Subject: Re: Sider Info Wanted
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From: Patrick Schaefer <pa.schaefer@fz-juelich.de>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 10:14:42 +0200
Organization: Forschungszentrum Juelich
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Brad Weelborg wrote:

> could you still use the Sider Utilities on the formerly sasi hd?

No. I've tried this because I only have the controller and software, but
no original drive. 
The formatter program uses custom commands ($E3 00 00 00) to control the
MFM to SASI-bridge. A regular scsi drive does not support these
commands, you will get a request sense error.
I can read and write single sectors, but not with the original software.

From the hardware point of view SCSI and SASI devices can be mixed. SASI
does not support TermPwr and sometimes line 25 is connected to ground.
If you notice smoking diodes on your scsi devices, this was the reason.
A good idea is cutting off the TermPwr pin at the SASI connector.

If someone writes new software, the Sider controller could be used as a
SCSI interface. A very slow one indeed...


Patrick