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IOMEGA ZIP DRIVE - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Version 1.6
Compilation, general info, and Mac info by steveg@phantom.com
Most PC info by lee@library.ucsb.edu
(Not in any way associated with Iomega)
Thanks to the following helpful people who have provided additional
questions, answers, and/or information for this FAQ:
wjabi@libra.arch.umich.edu
pbp@mindspring.com, kb03@swt.edu, guymc@evansville.net, folta@netcom.com,
keithj@unr.edu, nmehl@near.net, bbennett@unixg.ubc.ca, lisa@gordian.com,
hueichin@macc.wisc.edu, phil@jherek.demon.co.uk, cteng@Stat.UFL.Edu,
jgreely@Synopsys.COM, schuster@panix.com, dcohen@cix.compulink.co.uk,
mmontour@jumpgate.ubc.ca, adaml@gate.net, bob@pixi.com,
bjg@shaman.nexagen.com, jon@paisley.ac.uk, ToddWAnder@aol.com, and many
others.
This FAQ attempts to answer many common questions and clarify many
misconceptions about the Iomega Zip drive, one of the most innovative and
viable secondary storage and backup devices to come on to the Mac scene
in a very long time.
This FAQ also makes an attempt to deliver news and information about the
forthcoming Iomega Jaz drive. While Jaz is not shipping as of this
writing, it has garnered enough attention at trade shows and press
releases to warrant representation in this FAQ.
Additions, addendums, corrections, or further general or Mac-related
questions ONLY can be submitted to steveg@phantom.com. In no way
whatsoever am I to be held responsible for errors or omissions in this
FAQ that could lead to further misconceptions, problems, data loss,
conflicting issues or (for whatever reasons) sudden death. Use this FAQ
at your own risk.
Editorial Note: I have received many, many messages telling me that the
information contained within this FAQ is "too Mac biased". Well, sorry
folks, but I can't do anything about that. I use Zip on a Mac, I maintain
this FAQ from a Mac, so it's only natural that I'd use the Mac as a
reference point. In the interest of objectivity I try to put more general
Zip info than Zip-with-Mac info into this FAQ, but without half a dozen
different platforms to test and use the Zip on there's not much more I
can do. I've no objections to other users sending me their benchmark and
other information for other platforms (in fact, I encourage it) for
inclusing in this FAQ, but since the Zip is in the hands of Mac users
more than non-Mac users, the pickings from non-Mac users are few and far
between.
If anyone would like to volunteer for the positions of "Amiga Zip Guru",
"Atari Zip Guru" or "<whatever> Zip Guru", please let me know
(steveg@phantom.com) so that I may add your name to the reference list
for folks who mail me with questions I can't answer. Thanks.
- - - - -
***NEW IN THIS VERSION
* More revisions on the overhaul of this FAQ;
* Lots and lots of "little bits of info" added throughout the FAQ;
* Some much-needed info about Zip and non-Mac/non-PC platforms;
* Incorporated info about the forthcoming Jaz drive (section 11);
* News from Iomega at MacWorld Expo in Boston (scattered throughout);
* Directions to a uuencoded GIF of Zip and Jaz (section 1);
* Zip power supply information (see 2.12);
* Wondered about that little reflector on the back of Zip carts? See 2.11!
- - - - -
***QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION ADDRESSED IN THIS FAQ
SECTION 1: INFORMATION AT A GLANCE
Physical dimensions, press ratings, FAQ locations, contact information, etc.
SECTION 2: GENERAL ZIP-RELATED ISSUES
Q2.1: What is the Zip drive?
Q2.2: What's the deal with the cartridges?
Q2.3: Can the Zip drive use other types of media?
Q2.4: How fast is the Zip drive?
Q2.5: Does the Zip drive use Bernoulli technology?
Q2.6: It's such a new drive...How does it rate in terms of quality?
Q2.7: What if I want to buy one Zip drive for use on several
different machines?
Q2.8: What other goodies are offered with Zip?
Q2.9: Any other things, good or bad, that I should know?
Q2.10: I want more information and this FAQ just isn't enough for me!
How can I get in touch with the folks who make the Zip?
Q2.11: What's that little reflector thing on the back of the Zip carts?
Q2.12: Hey, my power supply doesn't look like the one you described at the
beginning of this FAQ! What gives?
SECTION 3: PORTABILITY CONCERNS
Q3.1: Is the Zip drive available with a power supply of 220/240 volts
so that it will work in other countries?
Q3.2: Does that "Universal Power Supply" include all ten billion adapters
to fit the various electrical outlets of the world?
SECTION 4: MACINTOSH ISSUES
Q4.1: Will the Zip drive work with System 7's virtual memory?
Q4.2: Can you boot a Mac from a Zip disk?
Q4.3: Will Zip work with a PowerBook?
SECTION 5: PC ISSUES
Q5.1: What's a Zip Drive-SCSI for PC?
Q5.2: What's this Zip Zoom SCSI adapter all about?
Q5.3: What about booting a DOS/Windows machine from the Zip drive?
Q5.4: My PC doesn't have a SCSI adapter. What do I do?
Q5.5: How fast is the parallel version of the Zip drive?
Q5.6: No, really, how fast is it in Real Life?
Q5.7: Why would I want a parallel version instead of a faster SCSI version?
Q5.8: Windows blows chunks; I use OS/2. I guess I have to buy the OS/2 Zip
Tools from Iomega, right?
Q5.9: How can I change the specific drive letter to the Zip drive?
Q5.10: Anything else? I gotta get back to playing Doom II...
SECTION 6: MAC AND PC INTEROPERABILITY
Q6.1: Can the Mac read PC-formatted Zip disks, and vice-versa?
Q6.2: Can I use the Zip drive with both my Mac and my PC?
SECTION 7: OTHER PLATFORM ISSUES
Q7.1: Does the Zip work with other, non-Mac and non-PC platforms?
Q7.2: What's been reported so far that works and doesn't work?
Q7.3: I wonder if Zip will work with my Amiga...
Q7.4: That's all fine and dandy for Amiga owners...How about those of
us who use Atari's 680x0-based machines?
SECTION 8: ZIP AND IOMEGA RUMORS AND NEWS
SECTION 9: BENCHMARK RESULTS
SECTION 10: IOMEGA ZIP vs SYQUEST EZ135
SECTION 11: IOMEGA JAZ-THE NEXT GENERATION
- - - - -
NOTE: Unless specified otherwise, all transfer rates and access times
listed throughout this FAQ are in reference to the SCSI version of the
Zip drive when connected to a Macintosh IIci w/DayStar 33Mhz 68LC040
accelerator and 32-MB RAM running System 7.5.1.
