HP9885 8" floppy unit

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_cfl.rr.com>
Date: Sun Apr 6 21:04:01 2003

At 03:09 PM 4/5/03 EST, you wrote:
>My 1988 HP catalog indicates that it is the 9127A 5 1/4" floppy that works
>with the 9000/3XX series of computers. For 3 1/2" drives it is the 9122D/S
>drive unit that is recommended. There is no mention of an 8" floppy disk
>drive for use with the 9000/3XX series of computers

   IIRC one of the first HP catalogs that listed the 9000/200 series computer (probably about 1985) also listed an interface for the 9885 drive. The HP 9895 drive has a HP-IB interface and should be useable on any of the 200s and (I THINK) any of the 300s. The same applies to the the 82901 and 82902 5.25" floppy drives. I believe that the 9121, 82901, 82902 and 9895 all use the Amigo protocall. If so, any machine that supports the 9121 should support all the others even if they were obselete and not listed in the HP catalogs of the period.

>
>I don't think the older 9885 floppy disk drive would work unless you wanted
>to program your own GPIO interface using the 98622A GPIO interface card which
>should fit in your 3XX.

   I don't think the 380s came with any DIO slots so the 98622 wouldn't fit unless you add a DIO-II to DIO converter or an expansion chassis that has DIO slots.

>
>The SCSI/HS HP-IB interface is used as a disk drive interface but not for the
>9885 floppys.

    Correct.

    Joe
Received on Sun Apr 06 2003 - 21:04:01 BST