bgeer@esunix.UUCP (Bob Geer) (11/13/89)
From article <4de7e4ff.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>, by miller_h@apollo.HP.COM (Herbert Miller): > > > I'm considering buying a Colorado internal tape drive. I understand that > you can hook it up to either a floppy controller, or it comes with a card > for a slot. I was wondering if this card also allows the hook up of an > additional floppy? Any info would be appreciated. I just did this...the CMS DJ10 tape drive needs to be firmware version 40 (FW 40 on the end of the box). Add a 3rd floppy connector onto your floppy cable about 5 inches from the `B' drive connector, plug in the tape, then the `B' drive, then the `A' drive using the end connector. I pulled an old connector off of an old cable & pressed it on with pump pliers -- it works, but probably used up my hardware karma for the next 3 years! My disk controller is a DTC 7287, which I think is a typical 2-floppy, 2-hard [RLL] drive controller with 1.2M & 360k drives attached. Just be sure the tape connector alligns exactly with the `B' drive connector -- pin1 to pin1, etc. CMS sells a 3-connector cable for $30. CMS's installation instructions are very clear, their software easy to use; unpacking, installation, & backup took less than 2 hrs. Their phone folks were curteous & gave me real info before I purchased the device. As you may tell, I'm pretty pleased! The worst part was trying to get my local outlets to order a FW40 for me -- after 6 weeks I finally mailordered it! Disclaimer: I don't work or own stock in CMS, just a happy customer! -- <> Bob Geer <> at decwrl!esunix!bgeer or utah-cs!esunix!bgeer <> <> Bear-person <> speaking only for myself, one of my many tricks <> <> Salt Lake City, <> "We must strive to be more than we are, Lal." <> <> Ootah <> -- Cmdr. Data, learning schmaltz <>
miller_h@apollo.HP.COM (Herbert Miller) (11/09/90)
I'm considering buying a Colorado internal tape drive. I understand that you can hook it up to either a floppy controller, or it comes with a card for a slot. I was wondering if this card also allows the hook up of an additional floppy? Any info would be appreciated. Herb Miller Hewlett-Packard Apollo Systems Division MS: CHD-02-CS 508/256-6600 x4220 250 Apollo Drive HP TELNET: 256-4220 Chelmsford, MA 01824 EMail: miller_h@apollo.hp.com
gettys@regent.enet.dec.com (Bob Gettys N1BRM) (11/10/90)
In article <4de7e4ff.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>, miller_h@apollo.HP.COM (Herbert Miller) writes... > > >I'm considering buying a Colorado internal tape drive. I understand that >you can hook it up to either a floppy controller, or it comes with a card >for a slot. I was wondering if this card also allows the hook up of an >additional floppy? Any info would be appreciated. > > >Herb Miller > >Hewlett-Packard Apollo Systems Division >MS: CHD-02-CS 508/256-6600 x4220 >250 Apollo Drive HP TELNET: 256-4220 >Chelmsford, MA 01824 EMail: miller_h@apollo.hp.com The Colorado Tape Drive can be obtained in three flavors (the drive is the same in all - only the options vary). 1. drive alone - runs on your floppy controller in place of either A or B (the newest ones -may- run as C or D on a four floppy controller) (No. It doesn't become a floppy - you just lose a floppy "port".) 2. internal with adaptor card - the card sits on the bus and also intercepts the floppy cable from your floppy card and allows you to use both floppies (all four?) 3. external with adaptor card - same as internal None of these allow you to put more floppies on than your current floppy controller setup will handle. The card just allows you to retain your second floppy instead of losing it. /s/ Bob Gettys
mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) (11/10/90)
In article <4de7e4ff.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> miller_h@apollo.HP.COM (Herbert Miller) writes: >I'm considering buying a Colorado internal tape drive. I understand that >you can hook it up to either a floppy controller, or it comes with a card >for a slot. I was wondering if this card also allows the hook up of an >additional floppy? Any info would be appreciated. The CMS drive can be hooked up instead of floppy-drive-B. If you buy the card, then you can hook up both floppies to the floppy controller, and one tape drive to the extra card. But not an additional floppy drive. I have one. I've tried these combinations. -- ___Mark S. Lord__________________________________________ | ..uunet!bnrgate!mlord%bmerh724 | Climb Free Or Die (NH) | | MLORD@BNR.CA Ottawa, Ontario | Personal views only. | |________________________________|________________________|
