Rev. A01
PDI-00642-00
December 1997
AM-642 Fintec STOP Converter
Installation Instructions
INTRODUCTION
This document describes the installation of an AM-642 FPS STOP (SCSI-to-Pertec) Converter into an
existing Alpha Micro Computer System.
If you do not feel comfortable performing the hardware and software procedures discussed below, please
contact your Alpha Micro dealer or the Alpha Micro Technical Assistance Center for help.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The FPS STOP Converter allows you to connect a ½” magnetic tape drive to the SCSI bus and copy files
to and from it using the standard MTUxxx commands. It is available in two forms:
•
PDB-00642-00: an external subsystem which plugs into your computer’s external SCSI port. For
additional information about the externally connected AM-642 subsystem, please see the
Installation Manual included with the STOP Converter.
•
PDB-00642-01: an assembly which mounts in the card cage inside an AM-990 chassis, attaching
to the SCSI bus via the internal SCSI cable and to the ½” tape drive via cables running out the
computer’s back panel.
SCSI Bus Types
Over the years, Alpha Micro computers have offered three different “SCSI” busses. We refer to them as
follows:
1. The bus in AM-2000/3000 and other older computers, which supports up to four SCSI devices, is
the “SASI bus.”
2. The SCSI bus in Eagles, Roadrunners, the AM-4000, and newer computers, which requires a
SCSI dispatcher and supports up to seven devices, is the “SCSI-2 bus.”
3. The enhanced Wide SCSI-2 bus introduced on the AM-6000 and Roadrunner 060 is the “Wide
SCSI-2 bus.” This bus supports up to 15 devices. Note that the cables and 68-pin connectors used
with the Wide SCSI-2 bus are physically narrower than previous SCSI cables
The AM-642 is supported only on the SCSI-2 and Wide SCSI-2 busses. It does not work on the SASI
bus.
