be required >for the IBM version, none would be needed for the Amiga, either.. or would >it? I can't find the doc I refer to right now, however. > > > Lee I have to docs for connecting a DD 5 1/4" IBM drive. I don't know if hooking a tape drive to the same connector would work. The tape drive would have to appear EXACTLY like a Double Density floppy drive, or at least have the same transfer rates/timing, and accept the same commands. Am I right, or missing something? ___________________________________________________________________ / |CIVIR1070@ucsvax.sdsu.edu| Q: Is there a UNIX FORTRAN optomizer? \ \ | Scott Ellis | A: Yeah, "rm *.f" _ / / |_________________________| _ // Amiga \ \_______________________________________________\X/_________________/