Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!news.cs.indiana.edu!news.nd.edu!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!mace.cc.purdue.edu
From: omalley@mace.cc.purdue.edu (John O'Malley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Reviews of Non-Apple CD-ROM drives (Summary)
Message-ID: <7188@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 8 Apr 91 19:15:22 GMT
Sender: omalley@mace.cc.purdue.edu
Distribution: usa
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 36

My recent query for comparative reviews of non-Apple CD drives resulted in
several responses.  Here's the info.

MacUser reviewed CD-ROM drives in March 1990 ... and will again soon in
June 1991.  Macworld reviewed them back in April 1988, but that's too old
to be worth much.  Macworld covered single products, though, in January,
August, and September 1990.

CD Technology's Porta Drive (Toshiba mechanism) are reported to work fine,
have easy setup, and have much faster access times than Apple.  They have
audio outs but only a three-position volume switch for headphones.  Also,
one person recommended using Apple's "CD Remote" DA to fix a problem with
the Porta Drive's music interface.  Many of the people who responded have
purchased several of this model drive.

The Toshiba mechanism (XM-3201) is also available in a Toshiba-
labeled drive, but the CD Technology version is about $100 cheaper.

One person also mentioned that many third-party CD drives use Apple's
CD software.

The one drive to avoid is the small, low-cost NEC portable drive, which
I've seen in a few ads for Adobe fonts recently.  It's reportedly quite
slow and unreliable.

One more place to look for info:  ftp to rascal.ics.utexas.edu and look in
the archives of the SCSI mailing list (look in misc/scsi).

Thanks to Werner Uhrig, John Hardin, John Miller, Scott Gustafson, Jann
VanOver, Michael Schechter, and Dave Platt.


-John
---
John O'Malley          / Macintosh  / Purdue University / (317)
omalley@cc.purdue.edu / Specialist / Computing Center  / 494-1787