Path: utzoo!censor!geac!jtsv16!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!ucsd!helios.ee.lbl.gov!epb2.lbl.gov!envbvs
From: envbvs@epb2.lbl.gov (Brian V. Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: SCSI Disk (really ESDI)
Keywords: ESDI disk for uvII, Maxtor, Sigma, Software Associates
Message-ID: <3540@helios.ee.lbl.gov>
Date: 9 Aug 89 16:18:54 GMT
References: <21034@cup.portal.com> <10470@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Distribution: usa
Lines: 60

Christopher Zaft) writes:
< From: Zaft@cup.portal.com (Gordon Christopher Zaft)
< Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
< Subject: Re: SCSI Disk
< Date: 5 Aug 89 04:23:08 GMT
< Organization: The Portal System (TM)
< Lines: 9
< 
< I'm interested in anyone's experience with 3rd-party ESDI drives, especially
< in the 760 Mbyte range.  We are looking for additional, affordable storage
< for our MicroVAX II.  We're currently looking at systems from Dilog.
< 	Please e-mail me comments/suggestions.
< 
< 	Thanks in advance!
< 
< Gordon Zaft
< zaft@cup.portal.com

We have been using the MAXTOR XT8760-E ESDI disk which has about 630 Mbytes
when formatted.  We purchased the controller (Sigma SDC-RQD11-EC) and the
drive from Software Associates, in Sacramento, CA.
Their address is:

9723 A Folsom Boulevard, Suite 306
Sacramento, CA 95827-1326

Contact: Dick "Smitty" Smith
        (916) 344-5558


The controller has 1 megabyte of cache memory and together with the drive
we get about a two to one speed increase without the cache over the RD53 drive.
When data is in the cache, it is even faster.  The drive has 18 ms average
seek time and 35 ms max with 3 ms track-to-track.

It plugs right into the BA23 or BA123 box with no problems.
Ultrix or VMS, it doesn't matter.
Overall, the drive is very nice.

The controller was (on Sep 1988) $1155 LBL price (GSA discount) and the
drive from them was $4322.  Cables and brackets were $95. It comes with a one
year return-to-factory 24 hour turnaround warranty.

Part Numbers:

SA-RQD11EC      Sigma Q-bus disk controller for ESDI
SA-XT-8760      Maxtor 5 1/4" ESDI Disk, 760M (unformatted)
SA-ESDI         24" ESDI, 35 pin to 35 pin cables
SA-BRK          5 1/4" disk mounting bracket for internal mounting to
DEC BA-23.
                >>> NOTE: I found that this bracket was just a little
                        too small to work, so I just pulled the mounting
                        plate (plastic) off the RD53 and used it <<<

I don't represent in any way Software Associates, Sigma or Maxtor.

_____________________________________
Brian V. Smith    (bvsmith@lbl.gov)
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
We don't need no signatures!