Help setting up SCSI-IDE bridge with Cyberstorm in A4000

edd_jedi · 12 October 2016, 16:47

I have had a Cyberstorm MKII 060 for quite some time in my A4000D, I'm very happy with it but the one thing that has always let the system down is the on board IDE speed. So I have picked up a Cyber-SCSI and finally just found an Acard AEC-7726Q SCSI-IDE bridge for a reasonable price.

So I want to hook my existing IDE Hard Disk which has several partitions including the boot/system drive to the Cyber-SCSI to hopefully see a decent speed increase. A couple of questions:

1) Do I need to install any special drivers, add to the startup sequence or anything? I'm especially concerned that the Amiga won't boot via SCSI.

2) I don't really understand SCSI termination. I only want to have this one drive hooked up, so do I need a terminator connected, and if so where?

Any help appreciated.

cmsj · 12 October 2016, 18:35

1) You shouldn't need to do anything, the CS SCSI should support booting just fine
2) Termination is pretty simple really, both ends of a SCSI chain need to be terminated, but it's very likely that the controller end is terminated, and it looks like the CyberSCSI's external port daughterdaughterboard autosenses if it needs to terminate.

edd_jedi · 12 October 2016, 21:19

OK great thanks, so it pretty much should be plug and play. Will report back! Current IDE read speed is about 2.5mb/s according to sysinfo so will be interesting to see what this can do.

fitzsteve · 12 October 2016, 21:26

It's SCSI-2 so you will get approx 8-10mb/sec plus you'll benefit from less CPU overhead, you might have some jumpers to configure on the SCS-IDE bridge.

Have a read of the Acard manual and the manual for the Cyber SCSI board too, it's near enough plug and play though

edd_jedi · 13 October 2016, 18:00

I've just thought of something I have overlooked - cables! I only have an IDE cable. I assumed the IDE-SCSI bridge would attach to the CyberSCSI module, but looking at a photo it appears the bridge has a SCSI connector with far more pins and a different shape connector to the CyberSCSI:

and

So what kind of cable do I need?

cmsj · 13 October 2016, 18:23

It is possible to adapt the 68pin connector on your ACard, to the 50pin connector on your CyberSCSI, but I think given the lack of space inside an A4000, I would probably suggest you sell that ACard and get a 7720U instead, then all you need is a 50pin SCSI cable of appropriate length

edd_jedi · 13 October 2016, 22:39

It's taken me the best part of a year to find this one, so don't really want to start again

Is there not a cable that will go between the two?

cmsj · 14 October 2016, 00:25

I wish I could help there, but I'm not 100% on the details of *precisely* what you'd need to convert from 68pin LVD to the 50pin on the CyberSCSI

SnkBitten · 14 October 2016, 01:23

68pin to 50pin SCSI adapters are pretty cheap, around $15 or so.

They aren't very big so you shouldn't have a problem using it in your A4000D.

To add, you'll need a 50pin SCSI cable and a 68pin to 50pin SCSI adapter.

The ACard will plug into the the IDE device, the SCSI adapter will connect to the 68pin connector and then a 50pin SCSI cable will go between the adapter and CyberSCSI.

Jope · 14 October 2016, 08:32

There are also cables that do the 50->68 adaptation directly, if you don't have the space.

ajk · 14 October 2016, 09:19

I think I might have one those adapters (board though, not cable) somewhere. I have to check that it's the correct type. You can have it for the cost of a postage stamp, will be quicker than through China.

fgh · 14 October 2016, 09:38

You also need an active terminator after the 7726.

nogginthenog · 14 October 2016, 10:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgh

You also need an active terminator after the 7726.

The MKII SCSI module comes with an external SCSI port. It provides termination too.

edd_jedi · 14 October 2016, 10:56

Thanks for your help all, appreciate it.

Jope · 14 October 2016, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogginthenog

The MKII SCSI module comes with an external SCSI port. It provides termination too.

Only for the other end of the bus.

edd_jedi · 14 October 2016, 12:10

I do have a terminator that came with the CyberSCSI so hopefully I can work it out. Can't find any 68 > 50 pin SCSI cables on eBay, so looks like I'll have to get an adapter.

ajk · 14 October 2016, 12:23

I'll check my parts box later today

edd_jedi · 14 October 2016, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajk

I'll check my parts box later today

That would be great, happy to pay if you have one

ajk · 14 October 2016, 16:32

I found these. I think the one on the right looks correct? If so, you can have it for the cost of postage.

I think also have the loose SCSI connectors you could make a cable with, but I'll need to dig further for those.

edd_jedi · 14 October 2016, 16:49

Yes that looks like the right one, I appreciate the offer but just noticed you're in Finland and I can buy one from eBay for £4.99 posted which will probably cost less than the postage. Thanks for your help though.

