SCSI System Building Questions - Cards, Components etc.

[[david]]

Questions concerning starting with SCSI
CD-RW and then building gradually more SCSI
components into system:

I am looking to buy a new SCSI CD-RW in the
next month or so, and then to slowly upgrade
to a primarily SCSI system. i.e. adding HD's,
scanner, etc. Therefore I need to find out
about the following:

(1) Which Adaptec SCSI controller card has a
good reputation and performance for the home
user?

(2) I have been recommended two cards so far:
AVA-2904CD (£44.41), and the more expensive
AHA-2930U (£80.57). Does anyone think the
more expensive card is worth the money?

(3) What are the advantages of the new
Ultra160 SCSI cards to the home user. I know
they offer blistering transfer rates, but the
cheapest card is the 19160 at £209.11!

(All prices from European Adaptec site)

Thanks in advance to anyone out there who can
help with these issues.

[hd581]

(1) Why Adaptec? I consider Tekram just as good. Sysopt has a User Reviews (http://sysopt.earthweb.com/userreviews/products/scsi.html) section for SCSI cards. Check it out. Speaking of Adaptec, I keep hearing 2940UW and U2W are good.

(2) Dunno, sorry. Again Tekram makes a good U2W card. Go to Pricewatch (http://www.pricewatch.com) and type in "dc390u2". They start at like $93 for an Ultra2 Wide LVD card. (Dunno the pound to $ conversion but thats cheap)

(3)I don't know if U160 is what you want for home use; SCSI overall is well suited to handling multiple hits but 1 user isn't going to hit it w/ multiple requests. U2W is cheap enough (cards and drives) to have though, IMO.

[tonym]

[david],

I have an Adaptec AHA-2920C SCSI card sitting in my office gathering dust. If you want it, you can have it! It's a perfectly good card that I bought in error, and was used for about a month before I upgraded all my systems to the 2930U cards. So, my purchasing error is your freebie, if you desire!!

I don't have any documentation, but I found a complete list of drivers for this product (it's now discontinued) at the Adaptec web site at: http://www.adaptec.com/support/overview/aha2920c.html

Just e-mail me your address if you want it and it will be winging it's way to you in GB!!

Tony

[^EvilDragon^]

hi [david],
adaptec's cards are most expensive in the market (since they are believed to be an industry standard). Although, there're a lot of cheaper SCSI controllers, which deliver not less than Adaptec.
I, personally, have a Diamond FirePort 40 SCSI controller ( Ultra Wide SCSI ) and it performs better than Adaptec UW controllers.
Tekram might be a good solution too, though i don't have any personal experience with it.

I've been through what are through now in concern to SCSI: first SCSI CDR and Controller, then SCSI CDROM, then HD , then Scanner ... and it goes on.

My advise is as following:
1. Get SCSI controller not less than Ultra Wide SCSI (40MB/s), Ultra2Wide would be better (if i was buying it now, i'd have Ultra2Wide controller).

2. As for CD-RW, check up on Plextor (solid stable quality CD-R/RW )

[qball]

David,

Post a question, get a SCSI card.

There is an issue with some Adaptec cards (2930-2940UW????) with Win98 and perhaps 2000. It has to do with the OSs mixing the two channels, or something like that. Won't really hurt you until you need to boot to the SCSI card.

[SDT]

Hi Qball, I think that the card in question is the 2940 UW Pro.