SCSI : Computer Hardware Buyers’ Glossary

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SCSI
Small Computer Systems Interface. SCSI controller cards can handle up to seven devices, usually hard disks, CD-ROMS, back up tape drives or scanners. SCSI hard disks are more expensive than the garden variety EIDE hard disks. SCSI won’t buy you any more speed if you use Windows-95. You have to use a true multi-tasking Operating System like OS/2 or NT to get the SCSI speed benefits. There are six flavours of SCSI. Home machines mostly use SCSI-2.
Types of SCSI
type bits pins async
MHz		 sync
MHz		 cable
meters		 raw
throughput
Mbytes/sec
SCSI 8 50 4 5 6 5
SCSI-2 8 50 8 10 3 10
wide SCSI-2 16 68 8 10 3 20
differential SCSI-2 16 68 8 10 25 20
Fast20 aka Ultra 1 16 68 8 20 3 40
Ultra 2 SCSI 16 68 8 40 12 80
Ultra 160 SCSI 16 68 8 80 12 160
The best SCSI controllers come from Adaptec. Their website is also a good place to find technical documentation about SCSI. It is possble to mix 50-pin and 68-pin SCSI devices on the same bus using a converter, however then all devices run at the slower speed. You can also use a controller with connectors for both 50 and 68-pin cables.
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