Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mandrill!gatech!udel!rochester!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!upvax!bobbyd From: bobbyd@upvax.UUCP (Oswald Brews) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: ST-506 to SCSI controller info want Summary: Adaptec makes several versions ~$100 Keywords: Adaptec ACB-4000A, ACB-4070, ACB-5500 Message-ID: <446@upvax.UUCP> Date: 25 Jun 88 18:55:29 GMT References: <246@iconsys.UUCP> <76000240@p.cs.uiuc.edu> Reply-To: bobbyd@upvax.UUCP (Oswald Brews) Organization: University of Portland, Portland, OR Lines: 46 In article <76000240@p.cs.uiuc.edu> gillies@p.cs.uiuc.edu writes: > >So why doesn't some enterprising engineering company make a ST-506 - >to - SCSI drive controller? Would it simply be too slow? If it were >cheap (< $200), you sure could make a load of money very very very >fast.... > >Don Gillies, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Illinois >1304 W. Springfield, Urbana, Ill 61801 PHONE: 217-244-0432 >ARPA: gillies@cs.uiuc.edu UUCP: {uunet,ihnp4,harvard}!uiucdcs!gillies Adaptec makes 3 versions, two of which I'm familiar with: ACB-4000A SCSI->ST412/506 MFM ~$100 ACB-4070 SCSI->ST412/506 2,7 RLL (A slight bit more) ACB-5500 SCSI->ST412/506 (Multitasking) (No $ idea) I've used the 4000A and 4070 boards with Maxtor XT1140's with no problems on DG Nova compatible machines. Maybe we've been lucky, but the environment was rather punishing - HEAVY disk access nearly 24-hours/day for over three years, with very little downtime. In fact, the only disk related troubles we've had have been power supply related. We've pushed those 1140's way beyond their rated service life, and both the drives and the Adaptec boards haven't given us a peep of trouble. We bought the 4000A new several years ago for $109, and the 4070 for $139. Performance has been uniformly good. I've no experience with the 5500, but sales literature from Adaptec explains that it's a multitasking version with full SCSI command set. No idea on cost for this board. Call or write to Adaptec for a very informative packet: Adaptec, Inc. 580 Cottonwood Drive Milipitas, CA 95035 (408) 432-8600 Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Adaptec or Maxtor, other than as an impressed and satisfied customer. In fact, I'm just a lowly DG Nova hacker and am not even affiliated with the U. of Portland, except as a very grateful gratis user! Christopher Lamb bobbyd@upvax Certified, Incorrigible PERQ Fanatic. 2719 NE 8th Ave. Send your tax-deductible donations to Portland, OR 97212 503/288-3800 this address. No live poultry please.