However, it seems to me that, if there is supposed to
be a means built into
the "standard" interface by means of which I can avoid having to deal with
the conversion to/from words on the data port, I should exploit that
feature. Finding the drives that support that feature is then the crux, but
it should be achievable. In no case will it be of any significant economic
value.
By day you're the main system architect at MicroSoft right? ;)