Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000

By K-Mello Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:55 pm
DEEPDOWNINSIDE wrote:No, that isnt a picture of my settings. Currently my settings are on ID 3 for the card reader. When I connect it directly to the MPC2k they are set to ID 3 too. Termination is suppose to be 1 slider up for termination on and 2 for Parity and is on the down position. I guess I will have to play with it till something gives.

Soooo for right now, MY MPL external card reader works but not without the zip drive daisychained to it.


When you say "they are set to ID 3 too", you mean just the card reader, correct?

Also, I noticed on the original posting by dude that the MPL reader has 2 card slots. If you set the SCSI ID to 3, what does that set the OTHER card slot's ID to? I ask because the reader I have has 3 slots, and when you change the SCSI ID, you are changing the ID of the first slot, and the other two fall in line, so if you set it to ID 3 you are actually using IDs 3, 4, and 5. If you set it to ID 1, you are setting IDs 1, 2, and 3. Each slot has a different SCSI ID.

Peace,
KM
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By 950skweezyotitties Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:56 am
nobody else has these problems with the readers and a 2000 or xl

dude theres a problem wiht your scsi. trust me. the zip works fine because its a different kind of drive

this is right from rohan:

egarding the SCSI termination issues.
Consider the intended designation of these two storage devices.
MPL == Military/Industrial/Mission Critical
IOMEGA == Domestic/Desktop/Office Use/General Purpose.
The MPL uses an active termination circuit that relies on the MPC3000 SCSI BUS supplied termination power loop. The termination power loop "fused" by "F901" on the MPC3000 SCSI board. A blown "F901" on the MPC3000 SCSI board opens the termination power loop. The drive malfunctions accordingly.
In this instance, given the intended use of the MPL. Malfunction through incorrect termination serves as a warning to look deeper than just the terminator. ( the MPL is telling you some thing !!! )
The IOMEGA drives, intended for the mass market would present huge support department problems if they worked like the MPL. So with this in mind their termination circuit is a little more, well ... flexible.
Last edited by 950skweezyotitties on Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By 950skweezyotitties Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:57 am
Dont get it twisted all of DEEPDOWN's problems arise from his mpc, not the reader. if anybody else has copped one of my readers and can speak up put him on.
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By DEEPDOWNINSIDE Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:51 am
Yeah if you got a 2K classic running this MPL card reader then let us hear from you. I want to be fair by 950.
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By DEEPDOWNINSIDE Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:42 am
So folks are you saying I need to pay to replace a blown fuse an additional 100 to $200 in order to run the card reader? Can I replace it myself and if so where can i get this fuse? Jeesh! As you can see it can get expensive making the switch. Just keep in mind my zip drive is still working perfectly fine... It would be nice to have a CF reader and I could work so much faster with a card reader though. :?

By MPCSS Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:04 pm
DEEPDOWNINSIDE wrote:So folks are you saying I need to pay to replace a blown fuse an additional 100 to $200 in order to run the card reader? Can I replace it myself and if so where can i get this fuse? Jeesh! As you can see it can get expensive making the switch. Just keep in mind my zip drive is still working perfectly fine... It would be nice to have a CF reader and I could work so much faster with a card reader though. :?


I am assuming you are talking about the sci port fuse, but if you had a blown scsi port fuse, then the scsi port would NOT be functional. In other words, you would NOT be able to use any scsi device on the scsi port.

You mention the external zip drive works and when you connect the card reader that works too, so I believe there is nothing wrong with the fuse.

But feedback from other MPC2000 users of this card reader would be great to help you solve this problem.
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By DEEPDOWNINSIDE Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:48 pm
You mention the external zip drive works and when you connect the card reader that works too, so I believe there is nothing wrong with the fuse.

But feedback from other MPC2000 users of this card reader would be great to help you solve this problem.


WOW I thought I was CRAZY thats what I was saying. If the fuse is blown then nothing would work I am awaiting a repair tech to return email me about this.
If someone could give me more insight into either the FUSE or if you have the MPL card reader and MPC 2000 classic let me know what you think.[/quote]
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By ReckOne Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:47 pm
DEEPDOWNINSIDE wrote:
You mention the external zip drive works and when you connect the card reader that works too, so I believe there is nothing wrong with the fuse.

But feedback from other MPC2000 users of this card reader would be great to help you solve this problem.


WOW I thought I was CRAZY thats what I was saying. If the fuse is blown then nothing would work I am awaiting a repair tech to return email me about this.
If someone could give me more insight into either the FUSE or if you have the MPL card reader and MPC 2000 classic let me know what you think.
[/quote]

Well, when I was trying to repair my mpc60 I blew up a couple of fuses. There's three fuses in an mpc60 and at least two were blown. When I replaced one of the fuses, my screen lit up, but nothing came on. When I replaced the other two, it worked like it should again (apart from the problem I was trying to fix).

