#SyQuest 90 meg questions
18 messages in this thread
Hi,
I am pondering the possibility of purchasing a Syquest 90 Meg drive
(with case, power supply, etc). I would be interested in any observations
from people who are using this device. I plan to use it with my A3000 via
a SCSI connection. Any opinions, observations??? Anyone have the full
dimensions of this device? Is it easy to use with 2.04, or are DiskChange
commands or any strange Latin incantations required to use it on a day to
day basis??? How's it's speed compared to standard Quantum drives??
Any response would be greatly appreciated!
-RSL-
The people at MoonLighter Software Development use the 88MB Syquest on
their 3000's all the time and mentioned no problems to me when I was
thinking about getting one. I still haven't gotten one but it should be
reasonably faster than the 44MB version. I'm NOT sure if you'll have to
bother with DiskChange in 2.04 since I don't have one so I hope someone
else here can answer that. You should be able to use it with NO problems
just like you would any other normal Amiga storage device.
Dan McCoy – via Whap! and saving money doing it too!
Dan,
Thanks for the reply. I would assume that the 88MB wouldn't have any
significant speed improvement. My understanding is that they placed two
44MB disks back-to-back, although I could be wrong.
-RSL-
#"…Syquest 90 Meg drive … any observations from people who are using
this device."
I've had one on my 3000 for less than a week, and have had no real
problems with it. I didn't buy the case, etc. but put it into a box I
already had. Plugs straight into the SCSI port, and the cartridges are
easy to set up with the AmigaDOS HDToolbox. #"Anyone have the full
dimensions of this device?"
It's a 5.25" device — the same size as a regular 5.25" hard drive.
The size of the unit you buy will mostly depend on how big the case is.
#"Is it easy to use with 2.04, or are DiskChange commands …"
No problem there. You *do* have to have a disk in the drive, and have
it up to speed when you boot, but then you can just pop disks in and out
and they are recognised, just as floppies are. #"How's it's speed compared
to standard Quantum drives??"
There was a speed comparison up here (or in Amigatech?) a while back —
don't remember the details. I haven't done any testing myself, but can
report that it seems a little slower than the Quantum, but then, the
Quantum is one fast little puppy.
I only have one little "problem" — a flickering of the drive light. I
just left a message about that in this forum. A minor annoyance, like the
clicking of the floppy drives.
…wjas {;-O>
Willie,
Thanks for the answers to all my questions. It sounds like a neat
thing. I would appreciate knowing what the results of your queries about
the flashing light are about. I assume from the tone of your message that
you are happy with the Syquest product.
BTW, I assume that the SCSI interface is a standard 25 pin DB type
interface that plugs into the A3000 SCSI port.
-RSL-
#"I would appreciate knowing what the results of your queries about the
flashing light are about."
I got a couple of prompt replies, and it's a result of the Syquest
checking if there has been a diskchange. A small price to pay for not
having to worry about manually issuing "diskchange" commands every time you
pop in a new cartridge.
#"I assume from the tone of your message that you are happy with the
Syquest product."
Yeah, I think it's safe to assume that! ;^)
#"I assume that the SCSI interface is a standard 25 pin DB type interface
that plugs into the A3000 SCSI port."
That's right. All you need is a cable to go from your drive into the
DB25 SCSI connector on the 3000. Your vendor will probably supply that.
In my case, since I bought the internal unit without the case, I had to get
a short adaptor to go from the 50-pin connector on the back of the drive
proper to the back of the case into which I put it. No big deal, and since
you're getting the drive already inside a case, it'll already have been
done for you.
…wjas {;-O>
Willie,
Thanks again for your information. I am strongly inclined to buy it.
Those 24 bit pictures eat up alot of space. I'm awaiting PK's latest ADPro
2.0 with JPEG to lessen that problem, but a SysQuest would be very useful.
How many cartridges do you have?
One thing I think I'll do before I "take the plunge" is open up my A3000
and look at the mother board revision. I understand that board lower than
7.3 are quirky on their external SCSI port operations (although I already
have an A3070 150MB tape drive hooked up to the external SCSI without
problems.
Thanks again!
