Tandon TM 100-4M
mindb...@sprynet.com
What can anyone tell me about Tandon TM 100-4M 5.25" floppy drives. I
have not run across and 4M versions. The seller indicates that the drive
"Features 100 TPI DSR" ??????
Is this a quad density drive???
Could it be used in say a Model 1 or Model III as a replacement for a single
or double density drive???
For that matter is it possible to use a double-sided drive as a single-sided
drive machine like a Model I or III??
Thanks to all..
John
Amardeep S Chana
news:BB711A25.4034%mindb...@sprynet.com...
> What can anyone tell me about Tandon TM 100-4M 5.25" floppy drives. I
> have not run across and 4M versions. The seller indicates that the drive
> "Features 100 TPI DSR" ??????
Double sided double density 100 tracks per inch. I remember 77 cylinders
but that might be wrong. It was a quirky drive geometry that was not very
popular.
> Is this a quad density drive???
DSDD 96tpi 80 cylinder drives are sometimes (imprecisely) called quad
density. The TM100-4M is not compatible to that format.
> Could it be used in say a Model 1 or Model III as a replacement for a
single
> or double density drive???
Yes. But don't expect to read standard 40 or 80 cylinder disks in it. Nor
can you read its disks on any other type of common drive.
For Radio Shack external drives you will run into a connector alignment
problem. The SA400 and Texas Peripherals drives that came from the factory
had a different offset from the edge of the signal connector to the side of
the drive body. Thus other makes of drives such as Tandon won't mate with
the data connector in those enclosures.
> For that matter is it possible to use a double-sided drive as a
single-sided
> drive machine like a Model I or III??
Yes. However, those machines can support double sided operation if you
replace the factory cables which are missing the connector contact for side
select. You must also use a DOS that supports double sided operation.
Neither TRSDOS 2.3 nor TRSDOS 1.3 support it.
j.b. miller
If fact I have or had 8" drives( from a Model 2) as well as 730K , 3 1/2"
drives as externals. I even used 'bad' IBM drives in my 3. They worked fine
as well.It was the IBM controller card that was 'funny' but my boss at the
time said NO,it's the drives,replace them. OK, so I got 20 drives( $500) for
free...ah the good ol' days.
PS, I use Dosplus 3.5/4.0 for what it's worth..
Jay in Greensville,Ont.
TIA
news:QBP2b.301$Mv4...@news02.roc.ny:
> <mindb...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
> news:BB711A25.4034%mindb...@sprynet.com...
>> What can anyone tell me about Tandon TM 100-4M 5.25" floppy drives.
>> I have not run across and 4M versions. The seller indicates that
>> the drive "Features 100 TPI DSR" ??????
I owned several TM100-4 drives, the M being a revision indicator.
They are Double Sided, Double Track (96 or 100 tpi, depending on who
is describing them. They are 80 track disk drives, and will read
standard 40 track disks. They will write them only if bulk erased,
and formatted in the 80 track drive as 40 tracks, skip alternating
tracks.
>
> Double sided double density 100 tracks per inch. I remember 77
> cylinders but that might be wrong. It was a quirky drive geometry
> that was not very popular.
>
>> Is this a quad density drive???
Some people called them that, yes.
>
> DSDD 96tpi 80 cylinder drives are sometimes (imprecisely) called quad
> density. The TM100-4M is not compatible to that format.
>
>> Could it be used in say a Model 1 or Model III as a replacement for a
> single
>> or double density drive???
>
> Yes. But don't expect to read standard 40 or 80 cylinder disks in it.
> Nor can you read its disks on any other type of common drive.
Running NewDOS 80 v2.0 you can read any standard 40 or 80 track disk, and
can even format 40 track disks to read in real 40 track drives PROVIDED
you bulk erase the disk before formatting, and define your pdrive to
double step.
>
> For Radio Shack external drives you will run into a connector
> alignment problem. The SA400 and Texas Peripherals drives that came
> from the factory had a different offset from the edge of the signal
> connector to the side of the drive body. Thus other makes of drives
> such as Tandon won't mate with the data connector in those enclosures.
>
You can use the Tandy cases if you eliminate the "jumper" board that
connects the drive to the outside of the case and run your drive cables
through that gap directly to the drive itself. Remember that you cannot
use TANDY DOS. No Tandy DOS supports double sided drives until the Model 4.
Also, you will lose drive "3" on a Model I, as the Model I used the side
select pin in the interface cable as drive selct three instead of the
standard drive 3 select.
>> For that matter is it possible to use a double-sided drive as a
> single-sided
>> drive machine like a Model I or III??
>
> Yes. However, those machines can support double sided operation if
> you replace the factory cables which are missing the connector contact
> for side select. You must also use a DOS that supports double sided
> operation. Neither TRSDOS 2.3 nor TRSDOS 1.3 support it.
Just flip all the cable connections upside-down. That will put the missing
pins on the grounds of the interface, and provide contacts to all the
drive signals. This will also require setting the drive select jumpers
inside the drive to match the drive number desired.
Matt
Still using a Model 4 (gate array) as an inventory control database
machine in the family business, with 4 internal Teac 55 drives (2B, 2FG).
>
>
>
Amardeep S Chana
news:Xns93F3DE57...@66.133.130.30...
> "Amardeep S Chana" <asc...@despammed.com> wrote in
> news:QBP2b.301$Mv4...@news02.roc.ny:
>
> > <mindb...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
> > news:BB711A25.4034%mindb...@sprynet.com...
> >> What can anyone tell me about Tandon TM 100-4M 5.25" floppy drives.
> >> I have not run across and 4M versions. The seller indicates that
> >> the drive "Features 100 TPI DSR" ??????
>
> I owned several TM100-4 drives, the M being a revision indicator.
> They are Double Sided, Double Track (96 or 100 tpi, depending on who
> is describing them. They are 80 track disk drives, and will read
> standard 40 track disks. They will write them only if bulk erased,
> and formatted in the 80 track drive as 40 tracks, skip alternating
> tracks.
You are misinformed about this issue. The 'M' is not a revision indicator
but indicates a model with 100tpi INSTEAD of 96tpi. This was for
compatibility with a Micropolis disk drive geometry that was not very
popular. They were 77 cylinder drives and NOT media compatible with 40 and
80 cylinder drives.
Not much information remains about that long forgotten format but here are
two links you may use to help correct your misunderstanding:
http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2002-August/001427.html