- - - - -
***SECTION 1: INFORMATION AT A GLANCE
SIZE OF ZIP DRIVE: Approximately 7" long by 5.25" wide by 1.5" high
LENGTH OF SCSI CABLE: 3' (three feet)
SIZE OF STANDARD POWER SUPPLY: 3.25"x2.5"x2.25" (see ASCII diagram)
2.5"
__|___
/ /|
3.25"- / / |
/ / |
/_____/ /
| | /|
2.25"- |__O__|/
LENGTH OF POWER CABLE: 6' (six feet)
CURRENT CAPACITY: 100-MB cartridges store 94.1-MB after formatting
25-MB cartridges expected to ship soon
TRANSFER SPEED: See chart near bottom of FAQ.
PRESS RATINGS: MacWeek (unknown issue date), 5 stars (5=top rating)
MacWorld (July 1995), 4 stars (5=top rating)
MacUser (July 1995), 4.5 stars (5=top rating)
UK MacUser (June 9 1995), 5 stars (5=top rating)
This FAQ is posted on an as-needed and as-completed basis to the
following Usenet newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware.storage,
comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage, comp.sys.atari.st.tech,
comp.sys.atari.8bit, comp.sys.amiga.hardware. This FAQ will also be
uploaded to the two most popular Macintosh ftp sites
(sumex-aim.stanford.edu and mac.archive.umich.edu) for placement in
whatever directory the supervisor(s) of those sites deem appropriate.
A uuencoded GIF file can be found on comp.sys.mac.hardware.storage under
the subject of "Zip and Jaz GIF". I am reluctant to crosspost it to all
of the newsgroups this FAQ appears since the uuencoded file is so large.
By the way, if someone wants to donate some space for this FAQ to have a
"home" please let me know. I'm sure the net could stand to save some of
the bandwidth it takes to post this FAQ, and it would also make life a
lot more convenient for those who seek this FAQ. (Of course, if someone
wants to give me access to a SLIP or PPP connection and some space for a
web page...)
If you have a Zip-related question which you'd like to see directly
addressed in this FAQ, please send mail to the appropriate users -- and
PLEASE make sure you address them properly. While I can appreciate the
need for answers to your PC-related questions, as a Macintosh enthusiast
I (steveg@phantom.com) simply do not have the answers you seek, so PLEASE
STOP MAILING *ME* with PC questions!
For Mac Q&A...............steveg@phantom.com
For PC Q&A................lee@library.ucsb.edu (who will forward the answer
to me for inclusion in the next edition of the
FAQ)
For all other platforms...Until we get appropriate "Zip Gurus" on other
platforms, post questions to your local usenet
newsgroup(s) that relate to your platform.
- - - - -
***SECTION 2: GENERAL ZIP-RELATED ISSUES
Q2.1: What is the Zip drive?
A2.1: The Zip drive is a new drive from Iomega Corporation, makers of the
Bernoulli line of removable storage devices (competing primarily with
drives from the SyQuest corporation). The drive uses proprietary
cartridges providing 100-MB unformatted storage capacity (25-MB
cartridges are expected to be released soon). The drive was first
advertised in the catalog pages of MacWarehouse (a popular mail order
company) several months before the drive began shipping. As a result, a
huge backorder was created even before the first drives began trickling
out. After the drives began shipping in earnest, other mail order
companies and local retailers began advertising and selling them. Waiting
periods ranged from a few days to over a month, depending on which vendor
you ordered from and exactly when you ordered. Pricing for the drive is
typically about $200 (for the external unit); users have reported a price
spread as low as $190 and as high as $220.
The drive itself is rather small (slightly larger than the typical Supra
modem) and weighs less than one pound (including disk). The case is a
cheap-feeling but reasonably sturdy dark blue plastic affair with six
gray rubber feet attached, allowing the drive to be set flat (like a
typical modem) or on edge. A green LED on the front of the drive
indicates that the drive has power, while an orange LED next to it acts
as a busy light. A small round gray button is set below the two LEDs and
acts as an eject button. (When the drive is connected to the Mac, the
disk is automatically ejected like a floppy disk when the disk icon is
dragged to the trash can. If you have a disk installed and the computer
is not turned on, pressing the button on the drive will eject the disk.
On the PC, this button acts as a typical manual eject button.) A clear
plastic window is on the top of the drive allowing the user to see the
label of an inserted disk.
The Zip is available in both SCSI and parallel versions. The SCSI version
can be used with (theoretically) any computer that has a SCSI port, while
the parallel version is for PC users only. The back of the SCSI version
of the drive has two 25-pin SCSI connectors; between these two connectors
are two switches, one allowing the user to set the drive between SCSI ID
5 and 6 (those are the only two options available), while the other
provides termination (ON if the Zip is the last device on the SCSI chain,
OFF if there are devices on either side of the SCSI chain). The parallel
version of the drive would, of course, lack these features (if someone
could describe the back of the parallel Zip drive for me I'd appreciate it).
The power inlet is located on the side of the drive (on the same side
that would face down if the drive were positioned on its side) and
provides both a recessed power connector and a recessed power cable guide
for aesthetically routing the power cord.
The drive uses regular magnetic-type read/write heads to store data; it
is not a magneto-optical drive, removable hard drive, etc. The best way I
can describe it is as "a 100-MB floppy drive that's about as fast as a
slow hard drive."
The drive ships with an external two-prong power supply (which weighs
slightly more than the drive itself!), one 100-MB "Zip Tools" cartridge
containing many excellent utilities for formatting, indexing and backing
up your data, two floppy disks for installation (one for Mac, one for
PC), a thin but complete owner's manual, a shielded 25-to-25 pin SCSI
cable, and the usual assortment of promotional goodies. Setting up the
drive takes only a few minutes.
There are actually two different backup programs provided on the Zip
Tools disk, one for Mac and one for PC. The Mac version gets "Personal
Backup", a simple but adequate program that is very effective for its
purpose in life. PC users get "Microsoft Backup", a program which
(presumably) is equally effective .(Though, like other MS wares, is
probably seriously bloated and runs very slowly even on fast machines --
oops, sorry, I got carried away with things; please ignore the Microsoft
commentary, thanks.)
