Mitac AD-1 (Disk II clone)

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Mitac AD-1 (Disk II clone)

I assume this thing isn't rare and valuable or anything?  I plan to use the enclosure with the Disk II Floppy Emu faceplate kit, but I figured I ought to ask around before I gut it.

 

It uses a Sugart 390 mechanism.  Slightly different than what is in my real Disk IIs, but looks to be electrically the same.  Analog board appears to be a clone of the Apple one.  Case has different vent slot placement, but otherwise appears identical to Disk II.

 

I had the drive as my D2 from 1983 until last year sometime when I replaced it with another Disk II that a friend sent me.  It's always been slightly unreliable.  Sometimes it throws IO errors and you have to remove and reinsert the disk before it will work right.  I suspect that the spindle speed is a little off, but I haven't tried to adjust it.

 

I plan to keep all the innards, as they will fit into a Disk II (and the faceplate may even swap) if one of my Disk IIs breaks down and I get in a bind, heh.

 

Thanks folks.

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Mitac drives aren't as common

Mitac drives aren't as common as real Disk ][. but they are a fairly commonly seen clone brand.  I'd also keep it.  I have machines I could put it in like my BASIS 108.  It currently has a single Rana Systems Elite One drive in it, but I've found an original cast for that, so it is going in that and the BASIS 108 will probably get some other no-name drive mech.

 

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Interesting.I have two Mitac

Interesting.

I have two Mitac full height drives.  Both of them have been rock solid in terms of reliability.

I've also seen versions where the bottom plate has been plain, but my two have the title "Mitac" stamped into the case bottom.

 

If they are Shugart 390s they don't have any identifying markings - in fact the two I have seem to be clones of the 390 mechanism as there are slight casting differences.

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Yours is a Shugart. Mine very

Yours is a Shugart.

 

Mine very clearly is not.

 

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