#sony laser library
6 messages in this thread
Hi Kevin,
Many thanks for your help. The chap is selling the drive for just a little bit
more than the cost the cheapest new cd rom drive that I can find. As it comes
with its own interface card and the roms it looks like a good deal.
I've already got a soundblaster (Vn 1) card, so that should work OK with it?
Gary
Probably so. I've seen several reports of people using that configuration.
Cabling may be tricky with components not purchased together, but it's not
insurmountable. Good luck with your about-to-be-new drive!
Gary,
The LL used to be a great deal, but the increased competition (at least in the
US) has made its bundle something of a yawn.
The price you're being offered is a good deal if you plan to stick mostly to
text and "still picture" applications, but the LL drive will probably never
support the "gee-whiz" multimedia applications: rumors of an interface that
would make it MPC-compliant have not panned out. And it won't attach to the
drive port on any sound board I've heard of (another one of those rumors that
never reached fruition).
Another problem I've discovered is that there seems to be no support
forthcoming for OS/2, so I may have to replace my LL when I upgrade to it.
Were it not for that, though, I'd probably keep it for at least another year
or two: within its limitations, it's a good performer that's worked well for
me.
Ran
Hi Ran, Thanks for your comments, they are very useful. I had been considering
the Mitsumi which is multi-session and very cheap at the moment. Of course, it
comes with no free roms and would be a similar price to the second hand LL.
Which in your view would be the better buy? By which, I think I mean just how
useful is the bundled cd roms with the LL?
Gary
Well, frankly, the only reason I haven't sold or traded most of the CDs is
that I'm honoring the bundling agreement. Bookshelf is good, and I use that a
fair amount. The consensus on the Compton's Encyclopedia is that it's better
for kids than Grolier's, but not as good for adults, and I'd be inclined to
agree (although the only version of Grolier's I've seen is the one online
here).
Languages of the World was a _major_ disappointment: the programmers should
never be allowed to touch anything bigger than a C-64 again. For their own
safety: I'm sure if they unleash anything else like it, someone will have
them assassinated…
I've never even opened Mammals (although I probably will, someday) or Mixed-up
Mother Goose (and probably won't, unless my vasectomy undoes itself), so I
can't comment about them.
The World Atlas is okay, but it shows that it was originally designed for a
hard disk: not nearly enough almanac-type data for my taste, and I doubt
they've used a tenth of the disc's capacity. I tend to use the Business &
Economic Atlas, instead, now that I have it. Seems to be the same maps (it's
also from Toolworks), but more reference data.
Much to my surprise (and possibly of no consequence to you), the Atlas disc
doesn't include the U.S. atlas.
Given my needs (which, I re-emphasize, don't include Photo-CD or multimedia),
I'd probably go for the used LL over the new Mitsumi. The Sony drive looks to
me, based on a cursory examination, like it's better built. And I've come to
like caddies, now that they're half the price they used to be. Now, if only
I could get an OS/2 driver…
Ran
Hi Ran, again many thanks for your input. I'm still a little unsure about what
to do. I think I'll try and knock the price down of the LL to make it a little
more attractive.
You see, I was kinda looking forward to getting some photo cd stuff, or course
the LL can't do that. Mind you, I'm not intending doing anything serious with
it at all. I'm just intrested to see what the medium can do, so that I can
keep up the recent technology.
Re prices, I've found a supplier of the Mitsumi for 150 UKP, the LL is 220 UKP.
I don't know how this compares to prices where you are, but both seem quite
good to me.
When I've decided what I'm buying, I'll let you know how I get on. I'm tending
to think more about the Mitsumi now that I've found a cheap supplier. That way
I can afford to buy a few CD's that I really want, rather than 6 where maybe
only 2 are useful to me.
Another plus point for the Mitsumi is that, because its so cheap, lots of
people are buying it. Which means lots of suppliers will support it (I hope
<G>).
Gary