Q2.2: What's the deal with the cartridges?
A2.2: As of this writing, only 100-MB cartridges are shipping. Each
cartridge has an unformatted capacity of 100-MB; after formatting, they
provide about 95-MB of storage capacity. Cartridges cost between $15 and
$25 apiece depending on vendor and quantity purchased; the typical sale
price from any of a number of mail order vendors is $20 each for 1-4
cartridges, $18 each for 5-9 cartridges, and $15 each for 10+ cartridges.
Each cartridge measures about 3.875" square and are about .25" thick.
They come in a hard clear plastic fold-out case, similar to a
magneto-optical disk. The cartridges are prelabeled; replacement labels
are available from Iomega for a rather pricey $3 for a package of 10.
Iomega plans to have 25-MB cartridges available soon. Cartridges can be
formatted with just about any low-level SCSI formatting utility, though
no significant performance or capacity differences were noted between
using the different formatting utilities. Programs such as TimesTwo for
the Mac (by the now-defunct Golden Triangle) or Stacker for either the
Mac or PC can be successfully used to format the disks to an artificial
200-MB each, but I wouldn't recommend it for several reasons. Besides,
the cartridges are cheap enough to store data without compression so why
bother?
Formatting a Zip disk in a SCSI Zip drive using Iomega's software takes
about 10 minutes from start to finish, and that includes verification of
the format. Iomega's software also provides the ability to simply blank
out a previously-formatted Zip disk's directory; this option takes about
15 seconds.
Several people have reported that MS-DOS formatted Zip disks seem to be
in more plentiful supply than Mac formatted Zip disks, presumably because
the Zip drive isn't making as big a splash in the PC world since they
have never had as strong a deficit of low-cost, high-capacity secondary
storage devices that the Macintosh has had to suffer through. If you can
find PC formatted Zip disks, snag 'em; they can be easily reformatted to
work on the Mac. (And vice-versa, if the need is there.)
Q2.3: Can the Zip drive use other types of media?
A2.3: The Zip drive and its cartridges _are_not_compatible_ with any
other media or drive. A Zip drive cannot read/write/format/recognize
magneto-optical disks, floppy disks, SyQuest cartridges, Bernoulli
cartridges, DATs (or other types of tape cartridges), or any other sort
of non-Zip media.
Q2.4: How fast is the Zip drive?
A2.4: Like any SCSI device, overall performance will vary depending on
what system and configuration is used. The shareware Macintosh benchmark
utility Speedometer 4.0 gives the drive a rating of .794, which is
slightly faster than the 44-MB SyQuest drive that I tested as a
comparison device (and gave a rating of .736). This is fast enough to run
most software; QuickTime movies run quite smoothly from Zip disks, as do
sampled sounds and similar time-specific files. (See more detailed
ratings at the bottom of this FAQ.)
Q2.5: Does the Zip drive use Bernoulli technology?
A2.5: No, not at all. The Zip drive is a sort of hybrid of modern drive
assembly techniques and established Winchester-type drive mechanisms. The
Bernoulli Effect, and the technology that Iomega applies to it, is not to
be found in this drive.
Q2.6: It's such a new drive...How does it rate in terms of quality?
A2.6: Only time will tell for that, of course. It is my personal feeling,
and the overwhelming feeling of most of the Zip owners on the internet,
that the Zip drive is quite solid and reliable. I've personally put about
six hundred consecutive hours of access time on my Zip drive and had nary
a single problem. I've transported the drive in a plain plastic grocery
bag to work and back (a half hour New York walk) and hadn't had a problem
with it. The drive is tightly constructed, though some may think it feels
cheap. My personal drive survived numerous leg-bumps while walking to and
from work and survived without a single scratch or performance defect.
Q2.7: What if I want to buy one Zip drive for use on several
different machines?
A2.7: If they're all Macs, you're set. Just install the Zip Tools
software on each machine and off you go. Of course, you'll need to
physically move the Zip drive from one Mac to another as well. If you're
dealing with a mixed Mac and PC environment, your options change. If your
PC has a SCSI card you can plug the Zip drive into it, install the PC Zip
Tools, and away you go. If you don't have a SCSI card on your PC, Iomega
offers a ZIP SCSI adapter for $60 (Iomega part #10013). If you don't want
SCSI on your PC, you can buy the parallel version of the Zip drive. It
offers all the same features of the SCSI Zip drive, but it interfaces
with the more common parallel connectors on PC's.
The hardware interface is easy; connect it as you would any other SCSI
device. The potential problem lies in the Zip Tools software. Iomega only
packages the Zip drive with Zip Tools for Mac and PC running Windows
(they also offer the Zip Tools package for OS/2; this disk costs an
additional $20 and is Iomega part #10045).
Q2.8: What other goodies are offered with Zip?
A2.8: A small color brochure is included with the drive selling such
items as carrying cases, Zip disk holders, extra Zip disks (which are
more expensive than mail order and some retail outlets), Zip disk labels,
Zip SCSI cables, the aforementioned PowerBook adapter, power supplies,
Zip SCSI cards, and Zip Tools for the three mentioned platforms. It is
mentioned in the Zip documentation that a Zip drive cleaning kit is
offered through Iomega; however, there is no evidence of this kit in the
color brochure. (Note that the Zip drive CANNOT be cleaned with a
conventional floppy drive cleaning kit, so don't try it!)
Q2.9: Any other things, good or bad, that I should know?
A2.9: There are some issues which some people find fault with which I'll
point out here. First, the drive has no POWER switch. When the drive is
plugged into an active electrical outlet, it's on; when it's unplugged,
it's off. I personally have no problem with this as my drive is plugged
into a switchable power station (Kensington MasterPiece Plus; no
affiliation, though I think this is an excellent unit) and I can turn it
off and on with the station's button.
The drive also has only two SCSI ID options (5 and 6), which means that
if you have a relatively full SCSI chain, you may find yourself switching
the ID's of other devices on the chain.
As was previously stated, the drive has two 25-pin SCSI connectors and
ships with a 25-to-25 pin SCSI cable. For most users with multiple SCSI
devices, this means that the Zip drive will be the first drive on the
SCSI chain and other devices will plug into the Zip drive. If you happen
to have a spare 50-to-25 pin SCSI cable, you can place the Zip drive on
the end of the SCSI chain (thus eliminating the need for external
terminators, since the Zip has switchable termination) by connecting the
50-pin end to your formerly-last SCSI device the the 25-pin end to the
Zip drive. This is NOT to say that the Zip drive couldn't be placed in
the middle of your SCSI chain. It certainly can; the only thing you'd
need to accomplish this is the appropriate SCSI cables (25-to-25 and/or
25-to-50, depending on your other devices).
