*BSD News Article 18915


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From: uhclem@nemesis.UUCP
Date: 26 Jul 93 20:09 CDT
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc
Subject: Re: Tandy CD ROM drivers
Message-ID: <-21035743@nemesis>
Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!constellation!convex!convex!news.oc.com!utacfd.uta.edu!trsvax!trsvax!nemesis!uhclem
Nf-ID: #R:ponderous.cc.iastate.edu:743367686:nemesis:-21035743:000:1598
Nf-From: nemesis.UUCP!uhclem    Jul 26 20:09:00 1993
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<>
[0]I think I know the answer before I even ask it, but has anyone ever
[0]had a shot at a driver for the little drawer-type Tandy CD ROM's?

The "-1077" drive from Radio Shack/Tandy is really a Mitsumi drive.  There
are two versions of the clamshell drive, the 1077 and the 1077A.  The 1077
has an internal cabling problem (it's too short) and can't read discs with
more than 63 minutes or so of data.  The 1077A indicates that a longer
cable was used.  Both of these drives are 700-900msec average access time.

There are also some later versions of this drive that Radio Shack/Tandy
didn't elect to sell.  These claim faster access times, ranging from
375 to 600, depending on the firmware and the resellers claims.

Someone is working on a driver for Mitsumi drives, but since I am aware
of at least eight firmware revisions for just the clamshell model that
are in the field (only one from Radio Shack), I think it is unlikely that
one driver will talk to all of these models, particularly considering
how wildly different some of the firmware is.

These drives also have an appaling low MTBF ( <9000 hours, MPC II spec is
>40,000 hours ).   Even Radio Shack has stopped stocking them and has
switched to a different vendor.   *BIG* hint!

I repeat: you pay for what you get, again and again and again....

Frank Durda IV <uhclem@nemesis.lonestar.org>|"The Knights who say "LETNi"
...utacfd!nemesis!uhclem (nearest internet) | demand...  A SEGMENT REGISTER!!!"
...letni!rwsys!nemesis!uhclem	            |"A what?"
...decvax!microsoft!trsvax!nemesis!uhclem   |"LETNi! LETNi! LETNi!"  - 1983