Re: zip mystic -- Welcome to the Colo(u)r Classic Forum

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4], 5, 6, 7, 8 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 19:39:41 12/06/01 Thu
Author: Al Miner
Subject: Re: zip mystic
In reply to: connor 's message, "zip mystic" on 17:42:39 12/06/01 Thu

I got fairly far along with putting a Zip in a CC/550 before totally unrelated things interfered, and my Zip drive went into another project.

Here are the main issues:

1. You have to find a SCSI Zip internal drive for less money than the whole project is worth. I've seen them ebay'd for $25 to $50 (USD$).

2. You have to adapt the harness, by removing the original SCSI ribbon cable (with its single connector), and replacing it with a nice long 2 connector (at least) ribbon. This isn't an awful chore, but it does take a little care. Take a good look at how the old ribbon is attached, and as perfectly match your new ribbon as possible. Make sure you leave plenty of ribbon between the harness and the connector so it will reach the HD, and make sure you have a reasonable length of ribbon between the two connectors so it will reach the Zip comfortably.

3. You will need to chop the back off of the FD sled, to allow for the longer Zip drive. Once chopped, the sled is mighty handy for holding your Zip drive.

That is all I accomplished before I had to drop the project, but the next steps were to be:

4. Before making any exterior modifications to the CC, plug everything in and make sure it works. I was operating under the assumption that adding a Zip wouldn't overtax the CC's power supply. This was an assumption. I didn't get to verify it. I had a Y cable with the appropriate power sockets for the Zip and the HD, but, again, I never spun them up together.

5. If you discover that all that works, adjust the height of the Zip in the old FD sled (shaving and/or shimming) so that it lines up perfectly with the slot in the CC's faceplate. This will either be nearly unnecessary, or a painful process of trial and error. I hope it's the former, let us know!

6. Zip disks are wider than 3.5 floppies, and unfortunately about 1/8th of an inch (4mm) too wide for the slot in the CC's faceplate. Careful filing/drilling/dremeling should widen the sides fairly easily. The slot is already (just barely) tall enough to let a Zip disk through.

As far as CC modifications go, this one should be fairly easy. No soldering, and no strange components to sift through bins at Radio Shack to find. If you're at all like me, you have a SCSI ribbon cable in something that can be cannibalized for the project, and other than the Zip Drive itself, there aren't other parts to buy, really.

Best of luck! Show us your masterpiece when its done!

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Re: zip mystic -- scott johnston, 22:38:04 12/06/01 Thu