Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : Any info about Iomega (IOM)? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cogito who wrote (47307)	2/9/1998 2:28:00 PM
From: Michael Coley	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

RE: Zip Heads Make Contact with Media Surface? Allen, I'm couldn't find any documentation online that says definitively which way it works. I had thought that it didn't make direct contact, but the following links leave a little doubt in my mind: rummelplatz.uni-mannheim.de 6. Does the Zip drive use Bernoulli technology? No, not at all. The Zip drive is a sort of hybrid of modern drive assembly techniques and established "Winchester"-type drive mechanisms; Zip shares more common technology with typical hard drives and floppy drives than it does with anything else. The Bernoulli Effect, and the technology that Iomega applies to it, is not to be found in this drive. mindspring.com HOW IT WORKS -- Zip drives use floppy-style flexible media and hard drive-style magnetic read-write heads. The Zip is not based on Iomega's Bernoulli technology. From their Patent# 5,689,393 on the Zip disk: The cassette shell is provided with an opening for insertion of a magnetic head, through which the magnetic had for magnetically recording and reproducing signals is to be inserted from the exterior such that the magnetic head can be brought into contact with the surfaces of the magnetic disk or can be brought to positions close to the surfaces of the magnetic disk. pacificserv.com 8. The Zip is more reliable than the LS120: According to HP's white paper on the zip, "Conversely, floptical technologies, such as LS-120, incorporate both magnetic and optical technologies which make the drives complicated and slower. Also, similar to a standard floppy drive, the read/write magnetic heads are in contact with the media, leading to a higher risk of media damage and errors." - Michael Coley - wwol.com

To: Cogito who wrote (47307)	2/9/1998 2:31:00 PM
From: Cheeky Kid	Respond to of 58324

Allen, I spoke to tech support. 1-800-my-stuff he also said I could call 1-801-779-6100 and they could point me in the direction of getting documented info on this. I am just wondering why these disks last so long. My experiance with 1.44 floppies is bad as I run into bad disks all the time (when I use to use them). But with ZIP, I have never run into a bad disk yet. I wonder why they don't have this info on their website. I would like to get further detailed info on this subject. However this is not going to stop me from using ZIP disks. I think they are great.

To: Cogito who wrote (47307)	2/9/1998 3:03:00 PM
From: W. Frank	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

It might be that the ZIP works similar to most hard disk drives in that the heads only contact the media during drive start and stop. Hard disk drives have a head landing zone where generally no data is recorded. However, the trend in hard disk drives is to more use of loading ramps so the heads do not land on the media. This has been particularly true for HDDs in notebooks where they are powering up and down frequently. The head loading ramp also eliminates potential "stiction" problems that occur when trying to start up a drive with the head in contact with the media. Head contact when powering a ZIP on or off may be a reason that the original ZIPs didn't have a on-off switch. As long as you don't turn off the power the media rotates and the heads fly. If you remove the media then the heads are retracted and do not come in contact with the media. Bill