dave@westmark.WESTMARK.COM (Dave Levenson) (11/11/90)
In article <4de7e4ff.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>, miller_h@apollo.HP.COM (Herbert Miller) writes: ... > I'm considering buying a Colorado internal tape drive. I understand that > you can hook it up to either a floppy controller, or it comes with a card > for a slot. I was wondering if this card also allows the hook up of an > additional floppy? Any info would be appreciated. Most PC floppy controllers will support two diskette drives. The CMS tape drive, by itself, will replace one of these drives, allowing you to support one diskette and one tape. With their AB-10 board, you can still support two diskette drives, and one tape drive. This board is electrically between the diskette controller and the first diskette drive, and acts like a software-controlled switch that alternately connects the controller to the diskette drives or to the tape drive. ___________ ___________ _____________ _____________ Floppy |------->|CMS AB-10|----->|Diskette B:|--~-->|Diskette A:| Controller| |Board | ------------- ------------- ----------- ----------- | ____________ |------------>|Tape Drive| ------------ The tape drive connector on the CMS board appears both on the backplane, and on the card itself. This means that the tape drive may be mounted internally or externally. If you only use one diskette drive, but you want to mount the tape drive externally, then the AB-10 board will take care of that problem, too. CMS also offers two tape drive controller boards. These do not connect with the floppy controller. They are true device controllers. One supports hardware-based data compression, which is compatible with their normal software-based compression, but faster. We use the CMS Jumbo under AT&T UNIX with the AB-10 board, and two diskette drives. The only limitation we have doing this is that the diskette drives become unavailable for the duration of any tape operation. If this is a problem, the other tape boards mentioned probably don't have this limitation. Under MS-DOS, this would not be a limitation, as the tape drives are only useful for backup and restoral of the hard disk. The PC is fully occuipied during these operations. Under UNIX, the tape drive appears as a character-special device, and you can use normal UNIX commands such as cpio, dd, or tar with it. It would be possible to do this from one process while another does something with the diskette drives, if the more expensive tape controller board were here. -- Dave Levenson Internet: dave@westmark.com Westmark, Inc. UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave Warren, NJ, USA AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave [The Man in the Mooney] Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857
nee@cf_su14.Salomon.Com (Robert Nee) (11/13/90)
>I'm considering buying a Colorado internal tape drive. I understand that >you can hook it up to either a floppy controller, or it comes with a card >for a slot. I was wondering if this card also allows the hook up of an >additional floppy? Any info would be appreciated. I have also heard that Colorado Makes a special cable that connects to your primary floppy controller and allows the B drive and the tape drive to share a single connection. I have heard this works like a charm and allows you to keep both floppies w/o buying the extra card. This limits you to internal only installation though. I have not tried this myself so I don't know if it works I would welcome a post from someone using this setup. Robert Nee
jpd@pc.usl.edu (Dugal James P.) (11/13/90)
There seems to be a widespread belief that when you hook up a CMS jumbo tape backup to your floppy controller, you lose the use of a floppy drive. THIS IS WRONG! If you obtain a recently produced drive, it will have the right firmware to coexist with your B: floppy drive. All you need to do is add a drive connector to your existing cable, essentially in parallel with the B: connector. Due to mounting considerations and which side pin 1 appears in the drive connectors, you may have to do some cable twisting, but it works. I know since I did all that 6 months ago! -- -- James Dugal, N5KNX Internet: jpd@usl.edu Associate Director Ham packet: n5knx@k5arh Computing Center US Mail: PO Box 42770 Lafayette, LA 70504 University of Southwestern LA. Tel. 318-231-6417 U.S.A.
cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Crash Gordon) (11/14/90)
Gee, and I popped an extra $90 for the card :-( It works, though... ----------------------------------------------------- Gordon S. Hlavenka cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us