#Creative Labs CDROM? ok?
6 messages in this thread
The only thing to watch is the interfaces. If your CD_ROM sound card
connection is proprietary, you can't upgrade one or the other with
different brands. (Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone). I opted for the
Mediavision pack because it uses a SCSI interface.
Note: before you jump check for Photo-CD compatibility. If you are likely
to want to take advantage of Kodak's new system you will want to have a
CD-ROM that can deal with multi-sessional CDs.
Ali
Ali, Mark, et al
I have the Creative Labs CD-ROM upgrade package. The interface is
proprietary. The CD-ROM connects to the SB Pro card. I think the drive is
made by Matsushita (Panasonic). I have 3DS and AAPro and the drive works
fine. I was going to get the Media Vision package, but it was a lot more
money. The advantage to the Media Vision package is that the CD-ROM
connects to your PC via a SCSI port. It's not proprietary. For me,
however, cost was a determining factor. The nice thing about the Creative
Labs CD-ROM is that it doesn't take up another card slot in your PC (i.e.,
if you want the sound card anyway, and I did).
BTW, I don't believe the Creative Labs CD-ROM is Kodak-compatible.
Dirk
The Media Vision kit does not require an additional card, unless you count
the sound card. I bit the bullet even though it isn't Photo-CD compatible.
The interface is an issue for me because I am a reviewer and my machine
would go into shock if I didn't reconfigure it at least once a month.
ALi
Ali,
I use a config editor called DasBOOT! to reconfigure my PC. It's basically
the same as using batch files to copy the necessary CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files into the root directory, which I used to do. I run
different configs for 3DS, Windows, and flight simulators.
Re the extra slot, that's what I meant. If I understand it correctly, the
Media Vision set up involves a SCSI card and the sound card. I wanted the
sound card anyway. The Creative Labs CD-ROM plugs into the sound card.
Thus, I only use one slot instead of two. But, if I had the money, I would
have purchased the Media Vision set up.
Best regards,
Dirk
Ah, no. The Pro Audio Spectrum has a SCSI connector to the CDROM drive.
Therefore you need one card slot for both sound card and CDROM. The
attractiveness of the SCSI interface is that I can upgrade the CDROM drive
as long as it uses a SCSI interface, and that if I want to change sound
cards, my CDROM will work with another SCSI sound card, or worst case
scenario – an additional card. I chose the Media Vision kit for this
flexibility. As a reviewer my machine is constantly being subjected to odd
bits of hardware and software. I need maximum flexibility.
ALi
Aha, very good. Thanks for the info. That's quite an advantage to the
Media Vision set up.
Dirk