12 October 2016, 16:47	#1
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	Help setting up SCSI-IDE bridge with Cyberstorm in A4000 I have had a Cyberstorm MKII 060 for quite some time in my A4000D, I'm very happy with it but the one thing that has always let the system down is the on board IDE speed. So I have picked up a Cyber-SCSI and finally just found an Acard AEC-7726Q SCSI-IDE bridge for a reasonable price. So I want to hook my existing IDE Hard Disk which has several partitions including the boot/system drive to the Cyber-SCSI to hopefully see a decent speed increase. A couple of questions: 1) Do I need to install any special drivers, add to the startup sequence or anything? I'm especially concerned that the Amiga won't boot via SCSI. 2) I don't really understand SCSI termination. I only want to have this one drive hooked up, so do I need a terminator connected, and if so where? Any help appreciated.

12 October 2016, 18:35	#2
cmsj Registered User Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: London / UK Posts: 166	1) You shouldn't need to do anything, the CS SCSI should support booting just fine 2) Termination is pretty simple really, both ends of a SCSI chain need to be terminated, but it's very likely that the controller end is terminated, and it looks like the CyberSCSI's external port daughterdaughterboard autosenses if it needs to terminate. Last edited by cmsj; 12 October 2016 at 19:09.

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12 October 2016, 21:19	#3
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	OK great thanks, so it pretty much should be plug and play. Will report back! Current IDE read speed is about 2.5mb/s according to sysinfo so will be interesting to see what this can do.

12 October 2016, 21:26	#4
fitzsteve Professional slacker! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kent, UK Age: 44 Posts: 6,683	It's SCSI-2 so you will get approx 8-10mb/sec plus you'll benefit from less CPU overhead, you might have some jumpers to configure on the SCS-IDE bridge. Have a read of the Acard manual and the manual for the Cyber SCSI board too, it's near enough plug and play though

13 October 2016, 18:00	#5
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	I've just thought of something I have overlooked - cables! I only have an IDE cable. I assumed the IDE-SCSI bridge would attach to the CyberSCSI module, but looking at a photo it appears the bridge has a SCSI connector with far more pins and a different shape connector to the CyberSCSI: and So what kind of cable do I need?

13 October 2016, 18:23	#6
cmsj Registered User Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: London / UK Posts: 166	It is possible to adapt the 68pin connector on your ACard, to the 50pin connector on your CyberSCSI, but I think given the lack of space inside an A4000, I would probably suggest you sell that ACard and get a 7720U instead, then all you need is a 50pin SCSI cable of appropriate length

13 October 2016, 22:39	#7
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	It's taken me the best part of a year to find this one, so don't really want to start again Is there not a cable that will go between the two?

14 October 2016, 00:25	#8
cmsj Registered User Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: London / UK Posts: 166	I wish I could help there, but I'm not 100% on the details of precisely what you'd need to convert from 68pin LVD to the 50pin on the CyberSCSI

14 October 2016, 01:23	#9
SnkBitten Amithlon Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Lexington, SC / US Posts: 781	68pin to 50pin SCSI adapters are pretty cheap, around $15 or so. They aren't very big so you shouldn't have a problem using it in your A4000D. To add, you'll need a 50pin SCSI cable and a 68pin to 50pin SCSI adapter. The ACard will plug into the the IDE device, the SCSI adapter will connect to the 68pin connector and then a 50pin SCSI cable will go between the adapter and CyberSCSI.

14 October 2016, 08:32	#10
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,865	There are also cables that do the 50->68 adaptation directly, if you don't have the space.

14 October 2016, 09:19	#11
ajk Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1,341	I think I might have one those adapters (board though, not cable) somewhere. I have to check that it's the correct type. You can have it for the cost of a postage stamp, will be quicker than through China.

14 October 2016, 09:38	#12
fgh Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Norway Posts: 820	You also need an active terminator after the 7726.

14 October 2016, 10:56	#14
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	Thanks for your help all, appreciate it.

14 October 2016, 12:10	#16
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	I do have a terminator that came with the CyberSCSI so hopefully I can work it out. Can't find any 68 > 50 pin SCSI cables on eBay, so looks like I'll have to get an adapter.

14 October 2016, 12:23	#17
ajk Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1,341	I'll check my parts box later today

14 October 2016, 16:32	#19
ajk Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1,341	I found these. I think the one on the right looks correct? If so, you can have it for the cost of postage. I think also have the loose SCSI connectors you could make a cable with, but I'll need to dig further for those.

14 October 2016, 16:49	#20
edd_jedi Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / UK Posts: 420	Yes that looks like the right one, I appreciate the offer but just noticed you're in Finland and I can buy one from eBay for £4.99 posted which will probably cost less than the postage. Thanks for your help though.

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