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This is a description of the MicroDrive IDE Card, including
ordering information.
Copyright (c) ///SHH Systeme, Joachim Lange.
You may distribute this document freely as long as it
remains unchanged (spelling corrections welcome)
=============================================================
Address for inquiries and orders:
///SHH SYSTEME
Dipl. Ing. Joachim Lange
Bergstrasse 95
82131 Stockdorf
Germany
phone & fax Germany - 89 - 8577040
(fax 19.00 to 23.00 CET only)
GEnie: J.LANGE7
Internet: lange@tasha.muc.de (<--- preferred)
Date: April, 2., 1995
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MicroDrive Card
Low-cost hard disk controller for external IDE hard drives
and internal filecard ("hard-disk-in-a-slot" solution).
(probably the most inexpensive hard disk controller ever
built for the Apple II computer)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The MicroDrive Card is a low-cost hard disk controller for the Apple
IIGS and Apple IIe. It allows the use of _all_ kinds of IDE hard
drives with Apple II computers.
The card was developed to provide the Apple user with a _really_
inexpensive and compact hard disk controller. It is intended to be
used either
1) as a controller to connect one or two _external_ IDE
hard disks to the Apple II.
or
2) as a filecard to carry a single 2.5 inch ("notebook style")
IDE hard disk.
Main Features
--------------
- Fully PRODOS and GS/OS compatible.
- Works in any slot except slot 3.
- Compatible with Apple IIGS and Apple IIe enhanced.
- Supports two hard drives up to 256 MBytes capacity each.
- High data transfer rate: 1.4 to 2.0 (maximum) msec/block for linear
reads (using ProSel-16, Statistics on Disc Access). More than three
times faster than a non-DMA SCSI hard disk controller!
- Fast startup: boots a minimum GS/OS System in twelve seconds, with
accelerator in nine seconds (boot message to Finder Desktop).
- Boots PRODOS 8 in less than one second.
- Wastes no time for self-initialization compared to SCSI interfaces!
Gives a very short warm-up time. You are up and running as soon as
the hard disk is ready.
- High-speed GS/OS driver with GS/OS caching support.
- Fully compatible with any existing hardware such as: ZIP GS,
Transwarp GS, PC Transporter, RAM Cards from Apple, Applied
Engineering, CV-Tech, Harris, Sequential Systems, Q-Labs etc.
- The MicroDrive Card supports up to 8 (eight) MBytes of expansion
RAM on the IIGS.
- Up to eight partitions on one drive, 16 partitions on two drives,
32 MBytes per partition.
- You can boot from _any_ partition which carries a valid operating
system (hold down an Apple Key and press 1 through 9, A through G
or set up a default value with the configuration program).
Easy Installation:
-------------------
- Automatic installation procedure with auto-recognition of the hard
drive's geometry. Fast and easy partitioning.
- All types of IDE hard disk drives can be used. There are no
restrictions in the number of sectors per track, number of heads or
number of cylinders. The MicroDrive Card Software supports any
combination of numbers that may exist.
- Support for the PRODOS 8 and the SmartPort protocol (standard &
extended calls)
- Specific ROM code for Apple IIe and Apple IIGS available (same
hardware for both machines):
Apple IIe firmware: 65C02 code only, also works on any Apple IIGS.
Apple IIGS firmware: 65C816 code, fully speed optimized for this
machine. Speed advantages (compared to Apple IIe firmware) when
booting into GS/OS and when using no GS/OS driver. The Apple IIGS
firmware cannot be used on Apple IIe machines.
Additional FileCard Features
-----------------------------
- Plug-and-play solution. Find a free slot and install your files.
- Occupies only one slot!
- Uses existing internal power supply of an Apple IIe or Apple IIGS.
Power to the hard disk is provided via controller card.
- No additional cables required, simply plug and play.
- Very quiet hard drive operation.
Other Features
---------------
- The MicroDrive Card was developed according to Apple's Interface
Card Design Guidelines.
- Very low power consumption (all circuits are C-MOS technology).
- Developed, tested and made in Germany.
- High quality industry standard board with gold edge connector and
high quality solder resist.
- Standard MS-DOS-type 40-pin IDE connector allows the use of
inexpensive standard IDE flat ribbon cables.
- Additional 2-pin standard connector for hard disk power supply.
- One year limited warranty on materials and workmanship.
- Thirty day money back guarantee on the card's value.
- Free software updates available via GEnie A2 library and via
internet e-mail (using UUENCODE/UUDECODE).
- Free support for all products from ///SHH Systeme via GEnie A2
bulletin board (category 46, topic 11, 12, 13...) and via internet
e-mail.
