Microdrive card

The MicroDrive Card

From ///SHH Systeme

The MicroDrive card is an IDE hard disk card, that is manufactured by ///SHH Systeme, the same company that created the BlueDisk card last year for the Apple II series. If you are looking at putting a hard drive in your Apple IIe or IIGS computer, then i t would be a good idea to give the MicroDrive Card some serious consideration.

The MicroDrive card can function in two ways: as a controller card for one or two external IDE hard disk drives, or as a "hard card" with a mounted 2.5" hard disk (portable size) mechanism. It will allow up to two 256 MB disks to be connected. It can also function as a replacement for the Vulcan and Vulcan Gold controller cards, allowing you to install newer, larger hard disks in your Vulcan.

The good news about the MicroDrive card is not just the claims that are made for it regarding speed (such as booting into ProDOS 8 in 1 second) but also that the card is shipping now. This is not "vaporware"...in fact, the MicroDrive card has been sol d in Germany for the past year. This is its U.S. debut.

While I do not have a MicroDrive card now, I can say that technical support on both GEnie and the Internet is great! I have learned a lot about ///SHH Systeme's products just from reading posts in their category on the GEnie Apple II Bulletin Board an d the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup on Usenet.

The MicroDrive Card basic package consists of:

the controller card
the installation disk with MicroDrive installer, GS/OS caching driver, installer script, icons and additional test programs
the user's manual (English language)

Accessories available

IDE 40-pin flat ribbon cable 3 ft. with two 0.1 inch plugs for standard IDE connectors.
2.5 inch mounting kit with power supply cabling, i.e. a complete set for mounting your 2.5" drive on a MicroDrive card (short IDE flat ribbon cable with special 2mm plug for 2.5 inch drives and standard 0.1 inch plug for MicroDrive IDE connector, me tal mounting stripes and M3 metric screws)

MicroDrive Card Prices

MicroDrive Card basic package US $79
2.5 inch mounting Kit US $27
IDE 40-pin flat ribbon cable 3 ft US $11

Shipping and handling for basic package (with or without Mounting Kit):

Additional s/h fee for 3 ft. cable

USA US $14 $4 (air mail)
all other countries US $14 $4 (air mail)

The MicroDrive Card carries a one year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Software and ROM updates (if needed) will be available on GEnie A2 library or can be sent via internet e-mail.

To order the MicroDrive card, or to get more information, you can write to the following addresses:

///SHH SYSTEME
Dipl. Ing. Joachim Lange
Bergstrasse 95
82131 Stockdorf
Germany
phone & fax Germany - 89 - 8577040 (fax 19.00 to 23.00 CET only)

If you want to inquire via e-mail, you can write to:
GEnie: J.LANGE7
Internet: lange@tasha.muc.de (this is the preferred e-mail address)

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