3.401 CD-ROMs (109)

Willard McCarty (MCCARTY@VM.EPAS.UTORONTO.CA)
Sat, 26 Aug 89 17:34:02 EDT


[All the following has been gleaned from PACS-L, the Public Access
Computer Systems ListServ group. I will continue to pass items on from
this group unless someone can convince me I shouldn't. --W.M.]

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 401. Saturday, 26 Aug 1989.


(1) Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 15:17:06 CDT (23 lines)
From: Charles Bailey <LIB3@UHUPVM1>
Subject: CD-ROM Directory

(2) Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 15:44:48 EST (16 lines)
From: Jerry Caswell <JCASWELL@UVMVM>
Subject: Re: CD-ROM Hardware Poll

(3) Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 16:44:08 EDT (24 lines)
From: Alan L Claver <ALC@PSULIAS>
Subject: CD-ROM Hardware Poll

(4) Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 17:06:00 EST (11 lines)
From: IZIE100@INDYVAX
Subject: RE: CD-ROM Hardware Poll

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 15:17:06 CDT
From: "Charles Bailey, University of Houston" <LIB3@UHUPVM1>
Subject: CD-ROM Directory

A very handy list of CD-ROMs has been recently published in CD-ROM
Librarian. It organizes CD-ROM products by subject. The entries include
product name, company name, price, brief description, and citations for
*product reviews*. The article is:

Ryan, Joe and Paul Philbin. "CD-ROM Databases Product Directory."
CD-ROM Librarian 4 (July/August 1989): 24-32.

This is really part I of a two part article. The next part will appear
in the September 1989 issue.

+----------------------------------------------------------+
| Charles W. Bailey, Jr. Phone: (713) 749-4241 |
| Assistant Director For Systems BITNET: LIB3@UHUPVM1 |
| |
| University Libraries <<<<<<<<<<C>>>>>>>>>> |
| University of Houston >>>>>>>>>>W<<<<<<<<<< |
| Houston, TX 77204-2091 <<<<<<<<<<B>>>>>>>>>> |
+----------------------------------------------------------+
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------23----
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 15:44:48 EST
From: Jerry Caswell <JCASWELL@UVMVM>
Subject: Re: CD-ROM Hardware Poll

The University of Vermont received a Toshiba CD player with a workstation
on loan from UMI. Once the laser's lens had been cleaned, it gave very
good performance during the months it was here.

For the past year we have standardized on Philips products, the CM200
internal drive and the CM121 external drive. They have been quite reliable
with good performance levels. While it is difficult to insert discs
into the caddies, the public service staff loves the fact that the public
can't extract the discs from the player.

We have been able to purchase the external drive with CM153 controller card
for $800.
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------32----
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 16:44:08 EDT
From: Alan L Claver <ALC@PSULIAS>
Subject: CD-ROM Hardware Poll

We've recently acquired two Toshiba XM-3200 series CD-ROM drives. I've
found them generally well made and exceptionally fast. We have a mixture of
CD-ROM drives currently (Philips, Hitachi, Toshiba XA) and it beats them
all. The one caveat is the use of a CD-ROM caddy which is required. This is
an external case for each CD-ROM, much as the hard case of a microfloppy.
This are a bit expensive (25 dollars each) and are subject to breakage,
etc. We are currently purchasing them from UMI for about 700 dollars.

Be aware that the CD-ROM is not the only bottleneck for using CD-ROMs.
Other hardware that can hinder performance is the hard disk speed (most
CD-ROM access software uses the disk for temporary storage) and the display
card (much of the access software use s l o w windowing techniques that
slow to a crawl on MCDA or CGA).

Service,unfortunately, is a joke. Vendors are not equipped to repair CD-ROM
and invariably the drives must be returned to the vendor. Toshiba is
running about 4-5 weeks for repairs and we end up doubling up CD-ROMs on
existing equipment.

Alan L Claver [865-7213 W-112 Pattee] <ALC@PSULIAS.BITNET>
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------17----
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 17:06:00 EST
From: IZIE100@INDYVAX
Subject: RE: CD-ROM Hardware Poll

We've mostly used Hitachis, and found them reliable. However they are
the same generation as the CM100. Under the AMDEK LS1 lable we can get
them for c. $600 from PC-Connection.
We've gotten some to the newer SONY drives from oems. I like the disk
caddys, but these faster drives don't seem to be as reliable.
JJM
IU School of Med Lib