The drive is VERY quiet. For some, this is a blessing; for others, a
curse. The drive makes a quiet (library-level) clicking sound as the
read/write heads move across the disk, but that's about it. Do not rely
on auditory feedback to determine the status of the Zip drive.
The drive also has a power saving mode. When the drive is not accessed
for a few minutes, the drive kicks down into a low-power mode. When the
drive needs to be accessed while in low-power mode, it only takes about a
second for the drive to get back into action (considerably less time than
it takes for a PowerBook's hard drive to spin back up).
When inserting a disk, there is no lengthily spin-up time like a SyQuest
drive so the disk is almost instantly available. When a disk is ejected,
there is no spin-down time so the disk ejects at least as fast (if not
faster) than a floppy disk, and leaves the drive with a very solid and
satisfying "ker-CHUNK" sound.
Q2.10: I want more information and this FAQ just isn't enough for me!
How can I get in touch with the folks who make the Zip?
A2.10: It turns out that there's a whole lot of different ways you can
contact Iomega. If you're still living in the Stone Age (or, perhaps more
appropriately, the Stamp Age), you can write them: Iomega Corporate
Office, Iomega Corporation, 1821 West Iomega Way, Roy, Utah 84067-9977,
USA. The voice telephone number for their corporate offices is
801-778-1000, but DON'T call there unless absolutely necessary. Iomega
has been smart enough to supply about half a dozen alternative telephone
resources. An Interactive Voice Help system (24 hours) is available at
1-800-456-5522 (or 801-778-3000 if you're in the area code). Sales
Information is at 1-800-MY-STUFF (1-800-697-8899). An automated FAX
assistance system (US and Canada only; 24 hours) is at 801-778-5763. But
wait! There's more! Iomega operates a BBS at 801-392-9819. They're on
CompuServe (Mac users type "GO MACCVEN", PC users type "GO PCVENE") and
America Online (keyword "IOMEGA"), and they have an internet email
address at info@iomega.com. Finally (?), they operate a Web page at
http://www.iomega.com/. Whew!
Q2.11: What's that little reflector thing on the back of the Zip carts?
A2.11: On the back of each Zip cartridge there is a small reflector
embedded in the case. It turns out that the Zip drive uses this little
reflector to identify a Zip disk so that it doesn't mistakenly engage the
drive's read/write heads and potentially damage the drive. Since only Zip
disks have this reflector, there is no danger of the drive engaging on a
mistakenly-inserted floppy disk, for example. (Unfortunately it is
possible for a user to insert a non-Zip disk into the Zip and damage the
drive just by the act of inserting the non-Zip disk. This reflector is
not a foolproof method, but it does help.) The Iomega Jaz drive uses a
similar reflector mechanism, by the way.
Q2.12: Hey, my power supply doesn't look like the one you described at the
beginning of this FAQ! What gives?
A2.12: Apparently Iomega has shipped at least two - possibly as many as
three - different power supplies with the Zip drive without telling
anyone. The original power supply is the one shown at the top of this FAQ
and has a 2 amp power rating. The second power supply was about half the
size and weight of the original supply and was rated at 1.5 amps, while
the third was just a tiny bit smaller than the second and is rated at
only one amp. Some people with the second and third power supplies have
reported that those power supplies operate at a higher temperature than
the original power supply, but they seem to perform without difficulty.
- - - - -
***SECTION 3: PORTABILITY CONCERNS
Q3.1: Is the Zip drive available with a power supply of 220/240 volts
so that it will work in other countries?
A3.1: Yes and no. By itself, the Zip drive ships with a USA-standard
power supply which can't be used everywhere around the world. However,
Iomega sells a "Universal Power Supply" (item #10044) for $40 which,
according to Iomega documentation is "smaller, lighter, and usable
worldwide". I've received some reports from several people who state that
this power supply works in several different countries. Zip owners in the
USA who travel within the country with their Zip drive may want to
consider this power supply as it is indeed smaller and lighter than the
standard power supply (almost half the size, in fact) and would make
portability that much easier.
Q3.2: Does that "Universal Power Supply" include all ten billion adapters
to fit the various electrical outlets of the world?
A3.2: No. You get the small device pictured in the catalog as well as a
standard computer peripheral power cable. If you want to plug it in
anywhere else in the world, you're on your own for adapters. (Radio
Shack, among many other vendors, sells adapter plugs for various world
ports.) This is not an Iomega part; you might be able to get it faster by
ordering it from somewhere else (it is from Advanced Power Solutions and
is model #SA-051A5F-10).
- - - - -
***SECTION 4: MACINTOSH ISSUES
Q4.1: Will the Zip drive work with System 7's virtual memory?
A4.1: Like all other removable storage devices, no, it will not work. It
is my understanding, however, that other virtual memory programs exist
which can use removable storage devices (and, as such, the Zip drive) as
VM storage, but that's a subject for another FAQ. :-)
Q4.2: Can you boot a Mac from a Zip disk?
A4.2: Yes, you can. There are two ways to accomplish this. (The following
instructions assume that you have a Zip disk with the proper System
software installed on it.)
First, when the computer is up and running, insert a Zip disk. Open the
"Startup Disk" control panel and select the Zip disk as your startup
disk. While holding down the OPTION key, select RESTART from the SPECIAL
menu; holding down OPTION prevents the Zip disk from being ejected. (If
for some reason the Zip disk IS ejected after you select RESTART, simply
reinsert the Zip disk BEFORE the "happy Mac" icon comes up and you'll be
in business.)
The second way is a bit different and assumes that your computer is
turned off, but the startup disk is the hard drive you usually boot from.
Power up your Zip and insert the Zip disk. Boot your Mac while holding
down the SHIFT, COMMAND, OPTION, and DELETE keys; this forces your Mac to
bypass the internal hard drive and should cause your Mac to boot right
from the Zip disk.
Q4.3: Will Zip work with a PowerBook?
A4.3: Absolutely! However, you'll need to invest in an HDI-SCSI adapter;
Iomega sells this for $20 and is part #10042. Other manufacturers sell
this type of adapter at comparable prices.
- - - - -
***SECTION 5: PC ISSUES
Q5.1: What's a Zip Drive-SCSI for PC?
