NetNews Offline 2/NetNews Offline Volume 2.iso/news/comp/sys/cbm/2231

Internet Message Format | 1996-08-05 | 1.6 KB

Path: acs6.acs.ucalgary.ca!horvath
From: [e-mail] (Janos Horvath)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: 1581 and C64.
Date: 12 Feb 1996 15:10:59 GMT
Organization: The University of Calgary
Message-ID: <4fnla3$[e-mail]>
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Chip Pieroni ([e-mail]) wrote:

:         Is there any point in buying a 1581 for a C64 ? Can it use
: it properly or is it best left to the C128 ? I have a C64E, but
: everything seems exactly the same as the brown one I had a few
: years back. Sigh..

Yes! If you can find a used 1581 drive for fairly cheap, and you plan to
use it with a C=64 OR C=128, by all means do so! You will have better
results if you buy a compatible speedloader (i.e. JiffyDOS, SS v5), but
even without increased speed you get some major advantages over stock 1541:

- 790K formatted storage capacity, without flipping or notching!
- diskette casing is much more durable and compact
- diskette write-protect switch is very handy
- external power supply for cooler operation
- DIP switches for device number (does anybody here agree that DIP switches
  should have been put in FRONT?)


There are some downsides, though. I offset them by keeping all my 5.25"
drives for backup.

- Much commercial software will not run unless it is in "proprietary"
  1541 format, i.e. the fast-serial routines are strictly for 1541 disk
  and drive. Some programs have been hacked to get around this.
- Not as large or heavy as original 1541, therefore unusable as carstop or
  club weapon.  :-)