etxtomp@eos5c08.ericsson.se (Tommy Petersson) (12/23/90)
Where can I get information (newsgroup) on the interesting 20MB flopticals (availability on a large scale, pricing, media price)? Are there any SCSI flopticals (I beleive that would be the best way to connect one to an Amiga) or flopticals of any other sort already for the Amiga? Thanks in advance, Tommy Petersson etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se
xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) (12/23/90)
etxtomp@eos5c08.ericsson.se (Tommy Petersson) writes: >Where can I get information (newsgroup) on the interesting 20MB >flopticals (availability on a large scale, pricing, media price)? >Are there any SCSI flopticals (I believe that would be the best >way to connect one to an Amiga) or flopticals of any other sort >already for the Amiga? Well, here's an ad from the most recent local trade rag, MicroTimes, that includes contact information; it gives the 20Mbyte floptical drive a little different twist. From the existance of this device, I'd guess the 20 Mbyte floptical market is warming up a bit. On the other hand, in 260 news tabloid sized pages of mostly ads from resellers, there was not a single 20Mb floptical actually offered for sale. 20 Mb On A Floppy Disk The Insite I325VM (Variable Mode) Floptical disk drive is the first 20Mb 3.5" floppy disk drive also able to read and write standard low capacity Double Density and High Density Diskettes. This is achieved by merging optical and magnetic recording technonlogies witht the use of low cost components developed for compact disk recording as well as traditional magnetic floppy diskette drive assemblies. The Floptical is designed to plug and play with existing SCSI host adapters for IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, Macintosh and other SCSI compatible computers. Insite Peripherals, Inc., 4433 Fortran Dr., San Jose, CA 95134. (408) 946-8080. (That is eight hours earlier than the GMT time zone, if you want to call.) The photo with the ad is for a caseless drive that looks identical to a full height 3.5" drive, and a diskette indistinguishable from a magnetic 3.5" floppy. There was no price with the ad. Sadly, the ad above, for another company's 4mm DAT 2.56Gbyte SCSI-Direct storage device shows a price still in the US$5000's, when what is needed is that much backup with a price in the $500's. It's ridiculous to see the streaming tape drive needed to back up my 205Mbyte disk drive priced at five times the drive price. I mean, tape drives are cheap mechanical trash, and it is fighting for it's chance as a backup drive against $100 worth of floppy disks and my spare time. Patience, I guess, is the only recourse. I can push in lots of floppies for $4500. Kent, the man from xanth. <xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us>
monty@sagpd1.UUCP (Monty Saine) (01/05/91)
In article <1990Dec22.171848.4873@ericsson.se> etxtomp@eos5c08.ericsson.se (Tommy Petersson) writes: >Where can I get information (newsgroup) on the interesting 20MB >flopticals (availability on a large scale, pricing, media price)? > >Are there any SCSI flopticals (I beleive that would be the best >way to connect one to an Amiga) or flopticals of any other sort >already for the Amiga? The "Floptical" 20meg drive is a product of : Insite Peripherals 4433 Fortran Drive San Jose, CA. 95134-2302 (408) 946-8080 FAX (408) 946-4403 The Floptical is a 20 Meg SCSI removable 3 1/2" media . The floppies look exactally like an every day 3 1/2 floppy, but they have been encoded with an optical tracking track to allow for the increased density. The last time I contacted them they were reducing the drive to a 1" high form factor and adding the ability to read standard floppies in the same drive. Last announced delivery date "RSN" :) I do not work for Insite, I have just been following this drive for the last couple of years. The price range was supposed to be in the $200 dollar area. Monty Saine
skank@iastate.edu (Skank George L) (01/05/91)
In article <977@sagpd1.UUCP> monty@sagpd1.UUCP (Monty Saine) writes: > The "Floptical" 20meg drive is a product of : > > Insite Peripherals > 4433 Fortran Drive > San Jose, CA. 95134-2302 > (408) 946-8080 > FAX (408) 946-4403 > > The Floptical is a 20 Meg SCSI removable 3 1/2" media . The floppies > look exactally like an every day 3 1/2 floppy, but they have been > encoded with an optical tracking track to allow for the increased > density. The last time I contacted them they were reducing the drive to > a 1" high form factor and adding the ability to read standard floppies > in the same drive. > > Last announced delivery date "RSN" :) > > I do not work for Insite, I have just been following this drive > for the last couple of years. The price range was supposed to be in the > $200 dollar area. > > Monty Saine Ok, sorry to repost most of the message, but I thought it was probably important. Popping the big question... Will it be possible to use these drives with the Amiga? I'm guessing yes(?) as *similar* products (WORM, and CD-ROMS) are currently available from GVP and Xetex. Anyone care to comment? -- --George "A man is judged by his actions Mr. Quade.", Kuato.
thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan) (01/05/91)
monty@sagpd1.UUCP (Monty Saine) in <977@sagpd1.UUCP> writes:
The "Floptical" 20meg drive is a product of :
Insite Peripherals
4433 Fortran Drive
San Jose, CA. 95134-2302
(408) 946-8080
FAX (408) 946-4403
The Floptical is a 20 Meg SCSI removable 3 1/2" media . The floppies
look exactally like an every day 3 1/2 floppy, but they have been
encoded with an optical tracking track to allow for the increased
density. The last time I contacted them they were reducing the drive to
a 1" high form factor and adding the ability to read standard floppies
in the same drive.
The current issue of MICROTIMES (#77; a free "rag" in Silicon Valley) has on
page 218:
``
The Insite I325VM (Variable Mode) Floptical disk is the first 20MB 3.5" floppy
disk drive also able to read and write standard low capacity Double Density and
High Density diskettes. This is achieved by merging optical and magnetic
recording technologies with the use of low-cost components developed for
compact disk recording as well as traditional magnetic floppy diskette drive
assemblies.
The Floptical is designed to plug and play with existing SCSI host adapters
for IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, Macintosh and other SCSI-compatible computers.
Insite Peripherals
4433 Fortran Dr.
San Jose CA 95134 (408)946-8080
''
Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]jerry@truevision.com (Jerry Thompson) (01/07/91)
. Does anyone have any information on the 128Meg 3.5" floptical drives from Pinnacle Micro? The REO-130, 28 msec average seek time. Pinnacle Micro 15265 Alton Parkway Irvine CA 92718 1-800-553-7070 Fax: 714-727-1913 -- Jerry Thompson | // checks ___________ | "I'm into S&M, I loved the peace and solitude | \\ // and | | | | Sarcasm and so much, I invited my friends. | \X/ balances /_\ | /_\ | Mass Sarcasm."