Scsi to cf adapter

[thebajaguy]

Has anyone bought one of these yet and tried it out?

I have the SCSI2SD (both 6 and 5) and they're OK, but, the fastest I can get out of them is 1.8mb/sec, even on my Blizzard 2060's SCSI controller.

The v5 is probably doing the best it can.  Same with any SCSI controller that only supports the Async SCSI spec, which (theoretically) tops at 2.5MB/sec.

The v6 supports sync, and needs a few things:
- The SCSI2SD, if the setup tool gives you you the option, must allow for Sync
- The boot block needs to have the Sync flag set on the partition(s) you define on the Amiga.  Typically it will be unset, meaning Async bus communications (speeds) by default.
- Check your Blizzard SCSI docs to see if there is anything else that needs to be set to allow for Sync SCSI.
- Double check your SCSI termination is correct.  That's termination at both physical ends, and never in the middle.  If it's off, you risk errors when it tries to transfer data.

Also, make sure you have the latest v6 firmware.  It's still looks like a work in progress, but I saw ~2.7MB/sec on GVP Series II stock 68K machine on an A500 with GuruROM (omniscsi.device), vs 2.2MB/sec with both v5 and v6 in Async mode (and same Async speeds with FastROM v3/v4).

[LoadWB]

From where does this SCSI2CF card come?  I'd like to see some more specs on it.  The SCSI2SD allows you to partition the card into multiple devices, handy for computers like the TI which are limited on drive size (around 256MB) so I'd like to see if this can do the same.

[Matt_H]

Yes, it is the Aztec Monster. Sorry. Mine works flawlessly (now) on an A500/A590 but I did have a heap of trouble and could not get it to work with CF Cards over 2GB. Even when configured and set up on my 1200. I found additional partitions above 2GB were being clobbered. Regardless of number.  After lots of logical troubleshooting I got it stable with one 2.1gb partition. I hasn't failed me since then. I got in contact with the Japanese supplier. Who was generally good BTW. He was sure it wasn't the card. But I didn't have this issue with the previous SCSI CF module.

Thanks for that info. I need a larger drive than that for the 4000T, so it looks like that machine will be getting a SCSI2SD. I'll try to repurpose the Aztec Monster for my GVP A530. I only need a gig or two for the 500.

[mechy]

Is the CF Monster the same as the Aztec Monster, or is it another product from the same developer? I got an Aztec Monster to put in my 4000T, but the thing is incredibly unstable and effectively useless. Planning on replacing it with a SCSI2SD, but if there are faster (stable!) options available I might go for one of those instead.

I think it uses same firmware as a real acard, you might try and drop it back to earlier acard firmwares.

[Motormouth]

@mechy

You may want to check out the following thread

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=72226&highlight=scsi2sd

Acill discusses some useful info about the bridge chip the different versions of the 772X use.  From the thread he seems to like the "correct" ones.

Nothing is quite as good as those Mechy Card readers  I bought three from you.

[Matt_H]

I think it uses same firmware as a real acard, you might try and drop it back to earlier acard firmwares.

Any idea how that is done? Is it over the SCSI bus, or is there another interface that can be used to reflash the firmware? I don't have any SCSI-capable PCs at the moment.


On a different note, I just had a look at my AztecMonster card - it uses the same ACHIP ARC760-B chip as the new board linked at the top of this thread.

[kirk_m]

Can someone post a pic of this mystical Mechware card reader?

[giZmo350]

Can someone post a pic of this mystical Mechware card reader?

If no one does... I can later this afternoon as I'm transplanting mine from my A590 to my A2K.

You can also see Mike installing AOS 3.9 to his starting at the 7:45 mark in his video here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCMw8bStvG4

[giZmo350]

OK, I have model # PCD-50B & Mike has PCD-60B. Here's a pic of of the 50B.



Here's someone still selling the PCD-50B on eBay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCM-Microsystems-PCD-50B-5-Slot-SCSI-Card-Reader-Writer-/351802873944

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Occasionally they still come up on ebay, in the $200+ range.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Can someone post a pic of this mystical Mechware card reader?

These pictures are kind of old, but here you go.

I still need to fix that issue of the A500 - once I stuck a Guru-ROM in there, the PCB raises the case too high to close properly.  Will get around to fixing that one of these days.  

[mechy]

Any idea how that is done? Is it over the SCSI bus, or is there another interface that can be used to reflash the firmware? I don't have any SCSI-capable PCs at the moment.


On a different note, I just had a look at my AztecMonster card - it uses the same ACHIP ARC760-B chip as the new board linked at the top of this thread.

I flashed it under a xp pc.. using a adaptec 2940uw(can be had on ebay for $5~).
u can find the tools and flash on acards site. get the utility and the firmware file.

Try dropping back to a firmware earlier than 3.89. seems acard did some stuff to the newer firmwares that amigas didnt like.

http://www.acard.com/english/fc0101.jsp?prodno=AEC-7720U

mind you i have never used the aztec monster but it appears to just be cf slot integrated to a acard 7720U adapter.  if memory serves i ended up with 3.86 on my bridges. try all this at your own risk,but i dont see anything that can go bad.

Aztec monster guy seems to lean toward macs and i bet he has the mac firmware in it.

[mechy]

Anyone looking for a pcd-25B scsi card reader?
2 slots(use pcmcia to cf,sd whatever adapters),uses 2 scsi ID's,no luns.. great for older amigas with stuff like 2091,gvp,etc:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SCM-PCD-25B-PC-Card-Reader-Writer-SCSI-/192244129260?hash=item2cc2a49dec:g:CRsAAOSwd3dZY-n5

i have no affiliation with this, just saw it on ebay btw.

not to gum up this thread...  but has anyone tried these mcdisk-2?:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPYRUS-RD300-MCDISK-2-SCSI-CF-CARD-DRIVE-READER-WRITER-AKAI-EMU-ENSONIQ-SAMPLERS-/132256018883?hash=item1ecb12b1c3:g:-2EAAOSwiA9ZYs~m

[Motormouth]

These pictures are kind of old, but here you go.

I still need to fix that issue of the A500 - once I stuck a Guru-ROM in there, the PCB raises the case too high to close properly.  Will get around to fixing that one of these days.  

I have an A500 with almost the same exact configuration.  A500, A500 HD8+, VXL 030, VXL RAM32, mechreader 50B version.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I have an A500 with almost the same exact configuration.  A500, A500 HD8+, VXL 030, VXL RAM32, mechreader 50B version.

Noice!  :hammer:


I don't get to use mine as often as I'd like, but recently have been getting my gf interested in a few games (so maybe if we use it together, we can use it more often).

Here's a picture of teaching her how to play "The Chaos Engine" last night.  :lol:

[mechy]

Can someone post a pic of this mystical Mechware card reader?

Not mystical at all, i sold them here for 3-4 years:
https://web.archive.org/web/20130924003304/http://a4000t.com:80/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=68

Sold roughly 2000 card readers in a few years. sadly very few amiga people bought them,it was mostly sampler users oveseas. i actually sold them cheaper than going prices then.

the pcd-25B (2 slots,mounts as 2 scsi id#'s)not listed there but i had only a few for sale early on.

the pcd-47b was a 3 slot model, it uses 3 scsi ID#'s one for each slot.

the pcd-50b is a 5 slot model, it uses LUNS for all but the pcmcia slot which is lun0 technically.

there are quite a few other models that are more uncommon, PCD-15,PCD17,
same with the pcd-60b, its a 6 slot model,works same as the pcd-50b with LUNS

You could use a pcmcia to cf adaper in the pcmcia slots. All slots bootable if the scsi controller allows.