PIOS newsletter #2/97
=====================

"EIDE vs. SCSI"

by Stefan Domeyer

Since we have published the first specifications of our PIOS One,
we were happy to watch a great discussion on Usenet
as well as emails from a lot of users having more questions and
some very interesting proposals. 

One heavy discussed issue seems to be SCSI or not SCSI. There is
no simple answer to that question. First of all, we must be very
price competitive, as we were with the Amiga. So, EIDE is the cheaper
solution. But the technology has to meet your expectations, too.
Let's have a deeper look into the facts, taking the harddisks as
an example. 

Since some time already, some good EIDE harddisks using the modern
MR heads and high rotation speeds (5,400RPM) are outperforming the
mainstream SCSI drives. But this sounds still like grey theory.
Now the German CHIP magazine, in its 2/97 issue, checked the reality
and tested a big number of harddrives, to come to an interesting
conclusion: If you don't spend more than US$ 1,000 for a HD, the
EIDE drives are always the better solution, since they provide more
performance at a lower or same price level than SCSI drives.
As a result for our product configuration and specification, EIDE
will be the standard in the PIOS systems for harddisks
and CD-ROM drives. 

Nevertheless, some folks love to use SCSI for various reasons. As
we want to keep them happy, too, we have one chip on our mainboard
working as a SCSI host adaptor, among other tasks, the Hydra chip.
We have added a header connector on the board, so you are free to
install and use the SCSI devices you desire. And for the unlikely
case that you don't want EIDE at all, be free to buy a basic
("Bare Bone") model and complete the configuration of your choice. 

Please keep on mailing us with your opinion and your advice, since
it will be you to buy the PIOS One...