Iomega ZIP drive VS. Syquest EZ135
Mike Theiss
I'm currently running samples on my K2000RS from the internal floppy drive!!!
Needless to say, I need some kind of external storage medium that is CHEAP!
Due to budget limitations, I've narrowed it between two choices
Iomega ZIP drive
Syquest EZ135 drive
I'll be primarily be using it for my K2000, but I will set up a SCSI chain
with my K2 on one end, the drive in the middle and my PowerMac 6100 at the
other end.
So far, I've discovered that the EZ135 is cheaper, faster and has more
storage space on each cartridge. I don't plan on using other people's
drives much if at all -- so compatibility isn't really an issue. As long
as I can buy blank cartridges I'm cool.
Is there any reason that I should consider buying the ZIP instead of the EZ135?
The only thing I've heard so far is *one* person said they heard that the
ZIP was more dust resistant. I do have a rather dusty apartment, so if
it's really a big difference, that will weigh into the decision. Did
anybody else hear that?
Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
--
Mitch Thomas
Better take a look at the stock market for both companies and remember
2 more stats: 1- Iomega has contracts with at least 3 major computer
manufacs to use their drives on stock units and 2- SyQuest just laid
off a large group of employees.
Mitch/OCCUPANT
Paul Morris
I would personally go for Iomega because:
a) Like the other fellow said...they are on top of things and have
rapidly gotten a large share of the market whereas things aren't looking
so good for Syquest.
b) Iomega ZIP drives may soon be the STANDARD floppy drive in personal
computers.
c) Iomega JAZ drives are already being built standard into digital audio
multi-track recorders and are widely used in the music industry. They
hold 1 GIG and cost a lot more than Zip drives/disks but are worth it.
I would go for a JAZ if you are going to be doing digital audio.
Just my 2 cents. I'm no market expert though.
| LABORATORY | P A U L M O R R I S
| FOR EXTENDED | pmo...@finearts.uvic.ca
| MEDIA | http://kafka.uvic.ca/~pmorris/
s3...@recht.uni-giessen.de
In <31E654...@tdsnet.com>, Mitch Thomas <soun...@tdsnet.com> writes:
>Better take a look at the stock market for both companies and remember
>2 more stats: 1- Iomega has contracts with at least 3 major computer
>manufacs to use their drives on stock units and 2- SyQuest just laid
>off a large group of employees.
>Mitch/OCCUPANT
further more The zips are cheaper than the sqst.........and the zip work without
any problems with the akai s2000...
david.g...@recht.uni-giessen.de
ChrisMosco
Actually, I dissagree with the rest of them. I bought the EZ135 and am
very happy with it. I figured, as long as I can get disks, which I'm sure
you will be able to do for some time to come, it *is* faster, *does* hold
more info, and actually is cheaper right now.
If you decide down the road you want the Zip instead, big deal, get it
then. They're going to be so cheap by then. Right now, the Syquest is
unarguably the most bang for your buck.
Good luck.
Chris
Eric Frans
I also use the Syquest EZ135 drive and have had little problems with with
it. I've found the response time off it to be quicker than off my
computer's own hard drive (Mac Performa 475). Plus I've heard the EZ135
drive price is dropping to $99 (it was previously $199) because they are
releasing a newer model that uses disks with more storage. I believe the
new model will read ~250M discs, but I'm not sure of the exact size. Also
this new Syquest drive will still be able to read the older 135M discs.
The last I heard, the Iomega Zip drives were still priced at $199.
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
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_/ Eric Frans :: fra...@bigdog.engr.arizona.edu _/
_/ _/
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Jon Cooper
> Is there any reason that I should consider buying the ZIP instead of the EZ135?
Several, though I don't know how important you will consider them:
a) media pricing is cheaper for the Zip.
b) the Zip's eject mechanism is much less kludgy
(electronic vs. poorly done mechanical lever action)
c) SyQuest has held a monopoly position on the removable-media market for
many years, and has made enormous profits while treating their best
customers (graphic designers + co) like dirt. If enough people ignore
them now that there's an alternative, maybe they'll die. :)
---
-jon (j...@pobox.com or jco...@eng.sun.com)
Jon Cooper
> If you decide down the road you want the Zip instead, big deal, get it
> then. They're going to be so cheap by then. Right now, the Syquest is
> unarguably the most bang for your buck.
Except that Zip externals just dropped to $149 and one can get the disks for like
$12 - $15 in bulk.
---
-jon (j...@pobox.com or jco...@doppio.eng.sun.com)
mid...@erols.com
ChrisMosco wrote:
>
> Actually, I dissagree with the rest of them. I bought the EZ135 and am
> very happy with it. I figured, as long as I can get disks, which I'm sure
> you will be able to do for some time to come, it *is* faster, *does* hold
> more info, and actually is cheaper right now.
>
> then. They're going to be so cheap by then. Right now, the Syquest is
> unarguably the most bang for your buck.
>
> Chris
Bang for the buck is right. I dropped a 135 cart and bang! it
died. I did this twice. My partner's drive and disks. I have a zip
on my K2500rs. Works great. There were problems with crashing
dealing with the sleep mode but the new op sys for the k2500
cured this. I don't know about the k2000 but you might want
to ask around about this phenom.
MikiDog42
Well guys,
I gotta say the previous post is correct: that is, the issue of
reliability.
I worked at Syquest, and I worked at Iomega.
