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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 11th Aug 2012, 11:00 am   #1
ben
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Default What's this thing? (Drive unit)

I picked this up from the street a few days back. Looks like a portable CD ROM drive, but instead of a drawer it has a slot about the size of a CD jewel case. Peeping inside I see what looks like HDD heads.

: labelled ETC PERIPHERALS 44MB.
FCC ID: JDZZFPBZO1001. rear has one IEC power port and two centronics printer type ports. Any ideas?
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Old 11th Aug 2012, 11:15 am   #2
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Default Re: what's this thing? (Drive unit)

It's probably a badged version of a Syquest SQ555, a 44MB SCSI removable hard drive. They were quite popular in the 90s.
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Old 11th Aug 2012, 12:24 pm   #3
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

Thanks Paul. I have found a pic thanks to your info. Attached below.

I have nothing to put in it, so it is pretty much useless. Is this likely to be something someone could still use, or should I junk it? 44MB won't even store an MS word document these days!
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Old 11th Aug 2012, 2:15 pm   #4
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

There isn't any point in keeping one of these things unless you think you might want to read the media sometime. That's why I've got one squirrelled away in the loft.

Maybe somebody would like it for a vintage computer setup. There are lots of them around though, so the chances are if they wanted one they've already got one.

The interface is standard 50 pin SCSI.
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Old 11th Aug 2012, 2:27 pm   #5
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

The drives were popular with 'classic' Apple Mac users (ie the 680*0 and early ppc machines). O/S 7.1 fitted onto one with ease!
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Old 3rd Sep 2012, 7:06 pm   #6
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

Stripped this for spares in the end. Some great magnets, a filtered IEC socket, lots of circlips and small springs. Thanks for all the replies.
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Old 9th Sep 2012, 5:22 pm   #7
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

It might not be a rebadged version, as the FCC grantee code JDZ points to ETC themselves. This is however not really relevant anymore. It's just something I noticed.
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Old 24th Jul 2016, 5:59 pm   #8
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

That looks more like an "optical " magnetic recorder. Works the same way a Mini Disc works. Uses a laser to alter the magnetic state of the medium. A sort of sideline technology. Never really took off. Some people "modded" these as High quality Audio recorders just for fun. But capacity is just too small to be of use these days.
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Old 24th Jul 2016, 6:11 pm   #9
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Default Re: What's this thing? (Drive unit)

Yes, I think the disks are magneto-optical.
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