Cheap card reader drive for 2kxl

Hey guys,
been dusting off my old 2kxl, soldered in a new fader, and now trying to work with this thing. Found a stack of floppies but we all know what that’s like
Anyway, do you guys know any cheap alternatives to the ZuluSCSI drive? I remember that a few years ago, people have been using PC Card reader floppy replacements but I don’t know which ones are working.
Is there a model sub 50 quid that you can recommend?
Don’t need all the bells and whistles, just something to transfer files between the xl and my Mac.
Got 1.20 on, but happy to revert back to 1.14 if that’s what it takes.
Cheers!!

Go and get the Startech CF2IDE - https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/35baycf2ide.
Also remember that 2kxl uses non-keyed IDE cable

johnnytravels wrote:;)
Anyway, do you guys know any cheap alternatives to the ZuluSCSI drive? I remember that a few years ago, people have been using PC Card reader floppy replacements but I don’t know which ones are working.
Cheers!!

The answer is in your question friend. You can buy the Zulu SCSI internal version and be done with it.

There's also the BlueSCSI which is within that price range as well. Both offer internal and external one.

Don't buy the Startech reader, it makes no sense to considering the cost involved.

richie wrote:

johnnytravels wrote:;)
Anyway, do you guys know any cheap alternatives to the ZuluSCSI drive? I remember that a few years ago, people have been using PC Card reader floppy replacements but I don’t know which ones are working.
Cheers!!

The answer is in your question friend. You can buy the Zulu SCSI internal version and be done with it.

There's also the BlueSCSI which is within that price range as well. Both offer internal and external one.

Don't buy the Startech reader, it makes no sense to considering the cost involved.

What’s wrong with the Startech?

offline wrote:Go and get the Startech CF2IDE - https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/35baycf2ide.
Also remember that 2kxl uses non-keyed IDE cable

Thanks for the tip. Any advice on how to install it? I assume it’s non-swappable because IDE?

johnnytravels wrote:What’s wrong with the Startech?

Depending on where you are located, the cost to order the Startech with shipping is comparable to buying a Zulu SCSI.

https://shop.rabbitholecomputing.com/pr ... 40-compact

Get it with the 3.5" bracket

Also, installing it is pretty much common sense, simple install -- Remove the floppy drive, replace with the Zulu SCSI, close your XL, make beats.

richie wrote:

johnnytravels wrote:What’s wrong with the Startech?

Depending on where you are located, the cost to order the Startech with shipping is comparable to buying a Zulu SCSI.

https://shop.rabbitholecomputing.com/pr ... 40-compact

Get it with the 3.5" bracket

Also, installing it is pretty much common sense, simple install -- Remove the floppy drive, replace with the Zulu SCSI, close your XL, make beats.

I’m in Europe, can get the Starlink for 30 through Amazon and the ZuluSCSI for 100 with import duties through your link.
How do they work? Does the Zulu really connect to the same cable as the floppy drive? How about the Starlink?

For Startech you need an IDE cable. For the Zulu you need an SCSI cable. You can get the Zulu from Studio Services in Germany.

johnnytravels wrote:I’m in Europe, can get the Starlink for 30 through Amazon and the ZuluSCSI for 100 with import duties through your link.
How do they work? Does the Zulu really connect to the same cable as the floppy drive? How about the Starlink?

Do not connect a Starlink to your MPC because the Starlink is a satellite.

As for your other questions, simply reading the description would have been great. I love you.

richie wrote:

johnnytravels wrote:I’m in Europe, can get the Starlink for 30 through Amazon and the ZuluSCSI for 100 with import duties through your link.
How do they work? Does the Zulu really connect to the same cable as the floppy drive? How about the Starlink?

Do not connect a Starlink to your MPC because the Starlink is a satellite.

As for your other questions, simply reading the description would have been great. I love you.

Ok thanks guys, I went for the new version of the Zulu which I got on a discount (thanks WASKMUSIC for the tip) and will let you know how it goes once it arrives.
Already got a new fader soldered in and will replace a few tact switches if I cannot get them to work again with deoxit.
Such an exciting project, bringing my old 2kxl back to life in 2025

Not only that man, the Zulu SCSI can emulate 4 hard drives on the XL.
a
If you format them with Akai format, I believe you can essentially have over 30 gigabytes of fast loading storage on your XL (Akai partition format can read a max of 9 gigs per drive)

Personally, I just do the normal FAT format at 1gb as I do not like playing with Akai format, my own preference.

Got the Zulu, breeze to install and set up, copied all my old floppies over, fantastic experience, thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction!