#Recordable CD-ROM info?
14 messages in this thread
Hello out there!
We are looking into getting a recordable CD-ROM system, mainly for archive
backup, but also to make it easier to send large graphics files to other
companies, and also rotoscoped files.
Has anyone had any experiences with any particular units, good or bad?
We are looking at the Pinnacle, but also looking for suggestions!
Thanks,
Greg Pyros
Junk. 'nuf said?
Hold off a week and we can discuss it.
Paul
Paul:
>> [Pinnacle] Junk. 'nuf said?
I love it when you come quickly to the point like that! Now don't hold back on
me, what do you _really_ think? :^)
>> Hold off a week and we can discuss it.
You're going to make me wait a week to get a new toy? Boy, you sure are
demanding at times! OK.
See you in a week!
Greg Pyros
Greg,
>> We are looking at the Pinnacle
I saw Paul L.'s reply, and while it may not be the best available out there,
it's been a good solution for us, (for the money); we've had it pay for itself
several times over already.
We've been using one for a couple months now, with generally excellent results.
(Burning an average of 3-5 CD's per day.) It also works fine for regular CD use
in DOS and Windows, but NT won't recognize it until Pinnacle gets a set of
drivers out for NT; supposed to be happening RSN. We haven't actually used the
backup program that comes with it, (it *looks* pretty good), though we have
used it for some straight archiving. What we've mainly been doing is putting
some programs on CD that contain lots of very large MPEG and AVI files,
(interactive corporate training videos); these programs run the video files
right off the CD, and burning them ourselves makes it nice whenever we have to
change the code, (so we don't have a box of outdated pre-written CD's laying
around).
The manuals could be written a little clearer, (it often tells you what to do,
but not where to find the commands, etc., and really jumps from place to
place), and the driver installation instructions were wrong in our manual,
(correct on the readme file, finally), but in general, we've been very happy
with it. (Maybe we don't use it as hard as Paul L.; but we haven't had a single
problem with it, once we understood how to run the software. Now, if they'd
just get the Yost Group to write the manual…
Anyway, if you've got more questions, feel free to ask; I've had quite a bit of
experience with it. I'll answer as best I can. Like I said, there are
undoubtedly better ones, but for the money, it's worked well for us.,
John
>(Burning an average of 3-5 CD's per day.)
WOW! If you've burned 180-300 CD's with it in a couple of months, you've used
it ALOT more than I have. I was merely referring to the technical data and what
it can be used for. We write to our units from Mac,PC, and SGI machines and
need seemless cross platform compatability. Lack of Digital Optical Fiber
conncectors, Daisy Chaining ability, etc. turned us off to the unit. Speed, Ram
buffer size etc. were also lacking from our standpoint. Some of our other units
are just generally alot easier, faster, more rugged, etc.
I probably shouldn't have used such a harsh adjective. I just responded that
way because Greg was asking the question and he tends to discriminate on
equipment purchases the way we do. When Greg and I talk off of CIS we tend to
be extremely blunt and straightforward about our opinions. It carries over.
Glad to hear your unit works well for you, want to buy another one? <BG>
Paul
Paul…
Saw your message re: CD burner. I need one also… I read an article on
the Pinnacle in Multimedia World Mag when it first came out. They gave it
pretty good marks, but they are only $2K or so.
I understand it's a "smaller" unit, but are they really junk? I wouldn't
need something as heavy duty as you are perhaps used to.
Another machine I'm considering is the JVC w/the 1G hard drive. The've gone
down from $9K to about $4200 (in one year, wow!). Any knowledge on that one?
Any recommendations on something decent? Units are gonna be out by the tons
soon, I believe, so it'll be tuff keeping up with the good and the junk.
I'd only need sumpin' dependable, with moron type mastering code, etc. Your
thoughts?
Thanks, Kev.
I personally prefer the JVC units, better construction, more features, similar
pricing. Junk shouldn't have been my word of reference. Check them both out
thoroughly and I believe you may find another unit more sound for the same $.
