RaSCSI - The Ultimate SCSI Emulator for Vintage Macs (Get online with this SCSI to Ethernet bridge!)

This video has been a few months in the making. I got my RaSCSI in February and assembled it in May. I finally got around to using it, and I'm very pleased with the results. I'm using it with my Apple Macintosh LC III. The RaSCSI's easy to configure web interface and the amazing Dynaport SCSI to Ethernet bridge emulation are two awesome benefits. So let's see how this device compares to the BlueSCSI, SCSI2SD, and other hard drive emulators out there. And see if we can get our Mac online using this SCSI to Ethernet bridge mode.
UPDATE: As of 2023, the RaSCSI is now known as the PiSCSI. The software set up has changed massively, therefore the instructions shown in this video have been simplified.
RaSCSI on GitHub: github.com/akuker/RASCSI/
RaSCSI Wiki: github.com/akuker/RASCSI/wiki
Buy a RaSCSI: www.tindie.com/products/lando...
Open Retro SCSI Discord Server: / discord
PotatoFi's awesome RaSCSI Case: www.etsy.com/shop/PotatoFi?re...
Tony's RaSCSI for 68k Macs presentation: fosdem.org/2021/schedule/even...
‪@ActionRetro‬'s RaSCSI video: • The RaSCSI is MAGIC fo...
🎹 Music Tracks Used
KZbin Audio Library tracks by Bad Snacks:
• Easy Sunday
• Leveled Up
Patrick Gaffney ( / swillpig )
• Lasagna Day
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:03 What is a RaSCSI?
02:33 Project Origins
03:26 SCSI Rivals
06:30 Ethernet Excitement
08:39 Initial Setup
10:52 Formatting Fun
13:42 Experimental Ethernet
17:05 Mistakes Were Made
18:42 Open Transport is Evil
20:13 The Picky Installer Strikes Back!
22:59 The Internets
24:34 Closing
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[@dysfunctionalwombat]

If this was an advertisement for the RaSCSI, consider me sold. I can appreciate a video that finally explained it well. Thanks!

[@Mac84]

I’m really impressed with it, like I note it is early days, but it is an excellent product that can only get better from here.

[@dysfunctionalwombat]

Absolutely. Even in it's current form it is still an excellent value for price, especially when you consider that something like an Asante EN/SC can go for a few hundred dollars alone. I'd have to say I'm impressed from what I saw alone. Can't wait to see how much better it does get.

[@TheSulross]

glad somebody understood this journey

[@sailcat662]

Hey! That was a lot of fun to go on that journey with you. I definitely have to try a RaSCSI on my Color Classic II

[@DannyBeans]

I find it amusing (in the best possible way) that the solution to keeping these old machines running is to stick newer computers with orders of magnitude more power into them. It makes me so happy that the technology has advanced to the point where that's a practical, economical answer.

[@Fred_Raimer]

Wow - your monumental effort produced a monumental video! Your production values are also first rate with this and the Bruce cameo topped it off. Thanks, Steve!

[@johnleake8274]

Thank you for helping make sense of the setup! I salute your sacrifice of time that others may have an easier time avoiding installation landmines!

[@rogerjones8809]

You should be awarded an honorary degree from a prestigious university for this!

[@75slaine]

Venturing into the world of Classic Macs for the first time, I've just ordered one of these to solve the external SCSI CD-ROM issues I'll have. Delighted to see there'll be an option of a SCSI Ethernet connection too. Very informative.

[@Mr.Macintosh]

Steve, again fantastic video. The fact that SCSI Drives are becoming more and more rare, the more SCSI adapters the better!!!!! When you mentioned that RaSCSI had ethernet emulation... wow so awesome!!!

[@Mac84]

Thank you! I do love all the SCSI emulators out there, but for machines with limited expandability the RaSCSI can perform double-duty... and then some! Making it a very attractive device for any Compact Mac or LC model.

[@erinwiebe7026]

This is the project I've been waiting for, and I just ordered one! I have an Apple IIe card using the PDS slot in my LC III and I've missed having access to ethernet, making file transfers a real struggle. The RaSCSI should resolve both issues! Wonderful!

[@Mac84]

Great! I’m certainly planning on installing it in my SE/30, as I think it’ll help me use its PDS slot for something more than just ethernet. Of course… I just bought an Ethernet card for it… do’h!

[@mcal27]

Just ordered one myself based on your video. I’ll likely be using mine with a couple of hardware samplers though at first I think. Love the uses Raspberry pi’s are put to these days! Amazing little problem solvers

[@sungbyun3224]

Nice job. This was what I was looking for.

[@Pendleton115]

I've been scratching my head for the past 3 days trying to get this working on my Macintosh Classic. I'm not there yet! But at least this video tells me that I'm doing everything right!

[@Mac84]

Please be advised that the instructions have likely changed since this video was published. Good luck! Check out the TinkerDifferent.com forum if you run into issues.

[@Pendleton115]

@@Mac84 Thabks, I’ve had some excellent tips from the LowEnd Mac community which I will try today. Hopefully I can get it up and running!

[@glonch]

Just awesome - well done.

[@stephanemignot100]

I guess I'll wait for a Mac version of the pi-storm to bring my LC III to life.

[@PotatoFi]

Fun fact (that I enjoy bragging about): the RaSCSI Ethernet emulation uses the MAC address from my real DaynaPort SCSI adapter!

[@Mac84]

That’s awesome!

[@MichaelAStanhope]

Thank the Apple gods you FINALLY got Open Transport 1.3 to work! Now you can quit using small 4 letter words when you try to install it.

