selig@xanth.msfc.nasa.gov (Bill Selig) (08/01/89)
Here is a summary of responses to my request for information from the community on CD-ROM usage/availability. Not all responses are included since there was some duplication. I also edited out some of the duplicate material in the included responses for brevity. The most commonly mentioned system was from Delta Microsystems. Their info is: Delta Microsystems, Inc. 5039 Preston Ave. Livermore, CA 94550 (415) 449-6881 Tech contact: Roger Stager ===== Comments from responders using that drive ===== >>>>> From: rbd@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu We've got a CDROM reader w/driver from Delta Microsystems that's running just fine on a Sun 3/160 under 4.0.1. The disk looks like a read-only UNIX file system. >>>>> From: Marion Hakanson <hakanson@mist.CS.ORST.EDU> We currently have a CD-ROM drive on evaluation loan from Delta Microsystems. I had it installed on a Sun3/50 running SunOS 3.5, with DM's optical disk device driver (they also sell WORM drives), and it worked like a charm for the DARPA TIMIT (speech database) disk we've got. The DM software even includes a virtual filesystem module which allows you to mount any High Sierra format CD-ROM disk and access it as a normal Unix filesystem -- pretty slick. There is a glitch in getting it to work on our Sun4/110 with SunOS 4.0 (not 4.0.1), but DM is working on that as I type. My other experience with DM (an Exabyte 8mm tape drive + software) has been positive -- they do seem responsive so far. >>>>> From: mike@solarmax.whoi.edu (Mike Caruso) We have recently purchased a CD-ROM and have it running on a Sun 3/60. I have used 3 discs - 2 from JPL and one from NODC. I have not had any trouble with it yet. The biggest problem seems to be most accompanying software is designed for an IBM-PC. I am currently looking into options for this. I have ordered Dos windows from Sun to see if it will see the CD as a Dos disk. I have also ordered PC-NFS, since the CD supports NFS mounts. We purchased the CD-ROM from a third party supplier: Lynn Mormann (508) 359-2423 Peripheral Devices Corporation P.O. Box 388 Medfield, MA 02052 The CD-ROM was manufactured by Delta Microsystems. They have been very helpful. The reader was relatively expensive (>$2000.), but has performed perfectly. The driver supports the ISO High Sierra format, and seems to be compatible with ISO standard 9660. ===== from or about Sun, the company ===== >>>>> From: npg%sundc.East@Sun.COM (Neil Groundwater - Sun Consulting) Bill, a driver and ISO-9660/High Sierra file system is available. Contact Sun's "Consulting Specials" group in Mountain View. The administrator is Lisa Ventresca at 415-336-1091. >>>>> From: dyer@ursa-major.SPDCC.COM (Steve Dyer) I believe that Sun will be releasing a CD-ROM driver and VFS interface in October of this year. ===== other responders ===== >>>>> From: ll-xn!dricejb@drilex.DRI.MGH.COM (Craig Jackson drilex1) I've seen SCSI CD-ROM readers in use with Suns as the CD-ROM conference two years ago. (The Microsoft-sponsered one.) I don't know exactly how you find out about them, but I would ask around in the CD-ROM community first. (Try Reference Technology in Boulder, CO. We've done a lot of work with them. They're PC-oriented, but may know about work going on for Suns.) Also, there is a Mac CD-ROM reader which is SCSI. I'm sure somebody with some time could make use of that. Hope this helps folks. Thanks to EVERYONE who responded. =============================================================== US MAIL: Bill Selig NASA/MSFC ES53 Huntsville, Al 35812 USA TPC: (205)-544-7608 FTS: 824-7608 SPAN: sam::selig INTERNET: selig@xanth.msfc.nasa.gov [128.158.1.31] selig%sam.span@fedex.msfc.nasa.gov BITNET: selig%sam.span@star.stanford.edu UUCP: uunet!selig@sam.SPAN -OR- uunet!sam.span!selig ================================================================