8bitfiles.net/archives/archives.tar/archives/genie-commodore-file-library/Information/LTK-REVIEW

Text File | 2019-04-13 | 5.6 KB | 84 lines

LT KERNAL HARD DISK DRIVE REVIEWED
               Michael Kelley
    First off, special thanks and appreciation to Roy E. Southwick of
Fiscal Information Inc., 143 Executive Cl., Daytona Beach, Fla., 32014.
Roy is the developer and programmer for the LT KERNAL 20 meg hard drive
that can be hooked up to the Commodore 64 or 128 computer and used as a
mass storage device just like the so-called big boys.  With a LOT of
pleading and coaxing, Roy was able to put together a demo package of
one of these wonders of modern technology for my review for BBCG.
Without his support and assistance this review would not have been
possible.
    Let me first say that the LT KERNAL does all that it is supposed to
do in regards to literature and information I had received and read or
heard.  It is a 20 megabyte, SCSI hard drive, about the size of two
1541 drives set side by side, and about an inch lower in height.  It
fits very nicely on a computer desk or table, and is colored to match
the newer C64s as well as the 128s.  It has its own power supply and
fan, and draws only what it needs through the 'host adapter', a box
about the size of two store bought cassette tapes set side by side.
The host adapter is very heavy and had to be supported on my pull out
computer shelf in order to keep it from falling out of the cartridge
port of the group's C128.  All cables and accessories are provided, and
once you understand the instructions installation goes smoothly.
    The manual is very detailed and well printed, but some of the
instructions and information could be simplified or put in a better
order to make it more understandable.  In my conversation with Roy, a
mistake I made while following the 128 installation instructions was
'common'.  If 'common', then why not change the manual?  There is no
soldering required on the 64 installation, and limited soldering on the
128 if you want the burst-mode to be active for the 1571 drives.  (This
was where my error occurred, in making the burst-mode modification.)
Although the instructions detail installation well, the burst mode mod
is later in the manual, requiring you to open up your computer again.
Why not have the mod right with the 128 instructions, so you can do it
the first time your system is open?
    The first time out, I spent almost 4 hours on the phone, only to
find out I had a defective drive.  Roy was very helpful, and after
finding the problem sent a repaired drive back to me.  From that point
on (and once my hair started growing back), the drive became
operational.
    The LT KERNAL has some very sophisticated and detailed functions
and operations, most of which were out of my realm of computer use.
What interested me most was how well it acted as a storage device, and
how easy it was to operate.  Well friends, it acts well as a storage
device, and it ISN'T easy to operate.  It is very effective in 64 mode
for bulletin board system operations, and for those persons that are
heavy into programming.  Much of the manual details programming
utilities that are very powerful and effective.  In 128 mode the LT
KERNAL is not as efficient, and is more cumbersome to operate.
    You have the ability to load a file with a standard load command,
and if not found on the LTK, the disk drive will then be accessed and
loaded.  I found that with the majority of software in 64 or 128 mode,
this feature worked fewer times than it failed.  Seems the LTK commands
get in the way of loading from floppy disk.  I even tried changing the
LTK device number, but most software I tried had to be loaded from disk
with the LTK off.  A routine called FASTCOPY will allow you to copy
files over to the LTK to load blazingly fast, and then run.
Unfortunately, most PD software had to be loaded in the very first part
of the LTK hard drive, which rendered the rest of my storage space
virtually useless for the software I tried.  Copyrighted software could
be copied over to the LTK ONLY in 64 mode, using a built in memory
archiver called ICQUB (ice cube).  Even with that, if the software does
not allow multiple disk and drive access, I still could not use it with
the LTK.  There is precious little software that lets you access more
than Device 8, drive 1 or 0, but you need that ability to really make
the LTK work.  Pocket 2 64/128 is configured right, but would not load
and run with the LTK on.  Even when I tried using the LTK as a second
drive, for data files (like this newsletter file) etc., I could not
access the drive to retrieve the files.  Totally discouraging!
    After all this, I started to ask around on Quantum Link to see what
other uses there were for the LTK hard drive.  What I found out was
most LTK owners run bulletin board systems (BBSs), and some owners are
heavy programmers.  There were NO regular end users that had a LTK for
normal program running and file storage.  Someone said it was their
opinion that the LTK was meant for developers, and was NOT meant for
end users like the majority of our members who buy software off the
shelf.  I agree with that assessment.
    The LTK loaded files VERY fast, handled commands listed in the
manual well, and performed properly, on what little software I could
use with it.  If you are a developer or BBS Sysop, the LTK is for you.
If not, save your money for a second drive, new printer, new software,
or take your spouse to dinner.  Hmm, for the price of an LTK, you could
probably do all those things!  Good luck, and enjoy!  MWK