A5.1: It's the same thing as a Zip drive for Mac. Depending on your SCSI
interface, it should be about the same speed. Iomega sells an inexpensive
($54) SCSI card for the Zip drive called the Zip Zoom (see below). The
software for both Macs and Windows ships with the drive; if you're using
OS/2, you'll need to purchase the Zip Tools software separately from
Iomega for $20.
Q5.2: What's this Zip Zoom SCSI adapter all about?
A5.2: It's a SCSI-1 ISA card based on the Adaptec 1505 and has an
external 25-pin SCSI connector. It doesn't have an internal SCSI
connector, but it does seem to allow you to chain other SCSI devices off
of it either before or after your Zip drive. If you want SCSI-2 or a
bus-master card (?) then you may want to buy a different SCSI card.
Infoworld (5-1-95) reports backing up 397-MB in 57 minutes
(6.97-MB/minute) and restoring that same data in 27 minutes
(14.7-MB/minute) with the Zip Zoom adapter.
J Greely <jgreely@Synopsys.COM> reports:
"Most SCSI controllers come with a driver for controlling non-standard
SCSI disk devices (c.f. Adaptec EZ-SCSI ships with ASPIDISK.SYS); this
will work with a Zip drive, but you won't be able to use the Zip Tools
for formatting, locking, etc. One nice side effect of using a non-Iomega
driver is that the installation will be unable to erase the disk, so
you'll still be able to use it for a Mac installation afterwards.
"Some PC SCSI cards are too bright for their own good; a QLOGIC card I
bought insisted on controlling the Zip drive itself, making it impossible
to use the Zip tools. I replaced it with an Adaptec 1522, and all was well."
Q5.3: What about booting a DOS/Windows machine from the Zip drive?
A5.3: That depends on your SCSI adapter. The Zip Zoom doesn't support
booting from the Zip drive, though other SCSI cards may.
Q5.4: My PC doesn't have a SCSI adapter. What do I do?
A5.4: You can either buy a SCSI adapter (from Iomega or from somewhere
else) and run with it, or you can buy the Zip Drive-Parallel, which is
(obviously) a Zip drive that plugs into a PC's parallel port.
Q5.5: How fast is the parallel version of the Zip drive?
A5.5: According to the readme.txt file, the transfer speed for standard
parallel port is 2-6-MB/minute, bi-directional parallel port is
6-17-MB/minute, and enhanced parallel port is 17-22-MB/minute.
Q5.6: No, really, how fast is it in Real Life?
A5.6: Huei-Chin Lin <hueichin@macc.wisc.edu> reports:
"I had transferred a 12-MB zipped file from my Zip-disk to my hard drive,
and roughly timing it. It took about a minute to transfer a 12-MB file
from Zip disk to my hard drive. (My computer is 486DX2-50 with 8-MB RAM.)
I had even zipped my whole window directory and subdirectories to my Zip
disk, and it is only a bit slower than the speed I've got when I zipped
the same thing to my hard drive (remember that I was using EPP capacities
and I only tested it without any benchmarking)."
Q5.7: Why would I want a parallel version instead of a faster SCSI version?
A5.7: Not all PC's have SCSI adapters and you may not want one, so the
parallel drive would be for you. Other than that, it's a matter of
personal preference. Of course, the parallel version may be more
desirable to you if you're regularly working with multiple PC's and want
to transport the Zip between them since all PC's are equipped with
parallel ports.
Q5.8: Windows blows chunks; I use OS/2. I guess I have to buy the OS/2
Zip Tools from Iomega, right?
A5.8: Right -- unless you don't want to. Zip Tools for OS/2 is reportedly
available on Iomega's own BBS, so the only thing it'll cost you is the
phone call and download time.
Q5.9: How can I change the specific drive letter to the Zip drive?
A5.9: Well...You can't. Not yet, anyway; Iomega has reportedly gotten
hundreds of requests for this feature so you may see it sometime in the
future. As it stands right now, the GUEST.EXE program automatically picks
the next available drive letter for the Zip drive.
Q5.10: Anything else? I gotta get back to playing Doom II...
A5.10: A few technical notes. Michael Schuster (schuster@panix.com) reports:
"Cabling difficulties aside, the SCSI Zip cannot be used **ALONE** with
the Adaptec/Trantor MiniSCSI series of parallel-to-SCSI adaptors because
they require TERMPOWER which, stupidly, the Zip drive does not provide.
They will work, however, if (still further cabling difficulties aside)
another SCSI device is in the daisy chain which does provide TERMPOWER."
- - - - -
***SECTION 6: MAC AND PC INTEROPERABILITY
Q6.1: Can the Mac read PC-formatted Zip disks, and vice-versa?
A6.1a: For the Macintosh, yes. You will need a utility that will read
PC-formatted disks. PC Exchange, which is included with System 7.5, works
with mixed results. Several people have reported errors ranging from the
inability to read the disk to outright trashing of the data on the disk,
while others claim no problems with the utility. The general consensus
seems to be that other programs, such as Access PC, work better than PC
Exchange.
A6.1b: On the PC, I have no verified information on this.
Q6.2: Can I use the Zip drive with both my Mac and my PC?
A6.2: Yes. In fact, Iomega ships the drive with floppies for both Macs
and PCs, but there's a catch. As soon as you run the program to install
the Zip Tools utilities that are included on the Zip Tools disk, the
installer will erase the partition (about 50-MB) for the system that you
are NOT installing it for. (So if you run the install program from a Mac,
it erases the DOS partition and vice versa.) Iomega's official position
is that you have to buy a second Zip Tools disk if you want to install on
both platforms, but of course that's not the only recourse. You have
several ways to get around this.
The first solution (and, by far, the most convenient) is to run the Guest
program from the Zip floppy disk, mount the Zip Tools disk, copy the
"Iomega Zip Install" folder (or, for the PC, the equivalently named
directory) to your hard drive, eject the Zip Tools disk, then run the
installer program from your hard drive. This will maintain the integrity
of the data on the other partition.
You can also use a disk duplication program (one that copies the entire
disk, sector by sector) to make a copy of the pre-installed Zip Tools
disk onto another blank Zip disk. Some people have reported doing this
successfully with the Disk Duplicator program that is on the Macintosh
partition of the Zip Tools. Once you have a duplicate of the Zip Tools
disk, you can use one to install for your Mac, and then the other to
install for your DOS/Windows machine.
