I need to run a SCSI device on Mac Pro running Lion

Atto was one of the last companies to make Mac OS X compatible PCI SCSI cards. I'd look in their line up for 10.7 compatible cards. http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/ is a good place to research upgrade card options. Firewire to SCSI adapters are rare and may also have compatible drivers. I would not go USB to SCSI as that really slows you down.

There used to be a couple companies making Firewire or USB to SCSI adapters, we carried a very nice one made by Ratoc. Would still sell a lot of them if the manufacturer of the chipset used in them still made that chip. I do not know of any source for a replacement chipset and for the last 6 months there have been no SCSi-USB or SCSI to Firewire adapters to be had. Last one I saw for sale on eBay they were asking upwards of $300, this for a device that retailed around $100.

If you can find a Ratoc FR1SX SCSI -> Firewire adapter used somewhere, snap it up. It is a very well designed device that worked well. Otherwise, as mentioned, I think your choices are limited to either an ATTO PCIe SCSI card, the UL5D I believe, or keeping the older G5 computer with a SCSI card in it and using that as a purposed machine to run the camera.

Rick

I recently saw a USB to SCSI adapter from Ratoc go on ebay for $100. But Ratoc still sells the Firewire to SCSI adapter on their site. But not for long.

I use the Firewire to SCSI adapter to operate an Epson 836XL tabloid sized scanner and Vuescan.

Drivers will be your sticking point though for Lion.

Yeah, Belkin stopped making theirs, and then Ratoc stopped making the FR1SX about a month ago. I have two Eversmart Supreme scanners. One that is still using its original adapter (on the Supreme II), and the older Scitex badged unit using an FR1SX. When I heard they were discontinuing the FR1SX, I immediately bought a spare. I should really get another one while they're still available so I have a spare for each scanner.

Interesting that Ratoc put a last production run together - thanks for posting that.

Ratoc stated end of life 8 months ago and discontinued any shipping to us back then. Looks like this is the last batch. And states won't run on Windows 7.... defeintely won't get any more driver development. Makes me wonder if they will run on Lion? I sold my last one of these from the test lab to a needy customer before Lion came out, so I have no idea.

Rick

Ratoc still has the FR1SX. I ordered one a month or so ago. Price has gone way up considering.

http://www.ratocsystems.com/english/products/FR1SX.html

Yup, they still have some in stock themselves. I just ordered one through Amazon for the same price with half the shipping cost.

Ratoc at least makes it clear that there's a limited number available so a user doesn't get the idea they're still in production.

I sold my last one of these from the test lab to a needy customer before Lion came out, so I have no idea.

The folks at Genesis Equipment and another person I know who independently services the Eversmart and iQsmart scanners would buy them by the case. Overall, I suppose that's still too small of a market to keep manufacturing them.

Makes me wonder if they will run on Lion?

Not sure. The software for the scanners is currently dead ended in Snow Leopard (mostly PPC code), so I can't even test it in Lion.

Thanks for the news Kurt and Sam. I get calls every week looking for them. Be nice, at least for a bit, to be able to point them to Ratoc again. I doubt I bring any in. Hard to justify a EOL product and no support. Might have to try some testing to see how it does with Lion.

Ratoc's site now says they are sold out of the FR1SX. Again.....

Ratoc only made a very few in the last run, from a limited supply of chips. (so few, they refused to sell us any for resale)

The chipmaker stopped making the chips. Unless a new source for chips steps in, or the old one agrees to make them again, Ratoc and any other manufacturers of SCSI->FW or SCSI->USB adapters are out of luck, as are we. So far I have not heard anything to suggest there is an alternate chipset on the horizon.

Rick

Good thing I bought another one a couple of weeks ago. I now have two brand new spares. Once for each of our Supreme's in case the current SCSI>FW converter on them croaks.

I'm not sure having the converter will automatically make it work. In the case of the out scanners, the software released for OS X was rewritten to poll for the scanner on a FW port. The converter was necessary because the scanner itself has SCSI connectors.

What I'm saying by that is if your software polls for the camera on a SCSI port, it's not going to find it through a converter. You may be required to have a SCSI card, which cannot be purchased as a new item from any vendor, and doubtful Lion would support one.

The computer sees any device attached to a Firewire bridge by virtue of the drivers used. A SCSI device has SCSI drivers, so it is seen as a SCSI device - the bridge is ancillary to that. First priority, must have the proper device driver for the camera to be seen.

There are configurations that can be made to the FR1SX using its utility that can effect whether a device works correctly as well. Also there are a couple different version of firmware and we have seen Imacon recommend an older version for some of their products.

Lastly, you MUST have termination power capability enabled on the device that the Ratoc is attached to, or the Ratoc does not get power. If Termination power is absent then the green power light will not come on on the Ratoc. No light - no work. If you do not have a light then go to Radio Shack and get a 5 volt power supply to connect to it.

Rick