[Coco] Super IDE vs. Drive Pak

[Brian Blake]

On 11/15/2011 9:20 PM, Aaron Wolfe wrote:
>> Actually, I purchased two 2GB CF cards at the time, and only added one in
>> the math above. That would equal the storage of one 4GB DrivePak. And I did
>> note the RTC module, just didn't think about the model without it; duly
>> noted that the DrivePak does not have that, but, I just based the cost
>> comparison on what I bought at the time.
>>
>> Super IDE = $75
>> HDB-DOS = $30
>> 2GB CF x 2 = $24
>> CF Adapter = $14
>>
>> You're still at $143, and it still boils down to personal preference. I like
> 100% agree that some people will like one and some will like the other.
>
> The fact that you bought 2 CF cards and and adapter to get 4GB instead
> of one brings up a good point, that's because the SuperIDE only
> supports devices up to 2GB in size, right? I know there is some size
> limit on the SuperIDE, hoping its 2GB or I'm not making any sense hah.
>   4GB CF cards only cost about $12, but I am assuming you couldn't
> just buy one and no adapter because of that limit.
>
> If you buy only one CF card, the cost of the superIDE and drivepak
> come out within a few bucks of each other, but if you need more than
> 2GB storage, the drivepak becomes a cheaper option, and if you need
> more than 4GB the drivepak becomes the only option (again, hope i am
> right about 2GB being the limit).   OTOH, is there even 2GB of
> software in existence for the coco? I'm not sure if there is or not.
I think with the SuperIDE, really anything over 2GB is wasted space. 
I'de have to do the math again, but, I think that's what the case is. 
Boisy or Mark are far more qualified to answer that! ;)

Pretty sure there is more than 2GB when you include RSDOS and OS-9. 
Wouldn't be a LOT more. As for the card size, I'm pretty sure Roger has 
more in mind later for software delivery. I can't comment because I just 
don't know, other than hints here and there. I know there was a recent 
change to the uDrive firmware, I suspect that finally allows it to read 
256 byte sectors as opposed to 512.

But with the CoCoPak program that makes it REALLY easy to manipulate and 
duplicate an SD card's image, the work that's been done to Rainbow, and 
the data throughput increases; the  making of very large games with lots 
of digitized and sampled sounds only makes sense to me - I could be 
WAAYYYY off on this...