Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    There is a computer store in Millbury on 146 that has 5 1/4 inch
    floppies with I think, the "BONUS" brand name. They are $10 for
    ten. Thinking about my PC ... anyone heard of those?
    
    I don't use 3 1/2 inch ones so can't comment on those!
    
    Bill 

    Yeah, the BONUS diskettes are made by Verbatim. I use 'em all the
    time in the Mirage; no problems yet.
    
    I get 'em a Service Merchandise - 11 for $10...
    
    Edd

    Give a call to STELLAR PRODUCTS, New Jersey (601)667-0469
    They sell several brands with good prices in bulk (multiples of
    50).  Last december I bought 50 (SONY, double sided double density)
    for $.90 each.  Price has been climbing on 3.5" lately.  My last
    purchase (SONY again) of 50 cost me $1.15 each.  The latest STELLAR
    flyer has the following  double sided double density disks offered:
    
       Sony   $1.09 ea
       KAO    $1.02 ea
       Maxell $1.05 ea
       Fugi   $1.05 ea
       If you let STELLAR pick from above you pay $1.02 ea
    
    Those are bulk.  They offer additional quantityy discounts and charge
    $5.50 for shipping.
        
    If you prefer boxed/branded in 10's they have:
    
      JVC MF-DD   $14.50 /box
      SKC MF-DD   $14.00 /box
    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I also buy in bulk SONY 3.5"s from DATA DIRECT, Needham Mass.  He's
    more expensive but local so I can just stop in and pick em' up.
    I bought my lats batch about a month ago for $1.25 ea.  Sales tax
    on 50 was $3.12.   Still a lot cheaper than over the counter.
    Their phone # is (617)444-9290.
    
    
    Hope this helps!
    Frank
    

	Boy, you guys pay a lot for 5 1/4" diskettes!

	I went a couple of weeks ago to a place in Natick, let's see, is it
Unitech?  Anyway, box of 10 diskettes, DSDD, for $4.50.  That's their normal
price.  You can get a box of 100 for something like $25.  Error free?  Well,
I haven't been using them for very long, but I haven't had a problem yet.  And
I went there on someone else's recommendation (who also vouched for the 
reliability).  They had other sizes (like 3 1/2"), but I didn't see the price
when I was there.

	Dan 

    Well, for what it's worth, the best price I've seen so far on 2.8
    inch disks (quick disks) is $30 per box of 10 ($28 per box for 5 or 
    more boxes) from 
    
    	Soundsations
    	370 Mt. Vernon
    	Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236
    	(313) 885-1539
    
    Steve

    
    I agree! You guys do pay a lot for disks.  My last purchase was
    with MEI Micro Center (mail order), where I purchased 100 disketes
    DSDD for 24.00 (.24 ea).  My total order was for 200 diskettes,
    and I have yet to get even 1 bad one. (I currently have used about
    150 of them (time to order more).  
    
    David
    
    

    Service Merchandise has 5 1/4 inch floppies, DSDD, (BONUS is the
    brand name) for $4.94. That is their regular price, too. Don't pay
    a buck a piece for 5 1/4 inch floppies, it's a ripoff!!
    
    Mike D

    re .6
    
    David,
    
    Are these 3.5" or 5.25" you bought for .24 each?
    
    Frank
    

    
    
    re .8
    
    They were 5.25"
    
    David
    

    I don't know if this is preaching to the converted, but I just bought
    some disks for my FZ1 and I made a slight cock-up.
    
    I bought ten 2-track, double density, double sided 3.5 inch disks.
    
    In fact I *needed* 2-track, *high* density double sided 3.5 inch
    disks. Small error, twice as much fumbling with disks in drive.
                 
    I thought double was high enough. Silly me.
    
    Richard.

  Lechmere has Nashua brand diskettes on sale this week:

  3.5 inch DSDD ~12.00/10
           SSDD ~10.00/10

  5 inch   DSDD ~7.00/10
           SSDD ~4.00/10

  note:  Prices above are from memory, not responsible for memory lapses.
         Use data at own risk.

  I have never had problems with any Nashua disks (5 or 3.5") that I have
  ever used.

  CHad

    
    
    RE: ALL
    
    	MEI/MICRO Center has 3.5" SS/DD Diskettes in lots of 50 100%
    Certified at Manufacturer selling for $.89 cents each.  They also 
    have 3.5" DS/DD in lots of 50 100% Certified at Manufacturer selling
    for $.99 cents each.  I don't know when these prices are good till,
    so if you are interested or if you want them to send you mini
    catalogues for future sales, call them at 1-800-634-3478.  
    
    	They also have the following....
    
    
    	5.25" soft sectored DS/HD (High Density AT diskettes) @ $.49
    cents each.
    	5.25" soft sectored DS/DD or 5.25" SS/DD @ $.25 cents each.
    
    
    I hopes this helps.
    
    David
    
     

    Uh...
    
