TOPS FlashBox information

[MindWalker]

I meant about running an AppleShare server with only System 6 machines to do any AFP. I am not sure what to make of that TOPS 2.0 on garden, if that's not a AFP but something custom? If I read it right, perhaps it should work as a file share between the machines, I might need to give it a go.

Anyway I finally figured out how to set up the AppleShare File Server on my SE. Then I first tested with a simple pair of PhoneNet adapters and I was able to access the share on my LC, great. I had not much files on the machines (as I had just set them up with System 6) but I had Lode Runner and Tetris Max there (as one should) so I used those as a benchmark.

First with just PhoneNet adapters over RJ11 cable: copying Lode Runner and Tetris Max over was about 1min 31sec - 1min 34sec (run twice).

Then I plugged in the FlashBoxes to the same ports, and then the PhoneNet adapters to the FlashBoxes and set the FlashTalk active in the Network panel on both machines. Rebooted and the FlashTalk icon shows up in the bottom-left corner of screen. Testing again, and I was able to connect to the File Server just like before. So the FlashBoxes were working (or at least passing normal LocalTalk thru succesfully).

I run the same test over the FlashBox + PhoneNet adapters: copying Lode Runner and Tetris Max over took only 1min - 1min 2sec (run twice).
Also I copied over the whole LC's boot drive (2,8MB) and it took just 2min 18sec.

So yes, the FlashBoxes work, and it has at least a measurable speed boost to the LocalTalk traffic Setting up the boxes with their own power supplies and the very short pigtail cables (the computer port on the FlashBox is not a Mac serial port) was not too tidy (over the simplicity of having just a PhoneNet dongles) and I can kinda see why this would've been a pretty niche market for this type of adapters.

 

[Mk.558]

TOPS/2.0 isn't custom so much as it was a commercial product to transfer files across different systems, such as PC-DOS, VAX/VMS hardware or whatever else they made stuff for. You'll probably run into a snag because at least for Version 3, you need a different key file for each machine.

Your transfer times seem about right. LocalTalk tops out a 230.400 bps, in practice most machines max out at 20KiB/sec or 10KiB/sec depending on how slow they are. Really slow computers like the 512K are about 7.5KiB/sec.

The COMPUTER labeled port on the FlashBox is just a Mini-DIN-6 PS/2 style connector which allows it to use either DE-9 or Mini-DIN-8 connectors depending on which machine you had, as the 512K and 512Ke used the DE-9 serial port. Mac Plus and up used the Mini-DIN-8 interface connector.

I don't have an oscilloscope to test, but I wonder if the FlashBox uses the HSKo at all. If it just uses RXD+/- and TXD +/- then yeah a normal PhoneNET cable wouldn't lead to any speed changes.