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From: ftlja@acad3.fai.alaska.edu (AHERN LANCE J)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: new Xetec CD ROM
Message-ID: <1990Sep28.220747.5002@hayes.fai.alaska.edu>
Date: 28 Sep 90 22:07:47 GMT
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The October AmigaWhirled has an ad (p. 43) for a 650MB optical CD-ROM
(CDx-650, internal or external) that reads ISO 9660/High Sierra discs (like
the CDTV) and can play audio CDs.  It includes a disc with the Fred Fish
library (through FF360) and other stuff, ~420 MB of pd software. 

They left out or misstated some important info which I got from a phone call:
	~380 ms average access time
	~150 Kbps on reads (obviously a read-only device)
	software for playing audio allows for programming, etc., but
		obviously this can only be controlled from the Amiga
	since discs are 5-1/4", the internal box will not fit in an A3000
		(the ad says it will!, big OOPS)
	for a stock A2500 (A2090a controller) you must also buy a FastCard
		from Xetec (an additional $50) - the drive won't work with 
		the A2090a (sorry, didn't ask about any others)
	I'm not sure on this, but I think you need to buy a SCSI cable, too.

Xetec's phone number is 913-827-0685 (for more info).
If anyone out there buys one soon could you please post a report 
(performance and compatibility, especially).  Does anyone know of potential
competing products (besides Active Circuits ~$5000 optical r/w system).

thanks, Lance