Fairlight-CMI

Good news!

I tried to get this particular combination to work with an older SCSI
PowerMac but failed. Since most sites describe this scenario as pretty
straightforward I suspected that something might be wrong with my setup. So
I swapped the CF card with the one from my Digicam (which is a newer, 1GB
card). The Mac recognized and formatted it without problems.

Next step: The MFX/2. Same here - the Fairlight now was able to format the
card and use it without any problems. I've transferred parts of the library
to the card and all seems to work fine. One thing I did not yet try is
using the CF card as a boot device.

But so far everything looks pretty good. I'll try to get me a 4GB CF card next.

The SCSI-IDE bridge is a R-IDSC-E/R which can be had for around $20 on ebay
(or $10 if you buy a bundle of ten at once). The IDE-CF adapter was one of
the cheaper models (5 EUR). This particular adapter does not allow
different voltages for the CF card; possibly this might have had something
to do with the failure of the first card.

Hi All.

I can also confirm the ultra-cheap SCSI-IDE bridge and CF card reader works a treat with 4Gbyte cards, looking EXACTLY like a hard disc, and bootable. My friend and some-times partner-in-crime Joe Sleator made an image of a hard drive on his PC, and transferred this to the CF card. 

Incidentally, I mounted all this gubbins on an old unpopulated CMI card, which I then placed in space in the digital card cage left by having a single 32Mbyte RAM card. Just one small 50-way ribbon then connects to the WS or Turbo_SCSI. No heat, no noise - neat! 

I'll take a picture when I get the machine back - at the moment it's with Fairlight Australia having it's DNA analysed for PVs new CMI-30A..

Regards,

Peter Wielk

A good solution for replace the floppy drive? http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/pictures/index.html
 
Fabio

--- Mer 10/2/10, horiprod <horizontal_productions@hotmail.com> ha scritto:


Da: horiprod <horizontal_productions@hotmail.com>
Oggetto: [Fairlight-CMI] Re: Series III and CF cards *UPDATE*
A: Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
Data: Mercoledì 10 febbraio 2010, 04:38


  



Hi All.

I can also confirm the ultra-cheap SCSI-IDE bridge and CF card reader works a treat with 4Gbyte cards, looking EXACTLY like a hard disc, and bootable. My friend and some-times partner-in-crime Joe Sleator made an image of a hard drive on his PC, and transferred this to the CF card. 

Incidentally, I mounted all this gubbins on an old unpopulated CMI card, which I then placed in space in the digital card cage left by having a single 32Mbyte RAM card. Just one small 50-way ribbon then connects to the WS or Turbo_SCSI. No heat, no noise - neat! 

I'll take a picture when I get the machine back - at the moment it's with Fairlight Australia having it's DNA analysed for PVs new CMI-30A..

Regards,

Peter Wielk

Last time I asked, I was told that a Fairlight could read from it, but writing was not possible (yet).

It should also be adapted.
My wish: When the 8" floppy has no floppy in it (there is a signal that indicates this situation) the CF card should be accessed.
There should be a selector of 3 digits, so you can select out of 1000 disks. (0-999) Those 1000 disks can easily be stored on 1 CF card.
There can be a simpler version for the 8" with OS.
I hope that there will be a working solution soon................

As for scsi to CF card HD replacement: At the moment I'm busy replacing the HD from the E-MU EIII, using a scsi to IDE converter and than a IDE CF-card adaptor. This method should work for the CMI III too.

Regards,

Peter Kersten.

--- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, fabio delben <memestudio@...> wrote:

>
> A good solution for replace the floppy drive? http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/pictures/index.html
> Â 
> Fabio
> 
> --- Mer 10/2/10, horiprod <horizontal_productions@...> ha scritto:
> 
> 
> Da: horiprod <horizontal_productions@...>
> Oggetto: [Fairlight-CMI] Re: Series III and CF cards *UPDATE*
> A: Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
> Data: Mercoledì 10 febbraio 2010, 04:38
> 
> 
> Â  
> 
> 
> 
> Hi All.
> 
> I can also confirm the ultra-cheap SCSI-IDE bridge and CF card reader works a treat with 4Gbyte cards, looking EXACTLY like a hard disc, and bootable. My friend and some-times partner-in-crime Joe Sleator made an image of a hard drive on his PC, and transferred this to the CF card. 
> 
> Incidentally, I mounted all this gubbins on an old unpopulated CMI card, which I then placed in space in the digital card cage left by having a single 32Mbyte RAM card. Just one small 50-way ribbon then connects to the WS or Turbo_SCSI. No heat, no noise - neat! 
> 
> I'll take a picture when I get the machine back - at the moment it's with Fairlight Australia having it's DNA analysed for PVs new CMI-30A..
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Peter Wielk
>

Here is a link to the forum where the Fairlight and HxC combo is discussed.
Last entry is from JB, who is on this list too. Hi JB :-)

Link: http://torlus.com/floppy/forum/viewtopic.php?t=118

JB is/was testing it. He seems to be very busy with other things, which is a pitty. :-(

The 8" floppies have their charm, however, as for saving your work it's not very reliable over long time periods.
For me it's really essential that there comes an upgrade.........

First and most important: A new storage solution. Floppy issue and if possible integrate a HD, based on CF. (There was already a scsi solution for the IIx, which could address 128 Mb, if I recall correctly, known as the "L" version, only 2 made.)

Second: For the future a new card that allows a modern monitor and a mouse instead of the lightpen. (My monitor and lightpen are in top condition, and the monitortube is new, however there are many systems out there that need a new monitor and/or lightpen).

Often I read that the Fairlight was famous for it's huge price. People often tend to forget to mention how awesome it's sound was and still IS!!!!

Regards,

Peter Kersten.

--- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, fabio delben <memestudio@...> wrote:

>
> A good solution for replace the floppy drive? http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/pictures/index.html
> Â 
> Fabio
> 
> --- Mer 10/2/10, horiprod <horizontal_productions@...> ha scritto:
> 
> 
> Da: horiprod <horizontal_productions@...>
> Oggetto: [Fairlight-CMI] Re: Series III and CF cards *UPDATE*
> A: Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
> Data: Mercoledì 10 febbraio 2010, 04:38
> 
> 
> Â  
> 
> 
> 
> Hi All.
> 
> I can also confirm the ultra-cheap SCSI-IDE bridge and CF card reader works a treat with 4Gbyte cards, looking EXACTLY like a hard disc, and bootable. My friend and some-times partner-in-crime Joe Sleator made an image of a hard drive on his PC, and transferred this to the CF card. 
> 
> Incidentally, I mounted all this gubbins on an old unpopulated CMI card, which I then placed in space in the digital card cage left by having a single 32Mbyte RAM card. Just one small 50-way ribbon then connects to the WS or Turbo_SCSI. No heat, no noise - neat! 
> 
> I'll take a picture when I get the machine back - at the moment it's with Fairlight Australia having it's DNA analysed for PVs new CMI-30A..
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Peter Wielk
>