Let me tell you the difference about 1 factor: the Syquest uses an 11 byte
ECC field, and the Iomega uses a 56 byte ECC field. The ECC field is used
to detect and correct data flaws. What this means is that theoretically,
the Iomega Zip can correct about 5 times the number of defects (56 vs 11),
and move the data to safety somewhere else on the disk. In one of Iomega's
tests, they threw the disk out a moving car at 45MPH, and then tried to
use it:no problems. Try that with a EZ135 disk!
Nick Rothwell
In article <4sdcgk$m...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> miki...@aol.com (MikiDog42) writes:
> Let me tell you the difference about 1 factor: the Syquest uses an 11 byte
> ECC field, and the Iomega uses a 56 byte ECC field. The ECC field is used
> to detect and correct data flaws. What this means is that theoretically,
> the Iomega Zip can correct about 5 times the number of defects (56 vs 11),
> and move the data to safety somewhere else on the disk.
Sure, but I don't see that this is particularly relevant, since the
underlying media are completely different. Presumably the ZIP is designed
with the probable media error rate in mind.
That said, I would agree about physical durability. I have a ZIP; I
wouldn't trust a 135.
--
Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL contemporary dance projects
http://www.cassiel.com music synthesis and control
years, passing by, VCO, VCF, and again, and again
Eric Frans
On 16 Jul 1996, Nick Rothwell wrote:
} In article <4sdcgk$m...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> miki...@aol.com (MikiDog42) writes:
} > Let me tell you the difference about 1 factor: the Syquest uses an 11 byte
} > ECC field, and the Iomega uses a 56 byte ECC field. The ECC field is used
} > to detect and correct data flaws. What this means is that theoretically,
} > the Iomega Zip can correct about 5 times the number of defects (56 vs 11),
} > and move the data to safety somewhere else on the disk.
}
} Sure, but I don't see that this is particularly relevant, since the
} underlying media are completely different. Presumably the ZIP is designed
} with the probable media error rate in mind.
}
} That said, I would agree about physical durability. I have a ZIP; I
} wouldn't trust a 135.
Well I own a Syquest 135M and I've had no problems with physical
durability. As long as you don't try tossing the disk out of a car at 45
mph (even though a Zip disk can handle this apparently, from one of the
older posts....).
Bruce Satinover
In article <vampidem-120...@wakma1-16.usa1.com>, vamp...@usa1.com
says...
>
>I'm currently running samples on my K2000RS from the internal floppy drive!!!
>
>Needless to say, I need some kind of external storage medium that is CHEAP!
>
>Due to budget limitations, I've narrowed it between two choices
>
>Iomega ZIP drive
>Syquest EZ135 drive
>
>
>I'll be primarily be using it for my K2000, but I will set up a SCSI chain
>with my K2 on one end, the drive in the middle and my PowerMac 6100 at the
>other end.
I guess I'm in the minority but I've been using an EZ135 for several months
for portible media.
I agree with many of the people posting that it isn't a roadworthy unit but
it *wasn't* designed to be. Nor in my opinion is the Iomega Zip drive.
Having used both I went with the EZ because it was twice as fast as the Zip,
could run demanding programs including multimedia files as well as software
like Multimedia Toolbook, Director, Vision 2.5, Cakewalk Pro Audio 5, etc.
It's more about what you want to do with your "stuff" :-) >couldn't resist<
Bruce S.
ADSR
Have had nothing but bad luck with ZIP at work we used one to back
everything up and ....it failed we lost all our art. They are slow and
quirky. I have a EZ135 at home and it is great works with all my samplers
& computer and is as fast as a real hard disk + they sell for $119!!
now.--I'm thinking of getting another.
--phil
russell freeland
If you have a hard drive recording system like session, session 8, deck
etc. An extra 35 meg may suddenly become extremely important if you want
to transport your work. If you are merely cataloging samples or
somthing, it probably don't matter much and you should go for the zip
whos cartriges are cheaper per meg and more durable (but a bit slower).
/-lex /-ustyn
I personally LOVE my EZ135, it's faster than a Zip, less expensive than a Zip
and i have'nt had one problem with it. Truly plug and play.
Alex....
--
/-\lex /-\ustyn
OZ Productions of 00000000000 00000000000
Kansas City 0000 0000
0 0 0 0
0000 / 0000
/
WE HAVE OUR EYE ON TOMORROW /
/
( /
00000 /
/
/
00000000000 /
ooooooooo /
/
nwb...@ix.netcom.com
Paul Morris <pmo...@finearts.uvic.ca> wrote:
>b) Iomega ZIP drives may soon be the STANDARD floppy drive in personal
>computers.
Possibly, but the new 120MB "floppy" drive has some big backers and is
compatible with standard 3.5" floppies (at least for reading - I dont
remember if they can write regular floppies).
Iomega has a good reputation. EZ135 SCSI is a better drive than the
ZIP IMHO discounting other factors. The IDE EZ135 does not have a data
buffer and performance suffers. Dont know about PP versions. The
current price war (149 for ZIP, 119 for EZ) is probably being prompted
by new mid line drives (EZ230, Iomega?) and price pressure the larger
drives.
I eventually settled on the EZ135 SCSI and have not been disappointed.
I have not seen real negatives about Zips either - after using
floppies it doent take much to please :). Some Zip users have posted
that the drive goes to sleep after being idle for a while. Not all
devices can wake them up - look into that issue before you buy. I
dont think it was major, just something to be aware of.