    I've been using SS/QD (quad-density) disks on my Mac for *years*.
     Are you guys sure you mean DS/DD (double density?)
    
    re -(earlier) and you've now gotta be careful because the 'new'
    *BM standard 1.2 MB 3.5" disk is DS/HD (high-density.)  And they
    haven't gotten even a little bit cheap yet!

>    I've been using SS/QD (quad-density) disks on my Mac for *years*.
>     Are you guys sure you mean DS/DD (double density?)


Sure we mean DSDD.  The Mac Sony disks are called DSDD and work well
in all 700-800K 3.5 inch drives (mac, atari, non-hd *BM etc.). (DS drives)
I would speculate that originally the 3.5" disks were called quad density
because they held 2x what the 5" high density disks hold (SSDD 3.5" = ~360K,
SSDD 5" = ~180K), but every box I have seen for a long time (3.5") has said
DSDD (and they claim to all be usable in Macs).  I haven't seen SSQD 3.5"
disks in ages (if ever.)

Someone did tell me once that the MAC single sided disks use the top of
the disk while Atari, IBM etc single sided (3.5") use the bottom of the
disk, so all SSDD 3.5" disks are *certified* double density (not just made
DD and rejects made single density) as it is not known at time of manufacture
what machine they will be used in.  
{That is what I was told, take it for what it is...}


chad

 Dumping - Ruling confirmed that Japan dumps microdisks in U.S.
   The Commerce Department confirmed a preliminary finding that Japanese-made
 computer microdisks are being "dumped" in the U.S. The ruling would authorize
 the U.S. Customs Service to impose anti-dumping duties on the Japanese
 products, providing the International Trade Commission determines that the
 imports are injuring U.S. producers. The department investigated the
 increasingly popular 3.5-inch disks in response to a petition filed by a
 Kodak division, Verbatim Corp. If the Commerce Department ruling stands, the
 market-leading Sony disks would be subject to new duties totaling 51%. The
 agency set duties of 50.52% and 27.73% for disks from Fuji Photo Film Co. and
 Hitachi Maxell Ltd., respectively. All other Japanese brands were assigned a
 42.95% duty. A Sony representative said the ruling isn't likely to alter the
 firm's market position in the U.S. He acknowledged that Sony has the leading
 share of the market, but wouldn't disclose specific figures.  The department
 reported that imports of Japanese microdisks amounted to $137.6 million in
 1987, the last year for which complete trade figures are available.
	{The Wall Street Journal, 8-Feb-89, p. B4}

    Can anyone tell me where I can purchase some of these "dumped" disks?
    
    I usually find Sony to be the most expensive!!!
    
    	db

    
    RE: Last....   Thats why SONY gets one of the lower tarrifs... 
    (bigger companies pay less taxes).  The companies who "dump" diskettes
    usually don't put there name on them.  They are also usually sold
    in bulk.  The people getting the savings are companies like Lechemere,
    not guys like us.
    
    DJ
    

	I paid 84c each for the last lot from MCM Micro or some such name.
I havn't found a bad one yet, they seemed to get decent reviews in the Amiga
conference too,  also the Amiga newsgroup postings.  If there's any interest
I'll post the number and address.  No guarantees the price has held (since
November) but it may still be a lot better than Leach_smear.

	R

Current MEI (or whetever) Micro price is $0.79 each in lots of 25 with $1.00
shipping per hundred.  Till end of Feb.

CHad

< Note 1399.17 by AKO546::JODOIN >
                    -< Dont buy diskettes from a store... >-

The lowest prices we found were...

Sony DSDD 3�" diskettes, quantities of 400, $1.20 each from Data Direct
in Needham Heights, MA  (617) 444-9290.

MEI/Micro Center, mailorder, these must be the "dumped diskettes"
.85� each sold in lots of 25, lifetime warranty, certified 100% error free
shipping .50� per lot of 25. I've been using these disks with no errors yet.
We bought 500. I've used about 300 so far.

MEI/Micro Center
ATTN: 85� 3.5" Diskette Offer
1100 Steelwood Road
Columbus, OH  43212-9972

phone: 1-800-634-3478    

Disk Specifications:

Diskette Diameters	Inner: 25mm	Outer: 86mm
Coating			Non-oriented cobalt enhanced iron oxide
Substrate		biaxially-oriented polyethylene nominally 600 Oersted
Overwrite		<125%
Cartridge Material	ABS Plastic
Shutter			Automatic
Media Life		Greater than 10 million revolutions with head on a
			single track, with less than 20% signal reduction
			signal amplitude
Certification		every diskette is tested and certified to be 100%
			error free. All of these disks are certified to meet
			or exceed ANSI standards


dave

re .20  MEI/Micro Center, mailorder, these must be the "dumped diskettes"
.85� each sold in lots of 25, lifetime warranty, certified 100% error free
shipping .50� per lot of 25. I've been using these disks with no errors yet.
We bought 500. I've used about 300 so far.

MEI/Micro Center
ATTN: 85� 3.5" Diskette Offer
1100 Steelwood Road
Columbus, OH  43212-9972

phone: 1-800-634-3478    


	I don't think so, in fact I'm pretty sure mine have  "Made in USA"
moulded (molded ?) into their cases.

