Asri-unix.361 net.unix-wizards utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!menlo70!sri-unix!RAM@MIT-MC Tue Dec 29 21:16:35 1981 Western Peripherals Model 130 tape controller, long opinion From: Robert A. Morris I run this with a Cipher dual density drive on my 11/34 and a v6 TM11 driver I got from Harvard. It works fine. I had some early minor problem which a board swap fixed. My rep loaned me a board while the warranty repair was done. The Cipher drive went through three vacuum transducers in 4 months, but each comes with a one year parts and labor warranty so I never paid for any of them. The Cipher people claimed that improved design should stop this problem and it seems to have. The controller does fine on all DEC diagnostics. Like many such drives, Kennedy too I think, you can strap it to take it's density from the panel or by controller command. The TC130 supports this, but for reasons I can't remember I chose the former. I had some occasional bus contention with my RL01's when I still had them as swap device. This was minor and I hope irrelevant to VAXen. I have the highest regard for Western's post sale service. They are incredibly helpful on the phone and do warranty work promply and cheerfully. --bob morris ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.