#Tape Back-up?
13 messages in this thread
Does anyone know if Progressive Peripherals QIC tape back-up system ever
got off the ground. I saw ads up until the time it was supposed to be
ready, and then nothing since. It was/is supposed to be able to run off
the disk drive port. Anybody have one?
– Well Whap! Me Silly….
I've been calling them about every couple of months or so for the past
YEAR, and every time I get some flimsey excuse (occasionally I don't get
one at all). It seems they still want to keep the appearance of working on
the product alive, but as to whether or not it will actually see the light
of day is anybody's guess. Give them a call at (303) 825-4144 and ask to
talk to someone about it. Press them for a decent answer. Let me know
what you find out (if anything).
– db —–> via Whap!
I have been calling PP&S about Qic Tape too. They told me they would be
shipping the week of Thanksgiving. When I called about the drive in early
December they said that they knew they have missed their dead lines many
times but they really feel they will be ready in Jan/Feb. The drive seems
to be just what I want but I think the price ($600) is too high.
The price is a little steep, but hopefully (like most computer stuff) you
can find it at a better price from a local dealer. That's good news about
them admitting that they've been late — maybe they'll come close this
time. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!!!1
– db —–> via Whap!
Leslie (and Derek) –
My advice is to get something other than PP&S's QICtape before you're old
and grey. What follows is an editted capture from AmigaUser:
#: 6299 S3/Hot News and Rumors
16-Nov-90 10:20:55
Sb: QICTAPE Announcement
Fm: Reid Bishop 72017,1744
To: All
ANNOUNCEMENT!
For all you users wondering about a reliable tape drive system for the
Amiga, this announcement may interest you. I have uploaded a demo of this
new product to this forum, and the official product announcement is
appended to this message. This project has been in development for the
past 18 months and proves to fill a void that many Amiga users have been
begging for. I myself did a lot of work on this project as well, so I can
answer any specific questions you may have about it's operation and
reliablity.
[[A paragraph of demo description left out]]
OK- here goes the 'official' announcement….
Progressive Peripherals & Software and M.V.Micro are pleased to announce
the release of QICTAPE, an inexpensive tape back-up system.
[[A page or 2 of features/description left out]]
For more information please call:
Progressive Peripherals & Software: (303) 825-4144
QICTAPE is scheduled to ship mid November.
Please see your local dealer for availability or call Progressive.
QICTAPE ) 1989,90 Progressive Peripherals & Software + M.V.Micro
– end quote – Note: a) Message was November 16,
1990
b) "…in development for the past 18 months…" at THAT time
c) the "'official' announcement" says "RELEASE" of the product
d) "…scheduled to ship mid November" ==> 1990 <==
This is vaporware at this time. And not as wondrously useful when and if
it ever gets out as the Toaster was (which was vaproware for so long also).
Originally quoted mail-order price was about $450. As has been noted, that
is higher now. You can get a SCSI floptical for $650 or less, and $1/meg
for the media, and it's useful for more than just backups….
. . . . . JimDoc
As a followup to this: I put in an order for the PPS product, but after
several weeks cancelled it and purchased a Nexus controller and the Nexus
250 meg SCSI tape drive. Cost for the tape drive (bare) was about the same
as the PPS product. The drive doesn't respond well to other software than
the Nexus software. The Nexus driver treats the tape as purely an archival
backup device. It doesn't support a file system nor can you append to an
existing backup on the tape. All writes are overwrites, thus it isn't
suitable for interim backups unless you want to use smaller tapes. It will
handle 40, 60, 120, and 250 meg tapes (1/4 ") just by changing the
mountlist entries (actually by having several entries with each one
tailored for the capacity of tape.) I use both 60 and 250 meg tapes. The
larger tape is ideal for doing mirror backups. You can do mirror backups
of an AMAX volume, but not a file by file backup of an AMAX volume. File
by file and mirror backups are supported for an Amiga volume. The backup
speed maxes at about 5 meg/min. for mirror backups and 2-4 meg/min. for
file by file backups. The Nexus controller comes with Flashback as the
backup software and Flashback fully uses the tape drive. Other backup
software isn't nearly as fast.
Steven –
Thanks for the Nexus tape information. I'm not committed yet (though I may
need to be <grin>) but I'm probably going to go with a "Floptical" set-up.
. . . . . JimDoc
I bought the Supra 150MB (QIC-150) drive for use with my 3000. Total
price, including separate cabinet, power supply, one tape, cable & Supra's
backup software was $799.00, which seems reasonable. It was all zero
trouble to install and works exactly as advertised. The BTN SCSI tape
handler works, so I can also use Amiga tar. (It's on one of the libraries
somewhere!) Backup takes about 8 minutes for a partition with 32 MB of
data. You should consider this one as well; if you have a 2XXX model, it
would fit the 5.25" bay and would be cheaper than mine.
Regards, Larry Schilling
– via Whap!
Larry,
What program does that come with? Also, is the tape drive accessible
only from the supplied program, or is it a device that can be used by any
backup utility? Do you have to start from the front of the tape, or can
you go to the end of another backup and start somewhere in the middle of
the tape?
Just a FEW questions from a tapedrive-searcher! Thanks!!!
– db —–> via Whap!
It comes with GVP's TAPESTORE program. I like the program. The BTN
(Better Than Nothing) tape driver available here on CIS will work; I've
been able to use Amiga tar on it, and expect to be able to use it like an
ordinary tape drive(using the driver). The only data point I have about
other backup software is the hdbackup program that came with my 3000; it
doesn't work!
Hope this helps, Larry Schilling
I know about the time frame of QICtape. I may go for a tape system
soon. Unfortunatly, the all my bays are filled on my A2000 (I have a 2nd
flppy and a SyQuest.) I suppose I'd have to buy a "shoebox" power supply
if I wanted to get an external tape drive. The QICtape sounds great but I
don't know what the delay is. I would imagine the drives themselves are
easily avalible. Could the electronics and the software be that difficult
to produce?!
Last time I talked to them was last April. Supposedly it was ready to go,
and that all that was needed was to get into mass production. They were
nice about it, and returned my call. At that time they said there were
some delays in receivng materals from some suppliers, and that thye would
be ready in the end of May. My immediate need subsided, and I didn't
pursue it. Guess I'll jiggle their chain again.
– Well Whap! Me Silly….
They were showing the unit at the recent AmiExpo in Oakland. They were not
selling it though.
However this was a hardware/software package, you have to buy the drive
from them. It was not cheap around $600 as I recall.
-=Martin=-
– via Whap!