[@AirknightTails]

10:07 Oh Hi there Maccy!

[@Mac84]

You can also spy the top of Maccy holding up the RaSCSI in a few shots. He is always so very helpful!

[@MoazamRaja]

Thanks!

[@Eyetrauma]

lol I like how you’d applied the cat tiles from the scrapbook on the desktop of the RPi

[@Mac84]

Thank you, it needed a little touch of System 7! 🐈

[@PonderLust]

For a while I've been thinking of putting a Raspberry Pi 3 in the spare drive bay of my power Macintosh 6500 and routing composite video, video, ethernet through the case, out a slot, to plug into the Mac motherboard which has composite video input. Now I'm thinking I can add this too because there's a scsi cable in that bay. It would essentially modernize the performa power mac.

[@Mac84]

This is a neat idea, but just remember that composite video doesn’t look good with a desktop resolution image. You may be better off doing a VGA switcher or something.

[@gklinger]

Yikes! What an emotional roller coaster. I am in AWE of your perseverance! Kudos.

[@nickwallette6201]

As a PC guy exploring vintage Macs, it feels like _every_ interaction with pre-OS X Macintosh is like this. :-) I'm sure it's just my own ignorance, not knowing what de facto tools to use and how things evolved along the way. But man... whoever said Mac was just plug-and-play and PCs were clunky maintenance pits... I beg to differ!

[@DKJones96]

A note on the SCSI2SD file access. HFSexplorer works with the SD card to make it easy to copy files to and from the card on a modern PC. I do the same thing to access Mac formatted zip disks, etc. I've been wanting to do a shootout between the 3 major offerings right now but school is priority so no new 'good' videos for probably a few months.

[@MrRadar]

Did you do any speed tests with the emulated Ethernet adapter? While I'm not exactly expecting it to set the world on fire, I'm curious to know how it compares to the speed of vintage Ethernet add-in cards.

[@tonykuker4543]

Ethernet speed is close to the original hardware. There are also some enhancements that superjer2000 is working on for the scuznet board that I'll be pulling in that make it even faster.

[@hanro50]

Linux has support for the older HFS partition scheme I believe.

[@DavidStahlOLDHAPPyMACs]

Steve Very Cool SCSI Solution Like I Told Sean You Guys Are Pressuring Me To Get Back Into 68k.Mac Oh The Pear Pressure AND Yes Listen To Bruce

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

Dang… And putting SCSI Ethernet on a RPi means it could also host a WRP server or similar to browser newer websites on the older browser! Now to come up with something that can transcode KZbin to QT 1 files on the fly...

[@martinnyberg71]

Did anyone make that thingy with the weirdo SCSI connector from the PowerBooks? Or do I need to find a converter cable? 😄

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

What a SCSILVD to SATA adaptor and use a 256GB SSD Hard Drive.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

You need a GCC Technologies UltraDrive.

[@MaCJaX88]

Great video, as always! I am having the same problem as you that when the rascsi reboots, I need to attach the drive again but my /etc/systemd/system/rascsi.service file is blank. It doesn't exist. Also, typing in rasctl -l gives me file doesn't exist while in the images folder. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

[@Mac84]

I can only suggest you check their discord and documentation. As a ton has changed (including their name) since I made this video. Good luck!

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

Have you run any speed tests on RaSCSI? I'm curious if it performs fast enough for me to use it as the storage drive for my Mac IIsi and do VideoSpigot video captures to it… (Sadly, SCSI2SD isn't fast enough, I can only maintain 5 fps or slower when capturing video to it.)

[@Mac84]

I have not, but I hear it’s faster with a faster Pi model. I believe there are some benchmarks on the RaSCSI Wiki page. I plan to order another and a Pi 4 in the future.

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

@@Mac84 I do have a Pi4 sitting around unused... I suppose I should grab one, thanks for the video!

[@nickwallette6201]

@@AnonymousFreakYT Given that it's using the GPIO header, I wouldn't expect miracles. :-) Flexible, yes, but fast ... probably not terribly. I think FPGA is going to be the key there.

[@fattymcboomboom9254]

I was finally able to repair my Quadra 840AV and need an Ethernet solution now. I would like to use the RaSCSI externally. I have read the DB25 port on the 840av is only 5mbps, is that true? That would be a very slow experience. Would you still recommend it? As internal drives I have already ordered a 300GB 10k 80 pin SCSI drive and an 80pin to 50 pin adapter. The CD emulation of the RaSCSI is also interesting but will it work with cdda streams with disc based games?

[@Mac84]

I would suggest putting the RaSCSI on the internal SCSI bus. All you need is a cable to accommodate all the devices and it should work fine.

[@bujin5455]

No performance testing? ...great video over all though.

[@sadmac356]

Steve, you need to learn how to battery :p

[@snooks5607]

cool and all just feels a little weird having an el cheapo virtual "harddrive" that is a hundred times better computer than the geriatric space heater that it's feeding data to

[@TheBizzyBScience]

where can i get a rascsi?

[@Mac84]

It’s on the Tindie store - 3rd link in the video description.

[@DatBlueHusky]

this is such a hassle, kinda regret getting it now. Bluescsi is so much better to use. I think ill setup the rascsi just for internet use only

[@Mac84]

Thankfully the process has been streamlined tremendously since this video.

[@wendysremix]

The audio in the beginning is really really bad it sounds like you’re talking to me over a phone

[@Mac84]

I had audio issues and did the best to mitigate them, but I’m aware it came out odd sounding. Lesson learned for the next recording!