-RSL-
Roy, JPEG can help lessen HD congestion a lot; just remember that it does
damage your images to some extent. You're better off using 24 bit IFF for
active projects, or, if you have our ImageMaster product, you can use PMBC
which has compression that significantly exceeds that of 24 bit IFF, yet
doesn't damage the images at all; 100% bit-for-bit fidelity.
Imagemaster also supports JPEG, of course.
Ben
#"How many cartridges do you have?"
One came with the unit, and I bought another. I think I'll be getting
one more before long, since one is totally dedicated to hard drive backups.
#"…look at the mother board revision."
Hmmm. I don't know what rev. my mother board is; I've had the 3000
since March.
…wjas {;-O>
Willie,
Thanks again for the info. I just put in a mail order for it, so I
should be getting it any day now (HOPE). BTW is there a pass-through in
the external chasis, or is it the last SCSI in the line???
Your using an 88MB cartridge for you back up? I have two other hard
drives on my A3000 a permanent 210MB Quantum and a "temporary" 50 LPS
Quantum that I plan to replace with a second internal floppy if/when C=
starts selling higher density floppy drives. I use an A3070 150MB tape
drive to back up my drives. I am currently using Ami-Back, which is very
aesthetic, but I am anxious for a planned compression option, so that I
might fit more than 150MB onto my tape. I assume that if I used a longer
tape (6150 I believe) I would able to do this without compression, but I've
yet to hear anyone do this, and I have a sizeable investment in the 150MB
tapes.
Wish me luck!!!
-RSL-
#"BTW is there a pass-through in the external chasis, or is it the last
SCSI in the line???"
I just bought the bare drive, so I can't tell you; it will depend upon
whether one is provided by whoever puts the drive into the box.
#"Your using an 88MB cartridge for you back up?"
Yes. I just have the internal Quantum that came with the 3000, so
there's enough room on a single 88 Meg cartridge, for at least my large
Work: partition, unless it is VERY full.
#"Wish me luck!!!"
Good luck!!!
…wjas {;-O>
Willie,
Thanks!
My Syquest is working well. The supplied chasis has a 50 pin centronics
pass-through. I just wish it didn't generate any additional noise to the
system. I'm trying to configure my startup sequence to only assign parts
of the Syquest drive when it is activated, but so far my A3000 brings up a
requester and balks when it cannot find its new Syquest drive (when it is
turned off).
-RSL-
#"so far my A3000 brings up a requester and balks when it cannot find its
new Syquest drive (when it is turned off)."
The 3000 really is not happy when a device is plugged into the SCSI port
but not turned on — and with the Syquest it wants a cartridge in and
spinning as well. #"I'm trying to configure my startup sequence to only
assign parts of the Syquest drive when it is activated, …"
I don't quite understand what it is you're trying to do. Have you
partitioned the drive, and only wish to have certain partitions "active,"
which I don't think is possible? Or are you talking about the "assign"
command?
Willie,
I was refering to the assign staements in the startup-sequence. I have
multiple assigns to different drives and different partitions. My Syquest
drive has sounds, pictures, and text. My internal drives have my programs.
Because of this, my system is functional when the Syquest is off (and
quiet). I have to play around with the startup-sequence not to get
confused with the Syquest not being where it sould be when it has been
turned off. I'm trying to use Noreq (to turn off the system requester) and
If Exists statements. Given enough time I think/hope that I'll be able to
acomplish this.
-RSL-
How much did the drive cost (internal or external) and what prices have you
found for the cartridges ? I'd like to get an external to share between my
Mac and Amiga, but they are still a bit high priced. Thanks for your help,
Brian
The cheapest I've seen Syquest carts for is at MacLand. 44 megs are $66 a
pop.
I just ordered 3. 88 megs are $109 each.
>>DonovaN
#"How much did the drive cost (internal or external) and what prices have
you #"found for the cartridges ?"
The internal unit cost me $640, in a package deal including a cartridge,
cable and backup software (Ami-Back). An external unit would have been
about $100 more. A friend of mine said yesterday that he'd ordered the
bare drive for … (Now what *was* it? <scratching head> It sounded really
cheap) … $450(?). Cartridges (88 Meg) cost $125.
…wjas {;-O>
If the units sold for Macintoshes will work (I've beentold they will) I've
seen 88mb ext drive for $599.00. I guess that's about as good as it gets
right now.. thanks… Bjones