SCSI and MPC 60 Questions

I (supposedly) have a SCSI with my MPC 60 (Version 3.1) but was wondering about something. The amount of pins in it is 25 and the cord for the zip drive is a parallel. I just ordered a disk to try it out because my MPC responded to it when I turned it on with the drive; everything lit up and it didn't scan for a floppy. So is it still a SCSI if I'm using a "parallel cord?"

Open her up and see if there is a SCSI interface inside, if there is it will have 'Marion Systems' written on it.

The SCSI/ RS-232C connector on the backpanel doesn't guarantee the presence of a SCSI interface inside.

There are photo's of the SCSI interface in the 'Post Your..' thread in this forum.

Make sure your Zip drive is a SCSI drive and not a parallel drive. There should be one or two switches between the rear connectors. If those are not there, you have the wrong kind of zip drive and shouldn't try to use it with your sampler.

Alright, but before I open it up I should say I tried to format a zip disk with my zip drive connected and it gave me an error saying something along the lines of "there is no floppy in the drive." Was it not recognizing my drive or disk because it's the wrong SCSI?

And thanks for the replies I appreciate your help.

Now I'm confused - is your zip drive internal or external? What do you mean by "open it up"?

BTW, I will be sending the 100MB disk out on Tuesday and you should get it by Thursday.

It's an external zip drive.

And I meant open it up as a response to clint's advice to "open her up and see if..."

I tried to format a zip disk with it and it gave me that "no floppy in drive" type of error. I'm confused if I'm doing something wrong and that's why it's not recognizing my drive/disk or if my SCSI isn't right.


Alright, thanks.

JD gave you the answer above.

It won't work with a parallel Zip. You need a SCSI drive with ID and termination. Those two flavours of Zip drives look the same but your drive doesn't have the SCSI ID and termination switches at the back.

Behold!



Your drive is the top one. You need the bottom one.

Do you have the zip drive on the top in that picture? if so, you cannot use it with your sampler.

Yes, to my own sadness and now depression, I have the top drive.

Well then, my next question is what do you guys recommend for getting the right drive? JD, should I order one through your site?

But I'm going to check my MPC to make sure it has the right SCSI before I do any more ordering (I'm poor you see).


And thank you guys for the help, it's incredibly useful.

you have the wrong zip drive... consider that a blessing. Since you dont already have anything invested in zip disks you shouldn't start... get the card reader, get a hard drive... just dont dive in to zip disks... as soon as you order a scsi zip drive from online supposing it still works and doesn't arrive broken then it will likely click of death on you soon.

Alright.

Now the world of card readers is as equally foreign to me as the zip stuff was.

http://www.scsicardreaders.com/compatibleproducts.asp

(This might bring you to a page that's not displaying what I need it to. If so please just fill in Akai and MPC 60 for the specific search for products.)

Would something on here be recommendable? I need you guys' advice/experienced opinions on this please, and again thanks for the help you've all been giving.

hellorat_hello wrote:Alright.

Now the world of card readers is as equally foreign to me as the zip stuff was.

http://www.scsicardreaders.com/compatibleproducts.asp

Would something on here be recommendable? I need you guys' advice/experienced opinions on this please, and again thanks for the help you've all been giving.

listen, zip disks are the most unreliable format you could possibly use on your sampler. the only reason people still look for them is because their zip drives broke so they are trying to get another one to recover beats.

the card reader is not only the one with the fastest loading, but it has no moving parts.... it holds potentially the most... but if it is scsi it is also the most expensive to buy the drive. Is it worth it in the end? I dont know, I dont have the scsi expansion on my 60 so I save on floppies... also my floppy drive is mint.

look at the scsi card reader website. They sell scsi readers for cheaper then you usually find them plus you KNOW they will be compatible.

mr_debauch wrote:listen, zip disks are the most unreliable format you could possibly use on your sampler. the only reason people still look for them is because their zip drives broke so they are trying to get another one to recover beats.

the card reader is not only the one with the fastest loading, but it has no moving parts.... it holds potentially the most... but if it is scsi it is also the most expensive to buy the drive. Is it worth it in the end? I dont know, I dont have the scsi expansion on my 60 so I save on floppies... also my floppy drive is mint.

look at the scsi card reader website. They sell scsi readers for cheaper then you usually find them plus you KNOW they will be compatible.

Ok, I think this seems to be my only option since no floppies have ever worked for me. They've ALWAYS gone bad for me and lost samples/sequences.

I may just have to put out the money for the card reader and (hopefully) be done with the hardware complications and get to sequencing and making drum tracks for songs which is all I want to do, I never thought it'd be this complicated ha.

Does this sound like the right thing to do?

hellorat_hello wrote:

mr_debauch wrote:listen, zip disks are the most unreliable format you could possibly use on your sampler. the only reason people still look for them is because their zip drives broke so they are trying to get another one to recover beats.

the card reader is not only the one with the fastest loading, but it has no moving parts.... it holds potentially the most... but if it is scsi it is also the most expensive to buy the drive. Is it worth it in the end? I dont know, I dont have the scsi expansion on my 60 so I save on floppies... also my floppy drive is mint.

look at the scsi card reader website. They sell scsi readers for cheaper then you usually find them plus you KNOW they will be compatible.

Ok, I think this seems to be my only option since no floppies have ever worked for me. They've ALWAYS gone bad for me and lost samples/sequences.

I may just have to put out the money for the card reader and (hopefully) be done with the hardware complications and get to sequencing and making drum tracks for songs which is all I want to do, I never thought it'd be this complicated ha.

Does this sound like the right thing to do?

it does sound right... sometimes you save money in the long run by not cutting corners. I mean, you would have spent more if you bought the zip drive, then bought replacements to salvage projects... then said **** it and bought the card reader anyways.

honestly, get the card reader. it's the easiest. I would say a hard drive would be good... it you have to set it up and figure out how to manage your data on it which can be tough on these older machines.

Alright I'll look into a card reader and hard drive and just be done with it. Although I already sense I'll be right back on here asking some other question(s) about that equipment ha. But I'll try to abstain from pessimism until I get to that point.


Again, thank you very much for the chronic help you've given.