Sounds of the Rodime RO352
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
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Rodime RO352
Country of Origin: Scotland
Introduced: 1983
Interface: ST-412 (MFM nominal)
Capacity: 10MB
Form: 3.5 HH (1")
CHS: 306 / 4 / 17
LZN: 307
WPC: 128
Track-track: 24.2ms
Linear access: 55.8ms
Random access: 94.3ms
Rotational: 3600RPM
Media: Metallic with TF heads
Disks: 2
Actuation: Rotary band swingarm stepper
Feedback: None
Lift/Lock/Park: None
Brake: Dynamic
Service life: Unknown
Related models: RO351 (1 disk); RO251 (1 disk, factory 5.25" bracket); RO252 (factory 5.25" bracket)
Failures: Unknown
Settings: aioinc.ddns.net...
My thoughts:
The Rodime RO352 is a special drive for two reasons - First for being one of the very few 306 cylinder native 3.5" drives, and second, more importantly, for being the very first 3.5" disk drive. Rodime invented this form factor for hard drives, held a patent on it for a while, and was the sole choice of manufacturers for at least a few years, with both Compaq and Apple licensing drives from them. At the time of it's introduction, the Rodime RO351 and RO352 were the smallest hard drives in the world. Not all machines in 1983 had 3.5" bays, it was quite rare at that point, in fact, so Rodime produced a version of the RO351 and RO352 which shipped with a very, very difficult to remove factory 5.25" bracket. This version was identical in every way but was badged as the Rodime RO251 and RO252. Apple's licensed version, used in the HD20, was the Rodime RO552. It was later an optional drive mechanism in the very early Macintosh SE with the Rodime RO652. Compaq shipped the RO352 with an IDE translator in some portable machines before, like Apple, they also switched to the Miniscribe 8000 series later on.
ACT / Apricot Computers were assembled not far from Rodime in Scotland, and included the 3.5 inch 10 and 20 Mb hard drives in their XI models from 1984.
@@HTMLEXP I see, I did not know that. Interesting!
These were the original OEM drives for the Compaq portable plus computers. I still have one of these in my Compaq portable (knocking on wood it keeps working). It is a shame they seek so quietly, as they are hard to hear when installed in a computer.
Yep, I mentioned this in the description. Being quiet was considered a positive aspect at the time, Rodime really knew how to sell on that.
Love these drives! I really like soft “squeak” it makes when seeking. And I’ve always found it super cool that the spindle on these has a lower-pitched tone more reminiscent of a 5.25” drive. Probably due to the fact that it essentially uses the same larger spindle that 5.25” drives did! This made for a very small available surface area on the platters.
@@80sCompaqPC Yep, this is one of the very few 306 cylinder native 3.5" drives.
STEPPER MOTOR REALLY QUIET
Agreed. That was one of Rodime's selling points at the time.
Lovely! Would love to get my hands on a Rodime, but it's a bit of a challenge to find a working unit over here. I may have to import one in the end. Certainly wonderful in its historic importance!
It's also quite nice to come across drives made in Scotland and the UK as a whole. While I know a few other brands did so (like both Conner and IBM), it remains to be an element of fondness I have for drives like these. I'm sure many others have that for drives/items made in their home countries I suppose. Cool piece! Sounds great.
As far as I'm aware, only Rodime was entirely based and designed in Scotland. IBM and Conner just had facilities there, but that's where Rodime started.
The historical significance of this drive is largely forgotten, sadly. Most people remember the Seagate ST-506 and the IBM microdrive, but none of the advancements before, like this, or the Microscience HH-612, etc.
@@TheDiskMaster Interesting! I knew IBM and Conner's were simply additional facilities, but hearing Rodime was different in that regard is very interesting.
Quite a shame about the lost significance, but that's what content like this is all about!
@@bigbluebananabreadExactly. It's a trivial but arguably important step in the evolution of the personal computer. It's a shame how easily we forget.
Stepper motor is quiet, and sounds like a Kalok, but the motor doesn't seem to be identical (don't question why i always say that your drives sound like Kaloks a lot, but i always get the feeling of such)
No, because the sound is defined by the driver and seek profile, not the motor itself. Additionally, I definitely do not hear the resemblance to any Kalok in my collection. They are all significantly louder and have a lot more buzz.