CompuServe Messages

CP: Are the drives internally the same as the 3.5" drives used for IBM's (and clones). The "raw" DSDD drive mechanisms are, but the cabling & interface is different. The most common drive used for the Amiga is the Chinon FZ-357, and the Chinon FB-357. You do have to be careful, not all DSDD drives are designed to the same specs. This one reason that some third party drives starting failing under ADOS2.0 & 3.0, changes in the newer trackdisk.device(s) caused drives that were at the edge of specs to fall outside of specs. CP: And if they are, is it possible to replace the low density drives with high density ones. No. The Amiga uses a special "dual-speed" HiD drive. The Chinon FB-357a, and FZ-357a drives are the Amiga HiD drives. The Amiga's built-in floppy controller is a little dated. While it can read MFM, and GCR, in IBM, ST, and (the six) Amiga formats, it can handle only DSDD standard of ~250Kps of data at 300rpm of the floppy. The IBM HiD floppies transfer ~512Kps at 300rpm. The Amiga HiD floppy works by doing ~250Kps at 300rpm, and 250kps at 150prm, which the Amiga can handle. Ron. – ap'ing with AP. (Eagles may fly, but weasels aren't sucked into jet engines.)