Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!bbn!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!oliveb!amiga!boing!dale
From: dale@boing.UUCP (Dale Luck)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: My Two Cents ...
Message-ID: <315@boing.UUCP>
Date: 1 Jun 88 17:22:59 GMT
References: <8805271410.AA14234@decwrl.dec.com> <3894@cbmvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: dale@boing.UUCP (Dale Luck)
Organization: Boing, Milpitas, Ca.
Lines: 44

In article <3894@cbmvax.UUCP> jesup@cbmvax.UUCP (Randell Jesup) writes:
>In <8805271410.AA14234@decwrl.dec.com> (Paul MacDonald ) writes:
>>the connector for this drive was on the far left of the drive [facing the
>>front of the drive]. The 4 pins for the power connector were opposite the
>>pin layout on the default drive.
>...
>>does not reach bewteen the two drives due to the fact that the connectors
>>are on opposing ends of the backs of the drives. A really STUPID design
>>mistake. Sure, the chap from CBM that posted the above reply will say,
>>"Why  don't you just switch the two drives?" Well, you can, but unless you
>>are astute enough to know that the power connector is upside down on the 
>>default drive, chances are you will blow out the drive by plugging the
>>connector in upside down.
>
>	I'm not the commodore person you were referring to, but I have 
>a small correction to make.  The power connectors for the floppies can't
>be plugged in backwards, I just checked to make sure.

Really? I tried it also and was easily successful in extracting a puff of
smoke from that disk drive. Turns out that when are looking down from
the top you don't notice that the keying for the power connector on these
floppys is completely inadequate. There is no additional force necessary
to push the power connector in. You just have to know that the side with
the exposed metal is the side that goes agaist the plastic tab. But when
you've already stretched the ribbon cable as far as it will go it is
not easy to see the orientation of the power connector.

>
>>Its a serious design
>>flaw for the majority of the non-hardware-techie consumers who are trying
>>to plug in a second drive with a cable that doesn't reach!
>
>	I would certainly agree with that.
>

Actually I don't think it was a design flaw as much as a lack of attention
to details and not trying it out before approving the new drive for
cbm distribution. Cbm does not make drives, they buy then ready built.
Apparently one of the specs did not cover the exact placement of the
ribbon cable and the power connector, nor the look of the bezel for the
drive. I hope they get someone in there that can do the job right cause
who ever is doing it now is certainly not doing it right.

Dale Luck