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Applied Electronics HD External Floppy Drive?

Posted by: hyperneogeo on 2016-12-03 10:35:40 So I found this locally for a few bucks. I tried looking it up, but none of them have the HD logo on it. Is it the same as the high density one, just with a logo? (IE a possible revision?)

Posted by: rsolberg on 2016-12-03 18:20:47 I've seen ones with just the Applied Engineering logo, and units that have "AE HD+," but not one like this with "AE HD" before.

Posted by: ScutBoy on 2016-12-03 19:46:05 I have this same drive - not exactly sure what it does and doesn't work with; haven't taken the time to look it up.

Posted by: Gorgonops on 2016-12-03 20:14:32 I've seen ones with just the Applied Engineering logo, and units that have "AE HD+," but not one like this with "AE HD" before. Putting together the pieces from various Google hits it looks like the "HD" labeled version of the drive is just an Apple Superdrive-compatible external floppy. (IE, supports 400k/800k/1.44mb on machines with SWIM controllers.) The "HD+", on the other hand, appears to be a Smartport-type device similar to the old "Unidisk" 800k drive that supports reading and writing high-density disks on machines without high-density controllers.

Posted by: trag on 2016-12-03 23:47:21 What Gorgonops said. The plain HD is equivalent to an (old nomenclature) Apple external Superdrive. The HD+ is a 1.44 floppy with a big ol' circuit board that makes it work with a Mac Plus or other Mac that lacks SuperDrive support. Back when all I had was q Plus I lusted after the HD+. I have one in a box here somewhere. The manufacturer is Applied Engineering, BTW.

Posted by: hyperneogeo on 2016-12-04 00:07:06 Sorry,  yeah...I was thinking of another thing lol. Thanks for the info guys!

Posted by: ScutBoy on 2016-12-04 06:17:56 Thanks all - that's what I thought, but it's nice you confirmed my suspicions. I remember the HD+ being a big deal at the time.

Posted by: waynestewart on 2016-12-05 17:42:08 On the IIgs the AEHD+ with a driver let the IIgs use HD floppy disks at 1.6mb. Since I only had one of the drives I didn’t want to store data on 1.6mb disks in case the drive died. Superdrive cards on the IIgs was a better choice anyways.

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