MO question

From: Mark <mark_k_at_iname.com>
Date: Sat Dec 9 07:22:40 2000

Hi,

On Fri, 8 Dec 2000 Douglas Quebbeman wrote in reply to a message by John
Foust:
> > In a nice freebie haul that included a 128M Quadra 950, a 660AV,
> > a Syquest external, an HP ScanJet IIc, DeskWriter C, there was
> > an Optima Concorde 600 meg magneto-optical drive. This is
> > the Sony SMO-E501 mechanism.
>
> That's an odd-sized capacity... are these 5.25 inch carts, or
> 3.25 inch carts? If the latter, are you sure they aren't 640MB
> capacity?

Not odd really.

The first generation of (ISO standard) 5.25" MO drives can work with 600 and
650MB media.

650MB disks have a sector size of 1024 bytes, but some operating systems &
software only work with 512-byte sectors. If the drive was marketed for use
with a particular operating system or software package that required 512-byte
sector media, that would explain the 600 designation on the case. With
appropriate driver software, Macs can use 1024-byte sector media. If you want
to use it in conjunction with a modern PC, both 600 and 650MB disks will work
fine under Windows 9x, no drivers needed.


The SMO-E501 is a first-generation MO drive, albeit not the first first-
generation drive that Sony made (if that makes any sense). Circa 1992 I think.

Let me know if you would like specs or jumper setting info for the MO drive.


-- Mark
Received on Sat Dec 09 2000 - 07:22:40 GMT