A third solution -- and the only recourse you have if you've already
installed the Zip Tools software on one platform (thus deleting the other
platform's software from the Zip Tools disk) -- is to go to Iomega's SIG
on America Online. The files are available in their software library:
ZIPTOOLS.EXE ....Part one of the Zip Tools package for PC
FIND.EXE ........Part two of the Zip Tools package for PC
IOSCSI.EXE ......Iomega SCSI drivers, including the Zip Disk drivers
for PC
Zip Tools version 4.2.1 .....The whole Zip Tools package for Mac
For Mac users, you'll need only that last file which contains the entire
package. (NOTE: As I'm not an AOL subscriber, I don't know what format
this file is. If someone would like to research this and get back to me,
I'd appreciate it!) Those PC files are self-extracting archives, so for
God's sake be careful! Make a directory called \ZIPTOOLS, move the
ZIPTOOLS.EXE file in there and run it from that directory. Make a
subdirectory \ZIPTOOLS\FINDIT, move FIND.EXE into it, then run that (from
the FINDIT subdirectory). For further instructions, read the README.NOW
file in the \ZIPTOOLS directory. To install the SCSI drivers, make a
directory called \IOMEGA, and move the IOSCSI.EXE file there. Now run it
from that directory. Run MANUAL.EXE and read how to install it. You can
use the INSTALL program or do it manually.
- - - - -
***SECTION 7: OTHER PLATFORM ISSUES
Q7.1: Does the Zip work with other, non-Mac and non-PC platforms?
A7.1: Yes, but it's a mixed bag. Most other platforms (i.e., Apple II,
Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64) have some sort of SCSI
interface option wither built-in or available as a third-party expansion
box or card, so physically connecting the SCSI version of the Zip drive
is as simple as plugging in a cable. The greater issue lies with
software; Zip Tools is available only in Macintosh, PC/Windows, and OS/2
flavors so everyone else is pretty much on their own.
Q7.2: What's been reported so far that works and doesn't work?
A7.2: Not a whole lot of adventurous souls out there, unfortunately. It
has been reported and confirmed that the SCSI Zip drive works with Atari
8-bit computer with the "Black Box" interface unit and SpartaDOS. As the
Atari 8-bit cannot recognize any partition larger than 16-MB, SpartaDOS
must format the Zip cartridge as multiple partitions in order to fully
utilize the entire Zip cartridge.
I have had several vague reports of the SCSI Zip drive working with
Atari's 680x0 series of computers, though nobody who uses that platform
has contacted me with verification and specific details.
Q7.3: I wonder if Zip will work with my Amiga...
A7.3: Huzzah! Amiga user James Proffitt (bob@pixi.com) reports:
"I installed an Iomega Zip drive on my Amiga 3000 last weekend. I am very
pleased with its performance. Transfer speeds are in progress as I write.
Installation was easy. I used the program "HDToolbox", supplied as part
of the operating system, to read the drive's specs from the drive and
write the control blocks to the disks. A simple quick format then made
the disks usable as AmigaDOS file devices. Mac or PC disks functioned
equallly after formatting. A fellow user group member has another one
functioning normally. Basically, it is as easy to use as a floppy drive,
and about half as fast as my Maxtor 7345-SCSI 34-MB hard drive. With a
large (256K) buffer, it can read and write at about one megabyte per second.
"My intended use is as a backup storage device, and a drive to receive
archived files for storage, so that I can free up space on my installed
hard drives. It completed a 10-MB compressed backup, using AmiBack2.0, in
about 15 minutes."
Benchmark results from James's system can be found in Section 9 of this FAQ.
Michael Montour (mmontour@jumpgate.ubc.ca) reports:
"The Zip drive certainly works with the Amiga, although I can't certify
that it will work with all SCSI controllers. I just got the drive a
couple of weeks ago (it was on back-order for months!), so you should
take these comments as "first impressions" rather than as a comprehensive
evaluation of the drive's performance. My system configuration is an
Amiga 4000/030 (25MHz 68030; OS version 3.0), 8-MB total RAM, IVS
GrandSlam SCSI controller, Quantum 540 SCSI hard drive.
"Apart from a few problems and crashes when first installing the drive
(most of which were the fault of the SCSI controller - that particular
one doesn't seem to like being in an Amiga 4000), the Zip works
beautifully. The way I have it configured, each Zip disk acts like an
Amiga hard drive -- that is, the first 2 cylinders are used to store
partition information (RigidDiskBlock, or "RDB" information), and each
partition has a unique device name. When a disk is inserted, all its
partitions are mounted as AmigaDOS devices (which can also be made
bootable, if you want).
"However, in this configuration, you can NOT read PC-formatted Zip disks
since the Amiga is expecting the first cylinders to contain the partition
information for an Amiga hard drive. The disks must first be low-level
formatted on the Amiga, then partitioned.
"I think it's possible to access PC-formatted disks with a
properly-written Mountlist entry which tells the computer what the disk
type is instead of having the computer read this information from the
disk. I haven't tried this yet, though I will when I buy some more Zip
disks.
"The Zip Tools disk is pretty much useless for an Amiga user (of course,
you can just low-level format it and use it like a regular Zip disk). I
guess we lose out on a few frills like the password protection (not that
I'd trust that anyway, not knowing how secure its algorithm is). All the
other drivers and the "guest" software are unnecessary on the Amiga; Zip
drives and disks are automatically "Plug & Play" courtesy of the Amiga
operating system and RigidDiskBlock standard.
"As a rough performance benchmark, I created a 32-MB file on my Quantum,
then copied it into an empty partition on the Zip. It took about 90
seconds to transfer, for a transfer rate of about 360K/sec. I used one
large file so that I would be evaluating the drive itself, not just the
computer's speed of copying between buffers."
Q7.4: That's all fine and dandy for Amiga owners...How about those of
us who use Atari's 680x0-based machines?
A7.4: It has been reported that two British Atari dealers, "Hisoft" and
"System Solutions", are planning to sell the Zip drive with software
suitable for use on the Atari 680x0 computers. The Zip drive hasn't
reached England in any serious quantities yet so it may take a while for
this package to become available on the Atari. Presumably the main Atari
dealers in the USA will be selling them as well, though users may need to
import the software from England.