	R

I got a flyer from them recently.  NOw 79� each in lots of 25, $1.00 per
hundred shipping.  Till Feb 28 it says.  They seem to have these
"sales" or "deals" regularly, though each claims to be only till XXX nn
(ex. Feb 28).

Chad

< Note 1399.22 by NORGE::CHAD "Ich glaube Ich t�te Ich h�tte" >
                          -< Latest MEI price flyer >-


>I got a flyer from them recently.  NOw 79� each in lots of 25, $1.00 per
>hundred shipping.  Till Feb 28 it says.  They seem to have these
>"sales" or "deals" regularly, though each claims to be only till XXX nn
>(ex. Feb 28).

Thanks Chad, sounds like it's time to stock up again!

dave

    I recently ordered 100 of the 79� disks from MEI Micro to use in my Mac.
    Close to half of them failed to initialize on my Mac; many even failed
    to initialize as single-sided.  Also, many of them came already
    formatted, with some two-year-old software product on them.  I wasn't at
    all happy and promptly sent them all back.  I'm assuming they will honor
    their guarantee and refund my money, but I am out shipping costs both
    ways.
    
    Other people have had success with MEI Micro; I didn't.
    
    -Mark

Mark,

Strange they sent you used disks. Sounds like a major snafu. We order 500
MEI disks and have used about 300 of them without a single failure or
problem of any kind.

dave

I just got 100 from them a week or so ago.  They appear to be all new.  I have
used about 20 or so without a hitch.

CHad

    I ordered 50 that arrived last week. Brand new, all formatted OK
    but I haven't tried using them for anything else yet. What color
    were the ones they sent you? Mine were light grey.
    
    				Mark
    

    
    You might have been shipped the wrong diskettes by accident.  People
    in shipping who fill the orders can make honest mistakes.  If a
    box was labelled wrong or even if they couldn't figure out what
    the label read, they might have made a poor guess.
    
    All my diskettes came sealed in plastic, were yours?
    
    

Mine were black.  They had been sealed in plastic but it looked as if
they were opened in the store to put more in, take some out, ie, the normal lot
for a bag was X and they had X +- Y in my shipment.  Thay all look new,
so far, no formatting problems.  I tried a few last night for pre-formatting
in an IBM-type format -- zilcho.   Probably an honest mistake was made
in the shipment.

The diskette cases are kind of cheap though.  But for 3.95 (I bought 4)
I won't complain, they serve their purpose.

CHad

    > I am assuming they will honor their guarantee and refund my money.
    > But I am out shipping costs both ways.
    
    What I would do is send them back with a note saying that they
    have two choices:
    
    	1) Pay for my return shipping costs, send me replacements
           and they will get business from you in the future
    
    	2) Don't pay for my return shipping costs, refund my money
    	   and I'll do business elsewhere.
    
    That'll tell you what kind of company they are, and they will make
    the right decision for you.  (I.E. if they pick #1, they're a company
    you WANT to use, and if they pick #2 they are a company I'd steer
    clear of).
    
    	db

All of our disks are blue; were sealed in plastic, and look exactly like
Sony diskettes without the Sony logo. They came in one large carton containing
smaller cartons of qty 100 each. Each smaller carton contains two white boxes
which have qty 50 each sealed in plastic. They've been working perfectly on a
MAC, an S550, an MC500, an EPS, and an AMIGA for 6 months now. Possible problem
with the IBM/compatibility/drive?

dave

    The disks I got were all black.  They came in two unsealed plastic bags.
    The previously-used disks were formatted as double-sided Mac disks and
    probably wouldn't appear formatted to a PC.
    
    It sounds like I just got unlucky.  I'm not really concerned about the
    few dollars in shipping costs that I lost.  I personally wouldn't feel
    comfortable using their disks after this experience, though.
    
    Besides, I just ordered a Mac IIcx, which has the new Apple SuperDrive
    in it, so I will probably order HD disks instead--they hold 1.4Mb.
    
    -Mark

Latest  MEI flyer came in the mail.  


3.5" DSDD bulk diskettes    $0.69/each in lots of 25.  This is 10 cents less
                                                       than previously
3.5" Disk Case (holds up to 50) are now $2.97/each in quantities of 2 or more.
                                                       Previously this was the
	                                               12 or more price.

Shipping is   $0.50 /25 diskettes
              $0.75  /each disk case

There is also a handling charge per order of $3.00 so bunch your orders
together!

The disk cases are ok.  They are a bit on the cheap side in terms of finish
but seam to be sturdy.  Worth $3.00 though.

If anybody gets an order together, my dad would like to get some 5.25" disk
cases.  He  doesn't want to paythe whole $3.00 hadling fee though so mail
me (NORGE::CHAD) if you get an order together.

Chad

The latest MEI flyer came day before yesterday.

DSDD 3�" diskettes are now 59� each in lots of 25.  This represents a
decrease of 10� since last time.  Postage is 50� per 25 disks plus a
handling fee of $3.00 per order.

1-800-634-3478