Linux and parallel port SCSI adapters

 Linux and parallel port SCSI adapters

Several manufacturers make special active cables that can be used to connect an external SCSI bus to a computer's parallel port. This page lists those adapters for which Linux support exists or is in development.

 Iomega

Iomega has two parallel port SCSI adapters. One, known variously as the PPA-3 or the VPI0, is used in older models of the parallel port ZIP drive and in the Jaz Traveller cable. The other adapter is known as the Iomega MatchMaker or VPI2, and is used in the ZIP-Plus and ZIP-250 drives. These devices are supported in the standard kernels by the ppa and imm drivers.

For more information, visit Dave Campbell's pages.

 Adaptec

Adaptec used to market two parallel to SCSI adapter cables, that were originally Trantor products. The mini-SCSI plus APA-348 is the entry level product which works in 4 and 8 bit modes, while the APA-358 supports enhanced parallel ports. The APA-348 is based on the NCR-5380 while the APA-358 is based on the NCR-53c400. These adapters have also been distributed under the NEC brand.

Adaptec is now marketing the APA-1350, which is actually a re-branded Shuttle EPST adapter.

The ppSCSI suite of drivers includes support for these adapters. For more information, visit the ppSCSI page.

 Shuttle Technology

Shuttle Technology makes a parallel to SCSI adapter that is marketed as an adapter cable by several companies, including H45 Technology. The DOS drivers distributed with the cable are usually called EPST.SYS. This same adapter is also included with the parallel port versions of some SCSI disk and CD-R devices, including SyQuest's SyJet, the HP 6040, and some Nomai products. It is also used in several models of Hewlett-Packard scanners, including the HP-5200C. The core of the adapter appears to be a modified version of the NCR 5380.

An earlier version of the EPST adapter was known as the EPSA-2.

The ppSCSI suite of drivers includes support for these adapters. For more information, visit the ppSCSI page.

 OnSpec

The 90c26 chip from OnSpec Electronics, which the PARIDE suite supports as a parallel port IDE adapter, also includes an integral SCSI host adapter. This adapter is marketed by several companies including Rancho and Phase-II. It is also used in several parallel port scanners, including those from MicroTek.

The ppSCSI suite of drivers includes support for this adapter. For more information, visit the ppSCSI page.

 Shining Technology

A parallel port SCSI adapter that combines a KingByte device and an NCR-5380 has been available under a variety of names. It has been known as the Winbond WBS-11A, the LinkSys ParaSCSI, and is currently available as the Shining Technology SparCSI. It can be found in two versions, one that includes EPP support, and one that works only in SPP and PS/2 modes.

The ppSCSI suite of drivers includes support for these adapters. For more information, visit the ppSCSI page.

 Belkin

The Belkin F5B001 parallel to SCSI adapter cable, is a simple adapter based on an FPGA which must be programmed by the software prior to use.

A ppSCSI driver for this device is in development. For more information, visit the ppSCSI page.

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