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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Hodgkinson on November 18, 2007, 10:22:16 PM

Title: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: Hodgkinson on November 18, 2007, 10:22:16 PM
Hi folks,
I've been thinking about the possibility of upgrading the speed of my A1200's HDD access. Unfortunately, due to the necessity to keep the upper RF shield intact, and the recent addition of a heatsink to the custom chips, conventional IDE Fixes and the Fast ATA interface appear to be out of the question.

I’ve seen that the Blizzard 1230IV card (Which I am using in the A1200) can be upgraded with the Blizzard IV SCSI module. As this card is unaffected by the use RF shield etc, and it provides additional RAM capacity, whats' peoples experiences of this add-on like (Especially getting the 1230IV in and out with it in place...) and how rare/expensive do these cards recon to be?

Thanks,
Hodgkinson.
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: MickTheLip on November 18, 2007, 10:42:49 PM
You've just missed one on Ebay mind you it went for £2 less than what they are advertising on Amigakit that's if they have one.I've heard that this is probably the best SCSI interfaces for the Amiga.
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: Hodgkinson on November 18, 2007, 10:58:15 PM
Any idea what the URL of that auction was? I'd like to have a look...

Quote

£2 less than what they are advertising on Amigakit...

Can't say i've ever seen them on amigakit...If they had them, then thats where i'd buy one from if I decided to get one.

Hodgkinson.
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: scuzzb494 on November 19, 2007, 12:08:39 AM
Sad this... cus we were just talking on AFB about the last SCSI KIT that I got from Amibench. Looks like Amibench have thrown in the old towel... That really hurts.

Ar hum... Never mind.

You have to take out the Blizzard and attach the KIT or card which is easy enough. You can add the memory to the KIT. The tricky bit is following the very informative guide on folding the ribbon so it goes through the slot to the back plate. Ever wondered what that extra hole was in the bottom of the Amiga. Bang out the cover plate by the mouseport and insert the plate and port and screw in placethrough the hole. I have a CDRom, two external SCSI hard drives and a ZIP drive on my SCSI kit. Far better than a PCMCIA option. I had no end of probs with my Apollo 060 and a Squirrel. The Blizzard and SCSI combined are just magic.

I watched that auction tonight. I paid £103 for mine... Came with the accelerator though :-)

Pictures of the SCSI are among this lot on my website.

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz163.htm

I have lost count just how many A1200s I have now. I have around three SCSI kits.

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com

Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: leirbag28 on November 19, 2007, 01:05:30 AM
@scuzzb494

Dang!  dude!   THat is a seriously impressive collection.   I want to ask you something


PM sent!
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: tokyoracer on November 19, 2007, 03:00:40 AM
Yes he does. I've seen his site build over a good 2 years and it's insane! I know who to ambush soon. :lol:

As you can see in my signature I have one, there damn good! That is if you can get a bloody CD drive to work with it. I still cant get mine to work...
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: scuzzb494 on November 19, 2007, 08:22:16 AM
Hi

And why can`t you get the CD to work. What device are you using and what's your CD0 say .. Also do you have anything else on the daisy and are you using termination.

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: Hodgkinson on November 19, 2007, 09:20:46 AM
Thanks for the replies.

Amibench still seems to be online...Going to www.amibench.org/ doesn't work, but going to http://www.amibench.org/cgi-bin/view.pl?type=sale&country=All Does. Must be some redirect problem with their website.

:-) Re the rear plastic panel. That’s going to be interesting...I've already got a HyperCOM MK1 in there...Looks like I’d have to fabricate some kind of dual header bracket to hang out the back of the A1200.

What’s the going price on these SCSI kits? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Hodgkinson.
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: zipper on November 19, 2007, 10:47:20 AM
Well, it did accept a little trial ad on
http://www.amibench.org/cgi-bin/view.pl?type=wanted&country=All
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: pVC on November 19, 2007, 11:58:54 AM
I have two SCSI-kits, one in B1230-IV and one in B1260. Both work just fine. The speed is much better than on any IDE-hack on A1200 and transfers are done without load on the CPU (which is the most important thing when using slow 68k CPUs).

They're not rare either... our local reseller has them still in stock for example.