By mpc3000le Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:06 am
MPCSS wrote:I am assuming you are talking about the sci port fuse, but if you had a blown scsi port fuse, then the scsi port would NOT be functional. In other words, you would NOT be able to use any scsi device on the scsi port.


MPCSS == WRONG.

The MPC60/MPC2000/MPC2000XL/MPC3000 SCSI port can work with the SCSI FUSE blown; "IF" the SCSI device connected is supplying "termination power" to the SCSI BUS.

Read the post that 950skweezyotitties wrote earlier in this thread.

You "may" learn something ?

FACT ==

SCSI termination power comes in two flavours.

1: Active power termination supplied to the SCSI BUS via the HOST/INITIATOR SCSI device.
( fused against overload/excessive current draw as result of "under termination" or "short circuits" ...... via the HOST/INITIATOR device SCSI "termination power" fuse )

or ...

2: Active power termination supplied to the SCSI BUS via the TARGET/PERIPHERAL SCSI device.

MPL drives get their termination power from the HOST/INITIATOR.

If the HOST/INITIATOR termination power fuse is blown then MPL SCSI termination power circuit can not function and thus; no termination/end of line will be present. The HOST/INITIATOR will then fail to see any connection.

ZIP drives on the other hand, supply termination power to the SCSI bus.

Where ZIP drives are concerned they can function even if the HOST/INITIATOR termination power fuse is blown.

MPCSS wrote:You mention the external zip drive works and when you connect the card reader that works too, so I believe there is nothing wrong with the fuse.


In this instance. The active termination being supplied to the SCSI chain via the ZIP drive is creating the end of line.

A clear indication that the HOST/INITIATOR SCSI termination power fuse is blown.

A common fault on ALL SCSI equipped AKAI samplers.

0.50cent part and an hour to fix. No biggee.

Suggestion. Replace the SCSI fuse with a resettable type so that future blow outs will self correct.

Rohan.

By MPCSS Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:01 am

SCSI termination power comes in two flavours.

1: Active power termination supplied to the SCSI BUS via the HOST/INITIATOR SCSI device.
( fused against overload/excessive current draw as result of "under termination" or "short circuits" ...... via the HOST/INITIATOR device SCSI "termination power" fuse )

or ...

2: Active power termination supplied to the SCSI BUS via the TARGET/PERIPHERAL SCSI device.

MPL drives get their termination power from the HOST/INITIATOR.


Yes! True! What Rohan says here makes sense. The MPL (a peripheral device) does get their termination power FROM the Host side (in this case the MPC) via the scsi bus. In this case, no zip drive in the scsi network.


If the HOST/INITIATOR termination power fuse is blown then MPL SCSI termination power circuit can not function and thus; no termination/end of line will be present. The HOST/INITIATOR will then fail to see any connection.



Once again, true! Since the MPL is a peripheral scsi device, power must be supplied from the Host via the scsi bus. If there is something wrong with the termination power at the host, then the MPL will not be supplied the needed termination power.

Referencing the online MCDisk Manual, Rohan's explanation is consistent with the information in the manual. It makes sense.



ZIP drives on the other hand, supply termination power to the SCSI bus.

Where ZIP drives are concerned they can function even if the HOST/INITIATOR termination power fuse is blown.

In this instance. The active termination being supplied to the SCSI chain via the ZIP drive is creating the end of line.

A clear indication that the HOST/INITIATOR SCSI termination power fuse is blown.



that would clearly explain why the MPL works perfectly when you daisy-chain it with an MPC (blown termination power fuse) and a zip drive that supplies power termination to the scsi chain. The MPL is getting the termination power.

A common fault on ALL SCSI equipped AKAI samplers.

0.50cent part and an hour to fix. No biggee.

Suggestion. Replace the SCSI fuse with a resettable type so that future blow outs will self correct.

Rohan.


Well said! A nice to lesson to learn all about scsi termination power.

Rohan, hat's off to you!

By mpc3000le Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:15 am
MPCSS wrote:Well said! A nice to lesson to learn all about scsi termination power.
Rohan, hat's off to you!


MPCSS up a notch in knowhow too with knowledge now gained.

Respect. Thanks for the acknowledgment.

BTW: SCSI and its complexities are still a largely mis-understood technology.

Understanding termination is the first step in a long course of research and knowledge gathering where this topic is concerned.

Enjoy your journey.

Rohan.
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By rossee78 Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:48 am
7 1 4 Beats wrote:Bought mine from VST like 2yrs ago and no problems ever!

GOT MINES FROM MPCSTUFF.COM....ABSOLUTELY PERFECT IN EVERY WAY....WORKED OUT ABOUT £70 IN ENGLISH DOE !
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By 950skweezyotitties Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:28 pm
rohan thanks for clearing the problem up.

deepdown i hope any doubts will be turned towards your mpc like i intially suggested.