Paul
>> I read an article on the Pinnacle in Multimedia World Mag
>> when it first came out. They gave it pretty good marks,
>> but they are only $2K or so.
Just a comment from a lurker. A recent catalog from Midwest Micro (big
advertiser in computer shopper) has a new model, the Sony Spressa 920
Recordable 2X. It has a SCSI-2 interface and 1 MB buffer, they say. Depending
on your opinion of Sony this might be interesting at $1695.
Paul,
>> I was merely referring to the technical data and what it can be used for. We
write to our units from Mac,PC, and SGI machines and need seemless cross
platform compatability. Lack of Digital Optical Fiber conncectors, Daisy
Chaining ability, etc. turned us off to the unit. Speed, Ram buffer size etc.
were also lacking from our standpoint. Some of our other units are just
generally alot easier, faster, more rugged, etc.
———————————-
I agree. For us, it was just a cost effective, if not particularly versatile
solution. It does only max out at double speed, and I certainly wouldn't want
to drag it around town! <g> But since the code we use on the programs we put on
CD changes so much, it made a lot more sense than always running over to the
service bureau. Budget, you know. <g> And we really do burn that many CD's,
(it's usually just running away over in the corner), but if it fails anytime
soon, it will still have been worth it.
John
Definately a great solution. It sounds like you've more than gotten your
investment paid for many times over. Thanks for the info. I always enjoy
hearing "good" stories relating to equipment uses. Hopefully Greg saw all of
this thread. He does afterall have a PAR and an Accom, so who knows what
direction he wants to go in. <BG>
Paul
>> We are looking into getting a recordable CD-ROM system, mainly for
archive backup, but also to make it easier to send large graphics files to
other companies, and also rotoscoped files. <<
We have a Sony CDW-900E and have had good experience with it. I would guess
that we have burned 100+ CDs in the past 6 months. The main problem we have
had is finding software that supports our unit. Most people recommend Easy-
CD Pro 3.0, but it doesn't yet support the 900E. Nor does Corel CD Creator,
etc. As a result we have been forced to make due with a proprietary Sony
package designed for creating Playstation CDs.
It would seem that most of the rom burning software is targeted at the low to
mid-level writers ($2000 – 4000 range). The 900E is a higher-end machine,
with some nice features that aren't available in other models (like you can
optically chain up to 12/15? of them together and burn all disks at once). Oh
well.
Moral: get a burner with good software support! (isn't that always the rule?)
– Dan / n-Space, Inc.
We have a couple of 900E's, they're one of my favorites. I've seen Easy CDPro
running 900E's so I was pretty sure it was directly supported. You should
really look at Gear software, it's phenomenal and is unequalled in the
industry, ands it works great with the 900E's. Additionally check out
QuickTopix or CDGen software for your unit. They're both really nice and
directly support the 900E.
Gear also directly supports System V/386, HP 9000/700, Solaris, IRIX 5.3, Macs,
PowerMacs, of course Dos and Windows, etc. Not to mention that it directly
accesses Exabyte 8mm. DAT 4mm, and 9 track drives for quick backup and/or CD
generation.
Take Care, Paul
>> We have a couple of 900E's, they're one of my favorites. I've seen Easy
CDPro running 900E's so I was pretty sure it was directly supported. You
should really look at Gear software, it's phenomenal and is unequalled in
the industry, ands it works great with the 900E's. Additionally check out
QuickTopix or CDGen software for your unit. They're both really nice and
directly support the 900E. <<
Very interesting info, Paul. I'm sure we looked into both of these packages,
guess we'll have to check again. Thanks much!
– Dan / n-Space, Inc.
Dan, John, et al:
Thanks for the great recordable CD-ROM info! Paul's going to make me hold out
until Siggraph, I guess I can wait that long to get one. (He hasn't steered me
wrong yet!)
I'll let you know what I end up with and why.
Greg Pyros