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.