17 Jan
2002
17 Jan
'02
2:56 p.m.
On Thu, 17 Jan 2002, Richard Erlacher wrote:
I've recently stumbled onto a source of new
conveniently-sized SCSI drives
with the SCA-2 connector. I'm considering installing them in a couple of
applications in my home setup, including an SDI RAID that presently uses
NARROW drives, and would need an adapter for each drive and that adapter
should fit into its canister. Another application is with a WIDE (68-pin,
single-ended) controller I've been using.
I've never used SCA drives on a narrow bus, so I can't speak to that t
all.
I have used SCA LVD drives on wide LVD chains, and finding an adapter
that honors the LVD is a pain in the butt. 80-pin-to-68-pin LVD
adapters run as high as $45 each. And the $45 ones don't work. The drive
reports as SE.
We finally found some adapters by A-Excite that work, at a price,
IIRC, of $12.95 each. Maybe $19.95.... Haven't found a local dealer,
so we had to order 6. They work reliably, and I can't see much, if any,
difference in performance between an IBM 80Mb-LVD 68-pin drive and an
IBM 80Mb-LVD SCA drive with adapter.
All in all, I'm not buying any more 80-pin drives, unless I'm putting
them on a hot-swap bus. They're a big pain in the butt if you move your
drives around much, which I do. If you're going to install them, test
them, and glue the case shut, the savings may be worth the hassle.
Doc