================================================
Vulcan & Vulcan Gold Controller Replacement:
================================================
If you have a Vulcan internal hard drive system, and you want to
upgrade your system with a bigger hard disk, your Vulcan controller
probably won't allow to install a new one if your new hard disk
doesn't exist in the Vulcan's internal drive table.
The MicroDrive Card can replace your Vulcan controller card and
allows you to install any IDE drive in your Vulcan case. The
MicroDrive Card is fully pin-compatible with Vulcan hard disk
controllers (--> in addition, it supports even those IDE bus signals a
Vulcan controller erroneously didn't support).
We have tested the MicroDrive Card successfully and haven't found any
problems when using hard drives of the following manufacturers:
Conner CP20xxx series, CP30xxx series,
CFNxxx series, CFSxxx series, CFAxxx series
Seagate ST3xxxx series, ST9xxx series
Quantum GoDrive 40...250MB
Toshiba all kinds
Ordering Information
---------------------
This is _not_ a pre-announcement. The MicroDrive Card is available
in Germany since July 1993. Thus, you can get a card or a plug-and-play
hard drive system immediately. The MicroDrive Card is available _now_.
The MicroDrive Card carries a one year limited warranty against
defects in materials and workmanship. Software and ROM updates (if
needed) will be available on GEnie A2 library or can be sent via
internet e-mail.
The MicroDrive Card basic package consists of
- the controller card
- the installation disk with MicroDrive installer,
GS/OS caching driver, installer script, icons and
additional test programs
- the user's manual (English language)
Accessories available:
- IDE 40-pin flat ribbon cable 3 ft.
with two 0.1 inch plugs for standard IDE connectors.
- 2.5 inch mounting kit with power supply cabling,
i.e. a complete set for mounting your 2.5" drive
on a MicroDrive card.
(short IDE flat ribbon cable with special
2mm plug for 2.5 inch drives and standard
0.1 inch plug for MicroDrive IDE connector,
metal mounting stripes and M3 metric screws)
MicroDrive Card Prices
-----------------------
MicroDrive Card basic package US $79 DM 110.00
2.5 inch mounting Kit US $27 DM 38.00
IDE 40-pin flat ribbon cable 3 ft. US $11 DM 15.00
Shipping and handling for basic package
(with or without Mounting Kit):
Additional s/h fee
for 3 ft. cable
Europe DM 18 -- (surface mail)
USA US $14 $4 (air mail)
all other countries US $14 $4 (air mail)
MicroDrive Filecard Prices
----------------------------
Complete INTERNAL hard drive systems, ready for use, "plug and play".
Europe USA & others
----------- -------------
MicroDrive 20 MB DM 370.00 US$ 250.00
MicroDrive 40 MB DM 460.00 US$ 310.00
MicroDrive 60 MB DM 530.00 US$ 370.00
MicroDrive 80 MB DM 590.00 US$ 410.00
MicroDrive 120 MB DM 650.00 US$ 460.00
MicroDrive 250 MB DM 760.00 US$ 540.00
Shipping and handling for the MicroDrive FileCard:
Europe DM 18 (surface mail)
USA US $18 (air mail)
all other countries US $18 (air mail)
The MicroDrive Filecard carries a one year limited warranty against
defects in materials and workmanship.
Payment
--------
Payment must accompany your order. All overseas orders must be
prepaid in US currency or Deutsche Mark. All orders from Europe must
be prepaid in Deutsche Mark. Cash (bills), certified cheques (accepted
by a German bank), money orders, travellers cheque and international
money transfer via post office accepted. Sorry, no credit cards
accepted.
IMPORTANT: If payment is by cheque or money order, an additional fee
of US $3 or 4.50 Deutsche Mark (formerly US$12/DM 20) is required for
each order. We have to pay this amount to get cash for the cheque. For
European orders we recommend paying by EuroCheque because _no_
additional fee is required for EuroCheques.
If you want to send cash, just be sure to send it via _registered_
mail. This is a very safe way and probably the cheapest solution for
overseas payment. Remember, when ordering more than one card (even
mixed orders, Turbo IDE Card & BlueDisk), you can get a discount and
the shipping charges are lower for each card if shipped together.
As the Dollar exchange rates are changing from day to day, the
pricing may not be stable for a long time. Please try to get the latest
US$ pricing for the MicroDrive Card on GEnie or via Internet e-mail.
Also, if you want to order more than one item, please send your inquiry
via e-mail and ask for a combo offer with appropriate shipping charges.
In your order please specify for your computer (IIe or IIGS):
- Firmware should be for universal use on Apple IIe/Apple IIGS
or
- Firmware should be for Apple IIGS only
and the utilities disk size: 5.25" or 3.5".
SHH Systeme, Joachim Lange,
April '95
=====================================================================
Other products available from SHH Systeme
for the Apple IIe and Apple IIGS: