[BBC-Micro] 16 bit IDE interfaces with microdrives

[Pete Turnbull]

On 23/07/2011 11:16, Sprow wrote:
> Hi,
> Anyone yearning for some spinning platters in their storage solution can now
> get up to 4GB shoehorned into just 1" square.

Nice!

> However, that's all quite big, so as an experiment I bought
>   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280639048275 ($10)
> which is ... a 4GB microdrive from some
> Apple gizmo or other.

IBM, then Hitachi, started making 1GB and 4GB versions of that several 
years ago.  I didn't know they were still available, but I still have at 
least one around here somewhere.

> It worked fine, and the microdrive is a marvel of tiny mechanics: it's an
> actual spinning harddisc in a roughly 1" square by 3mm package. It also has
> the advantage of running of just 5V rather than needing 12V too like a big
> hard disc would do, so the power supply can just be a 5V plug adapter,

Yup.  But they're a bit delicate.  Don't squash them between the fingers!

-- 
Pete						Peter Turnbull
						Network Manager
						University of York