Only problem I had with one CD-RW drive, but it was solved by soft-upgrading the SCSI-kit's ROM. I've had lots of different devices in use: four different DAT-drives, bunch of CD-ROM/RW drives, dozen of different HDs, scanner.. at the best times I had whole SCSI-chain full. External SCSI-cases are nice too :)
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: dbrads on November 19, 2007, 12:20:26 PM
Scuz, My wife thinks I am mad owning 3 Amigas, I will show her your site!!!! maybe she will let me buy another one :lol:
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: tokyoracer on November 19, 2007, 05:12:26 PM
@ Scuzz,

Not sure why. I'm a noob at this stuff. Plus my WB OS has packed up so I got to sort it out all over again. If it's ok with you I can give you a PM when it's sorted if you wouldn't mind helping. Would be much appreciated.

P.s. The CD drive only has 1 SCSI port so termination isn't necessary.
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: scuzzb494 on November 19, 2007, 10:57:03 PM
by dbrads on 2007/11/19 12:20:26

[ quote ]
Scuz, My wife thinks I am mad owning 3 Amigas, I will show her your site!!!! maybe she will let me buy another one  
[ end quote ]

Giggles. Trying to remember a time when I only had three Amigas. That would be a 1200, 600 and a 500.. Too long ago now to properly recollect... And I still have them. The hard drive in the MTEC for the 500 is the only thing that I don`t still have. It has a GVP sidecar now and I play Space Invaders on this when I have spare moments in the Amiga Workshop... There are just never enough Amiga minutes in any day....

If you study the site you will see this image. That's what you call a real Amiga Workbench :-) Some years old now and spread into two other rooms in the house. And don`t ask where I store it all... I am highly imaginative.

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz04.htm

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: scuzzb494 on November 19, 2007, 11:03:47 PM
Hi tokyoracer

Probably just your CD0 mount file and the device you have installed. You get a disk with the SCSI KIT .. IIRC. I can get a copy to you if nobody objects. Probably easier for me to put it on my site for everyone. I have a secret page with other stuff on... er... don`t tell anyone.

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: A1260 on November 19, 2007, 11:43:03 PM
the problem i got is to get a scsi hd....i allready got a 1260+scsi card+128mb ram and scsi plexor cd...
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: leirbag28 on November 20, 2007, 07:10:31 PM
@scuzzb494


 I sent you a PMAIL.  let me know what you think.
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: A1260 on November 20, 2007, 08:54:16 PM
what hds are you guys using,name,size etc....
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: scuzzb494 on November 20, 2007, 10:59:45 PM
Hi

Seagate 4GB x 2 ( plenty big enough with OS3 ) I got my external SCSI box from Ebay by searching for external SCSI.

scuzz
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: leirbag28 on November 20, 2007, 11:04:08 PM
@scuzzb494


I guess you havent read my PMAIL, so I will ask here.

I am interested in buying your Software: Monument Designer and AnIMAGE

are you willing to sell it?  I know Monument Designer is free for download and all, but I want it with manual and optional English.

so Im willing to pay.  WHat do You want for it? :-)
Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: scuzzb494 on November 20, 2007, 11:23:38 PM
Hi

I see.. Thats what pmail means. I don`t ever check the mail on the forum. I just assume its coming to me privatly through email. Sorry for that... Just read the messages ( quite a few there... Sorry to everyone else that has mailed ) Anyway, also sorry that I can`t help. I have never sold a single thing from the collection. Those items were given to me by an editor of an Amiga magazine... I promise most folk that gift me stuff that I will look after it for ever. So I really can`t break my promises. I am very hopeful that on my death everything goes to a museum. I often say to people that do sell me stuff that they may just get it back when I die. There is nobody that I am considering giving it all to.

Sorry for that. Don`t really do the forums that often. Just when I'm in the mood.

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com

Title: Re: Blizzard IV SCSI performance and availability
Post by: leirbag28 on November 20, 2007, 11:43:59 PM
@scuzzb494


 I understand!   but I do have another IDea............how about you make copies of the disks and manual and send them to me?   its legal, because the software is free for download at a famous Amiga site.  But its in German and there is no manual.

You will be rescuing this hard to find software and doing me a huge favor...........I will pay for shipping of the copies.

PMAIL me and I will give you shipping address and details ifyou are willing.