#MAC <=> CD-ROM <=> PC ??
8 messages in this thread
I have a MAC and a PC and I would like CD-ROM for both. I would like
to use a single shared drive if possible. It would only be accessed
by one machine at a time so a switch would be ok.
Can I do this? Ideally, I'd like to avoid a switch box.
Can the PC, a MAC, and an external CD-ROM drive share the SCSI? Could
the CD-ROM drive be internal to one of the machines? I suppose it is
unreasonable to assume that many (any) CD-ROM's could be used by both
a MAC and a PC. Can they?
Texel, Nec, Toshiba all make SCSI-2 CD-ROM devices. Download the file
CDROMF.ZIP for a comparision chart.
I have been using a CD Technologies drive (Toshiba 3301) on both Mac
and PC, but I turn everything off and replug. I've never seen a
switch box for SCSI… Finally got tired of unplugging and bought a
bargain Apple 150 for the Mac just recently. Prices are coming down
rapidly over here in Switzerland.
I've found one demo CD ROM that can be used in native fashion on both
platforms, the Berthold Diamond CD ROM with typefaces. With foreign
file access in the system folder you should be able to access DOS
ROMs on the Mac; I've heard one should turn off Access PC (if
installed) before doing this. I have to admit I haven't tried it.
Thanks for the info. I apreciate the help.
Theoretically, you can put two computers on a single SCSI bus, and even access
the same peripherals. There are Amiga owners who do this to share Syquests and
CD-ROM drives with PCs. I suspect the Mac is more sensitive to this, though.
Frankly, I wouldn't try it. I've scragged Mac drives under less stress than
this.
John,
Thanks for the response. I guess I'll have to build a SCSI switch box.
Shouldn't be too hard.
-Marco
Sounds like work to me – soldering N SCSI connectors with 50 pins each. I
think they make these. As I said, you might want to ask these questions in the
'go amigatech' forum, someone there might have an answer about SCSI bus sharing
and switch boxes.
Thanks John,
I'll try there.
-Marco