#Need Advice
10 messages in this thread
I am planning to buy a multimedia system. I came across an ad in "PC World" by
Insight Distribution Network, Inc., Tempe, AZ for their system Insight
486sx-25MHz at $2,099.
It uses a Talon TA-150 CD ROM Drive with 375ms access time, 32K buffer, 150 KB
transfer rate, and is photo CD Compatible. It has a SoundBlaster Pro
Compatible sound board.
Does any one have any experience with this system or company? Any comments
about this system for multimedia use?
Thanks in advance.
Jim Copeland.
Insight is an old and reputable mail order outfit. Although I haven't ever
used them myself, I know a number of people who have and haven't heard any
horror stories.
Be aware that while the Talon drive you mention is MPC compliant according
to current standards, it's a generation and a half behind many drives and the
requirements of some software. It won't play 300Kb/s AVI files except as a
collection of still lifes, for example, and it is not Kodak photo CD
compatible. It's still a good drive for general purpose multimedia use, though,
and will play at good speeds the basic sound and animation current on most
programs.
Jack:
Thank you for your prompt response. What do you suggest as an alternative
system (keeping within the same relative price range!).
Jim
Hi Jim,
I thought I'd give you my two cents worth on buying a CD-ROM. I'm a Senior Tech
for the Software Toolworks, the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of
CD-ROM-based Software in the world. I spend most of my time helping people sort
through the various problems they have with new CD-ROM drives. While Insite is
one of the more responsible vendors, I don't think a Talon drive would be your
best choice. It uses a Mitsumi mechanism that is marginal, performance wise
confounded by poorly written drivers. Do yourself a favor and spend a little
more for a good CD-ROM Drive.
If I were going to buy a new ROM I would buy a Texel (I own 2). They are FAST
and I have never had a compatibility problem. The other option is to buy a
MultiMedia Upgrade Kit. The two best are: MediaVision's (a Texel Drive + Pro
Audio Spectrum 16 Sound Card) or the Creative Labs (a Panasonic Drive + Sound
Blaster Pro).
Hope this helps,
DougV
Doug,
Thanks for taking the time to respond. It certainly helps to have comments from
people who have experience with multimedia pc's. Whatever unit I buy, I know
that I will have to live with it for a few years. I hope to get the best that I
can afford at this time. I am reconsidering my options.
Jim.
The new top of the line Texel really is a fine CD ROM at one of the best
prices in the business, I agree. Although I use a SoundBlaster card in my main
machine, when I got a multimedia upgrade kit for my other big 486 I got the
PAS16/NEC83 MultiMedia Upgrade kit because (A) it is hardware superior overall
to anything SB puts out, and (B) neither the card nor the CD ROM are specific
to each other so upgrade paths exist on both sides. While the SoundBlaster MM
kit is cheaper, and provides fine results, the CD ROM port is proprietary to
Creative Labs, meaning that only specific CD ROMs made for CL/SB cards will
work with it and those CDRs won't work with anything else. Thus, if you want to
upgrade either the card or the CD ROM at some later date, you have to replace
both. The PAS16 has a SCSI port that's fairly standard and the NEC (and Texel)
are standard SCSI devices, meaning you can hook the CDRs to any SCSI port and
not just the PAS16 and you can use other SCSI devices with the PAS.
Frankly, if cash is a real consideration here, I'd go with a Texel MM
upgrade kit (and get the top of the line Texel, it's at the current state of
the art) or pick up an inexpensive SCSI-2 card, manager software like
CorelSCSI, a Texel drive, and a good sound card which could be SoundBlaster,
PAS16, you name it. The components won't run much more than the kits these days
with a little judicious shopping, you'll get more efficient results, and, as
with all component systems, it'll be easy to replace any one without having to
replace everything. And the card will also run at least 6 more SCSI devices
when you get the yen….
Hi,
Could you give me a bit more inforation on the MediaVision Bundle you
mentioned? I have seen their Fusion 16 Bundle, but the external drive that
comes with it is the NEC CD-25; the salesman said the internal had a Sony. in
general these bundles are very confusing because they rarely tell you the
actual model drive in them.
Drew
The Fusion 16 internal uses a Sony 31A
Glen,
What I'm trying to figure out is which package includes the Texel 300
Kb/sec drive?
Drew
The Texel package, available only from their dealers, has the Texel in it.
MediaVision also has a higher-end (street about $995) package containing the
PAS16 and a NEC83. That's a nice package, but steep.