Amiga SCSI Howto?

[motorollin]

My next upgrade to my A1200 will be a SCSI kit to go with my Blizzard 1260. I know nothing about SCSI devices or how to set them up. So I'm looking for a document I can read through that will go through the basics of jumpering and connecting a SCSI hard drive, and how things like termination work. Also, will a SCSI combo CDRW/DVD drive work with an Amiga?

If anyone can point me in the right direction I would be extremely grateful.

Cheers

--
moto

[Ohforf]

The Basics : SCSI Tutorial, 6 Pages

Read the Documentation of the Blizzard SCSI Kit and the Datasheet of your Harddisk / CD-ROM / whatever to get the Jumper settings.

[motorollin]

Thanks - that's really helpful. I have a couple more questions after reading through that.

1. What SCSI standards does the Blizzard SCSI kit support? Does this make a difference to the type of drives I can use? For example, can I use this?
2. Does the Blizzard SCSI kit terminate one end of the chain?
3. What terminator should I use for the other end of the chain?

Thanks

--
moto

[Ohforf]

1. The Blizzard SCSI-Kit IV is only SCSI-II,SCSI-I Drives will work, too.
A few Examples of compatible Drives are here.
The '18Gb IBM Ultra3 U160 SCSI Hard Drive 10000 RPM SCA' is a bit too modern, it will not fit.
There is possibly a Interface available to connect it to SCSI-II - but these things are always a bit expensive
and you will never be able to get the full speed of the Drive
(a 10,000 rpm drive is of course very fast, may be loud and will need good cooling)
2. If you use only internal Drives, the built-in Terminator
will be used.
3. It depends on the Drive at the End of the Chain, many SCSI Devices have a bulit-in Terminator, sometimes even active, which can be enabled by a Jumper.
Otherwise, a 50-pin active Terminator would be the best solution.

I found the Manual here.

[motorollin]

Thanks! Now I just have to find a SCSI-I or SCSI-II hard drive...

--
moto

[doctorq]

There is possibly a Interface available to connect it to SCSI-II - but these things are always a bit expensive

Erhh, expensive? You can get them for 0.01 UKP a piece. Look here

[Ohforf]

0.01 UKP + 5 UKP shipping is not bad.
I found one at a Shop ... 25 Euro.
But will it work ?

[doctorq]

A SCSI interface isn't limited in the same ways as IDE is. The adaptors I have had on my SCSI chains haven't caused me any problems so far.

Have used 50 --> 80 pin, 50 --> 68 pin, IDE --> SCSI adaptor (both SCSI2 and SCSI3 adaptors) and all have worked just fine.

The problem for most people when installing a SCSI system is a combo of ID settings and termination, and sometimes, also the lack of patience.

[motorollin]

Arrrr now I'm confused. Does this mean I can use *any* SCSI disk, as long as I get an adapter to make it fit on the Blizzard's SCSI cable? Or do I need a SCSI-I or SCSI-II drive?

--
moto

[doctorq]

Yes, you can use any SCSI drive. Dunno about those new SCA drives, since I haven't looked into what it stands for.

I used a SCSI2 drive, SCSI3 drive, IDE --> SCSI adaptor with my Blizzard SCSI kit. Heck, I even set up my first 9 GB SCSI3 harddrive on my A500 with GVP HD8+ SCSI controller.

[motorollin]

Thanks - I'll avoid the SCA drives and go for a SCSI I, II or III.

Cheers

--
moto

[jkirk]

Info on SCA drives

[doctorq]

Thanks for the link; it gave me quite some useful info. Only problem as I see it, is how usable is the given info today? Seing it was written almost 5 years ago, I'm sure that either harddrives or adaptors have been updated/improved, or is the scenario still the same (SCA drives slower than non-SCA drives)?

[jkirk]

i knew it was old but it was the only link i could find at the time.


sideline question what is the largest drive 3.1 can support.

[doctorq]

All my 160 GB (UWSCSI) is usable when I occasionally load OS3.1...