Early 3.5" Floppy Drives

[Roger Merchberger]

Rumor has it that Allison may have mentioned these words:
>From: Roger Merchberger <zmerch at 30below.com>
> >Rumor has it that Allison may have mentioned these words:
> >[snippety]
> >
> >>Size   density  format   writeclock
> >>-----------------------------------
> >>8"       DD      MFM     1000khz
> >>8"       SD       FM      500khz  (8"SSSD 241k CP/M standard)
> >>
> >>5.25     DD      MFM     500khz (40track is 360k, 80track 720k)
> >>5.25     SD       FM     250khz
> >>
> >>3.5"     HD      MFM    1000khz (1.44mb) (looks like 8" different CHS)
> >>3.5"     DD      MFM     500khz (720k)   (same rate as 5.25 DD and 8" SD)
> >>3.5"     ??       FM     250khz (not used obsolete)
> >
> >3.5" FM was used for microcomputers - the Tandy Portable Disk Drive (OEMmed
> >by Brother, IIRC) was 40 tracks, 2SPT FM w/100K storage. Serial port
> >driven, and worked with the Tandy Model 100/102/200 laptops. In my Service
> >manual for the critter, it did mention the density, but I don't have that
> >handy. DD disks worked just fine on it (read: data life at least into the
> >10 year range), but HD didn't work so well, IIRC.
> >
> >The TPDD2 was also FM, but used an 80 track drive (set into 2 banks for
> >compatibility with the TPDD1) for 200K storage.
>
>;) it's obsolete.

<MODE="SnobbishBastageButJustJoking">
And 8" drives aren't obsolete??? :-O
</MODE>

By today's definition, they're *all* obsolete... ;-) I was responding to 
the "not used" part - I'd read that as "no major manufacturer actually used 
that format." I obviously interpreted that incorrectly, but 3.5" FM drives 
are quite a bit easier to find than 2" MFM drives... (Of which I have 2 as 
well, and 4 or 5 boxes of media, 2 still shrink-wrapped. :-)

Laterz,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--

Roger "Merch" Merchberger  --  SysAdmin, Iceberg Computers
zmerch at 30below.com

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