IBM 9331-011 8" External Floppy Drive - eBay 183038271095

[Chuck Guzis]

On 02/01/2018 07:53 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:


> IFF you ever decide that you need the FDADAP (TG43), then it could go
> into a tiny inline project box with a DC37M input and DC37F output.
> 
> IFF you wanted to use switch boxes, as I did, you would need one DC37M
> to DC37M cable (screwed permanently onto the input of the switchbox).  I
> had expected to have noise or connection problems with the switchboxes,
> but it never happened.    Cheap crap was a lot better in those days!

Yeah, I've got an old ABCD manual printer switch with the "centronics"
connectors that swaps all 36 lines, but it always seemed like more
trouble than it was worth, so it resides in a storage cabinet.

I use a rack-mounted PC with a couple of DC37s on the front panel, so
swapping boxes is pretty simple.

I've seen some bizarre stuff, but the one that takes the cake was a boot
floppy from a PLC.  Said PLC was equipped with two floppy drives--one
for booting only and the other for user data.   The boot floppy had a
very oddball track spacing; something like 120 tpi; the user floppy was
a normal 135 tpi.  This was measured with developer (Kyread) and a
microscope.  I just couldn't believe that a manufacturer would go to
that length.

I guess the PLC manufacturer didn't want their software to be copied.

Needless to say, replacement boot floppy drives were near unobtanium and
stupid expensive when you could find one.

--Chuck