- - - - -
***SECTION 8: ZIP AND IOMEGA RUMORS AND NEWS
CONFIRMED: Power Computing, the first licensed and authorized
manufacturer of Macintosh clones, now has an internal Zip drive for the
Power Computing clones available as optional equipment. Furthermore,
Iomega has publicly stated that they're working on an internal version
for end-user installation in other machines. I do not have final pricing
information on this option; I expect to see Power Computing at Boston
MacWorld Expo and will seek the information then.
CONFIRMED: At a recent MacWorld Expo in San Francisco, Iomega was giving
out "dummy" Zip cartridges, presumably as some sort of promotional
gimmick. If you have one of these dummy cartridges, return it to Iomega
and they will send you one real, 100% usable Zip cartridge, absolutely
free. Joy!
RUMOR: A longstanding rumor about a 200-MB Zip drive has touched just
about everyone's screens. To the best of my knowledge, this rumor started
when, in an interview regarding the Zip drive, an Iomega executive made a
statement to the effect that "Zip technology is at its infancy" and that
"it would be easy enough to make a Zip drive that can store twice the
current amount or more." Needless to say, many people took this to mean
that a 200-MB Zip drive is in the works. As best as I've been able to
ascertain, *a 200-MB Zip drive, if it ever comes to light, will not be
available anytime soon*. Realistically speaking, this makes lots of
financial sense for Iomega. 100-MB Zip drives are selling faster than
Iomega can make them; if they make a 200-MB drive available now (or
within the next month or three), that will instantly cut 100-MB Zip drive
sales down to the bone as people wait for the 200-MB drives. Why cut
their own throats? I don't doubt that larger capacity Zip drives will
*eventually* come to light, but I also believe that it'll be at least
half a year before we see them. (The Jaz drive that is being developed
may be the drive which this rumor sprouted from.)
The following was posted on Iomega's forum on CompuServe by Annette Ash
(who provided corporate support on that forum) shortly before Iomega
pulled out of that service:
>Don't hold your breath and don't hold getting the 100 meg version. The 200
>meg version is still speculation, good speculation, but non the less
>speculation and I would go ahead with the order for the 100 meg.
FACT: At MacWorld Expo in Boston (1995), Iomega had carted 1,000 Zip
drives to the show for users to purchase. The show opened on Monday at
10am; by 4pm that day, every single one of those drives were sold.
RUMOR: At the same MacWorld Expo, SyQuest reportedly had brought 500
EZ135's to the show for end-user purchase. Rumor has it that SyQuest only
sold about half of these drives by the time the show had ended (four days
later). Several people had also claimed that the EZ135's they purchased
at the show were defective, failing to read or write disks and, in at
least one case, failing to even turn on. (Am I SyQuest bashing? I don't
think so...As I said, these are just rumors I've been privy to!)
- - - - -
***SECTION 9: BENCHMARK RESULTS
Iomega publishes the following claims for the Zip drive:
Average Seek Time: 29ms for 100-MB disks, 16ms for 25-MB disks
Sustained Transfer Rate: 0.79-MB/sec minimum, 1.4-MB/sec maximum
Typical Throughput: Up to 60-MB/minute (SCSI) or 20-MB/minute (parallel)
Many people had requested more solid reference numbers to compare the
SCSI Zip drive with other types of storage devices. Okay; here ya go.
Note that specific results will vary a bit from machine to machine due to
CPU speed, system configuration, specific architecture, etc.
MACINTOSH: These results were obtained using Norton Utilities 3.1's
"System Info" program on my own accelerated Mac IIci (DayStar Turbo 040i
@ 33Mhz) with 32-MB physical RAM running System 7.5.1 and with no
non-System-7.5 extensions loaded except for the Iomega Driver; disk cache
was set to 256K. The IIci's 240-MB hard drive and the SyQuest were
formatted with Silverlining 5.54/23; the Zip was formatted using Iomega
Tools 4.2, though identical results were obtained when the Zip cartridge
was formatted with Silverlining.
MAC IIci HD ZIP-100 44-MB SYQUEST
RANDOM READ: 116K/sec 38.5K/sec 37.3K/sec
1K SEQUENTIAL READ: 382.3K/sec 47.1K/sec 51.9K/sec
4K SEQUENTIAL READ: 757K/sec 171K/sec 165K/sec
16K SEQUENTIAL READ: 999K/sec 491K/sec 361K/sec
64K SEQUENTIAL READ: 1010K/sec 927K/sec 516K/sec
256K SEQUENTIAL READ: 1099K/sec 1186K/sec 579K/sec
RANDOM WRITE: 71.1K/sec 38.9K/sec 36.1K/sec
1K SEQUENTIAL WRITE: 72.0K/sec 47K/sec 48.8K/sec
4K SEQUENTIAL WRITE: 253K/sec 171K/sec 158K/sec
16K SEQUENTIAL WRITE: 695K/sec 491K/sec 356K/sec
64K SEQUENTIAL WRITE: 986K/sec 926K/sec 511K/sec
256K SEQUENTIAL WRITE: 1216K/sec 1189K/sec 579K/sec
AMIGA: James Proffitt (bob@pixi.com) reports: My system is an Amiga 3000,
25MHz 68030, 1-MB RAM, AmigaDOS 3.1 operating system. It also runs a BBS
on one phone line, and a PhonePax voice mail/FAX messaging system on
another line.
DiskSpeed 4.2 reports:
File Create: 110 files/sec CPU Available: 20%
File Open: 193 files/sec CPU Available: 4%
Directory Scan: 1128 files/sec CPU Available: 8%
File Delete: 299 files/sec CPU Available: 17%
Testing with a 262144 byte MEMF_FAST, LONG-alligned buffer:
Create file: 622669 bytes/sec CPU available: 78%
Write to file: 1048576 bytes/sec CPU available: 81%
Read from file: 1051124 bytes/sec CPU Available: 80%
PC: Adam L (adaml@gate.net) reports:
Using MS-DOS 7 on a Pentium 90 with the parallel Zip drive:
With NORMAL parallel port = 6 megs/minute
With EPP parallel port = 20 megs/minute
(I personally haven't tried it under Win95 yet)
Those speeds, incidentally, are for copying a 30-MB file. Copying
multiple small files takes nearly TWICE as long because the seek speed of
the Zip is relatively slow. On an IBM, when copying many files you can
HEAR the delays as the Zip writes the file data, then has to relocate the
heads to write the FAT info, then relocate heads to write data, etc.
