CompuServe Thread

Sony CDROM bundle

15 messages in this thread
#17147From: Derek SherlockJan 18, 1992 9:50 AM
Hi, A dealer has oppered me the "Sony CDROM bundle" for $599. It includes external drive, interface, and a rather vaguely stated list of titles. He led me to beleive that the "bundling" is done by Sony, not the dealer, and that the list of titles is thus the same wherever you buy it. Is this a good price? Is it a good drive? Is it a good bundle? Opinions please! Derek Sherlock.
#17195From: Keith E. MyersJan 19, 1992 2:13 PM
I purchased my Sony LL for $519 from CDW in Chicago. Yes, the bundling is done by Sony and as such does not include the multimedia versions of MS Bookshelf nor of Comptons Encyclopedia. Mixed-Up Mother Goose is the English only version, not the multi-lingual version. The drive is the Sony CDU-7205 (alias:CDU-535 internal in a case) with a 340 msec. access time and a small 8K readahead buffer. It may not be able to do true multimedia with interleaved audio/video. This is not important at this time as there aren't many titles doing this yet, with the exception of the game Jones in the Fast Lane. It is a good cheap way to get into the CDROM game. Recommended.
#17200From: Bob LuceJan 19, 1992 3:04 PM
Keith.. The Mixed Up Mother Goose CD-ROM is the multi-lingual version, however, it doesn't seem to want to run without getting CD ROM read errors. If you do a straight install off the MUMG CD instead of the LL CD and specify Sound Blaster/AdLib as your sound device, the extra languages will show up. Maybe someother guru around here can figure out why it then gets the read errors.. -Bob
#17303From: Chris JerniganJan 22, 1992 2:21 AM
Call sony and they will give you a debug patch for the sierra.exe file that will fix the mutli lingual mother goose errors.. cj
#17315From: Bob LuceJan 22, 1992 11:23 AM
Thanks, Chris! I hadn't tried calling Sony tech support. I guess I figured they wouldn't be very helpful since they have such a wide variety of products.. -Bob
#17220From: Robert F. Commagere/CAJan 20, 1992 2:16 AM
Keith, my version of Compton's Encyclopedia has sound, such as a fragment of a Kennedy speech and Beethoven symphony. Does that qualify it as a multimedia version? -Robert
#17302From: Chris JerniganJan 22, 1992 2:19 AM
Try to play the sound file on track 2 with your CD popup on the Sony (I have heard there is a windows version of comptons avail from sony for an upgrade price) I need Multimedia Extensions for windows.. where should one get those? cj On the track 2.. there is a lady pronouncing many words.. and i cant seem to find how to play these in the regular encylopedia prog.. try it and see if you can find it cj exit
#17435From: Robert F. Commagere/CAJan 25, 1992 12:06 AM
Chris, what do you mean by "CD popup on the Sony?" And how do I play track 2? I haven't found a place that sells MME yet but I'll let you know when I do. Thanks. -Robert
#17301From: Chris JerniganJan 22, 1992 2:17 AM
I have a question about Comptons Encylopedia.. did you get that with yours? Well goto the visual cd player and play the encylopedia sounds.. every word or alot of words are pronounced by a female and then a male..the sound file is 22 minutes long.. yet i cant find the place in the encylopedia to play them? see if you can find it thanx cj
#17423From: Allen WolpertJan 24, 1992 8:35 PM
Chris, If you click on an underlined word in the encyclopedia text you will bring up a box with a definition of the word and the system will pronounce it. That is what the speech file you are hearing is used for. For example, click on SCIENCE then ANIMALS and then the phrase WARM BLOODED CREATURES. My problem with Comptons is that I can't get the SEARCH functions to work. But I'm still exploring it and find it fascinating. Allen
#17436From: Robert F. Commagere/CAJan 25, 1992 12:40 AM
Allen, I read your message and have a question. I bought a Sony 7205 with the Sony Laser Library which includes Compton's Encyclopedia. I have never even seen an underlined word in the text! I don't have MME. Could that be the problem? Or are there different versions of the Laser Library? Thanks. -Robert
#17444From: Dwight ChristalJan 25, 1992 4:01 AM
There are different versions of Comptons. You have the Family Encyclopedia which does not run under MME. Comptons Multimedia Encyclopedia on the other hand, requires the MME and gives you the sounds. Your version has very few sounds. Perhaps you can inquire about an upgrade- the MME version is light years better! —Dwight
#17464From: Allen WolpertJan 25, 1992 3:52 PM
Robert, I think we have different versions. Mine came with the Mediavision MM kit. It says on the front of the disc "COMPTON'S MULTIMEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA WINDOWS EDITION" "1991 Edition Version 1.01 W". Allen
#17473From: Nat HummelJan 25, 1992 8:14 PM
Bob, I have the same problem as you… I don't see any underlined words either. What I did do, however, was put the Compton's disk on and fir up the CD player, and I heard sound tracks on the left hand side. Hmmmmm.. Take Care, -=Nat=-
#17485From: Keith E. MyersJan 25, 1992 9:39 PM
Chris, I wish I could verify your observation, but I no longer have the LL. Basically, I was evaluating the library so that I could give it to my brother for his children. I did think it strange that when you clicked on a highlighted word, which is usually the indication of a 'hot link' all that popped up was the definition. I did notice that pronounced definitions for the Mammals disk was available. I was disappointed in the general lack of detail in the LL documentation. I also found out that the LL by default only installs the English language version of MUMG. You have to go back into the MUMG disk and invoke its internal installation to get its multi-lingual capabilities. Let me know if find the command sequence that invokes the pronunciation of the Comptons encyclopedia. TIA, Keith.