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USB SCSI adapter

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ackermbe

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Jun 10, 2009, 12:08:08 PM6/10/09
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I am looking for a USB scsi adapter. I have found usb adapters that
allow you to connect sata and pata devices via usb to a computer. I
know that there are usb scsi adapters, but I would like one that will
work for multiple types of scsi devices.


Robert Heller

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Jun 11, 2009, 1:10:45 AM6/11/09
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The SCSI protocol is much more complex than either the sata or pata
interfaces. It is really *cheaper* to get a PCI scsi controler card
(lots of them on E-Bay).

>
>
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--
Robert Heller -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software -- Download the Model Railroad System
http://www.deepsoft.com/ -- Binaries for Linux and MS-Windows
hel...@deepsoft.com -- http://www.deepsoft.com/ModelRailroadSystem/

Cydrome Leader

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Jun 11, 2009, 2:26:27 AM6/11/09
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The discontinued Adaptec USB2Xchange might do what you want.

the dongle side acts as a male HD50 connector, so it's uselss for
attaching to most external devices.

for storage devices, it works fine. For scanners lots of people have
problems.

If you really dig around, there are even firewire to SCSI adapters.

Jeff Jonas

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Jun 11, 2009, 11:26:42 PM6/11/09
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>> I am looking for a USB scsi adapter.

>The discontinued Adaptec USB2Xchange might do what you want.

That's what I was going to say: there are USB to SCSI adapters
but they're all abandoned by the mfgr,
so manuals or even working drivers will be hard to find.
geeks.com MIGHT still sell some
but I doubt it supports more than one device
or the full protocol.

I have a Xircom USB "dock" to SCSI, serial port & USB hub,
but it's Mac only. No drivers for Windows or Linux.

>If you really dig around, there are even firewire to SCSI adapters.

If there's a spare slot, a PCI or CardBus/PCMCIA card
would probably be best since most operating systems
still have native support (certainly Linux, BSD),
it'll be cheaper, run at full speed with minimal CPU overhead
and support multiple devices.

-- Jeffrey Jonas
jeffj@panix(dot)com
The original Dr. JCL and Mr .hide

Eric Gisin

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Jun 12, 2009, 12:48:20 PM6/12/09
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"Jeff Jonas" <je...@panix.com> wrote in message news:h0shti$1lj$1...@panix1.panix.com...

>
> That's what I was going to say: there are USB to SCSI adapters
> but they're all abandoned by the mfgr,
> so manuals or even working drivers will be hard to find.
> geeks.com MIGHT still sell some
> but I doubt it supports more than one device
> or the full protocol.
>
USB already does SCSI-2, so the device just has to convert low-levels.
The models that are single device need no drivers.
Some have a switch for single/multiple devices.

> I have a Xircom USB "dock" to SCSI, serial port & USB hub,
> but it's Mac only. No drivers for Windows or Linux.
>
>>If you really dig around, there are even firewire to SCSI adapters.
>
> If there's a spare slot, a PCI or CardBus/PCMCIA card
> would probably be best since most operating systems
> still have native support (certainly Linux, BSD),
> it'll be cheaper, run at full speed with minimal CPU overhead
> and support multiple devices.
>

True. I think all the laptop solutions are 8-bit though.

Cydrome Leader

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Jun 16, 2009, 12:00:16 PM6/16/09
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Eric Gisin <gi...@uniserve.com> wrote:
> "Jeff Jonas" <je...@panix.com> wrote in message news:h0shti$1lj$1...@panix1.panix.com...
>>
>> That's what I was going to say: there are USB to SCSI adapters
>> but they're all abandoned by the mfgr,
>> so manuals or even working drivers will be hard to find.
>> geeks.com MIGHT still sell some
>> but I doubt it supports more than one device
>> or the full protocol.
>>
> USB already does SCSI-2, so the device just has to convert low-levels.
> The models that are single device need no drivers.
> Some have a switch for single/multiple devices.

In real life, you will find that pass though devices like scanners are
usually not happy on USB to SCSI adapters. It probably has to do with
brittle drivers that come with such devices, but unless you're going to
write your own, you may find they just don't work.

>

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