- - - - -
***SECTION 10: IOMEGA ZIP vs SYQUEST EZ135
SyQuest has released a new drive called the "EZ135" (formerly known by
its code name, "Roadrunner"). This drive costs ~$230 for an external
version (~$200 for an internal version) and uses ~$25 cartridges that
store 135-MB each. EZ135 weighs about 2 lbs (twice as much as the
diet-conscious Zip), but is also about twice as fast.
There are many mixed messages about which drive will ultimately prevail.
However, I personally feel that the Zip drive will be the winner for
several reasons. Here's why:
* The Zip drive is cheaper. Zip costs $200 for external, while EZ135 is
~$30 more. Furthermore, the Zip drive is now available internally from
Power Computing and soon as an end-user installation kit, and chances are
it will cost considerably less than the EZ135's internal price of $200.
* Zip cartridges are smaller, lighter, and more transportable. EZ135's
cartridges need to be stored in the same sort of padded carrying case as
"standard" SyQuest cartridges, making then considerably more bulky to
transport. As a result, you'll likely see less of them being used with
portable computers and, consequently, with desktop machines.
* Zip already has a substantial market lead over SyQuest. Historically
speaking, the Mac market hasn't had much in the way of brand-loyalty.
SyQuest drives became the predominant standard not because of any
outstanding features, but simply because they were cheap in comparison to
the more expensive Bernoulli drives. Similarly, the Zip is cheaper than
EZ135.
* The Zip is being offered as optional equipment in Power Computing's Mac
clones (and hopefully -- eventually -- Apple's own products), whereas the
EZ135 is not. This has the potential to give the Zip drive an even larger
market share.
* Though EZ135 is faster, Zip is already fast enough for the majority of
users. QuickTime movies, sound files, and similar time-intensive files
play just fine from Zip. Only a comparatively few users will actually
_need_ the additional speed that EZ135 offers, and when you consider this
in relation to everything else, the EZ135's speed becomes a
not-so-important factor.
* EZ135 cartridges hold about 30-MB more data after formatting, true, but
is that enough to justify a more expensive, heavier drive? I don't think
so. Again, the fact that the Zip is so easily transportable makes it the
better drive, regardless of the data storage capacity. If SyQuest's new
drive were to hold, say, 200-MB or more it would be a considerably
different story.
* People may be angry at SyQuest for "holding out" on the community. More
than a few users have wondered out loud why SyQuest didn't introduce the
EZ135 before Zip came on the scene. The most logical answer is that
SyQuest was making so much money off its other, lower-capacity drives
that they didn't want to rock the boat by introducing the EZ135. Only
when Iomega started severely cutting into SyQuest's market did SyQuest
respond with the EZ135. In short, it seems that SyQuest was more
interested in lining its own pockets instead of advancing the technology.
While this is probably good for business, it doesn't make the users any
happier.
It's ultimately a simple matter of time deciding which drive will
prevail, but if I had to place money on the outcome, I'd bet on Zip.
- - - - -
***SECTION 11: IOMEGA JAZ-THE NEXT GENERATION
Sometime within the next few months (Iomega was unwilling to give a
definitive release date) Iomega will be releasing the Iomega Jaz drive.
This drive shares the same philosophy that the Zip drive enjoys: High
capacity at a good price. The Jaz drive stores 1-GB per cartridge, and
its data access and transfer rate is on par with most modern fixed hard
drives.
The Jaz drive itself looks almost identical to the Zip drive, except that
it is 1" deeper and has a dark green case rather than the Zip's dark blue
case. It can, like the Zip, be positioned vertically or horizontally on
the desktop. However, it has several design advantages over the Zip. It
has a real power switch so users can turn the drive off and on without
plugging and unplugging it from its power supply. It can be set to any
SCSI ID number - not just 5 or 6 - thanks to a standard SCSI selector
switch on the rear of the drive. It has two 50-pin SCSI connectors on the
back rather than Zip's 25-pin connectors.
The drive weighs a shade over two pounds (plus the power supply). Iomega
claims a sustained transfer rate of 3.77-6.73-MB per second, with an
average sustained transfer rate of 5.53-MB per second and a burst rate
of up to 10-MB per second. Iomega claims an access time of 17ms and a
seek time of 12ms. Jaz ships with a number of other features: a 256K
read/write cache, automatic SCSI termination, and a motorized eject
system, to name a few. The drive also features "a unique disk capture
system" which, in non-Iomega-speak, means that the platters inside the
cartridge are "locked" when the cartridge is removed from the drive, thus
eliminating vibration and the potential for data loss. The power supply
that ships with Jaz is similar to the universal power supply for the Zip;
it automatically switches to the proper voltage depending upon where in
the world you plug it in.
An internal Jaz drive is also being made ready which will fit into any
standard 3.5" drive bay (this one is called 'Insider Jaz" while the
external model is called "Portable Jaz"). Power Computing is again
working with Iomega to offer the internal model as optional equipment on
the Power Computing Mac clones; several such equipped models were seen at
MacWorld Expo.
Both drives are exceedingly quiet, easily out-silencing anything from
SyQuest and even Iomega's Bernoulli offerings. I had my hand resting
directly on a Jaz cartridge while the drive was busy accessing it and
there was hardly any vibration.
Jaz cartridges are 3.5" square (the end you insert into the drive has
tapered corners, making the cartridge roughly resemble a blunt arrow
pointer) and about twice as thick as a Zip cartridge (about 1/2" thick).
A small metal shutter on one end protects the internal platters from
outside elements when the cartridge is not in the drive. Inside of each
cartridge are two rigid platters, looking not unlike a pair of
SyQuest-type platters. (Jaz cartridges are unique unto themselves; the
Jaz drive cannot read/write/access any other type of cartridge.) The disk
has a capacity of 1-GB; a 540-MB cartridge is also planned and should
cost about $60 apiece.
One exciting aspect of the Jaz drive comes from ProMax Technology (16
Technology Drive, #106, Irvine, CA 92718, 714-727-3977). At MacWorld
Expo, ProMax was demonstrating a Jaz-based RAID system; the RAID system
was busy playing a digitized video (with soundtrack!) with nary a skip,
jump or slipped frame. Very impressive. I was unable to get any real
specs on the machine (there were about fifty people waiting in line) but
I did manage to find out prices: $1795 for the PR-2000 dual Jaz array,
and $3295 for the PR-4000 quadruple Jaz array.
- - - - -
Zip and Jaz FAQ needs a web home, and I need a cheap, reliable PPP
connection I can access from Manhattan. Anyone? :-)
steveg@phantom.com
==========