Emax

Thanks Ted,

  Most helpful, I did go through the archives, but this definitely helps put it all into perspective for me. It seems like - 

SCSI kit
Slip Floppy
PCD-50b

 Is the way to go. 

 Do I order a scsi kit through your website? I need to open it up to double check that it definitely fits the bill for the upgrade.

  Looking forward to getting this thing up and running!

tom

--- In emax@yahoogroups.com, Ted Summers <djtbs1@...> wrote:
>
> All these questions have been hashed and rehashed time and again and the answers should be in the archives...
> 
> With that said-----  (disclaimer- I am the one who figured out how to do slim floppy and I am the seller of the Emax SCSI kits)....
> 
> #1- The HxC - Ugly and external 
> - see item c under "Why bother with SCSI"
> 
> There is no information on the Flexidrive compatibility with other systems.
> The floppy in Emax is not a standard PC A/B floppy it uses a drive select closer to the Schugart standard.
> Most standard floppy drives don't have a drive select points to even solder jumpers anymore...
> 
> So the connector pinout must be adapted / converted - I don't see any of the info for the Flexidrive.
> 
> #2- Scsi upgrade is $60 including shipping.
> A slim floppy converter (which must be modified per my instructions on my website) is $10 off ebay
> Slim floppy drives go for as little as $5 used up to $35 for brand new.
> I usually just buy a couple or three used for $10-15 off ebay and then I have a spare or two...
> SCSI PCD-50b Flash drives are going for about $60+ from atari/amiga sites.
> 
> #3 Replacing the floppy drive with a stock replacement might be considered cost prohibitive (about $75) but can be done.
> Some people just want to keep it stock- which is just fine...
> 
> Why bother with SCSI?
> a) This isn't a "hack", the chips are made from the original E-mu binaries
> - the upgrade procedure from the factory is what is used for the update.
> 
> b) It works within the menu's of the Emax OS
> 
> c) Unlike Floppy Emulator, you don't have to load Emax OS into every single "floppy" directory- it sees it as a Hard disk, not "99 floppies" or whatever.
> You load the OS 1 time.
> 
> d) An Emax Hard disk contains 35 banks and it is limited to 20MB formattable by Emax.
> Buying "large" flash isn't useful and small flash cost less...
> 32MB flash is what I use and you can get them CHEAP - $2-3 per flash NEW on ebay.....
> 
> e) You do have the ability to have multiple drives if desired- up to 7 (though that might not be practical). :-)
> In my case I have a Microtech dual slot PC Card drive (model DPAI-SCSI) this gives me a total of 71 accessible banks from 1 drive plus the floppy.
> 
> Please note that Emax is only SCSI TARGET aware- so multi-slot drives that are LUN based will only see 1 slot....
> Multi Slot drives that are TARGET based (like the MIcroTech) will see each slot as a different drive number.
> - as far as I am aware the most slots MicroTech released in a Target based drive was 3, FYI).
> 
> Please note - SCM drives are all LUN based, therefore they will only see 1 slot in Emax 1 and 2.
> So while they may have 5 slots (PCD-50b) you may only use the PC Card slot with the Emax.
> I have no note on compatibility for PCD-60b because I have never tested one...
> 
> Hope that is helpful.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Ted
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On May 19, 2012, at 1:12 AM, Carl Lofgren wrote:
> 
> When I was investigating the HxC (which I think is clever but quite ugly) I found something called Flexidrive S4 - looks like a HxC but with a better build.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL4-f-4cE-U
> 
> /C
> 
> >________________________________
> > From: nuwavboy <nuwavboy@...>
> >To: emax@yahoogroups.com 
> >Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2012 7:59 AM
> >Subject: [emax] Greetings, new Emax 1 owner - questions...
> > 
> >
> >  
> >Hello - I just picked up a rack Emax 1, non scsi for 50$ with manual. Looks super clean, but I don't have any disks to test it right now, but powers up etc...
> >
> >1. the disk eject seems to not be working. I can put a disk in, but the disk doesn't "seat" itself properly, and then I have to pull it out manually.
> >
> >2. It's a rev c board, which I assume is upgradeable to scsi...?
> >
> >So, since I have little money invested in it so far, what would people recommend for options.
> >
> >1. spend the money (about 135$) for an HxC
> >
> >2. Scsi upgrade w/slim floppy and scsi card reader
> >
> >3. replace the floppy with a working drive (models?)
> >
> >I picked this up to play around with and compare to my EII. I'd like to keep it as inexpensive as possible, but am willing toput some work into it.
> >
> >Thanks for any advice!
> >
> >80sboy
> >tom
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> >
> 
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> 
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